David Thiselton

The Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale held on Friday and Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth set new ground and highlighted the positive vibe sweeping through horseracing in South Africa at present.

Of the 251 lots offered 224 were sold, up from 121 in 2024 and 219 last year, the aggregate of R145,210,000 was up from R65,345,000 in 2024 and R122,800,00 last year, the average of R648,249 was up from R540,042 in 2024 and 560,731 last year, while the median compared favourably as it was R400,000 in 2024, R325,000 last year and R400,000 this year.

The top buyer at the Sale, Jonathan Snaith, said, “The 2026 Race Coast Premier Yearling Sale was a tremendous success and a clear step forward for the Sale.

The quality of yearlings on offer was exceptional and buyers responded accordingly, which is reflected in the strong aggregate of over R145 million and an impressive average of R648,259.

The medium of R400 000 is an important figure, which was up 23% on last year.

There was great depth across the catalogue with plenty of athletic, well-presented individuals.

It’s encouraging to see breeders supporting the sale with quality stock and buyers backing it with confidence.

Sales like this are vital for the continued growth of the South African breeding industry and horse population.

Race Coast Sales created a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere that was enjoyed by all buyers, contributing to a thoroughly successful and enjoyable Sale.

A sincere thank you to the entire Race Coast Sales team, as well as the owners and buyers whose support makes this Sale possible. They make the magic happen.”

Snaith spent a total of R 26,075,000 for 25 lots at an average of R 1,043,000.

Justin Vermaak Equine bought the most horses, splashing out R 22,250,000 for 29 lots at an average of R767,241.

Jonathan Snaith had a memorable Sale for more reasons than one. He is a shareholder in the new stallion Jet Dark, who had a sensational return at his first ever Sale. The Drakenstein-based Trippi stallion had 20 lots sold for a total return of R 17,550,000 and an average of R877,500. That must surely be a South African record for a stallion’s first Sale. His service fee for 2026 has been raised to R30,000 accordingly.

Reigning champion stallion Vercingetorix was the leading Sire, which has become the norm. He deserves that status having set a new record last term of 23 stakes winners in a season and this season he has already had 14 stakes winner. His 23 stakes winners won 33 stakes races between them last season and this season his 14 stakes winners have won 19 stakes races between them.

Vercingetorix Sale return was 22 lots sold for a total of R 32,975,000 and an average of R 1,498,864.

Rafeef was not far behind with his 21 lots fetching a returning a total of R26,850,000 for an average of R1,278,571.

Rafeef had six stakes winners of nine races last season and has had four stakes winners of four races this season.

Jet Dark, who was a five-time Gr 1 winner who won the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate twice and he also won the WSB Cape Town Met, was the third highest selling stallion by aggregate, although Master Of My Fate was third highest by average, his six lots returning an average of R 1,020,833.

Gimmethegreenlight’s seven lots averaged R842,857, One World’s nine lots averaged R 708,333 and What A Winter’s 16 lots averaged R 554,688.

The big improver at the Sale, not surprisingly, was The United States, sire of the South African horse rated highest in the current Longines World Ranking, Tin Pan Alley.

The Moutonshoek Stud-based The United States’ six lots went for an average of R 554,167.

The highest average on the Sale was actually by the overseas-bases stallion Cracksman, a son of the legendary Frankel, but he was not included in this article’s average rankings as he only had one lot.

Cracksman’s one lot was a Drakenstein Stud-bred colt out of a three time-winning Free Eagle (High Chaparral) mare, covered to Southern Hemisphere times, and he went for R1.5 million.

The highest lot at the Sale was on Day Two, lot 197, which was vendored by Winterbach Stud as agent and was purchased by Adam Marcus for R4.5 million. This Vercingetorix colt called Caesar’svastghost is out of the five time-winning stakes-placed Jet Master mare Come Fly With Me, which makes him a half-brother to the Twice Over Cape Guineas and Met winner, Double Superlative.

The highest lot on Day One was lot 94, a Narrow Creek Stud-bred Rafeef colt called Rafa’s Tune, who was the first foal of the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint-winner Singforafa. He was sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for R4 million.

There were no fewer than 47 seven figure lots with Vercingetorix responsible for 15 of them, Rafeef for eleven, Jet Dark for seven, What A Winter four, One World three, Gimmethegreenlight two, Master Of My Fate two, The United States one, Cracksman one and Futura one.

