David Thiselton

 

The official opening day of Champions Season at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday saw some top class racing and plenty of talking points. Not least of which was that owner Ravi Naidoo pulled off a third win of the WSB Guineas, all achieved in the space of four years, and owner Jonathan Bloch and breeders Maine Chance Farms did a Guineas double, being  part-owner and breeders respectively of WSB Guineas winner Star Major and of WSB Fillies Guineas Wish List.

 

Durban-born Naidoo made no secret from day one of the regard his James Crawford-trained Querari colt Star Major was held in and his victory in Saturday’s  WSB Guineas made the three-year-old look like the real deal.

 

Naidoo, who races under the name Kalinga, part-owns Star Major together with Bloch, Neville Isdell and Prakashni Pillay and this win follows wins in the WSB Guineas with the Brett Crawford-trained Zapatillas (Master Of My Fate) in 2022 and with the Justin Snaith-trained Sail The Seas (Vercingetorix) last year, while he also finished fourth with the Glen Kotzen-trained Cousin Casey in 2023.

 

Star Major began to show what he was capable of after the New Year, first by winning the Gr 3 HKJC World Pool Politician Stakes over 1800m at odds of 33/1 having finished fifth in the Race Coast Punters Cup and a 3,45 length sixth in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, and he followed with a good fourth in the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby.

 

On Saturday the Sean Tarry-trained Tin Pan Alley was all the rage in the WSB Guineas market, having won the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Stakes by 3,75 lengths, beating six Gr 1 winners in the process, including WSB Met winner See It Again.

 

However, he lost the race at the start.

 

He was officially “slow into stride” and after finding a position on the rail further back than he would have liked to have been he began over racing, which ultimately made him a sitting duck in the final stages.

 

Star Major settled well from the off and sat in joint last place with cover from Happy Verse, who was sitting outside of Tin Pan Alley.

 

In the straight Tin Pan Alley’s class enabled him to hit the front at about the 50m mark, overtaking One Eye On Vegas who was unable to go through with his dangerous looking run.

 

However, Tin Pan Alley’s earlier exertions meant his finish was laboured compared to his finish in the Horse Chestnut, in which he was able to stride out throughout.

 

Star Major, rated 114, scythed through the field with long strides under a fine ride by Mickaelle Michel to beat the favourite by 0,90 lengths.

 

One Eye On Vegas (107) was beaten two lengths into third, while Happy Verse (113) ran on quite well and was beaten 2,50 lengths into fourth.  Malmesbury Missile (110) was beaten 3,30 lengths into fifth.

 

One Eye On Vegas was the only horse in the top six officially rated below 110, although it should be pointed out the handicappers initially had him at 115, and the last five horses were all rated 106 or below.

 

One Eye On Vegas is obviously the outlier in the ratings, so is unlikely to be used as the line horse and Happy Verse looks the likely candidate.

 

Star Major was a R500 000 National Yearling Sale purchase and is now a winner of three races. His ten starts have also yielded five places and he took his stakes total to R880 295.

Andrew Fortune was confident of success on the Justin Snaith-trained Wish List in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas. The dual Gr 1 winner seemed a bit short in the market at odds-on, as the trip was on the sharp side and she had a wide draw, and she duly drifted out to 13/10.

 

However, she has transformed since her early three-year-old year from a hard knocker into a filly of true class who just gets better and better and she won cosily.

 

Fortune had her covered up near the back in the running.

 

Initially her run in the straight did not seem to be making much progress and she looked in danger of defeat as the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner Quickstepgal was going well in front and so was the main challenger Keukenhof.

 

However, Fortune then switched inward, aiming for a gap between Princess Of Gaul and Quickstepgal, and the Legislate filly took off.

 

Wish List burst through and Fortune was able to pose for the last stride, winning by 0,30 lengths from Quickstepgal with Keukenhof, Princess Of Gaul and Beach Verse next best.

 

Fortune complained about an apprentice rider getting in his way during the race.

 

However, Wish List has stamped herself as a dominant force and will be a factor in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

 

She is rated 117 which will probably stay the same as second-placed Quickstepgal is rated 116, but there will be no allowance for females in the July this year, so she will not have an easy task carrying 53,5kg as things stand and giving weight to some of the best Highveld three-year-olds.

 

Wish List is owned by Jonathan Bloch together with Nancy Hossack and she has earned R2 023 738 in stakes.

 

Vaughan Marshall has done an incredible job with Questioning, who as a five-year-old has blossomed into a magnificent athlete, who has become the best horse in the country over 1400m and might even be the best over sprints too and even over a mile.

