Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Ascot (World Pool) and Southwell (UK) – 18 June 2026.

Andrew Harrison

Glen Kotzen was not complimentary of the handicapping of his filly Lock And Key, given that she once garnered a rating of over 100. But down to an 87 rating  after two years plus a 4kg claimer aboard she got home in the Middle Stakes that headed the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

Although only shouldering 50.5kg, the instructions to promising Mauritian apprentice Anaas Mosaheb were not to go to the front. That instruction went out of the window from the jump as Lock And Key broke well and nothing willing to take her on.

The filly kept rolling all the way to the line with the well supported Thisiswhatitmeans chasing hard but once up to the girth of the filly the 13kg swing in the weights came into play and MJ Odendaal’s gelding was more than game in defeat.

Back against her own sex after an eye-catching run behind the progressive Green Energy, Mike Miller’s filly What A Classic was relatively easy to back in the first with all the late money coming for Sei Bella and Red Hot Miss.

Tristan Godden was content to sit off the pace as the two market rivals disputed the lead and it looked to be a boat race up the straight. However, What A Classic started to warm up and Sei Bella, starting to feel her early exertions, dropping out of the challenge. Red Hot Miss kept finding but was unable to hold the challenge from What A Classic who finally got home quite comfortably.

 Garth Puller’s filly Amphitrite was a boil-over in the first leg of the PA as apprentice Dezahn Louw took his medicine at the start but brought his filly with a storming late run to collar the year younger Christmas Rose with the balance of the opposition fighting over scraps.

The pace was on early as Dee Day took off like a scalded cat with Amphitrite jumping sideways out of the gate and left in the dicky seat with Christmas Rose just ahead.

A furlong out, it was the proverbial cavalry charge but both Christmas Rose and Amphitrite were given a clear run at the line. Wide into the straight, Christmas Rose was the likely winner before Amphitrite arrived on her outside to snaffle the race.

Gimme The Truth drifted alarmingly in the market before the first leg of the Pick 6 in spite of some smart recent form but those that followed the market came up short. In instructions were to stay wide and Glen Kotzen’s gelding arrived with a wet sail under apprentice Damyan Pillay putting plenty of daylight between him and Crimson Typhoon with favourite Good Omen never going well and finishing out with the washing.

Lucinda Woodruff has had a strong KZN winter season and added another to her tally as Ebisu ran her field ragged in the Class 4. Sweating up in the preliminaries would have put some punters off but Callan Murray had no hesitation in taking her to the front and there she stayed, winning as she liked chased home by favourite Red Coral and Chasing Gold. Woodruff confirmed post-race that the filly did tend to sweat up before a race.

Woodruff was back in the winner’s enclosure in the fifth as Innerbloom made all the running under Calvin Habib. Making her poly debut, Innerbloom looked to be under pressure crossing the subway but challenges fell away and she went to the line a comfortable winner with Dawn Surprise staying on for the minor money ahead of December Dawn.

The mare Diamondsandpearls was a hard-knocking mare for Shane Humby but only produced one foal before being found dead in her paddock one morning. However, her legacy lives on as her only foal, Last Margarita, went back-to-back. Stepping up to a mile, she made all the running in the Class 5 to give Puller and apprentice Mosaheb a double on the day.

Dancing On A Cloud always seemed to be something of an under performer but the switch to the quieter climbs of Ashburton and a lengthy break saw him back in the winner’s box for Wengi Masawi who attested to the fact that he was a bit of a handful at home. Sean Veale came from well off the pace to produce Dancing On A Cloud to win with something in hand.

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.

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.