The Race Coast Sales team will be buoyant after this excellent Sale and it augurs well for their future.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Ffos Las and Wolverhampton (UK) – 16 March 2026.

David Thiselton

The Kings Cup was once a good Hollywoodbets Durban July pointer, with the 1967 July winner Jollify, who dead-heated in that famous race with the immortal Sea Cottage, and the 1969 July winner Naval Escort, who was a half-brother of Sea Cottage, both winning the King’s Cup on their way to those glorious victories.

No fewer than 56 renewals of the Kings Cup have passed without their being another Kings Cup July/double, but yesterday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, the Justin Snaith-trained Okavango gave hope that the sequence could end, because considering his fine WSB Met fourth place finish and his high 123 merit rating he should be in the Hollywoodbets Durban July final field.

In the Listed 1600m race yesterday the Master Of My Fate four-year-old gelding took the lead from a wide draw and staying on gamely in the straight under Tristan Godden, he managed to repel the favourite King Pelles despite carrying 63kg and giving the latter 1kg. JP’s Palace, Field Marshal and Shoot The Rapids were the next three home but were well beaten.

The first race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m, saw a fluent victory for the 33/20 shot, the Kom Naidoo-trained Vercingetorix filly Cherryblossompink. Anushka (Declarationofpeace) had been a touch unlucky when beaten 1,70 lengths by Cherryblossompink last time out but that was the latter’s debut and she had the advantage of expected improvement. Cherryblossompink pinged the gates under Keagan de Melo and Anushka managed to slot in behind her. Anushka looked the winner for a brief moment after switching outward at the 400m and ranging alongside Cherryblossompink, but whilst she began tiring De Melo had left a bit in the tanks and repelled her to win by 0,70 lengths.

De Melo won the second too when traveling well throughout on the Nathan Kotzen-trained Hawwaam filly Luthando, who cruised to a cosy 1,10 length victory over the Dean Kannemeyer-trained first-timer Flying Fate (Master Of MY Fate), who drifted from 4/1 out to 16/1 but stayed on well from a handy position.

In the third race over 1000m the Michael Roberts-trained Fleur De Ling is never going to be going to Hollywood, but in an uninspiring contest her second place finish last time over the course and distance was stand out form and she started 91/100 favourite. She never looked in danger of defeat and was chased home by the Paul Lafferty-trained Splash Of Love, who was returning from a seven month layoff but was interesting over a drop in trip because she had finished just 5,60 lengths back in a decent field over 1200m at this course on debut in April last year. Her strong finish carried her to a 1,50 length second and she should pay to follow in similar strength fields.

In the fourth over 1400m the province’s reigning champion trainer and current leading trainer Gareth van Zyl had Past Is Prologue involved. She won her maiden over 1200m third time out and the progeny of Futura are always going to improve as four-year-olds if not rushed and she was also going to enjoy the step up in trip. The good pace set by known front-runner Sneeuwitjie aided her cause and the ever-improving Nicholas Patel got her home by 1,30 lengths from the favourite Spirit Of Shimla.

In the fifth race over 1950m Sword Speed, by William Longsword out of the Galileo mare Zippy Zitter, relished the step up in trip and stayed on well from a handy position to beat  Go Grayson Go by 0,80 lengths. Trainer Alyson Wright said afterwards winning was a prerequisite for the connections to have a tilt at the Gr 1 SA Derby.

In the sixth over 1600m the Stuart Ferrie-trained Master Bomber (Lancaster Bomber), was given a fine ride by Serino Moodley to get the better of Tyrconnell in a thrilling finish.

In the eighth over 1000m the Paul Gadsby-trained Vercingetorix mare Vision To Achieve made it a sixth career win when getting up by 0,80 lengths under Rachel Venniker from Wings Of Josephine.

Vercingetorix made it a third win on the day in the next over 1000m when 4kg claimer Sifisokuhle Bungane steered the Glen Kotzen-trained four-year-old gelding Circumbendibus to an easy 3,10 length victory.

The last race over 1000m saw a thrilling dead-heat between the Michael Roberts-trained Jane’s Vision (Visionaire) and the Glen Kotzen-trained Call Of The Karoo (William Longsword) under riders Rachel Venniker and Chad Little respectively.