 

The Alec and Gillian Foster-bred Querari gelding, owned by the Bortz’s, Wernars and Mukund Gujadhur, was handily placed from pole position in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes and despite being a touch hampered at the top of the straight he powered clear under Richard Fourie to beat last year’s winner Gladatorian by 1,60 lengths, with Great Plains, a head further back, repeating his third place of last year.

 

The Sean Tarry-trained Gerbera (One World) got up late under a typically well timed ride by Craig Zackey to win the Listed IOS Insider East Coast Cup over 2000m.

 

The Durban Dash over 400m saw Louis Goosen claiming the exacta with Arverni Princess (Vercingetorix), ridden by Blaine Marx-Jacobson, and Donquerari.

Andrew Harrison

It has been a red letter week for Internationally experienced and visiting French rider Mickaelle Michel who racked up her second Gr2 win in just three days as she caused an upset when steering the James Crawford-trained Star Major to a commanding victory in the Gr 2 World Sports Betting Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

Hot favourite for the race, Tin Pan Alley did not enjoy the best of passages and had to settle for second as Star Major finished with a wet sail. Third was One Eye On Vegas with Happy Verse in the minor placing.

With Radio Star setting a solid pace, Star Major was among the back markers turning for home. But Michel gave the colt a clear run at the line and he quickened up smartly to cut through his field and win going away, a win that must put him in line for a berth in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Tin Pan Alley on the other hand did not enjoy the run of the race. Keen in the early stages, Keagan de Melo still had him set for a strong finish up the inside of the field turning for home. However, Richard Fourie was having a hard time keeping Crawford’s other runner, Fox On The Run, on a straight course and although not making contact, the favourite was carried off a straight path which, may or may not, have affected his chances.

Earlier, Wish List who had put a high-class field to bed when taking on males in the Gr1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m at her previous start at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in February, she showed her versatility with a stunning victory in the Gr2 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas under another top ride from Andrew Fortune.

It was not all plain sailing as Fortune had to navigate some early scrimmaging with Daisy Jones falling back on him and at one stage Wish List was nearer last than first as Limitless Sky and market rival Quickstepgal had the run of the race.

Fortune was early to work on his filly before the final bend but she gradually made up the leeway and was within striking distance of the leaders crossing the subway. Fortune then allowed Wish List to duck inwards behind the leaders and Justin Snaith confirmed post-race that it was a clever move on the part of the rider to keep her away from the grandstand who he deemed as intimidating for horses first up at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Once in the clear, Wish List slipped through between Quickstepgal and Princess Of Gaul and eventually got the better of Quickstepgal and Keukenhof with Princess Of Gaul fading late but staying on for fourth.

The Gr2 Tote Woolavington 2000 must surely be the next step up for Wish List.

There was no questioning Questioning who started deep in the red for the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes and duly delivered. Rider Richard Fourie had an anxious moment at the top of the straight as an expected gap failed to open and he had to switch inside. But as he mentioned post-race, it was just a ‘blip’ as Questioning picked it up smartly and quickly put the race to bed. It was the gelding’s second win in as many starts in KZN for Vaughan Marshall’s charge and it will be interesting to see if the son of Querari gets a crack at the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m or stays sprinting and the Gr1 Mercury Sprint a more tempting target.

Runner-up was last year’s Drill Hall winner Gladatorian who touched off a low-flying The Real Prince who came from well back to snatch third ahead of a wall of runners. It was a promising run from both geldings who will probably be destined to meet again in the Gold Challenge and on to the R10 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

There was a blanket finish to the East Coast Cup (listed), run at a pedestrian pace, with seven or eight runners crossing the line together but it was consolation for Sean Tarry after Tin Pan Alley’s defeat with Gerbera sticking her head clear close home to edge out Rahhabba and pacemaker Woman’s World.

Fortune gave his opposition another master class in jockeyship as he got AMC Roy’s Fantasy home in the first. He was helped by the two fancied runners ‘cutting each other’s throats’ for the early lead and Mosaic World and Ice Road were a spent force crossing the subway. Fortune slipped Kom Naidoo’s runner up their inside and the filly responding under minimum of effort to win rather comfortably with Red Hot Miss running on late to run the pacemakers out of the minor money.

Snow Moon put a field of winners to bed in the second as Tristan Godden rode a confident race on Mano Pandaram’s maiden. Seldom far back in the Highveld maiden ranks, one can expect Snow Moon back for another crack on the poly. Eased out of the scrum on the bend and turning for home wide, Snow Moon displayed a big stride and using it to good effect as he went past the opposition. It was full moon on Friday night and Sail To The Moon got up late for second with the exacta paying a healthy R191.80 and a good few Bi-Pot tickets in the bin early.

