David Thiselton

The highest rated race at the Vaal meeting today is a MR 95 handicap for fillies and mares over 1700m and the one to beat could be Willy Meet Again, a talented sort who has come down to a competitive merit rating.

That race is one of four on the day that are around the turn, but in the straight races the course is set up with a mere two metre standside false rail which by trends will lead to high draws being favourable.

In the MR 95 handicap for fillies and mares Willy Meet Again has faced some tough tasks recently in features or in races where she has had  wide draws, but when she last ran in a handicap, on January 24 over 1800m at the Vaal, she finished a 0,45 length third to Aristotle in the Listed Dr Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m. She ran off a 104 merit rating that day and she is now off a 99. Craig Zackey was up in the Richard Maponya and is aboard today. On the downside, she was drawn in pole that day and now has a tough draw of eight and does carry a big weight of 62kg. It is particularly tough because she is front-running to handy type. However, if she gets to the front without expending too much energy, or finds a handy position with cover, she will have a good chance because she possesses a good kick.

Dimako’s Jet has been in good form and although she got a four point raise for her last win she now gets Mickaelle Michel aboard so the 2kg hike in her weights are alleviated by her 1,5kg claim. She also has quite a tricky draw but that hasn’t stopped her doing well in two of her recent runs.

Scarlet O’Hara has some eyecatching form and this progressive three-year-old can rise above her merit rating of 84, but on the downside she has a tough draw of ten.

Future Date will enjoy the trip and is drawn in pole with 2,5kg claimer Jacey Botes up, so she has an opportunity to go close here.

The topweight Royal Invitation has relished running on the Highveld tracks with their long straights and although she would prefer further she is effective over this trip too and has a 2,5kg claimer up from a plum draw.

Those are the five that make most appeal and are selected in the order mentioned.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m Fully Loaded will enjoy the trip from a nice high draw and off a three point higher mark for her last win she can go close again under the ever improving Blaine Marx-Jacobson. Wayne was not disgraced in the Egoli Mile last time out and should be in the shake up off a merit rating of 91, which he could rise above, and he has a fairly high draw of ten. Mastership looks to be full of potential and this scopey sort won three of his last four starts before being rested for six months. He might need it but his ability gives him a chance, although he does have a low draw.

In the fifth race over 2400m Green Machine has thrived since being stepped up in trip and won well in his first attempt at this trip last time. He can be ridden with confidence off a four point higher mark now that it has been proved he enjoys the trip and he should go close from a fair draw of five under Gavin Lerena. Repetition has not run over this trip since winning his maiden about 17 months ago and he now has a plum draw and has come down the merit ratings, so he could do well carrying just 57kg. DJ Junior was just 1,10 lengths behind Green Machine last time and has a good draw, so he should be right there.

In the sixth over 1000m Heath House has to carry topweight despite being a two-year-old but he is very quick and is unbeaten in three starts over 1000m and below. His draw of four is quite low but he should be able to use his speed to get to the front under 1,5kg claimer, Blaine Marx-Jacobson, who is the champion apprentice elect. Harry Nyquist is a British-bred who won easily on debut over 1160m and over this trip he could get away with a long layoff of about 16 months. He is drawn on the right side. Twentytwentyvision went close last time over 1000m and has shown continual improvement with blinkers on. This is his fifth start with the headgear and he has a nice high draw with the in form Mickaelle Michel coming with a bonus 1,5kg gender claim.

In the eighth over 1700m Kortvandraad enjoyed the step up in trip last time and should go close under Gavin Lerena, despite behaving to jump from a wide draw. Pretty Analia has a fair draw and will enjoy he step up in trip. She is capable of a strong finish and will be dangerous carrying just 53kg. Chariklo was npt disgraced in her first start out of the maidens and is 1kg better off with Kortvandraad for a 2,25 length beating and she can go close if able to overcome a tricky draw of ten.

In the last race over 1700m Guerilla Warfare has a chance in a wide open contest although he is not as well drawn as he was when going close last time over this course and distance. Redlightgreenlight ran a cracker over 1600m last time and the form has been well franked so he has a chance if able to overcome a wide draw. Sky Pilot’s maiden win has been well franked and he could go close under Gavin Lerena off an attractive 77 merit rating.