David Thiselton

The SA Derby and SA Oaks trial races, known these days as the Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes and the Non-Black Type Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial, both over 2000m, saw an admirable win for Diogenes and a rout by Curious Girl respectively at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, while the Listed WSB Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m was won by Daimyo.

Muzi Yeni must be one of the best at overcoming a wide draw in the country and he was at his best on Diogenes, who is ironically by Hawwaam.

The Riethuiskraal Stud-bred gelding was having his third start for Weichong Marwing, having arrived from Cape Town as the winner of one race over 1600m in five starts and that was in an open maiden in which he carried only 56kg.

He is out of the Captain Al mare Captainofmysoul, who was a five-time winning sprinter.

However, Hawwaam stayed well and with three of his five Gr 1 wins being over 2000m.

Furthermore, Weichong Marwing was once stable jockey to the maestro Ormond Ferraris, while his brother Weiho also learnt from Ferraris and is thus known as a master of staying races.

Yeni took Diogenes up handy and was caught wide initially, but saw a split second opportunity to slot in behind the pacemaker Texas Missile and took it superbly without causing any interference.

Texas Missile was the 4/1 favourite in an open looking contest and relaxed well in front, setting a steady pace.

He stayed on well in the straight and was only headed by Diogenes at the 100m mark.

Diogenese, carrying only 54kg off an 80 merit rating, was receiving 3kg from Texas Missile under the merit rated band conditions of the race and beat him by 1,50 lengths with Master Spy, Councillor and Copper Eagle next best.

Diogenes started at odds of 8/1.

His running style suggests he will enjoy the step up to the 2450m of the Gr 1 SA Derby, but he will face a much tougher task there.

In the Oaks Trial the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Curious Girl has got better and better in line with her becoming more mature and stepping up in trip, which is the typical pattern of her sire Futura’s progeny. She had previously won three out of five starts and the two losses were over 1600m and the three wins from 1800m up to 2400m.

Mike de Kock was another who went through the tough but beneficial learning school of Ormond Ferraris and he also has a fine record in staying races.

Curious Girl was backed in from 4/1 to 5/2 and never looked like losing under Gavin Lerena, despite her 86 merit rating meaning she had to carry joint topweight of 60kg.

She proved way better than an 86 merit rating and ran out a 5,75 length winner.

The Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara-chasing Hazy Dazy now suddenly has a harder task of winning the third and final leg, the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m, than had been previously thought, especially considering Curious Girl has won over a staying trip before.

On Saturday Lerena got Curious Girl over nicely from draw seven into a midfield position with cover and within striking distance of the pace, which was set by Clouds Clearing.

In the straight the Riyo Stud-bred Curious Girl’s rangy style saw her eating up the ground and she had taken the lead by the 300m mark.

She then simply galloped away from them.

The tall filly’s big stride made the rest of the field look like small horses and the bonus for her future is that she still looks a touch gangly, so has scope for further furnishing.

The 15/10 favourite Into Dancing was receiving 1,5kg from Curious Girl and stayed on for second.

She was followed by joint topweight Ethical and next best were Scarlet O’Hara and Lady Blunt.

There was 9,45 lengths between first and sixth in the 14 horse field and Curious Girl’s time was 1,63 seconds faster than Diogenes time, despite her having to carry 6kg more weight.

It all augurs well for Curious Girl to have a tilt at the SA Oaks.

Diogenes is owned by Mr M Havenga, while Curious Girl is owned by Hollywood Racing.

In The Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m, the Alec Laird-trained five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Daimyo scored his second Listed race win of the season over the Turffontein 2400m trip.

Daimyo managed to dictate from the front as he was beautifully relaxed under Calvin Habib and he duly found a lot in the straight carrying 57,5kg off a 99 merit rating to keep the progressive 103-rated Aladdin’s Lamp at bay by 2,30 lengths with the 96-rated Enflame running on well for third.

Daimyo is owned by Messrs K P Nagendran & R V Norton & Mrs C Nagendran.

• SPLITTHEEIGHTS: 109 to 116
• ONE EYE ON VEGAS: 106 to 115
• RADIO STAR: 95 to 107

• SCARLETT HEART (third): 91 to 108
• DAISY JONES (fourth): 106 to 108