Snow Moon may have caused a boil-over in the bi-pot but Kudikaran, fourth of four in the Gr2 SA Nursery but not beaten far, made amends in the first leg of the PA as the favourite did the deed for Pandaram, giving him a quick double. It was anyone’s race over the final 400 m and just when it looked as if Kudikaran was going to be run out of it, Serino Moodley got him to change legs and his mount found another gear pulling clear of the game pair of Tiger Magic and Scots Wae Hae.

Director and Princess Tripp slipped clear of the opposition up the inside race in the fourth and it was Gareth van Zyl’s gelding that found the extra over the final 200m under Sean Veale to hold off the filly with the balance of the field well beaten.

Race 1

PRINCESS OF ALL returns from a break after an excusable last start but should play a leading role if bouncing back to her earlier form. HURRICANE POWER, EMPRESS WU and LADY ENID have the form and experience to make their presence felt too, while FOXY AFTER DARK should know more about it after an introductory outing. Newcomers BLAZING BREEZE and BRIGHT COMET are worth a market check on debut. (Brendan Gaillard 1-7-4-8)

 

Race 2

HAMMER BLOW and BUFFALO KING CODY have the form credentials to fight out the finish. However, it could pay to side with the 2yo latter who improved to finish 2nd in both starts with blinkers fitted and remains open to further progress after a subsequent gelding. GUNBOAT and SECOND TO NUNN could have roles to play if building on the improvement of their career-best latest outings. Newcomer AUTOGRAPH is bred to be useful and won’t need to be special to make his presence felt either. (Brendan Gaillard 7-1-6-3)

 

Race 3

TIME HONORED makes his Highveld debut for a new stable after a layoff. On the strength of his Cape Town form, he looks ideally placed to make a winning reappearance. BEACH WALKER, BRAVE WAAM and EHHFIFTEENKJOE have shown enough to be competitive, though newcomer 2yo TREX ON FIRE will not have to be out of the ordinary to play a role either. (Brendan Gaillard 2-5-1-8)

 

Race 4

LOLLY WILLOWES sets the standard on the strength and consistency of her form, and she will be hard to beat on her Highveld return. GATHERING WINTER and WISPINTHEWILLOW could have more to offer over this extended trip. Both have the means to challenge the selection. STELLA VICTORIOUS should have a role to play if building on recent improvement, though a bigger threat may come from Futura debutante FASHION NEWS, who is her trainer’s only runner on the day. CASH OUT is another worth mentioning, with better expected of her after an excusable introduction. (Brendan Gaillard 1-2-3-6)

 

Race 5

TRAIL RUNNER sets the standard on the strength and consistency of her form and as the joint best-weighted runner in the race. Hard-knocker TIME FOR CHARITY is effective over this distance and is also weighted to be competitive. KING OF NUMBERS, UBERMENSCH, NKANDLA GOLD and DARING ACT are out of sorts but have the means to get involved. (Brendan Gaillard 3-7-2-5)

 

Race 6

ROYALE JACKET has been found wanting over 1800m so should enjoy cutting back to the shorter trip with the headgear removed. He has the form and experience to play a leading role but is vulnerable to unexposed MASTER BUDDY. The latter was a career-best 4th stretching out to 1600m last time and remains open to further improvement over the extra 100m. WINDING POWER, who has both the form and experience to be competitive, fits a similar profile with an accomplished work rider aboard. CRONUS and youngster FIELD OF DREAMS appeal most of the remainder. (Brendan Gaillard 1-3-2-4)

 

Race 7

ARIOVISTUS has rediscovered form since relocating to the Highveld, running well in defeat at a higher level with blinkers fitted. He races without the headgear but a repeat of either performance could suffice. AMERICAN REBEL is held on recent form but will strip fitter after a comeback run so should get closer to that rival. ZIP CODE, NARETOI and REAL STUNNER are closely matched on the form of a recent 1800m meeting, and they could have a say in outcome if seeing out the extra 200m. Best-weighted CARTAGENA had excuses for a disappointing last start and is capable of playing a role. (Brendan Gaillard 2-3-4-6)

 

Race 8

TRACKSUIT DAVE improved for the step up to this trip when running out a wide-margin winner of his last start. He remains open to further progress in his peak outing and is ideally placed to follow up. SPACE MISSION, PEARL IN HER CROWN and APOSTROPHE have shown enough to pose a threat to that rival, especially in receipt of weight from the selection. NORTHERN KITTEN and SHEETS AND GOGGLES complete the shortlist. (Brendan Gaillard 2-3-4-8)

Soccer13 Sunday 3 May 2026. Carryover R2 136 264. R5.5 Million (All-13-Correct Jackpot Pool). Pool Closes at 14h30. Sport 16 Pool 1.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Newmarket (World Pool) (UK) – 3 May 2026.