The third race over 1400m should see Midnight Show improving over a suitable step up in trip having faced some strong opposition over shorter in two previous starts and not being disgraced. High Fidelity could be in the shake up if able to overcome a low draw and Kovil should be respected.

In the second over 1400m Impressive is knocking on the door and can get it right here from a nice high draw.

In the first race over 1600m Cover Charge looks capable of improvement but has a low draw and Beach Walker and Vixeninthevineyard should be thereabouts.

RACE 1

VIXENINTHEVINEYARD has been costly to follow but wouldn’t be winning out of turn. The removal of cheekpieces over this shorter trip will suit so she is worth another chance. COVER CHARGE shaped better over this distance last time and should be competitive, especially with the benefit of his rider’s 1.5kg allowance. BEACH WALKER and CUZZIE also have the form and experience to have a say.

RACE 2

IMPRESSIVE lost little in defeat last time against male opposition over this distance in KZN and a repeat of that performance back in same-sex company could suffice. TREX ON FIRE acquitted herself well in both outings and has shown enough to pose a threat. KNOCKIN’ BOOTS and BE THE ONE are likely improvers over this extended trip so have to be respected. BLOW MY TOP, GO FOR BROKE, LA PARISIENNE and PILATES are bred to be useful so worth a market check on debut.

RACE 3

Well-bred HIGH FIDELITY was supported on debut and showed promise. With that experience under the belt and any amount of improvement expected over this extended trip, it could pay to follow his progress. KOVIL and LUCKY AWESOME fit a similar profile and should make their presence felt in receipt of weight from the selection. RAPTOR KING was a beaten short-priced favourite last time but had legitimate excuses that day, so he cannot be overlooked. CAPTAIN COOPER and SHINING STAR are other likely improvers to consider. Watch the betting on newcomers TROJAN HORSE, SPY CATCHER and DUKE OF LORRAINE.

RACE 4

Many with chances in a big field but the value could lie with recently gelded 3yo QUICKFREEZE whose best races were run in this headgear configuration. Last-start winners MASTERSHIP, FULLY LOADED and BRISTOL HERCULES remain competitive under resultant penalties. WAYNE is another lightly raced 3yo with the means to make his presence felt. BIRTHRIGHT, THE AFRICA HOUSE and DIWALI ROCKET can also get into the picture.

RACE 5

Progressive GREEN MACHINE made a winning post-maiden debut over this distance and a 4-point hike may not be enough to prevent him completing the hat-trick. SAMUEL SHARPE was beaten by that rival in a 2000m maiden and is better off at the weights. There should be little between the pair on these terms but the value lies with the improving latter. REPETITION won his only outing over this trip so has to be respected, along with DJ JUNIOR and SPECIAL STAR. Hard-knockers WE ARE THE LOGANS, ARLINGTON ACTION, CHABAL and FULL GO have earning potential too.

RACE 6

Well-bred import HARRY NYQUIST could hardly have been more impressive on debut over 1160m. He showed enough pace that day to suggest that he will be equally effective over this shorter trip on his reappearance following a lengthy absence. Youngster HEATH HOUSE lost his unbeaten record in a 1160m feature last time. He is undefeated over this distance and should be competitive, though does carry a big weight against useful older rivals. IT’S PERSONAL, HIS LORDSHIP and TWENTYTWENTYVISION are also competitive on current form.

RACE 7

Last-start winners DIMAKO’S JET and PALACE DANCER return from respective absences but remain competitive under resultant penalties. Lightly raced 3yo SCARLET O’HARA, another recent scorer, fits a similar profile and will likely make her presence felt. Class-dropper WILLY MEET AGAIN, returning ANCIENT WISDOM and BACK FROM WAR, off a career-low mark, aren’t taken lightly either.

RACE 8

MIRACULOUS MOMENT was an impressive maiden winner over 1600m before a 10-week break. She remains open to further improvement on her handicap debut but conceding weight from a wide draw won’t be an easy task. GLAMOROUS LADY has the form and experience to play a role but her fitness will be tested after a 103-day absence. REFLECTIVE would’ve benefitted from a much-needed comeback run over 1450m and this extended trip will be more to her liking. KORTVANDRAAD was a fast-finishing second in a similar contest last time and she should go close with a repeat of that effort. BE MY FATE can have a say too.

RACE 9

SKY PILOT was a last-to-first winner of a 1400m maiden last time, suggesting the step up to this trip will likely bring about further improvement. POMPEII SHIELD acquitted himself well in a stronger race on handicap debut so should have a role to play from gate one off an unchanged mark. GUERILLA WARFARE and REDLIGHTGREENLIGHT are closely matched on recent form. Both can get involved. BEST CANDIDATE and TERRENCE are better than their disappointing latest outings and could have a say if bouncing back to earlier form. SPACE MISSION, ZIP CODE and AMERICAN REBEL can also earn.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Ascot and Ripon (UK) – 17 June 2026.

David Thiselton

Peter Muscutt has engaged the Australian-based Zimbabwean Mark du Plessis to ride I Salute You in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and this will be a reunion of a partnership which has had success in both Zimbabwe and Singapore.

Peter has never had a runner under his own name in South Africa’s greatest race, but this year he looks a virtual certainty to have two runners as his pair of entries, Isivivane and I Salute You, were in 15^th and 16^th position on the last Hollywoodbets Durban July log.

Peter said about top jockey Mark du Plessis, who was Zimbabwe’s Apprentice Champion in the 1994/95 season and their overall champion in 1997/98, “He rode for me in Zimbabwe and in Singapore and in fact he rode my first winner in Singapore. He has been very successful in Asia and very successful in New Zealand. He actually had to forego the New Zealand championship the one season, because he landed a contract in Hong Kong. He would have won it, he was a long way clear. He did very well in Hong Kong (in two stints). He is a natural light weight and apart from his current residence (Australia) and all of those other places mentioned he has also ridden winners in Japan, very good rider.”

Mark has never ridden in the July before, but has ridden at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Peter elaborated, “He did well in Hong Kong, whose two tracks are not unlike Greyville (both are tight, right-handed tracks), and he has got a lot of experience on tight-turning tracks in both New Zealand and Australia.”

Mark has ridden 36 wins in Queenland this season, which puts him in 32^nd place on the Queensland table. However, that gives a bit of a skewed picture, because in the statistics limited to the metro racetracks he is in 12^th position with 18 wins.

Although these are Peter’s first July runners under his name he has had a lot of experience in preparing July horses as the former Summerveld assistant to both Joey Ramsden and Brett Crawford.

As far as big race preparation goes, he has also learnt from one of the best trainers in the world, having spent seven years working with Australian legend Chris Waller.

The Hollywood Racing-owned four-year-old Erupt gelding Isivivane booked his berth in the July by winning the Gr 3 WSB 1900 on May 9, beating the fancied July entry Regulation by 0,60 lengths at level weights. Sean Veale rode him in the 1900 and will stay aboard for the July.

I Salute You, a four-year-old gelding by Soqrat, booked his place by finishing a 0,70 length second to Zeitz in the Gr 3 Betgames Cup Trial over 1800m on June 6.

Peter said, “Isivivane has a 2,5kg advantage over I Salute You, but I Salute You is a very good horse and I have no hesitation in suggesting that both horses are going to see out the trip very well, they are both very fit horses.”

I Salute You will be 1kg better off with Zeitz for a 0,70 length beating and Peter said, “I can’t see him beating us again.”

He added, “I Salute You was also a touch slowly away in the Cup Trial and if he hadn’t missed the break I think he would have taken a lot of beating. He was a fair way further back than I had wanted him and had he been in front of Zeitz turning in I don’t think he would have beaten us.”

He continued, “I Salute You has not jumped well in his last two starts, but we will do some work on that.”

He concluded, “They both came out of their races very well. They seem to be horses who are on the improve and they are both in really good form. Now we wait for the draws.”

Isivivane won’t have run for nearly two months by the time of the July, but Peter does not see that as a problem and reiterated that he was a very fit horse.

Both horses will work on their own at the official Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops.

Peter added, “According to their schedule they will probably both work from the 1400m and pick it up from the 1000m.”

I Salute You is owned by Messrs E C Abraham, Mayesh Chetty, T Herdon, K Nattar, Tony Zackey, Advocate W A J Nicholson & Miss Trinisha Pillay. It will be an exciting build up to the big day for all of them.

Peter said about the draws he would prefer, “Anything from 5 to 10 would be ideal.”

Isivivane is a half-brother to the Gr 1 SA Classic winner Red Saxon (Red Ray). He is out of Casey Tibbs mare Rodeo Sioux, whose three wins included a minor feature over 2600m, so that coupled with Erupt being by Dubawi and having won two Gr 1s over 2400m augurs well for his capacity to handle the testing July trip.

I Salute You’s sire Soqrat’s three Gr 1 wins were all over a mile, but he was a flying second with topweight in the Gr 1 Summer Cup over the tough Turffontein 2000m. I Salute You,  is out of a mare by speed influence Var, but that mare is in turn out of a mare by stamina influence Silvano.

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David Thiselton

Justin Snaith has six entries in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and one of them, the Vercingetorix gelding Native Ruler, put in a fine preparation run on Saturday by winning the Gr 3 Winter Stakes over 2400m in authoritative fashion.

The biggest irony with Snaith’s entries, which also includes Wish List, Note To Self, Happy Verse, Legal Counsel and Regulation, is that one of their most supported entries in the betting markets, Regulation, is not certain to make the final field.

Justin spoke yesterday (Monday) about Native Ruler and Regulation and said, “Native Ruler dominated a modest field, but did so with real authority, never giving the impression he was in any danger once turning for home.

He remains a progressive horse and, if you cast your mind back to his excellent run in last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, there is every reason to be optimistic about his chances this time around. Keagan de Melo produced a faultless ride and will undoubtedly know the horse even better going into the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Congratulations to Greg and Gina Bortz, Mukund Gujadhur and Rikesh Sewgoolam – a fantastic partnership enjoying a tremendous run of success.

Greg and Gina’s silks, in particular, have struck a rich vein of form of late and also hold a strong hand in the Hollywoodbets Durban July with Regulation. In my view, he is the best-weighted horse of our runners in this year’s race, and it is no surprise to see him prominently positioned in the betting markets (Currently trading at 8–1 and sitting fifth in the betting). JP Van Der Merwe has been booked to ride him at 52kg.

The best-weighted horse often wins this great race, not necessarily the best horse.

Things did not go his way last time when he choked up in the Cup Trial, but he has since scoped clear. Should he secure a place in the final field, I believe he is capable of running a massive race. His brother Belgarion won the Hollywoodbets Durban July in 2020. Both Belgarion and Regulation were bred by my one of our longest standing clients, Alec and Gillian Foster (who also bred Questioning).”

Regulation has had no luck at all in his last three starts but showed his class when having nowhere to go in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and running on powerfully for third when finally seeing daylight. He comfortably beat the like of Zeitz and Native Ruler in that race despite having been hampered. Before that he had won the Gr 3 Ownway Peninsula Handicap over 1800m and in that event he received only 1kg from Zeitz and beat him by 3,20 lengths. Furthermore, in the Gr 3 WSB 1900 in his penultimate start, Regulation was caught wide throughout, yet still managed to finish second.

However, Regulation was only in position 20 on the last Hollywoodbets Durban July log.

He might have to rely on a scratching or two to ensure a place in the final field of 18. If he is only made a reserve, he will have to rely on a late scratching or two. On the other hand, the log is just a guide and he might still get into the 18-strong final field without there being any scratchings.

Greg and Gina Bortz’s contracted rider is JP can der Merwe and as he is pencilled in to ride Regulation they might be viewing this Legislate gelding as their elect runner. They will be on tenterhooks in the build up to the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field And Draw ceremony.

The Bortz’s won the July in 2024 with the Brett Crawford-trained Vercingetorix colt Oriental Charm, who was ridden by JP van der Merwe.