David Thiselton

The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Splittheeights has emerged as a contender for best three-year-old male in the land with an impressive victory in the Gr 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday, while the Corne Spies-trained Hazy Dazy made a mockery of her good value odds to easily win the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Considering Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Jan Van Goyen was beaten by Trust in the Gr 2 Jackpot City Dingaans and Splittheeights has now beaten Trust twice since then, Splittheeights can claim to be the best three-year-old in the land. On the other hand, Trust was unlucky in Saturday’s race.

Splittheeights is yet another big race winner for the mighty sire Vercingetorix. He is out of the Trippi mare Massachusetts which makes him a half-brother to the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint winner William Robertson.

William Robertson has done well over a mile too and has a Gr 3 fourth place over 1800m, while Vercingetorix won Gr 1s over 2000m and 1800m, so there was no real concern over the step up in trip.

In his previous start in the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m, Splitheeights he had turned it on in impressive style and although receiving 2kg from Trust, he had beaten him by 2,50 lengths, which put him half-a-length ahead of Trust on paper. He had also caught the eye more than Trust had in that race.

Nevertheless, Trust had beaten the champion Jan Van Goyen over 1600m and was not only back to that trip, but he was reunited with his regular rider Serino Moodley.

So, Trust started as the 9/4 favourite, first drifting out to 5/2 before shortening late, whereas Splitheeights vied for favouritism but started at 5/2.

A good pace was set by Splittheeights’ 25/1 chance stablemate Yippee Kayay with the 33/1 shot stablemate I’m A Fireball behind him.

Trust broke well and was in joint third place, but was caught one wide without cover. Splitheeights had the perfect position under Raymond Danielson, sitting in behind Trust. Yippee Kayay stole a march as they turned for home and opened up a big lead.

Dingaans third-placed All Systems Go, an East Cape raider, was the first to give chase together with Radio Star on the outside. Splitheeights switched out and swept past Radio Star with an impressive burst while still in the hands. Trust was still biding his time in the centre.

As Moodley got to work on Trust, One Eye On Vegas switched outward under Sean Veale and took up his running, forcing Trust to be eased. Meanwhile, the smart Grand Empire had come from backward of midfield to challenge for the lead. One Eye On Vegas was also making  big forward strides too.

However, Splittheeights was going best of all and Danielson just had to keep him straight and administer a backhand or two to get the job done winning by 0,60 lengths from Grand Empire with One Eye On Vegas 0,30 lengths further back. Trust rallied late to be beaten just 1,40 lengths into fourth with Yippee Kayay running a brave a 2,15 length fifth.

Serino Moodley objected on behalf of Trust against One Eye On Vegas and was placed third, while the latter was demoted to fourth and an inquiry has been opened into the incident.

Bred by Ridgemont, Splittheeights was an August 2yo Sale R600 000 purchase, and is owned by PM Murugasa.

Splittheeights has now won three races with two places from his five starts for stakes earnings of R994 888.

In the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the Corne Spies-trained Hazy Dazy was allowed to drift out to 25/1, despite having won the Gr 3 Ducat Africa Fillies Mile in her last start on Betway Summer Cup day and  the form of that race had been franked when runner up Charge It had come out and won the Listed War Of Athena Handicap over 1800m in her next start.

Hazy Dazy did have to overcome a tough draw of 12 out of 14 and her rider Trent Mayhew is still an apprentice. However, she ultimately outclassed the opposition to prove herself a smart prospect.

Mayhew managed to get her into a one wide position with cover in about sixth place. She was the third horse in the one out train. Her classy but speedy stablemate Elegantrix led with Daisy Jones sitting on her quarters with the hot favourite Golden Palm in the box seat and Warm Reception and Frangipani inside of Hazy Dazy.

Golden Palm had hit the front going through the 400m mark and Hazy Dazy appeared to be battling to get going. However, she was not losing any ground and then when she changed legs she sauntered to the front while still actually looking green. She won by 2,10 lengths with seemingly a ton in hand.

Charge It, who started at 7/1, ran on well to be her runner up again.

Golden Palm started at 87/100 and was a 3,10 length third. Her excuse might have been that she was sent for home too soon, but that was understandable from Craig Zackey, who is a master of timing, because in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas she had got going too late under Keagan de Melo.

The Justin Snaith-trained raider Lowveld Lily ran on very well from backward of midfield to finish a 4,35 length fourth.

The small horse with the big action Littlemissmillion flew late to deny the rank outsider Daisy Jones fifth place.

Hazy Dazy was bred by Breedon Stud Close Corporation and is by Act Of War out of the Eightfold Path mare, Rabbedoe. She was a BSA December Online sale R37 500 purchase and in seven starts has five wins a place and earnings of R929 550 for owners Mr D Dasrath & Mrs C Dasrath, Messrs R P Macnab, S Poriazis, Vikash Sobaren, X Spies & D Vayapuri.

 

 

 

Andrew Harrison

King Pelles fluffed his lines in the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup but he was back in fine form at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday. Shouldering top weight, S’manga Khumalo gave him a confident ride to win the UmThombothi Stakes but he was hard-pressed by pacemaker Go Grayson Go who was running up to his name.

Over a distance that is palpably short of his best, King Pelles was helped by Go Grayson Go, Frikkie Greyling’s colt setting a solid gallop and keeping all honest which will have helped the favourite.

King Pelles was in cruise mode at the top of the straight and had the measure of most of his rivals, but apprentice Dezahn Louw was extracting more out of his mount and Khumalo had to work a little harder than expected to get the favourite home.

Van Zyl was candid in his post-race interview saying that he expected King Pelles to win a little more comfortably that what he was forced to do. “He was fit enough to win but we did not want him to ‘empty’ out too much with this run.”

Barring a first timer ‘springer’ Green Energy was the best bet on the card and those that cashed in were well rewarded with Buffalo King Cody attracting most of the market attention.

Adam Azzie has obviously learned well from his father Mike, as the Gimmethegreenlight colt was turned out without a hair out of place and he arrived in similar fashion as the Gauteng raider tried hard. He was in contention for a few strides but once Serino Moodley put the hammer down, Green Energy pulled away to win in the manner of a horse that has a future.

Dennis Bosch has been around the block more than just a few times. He no longer chases the limelight, although if the right horse came along he would give Andrew Fortune a run for his money, but he is as shrewd as they come. First timer Durban Diamond landed a gable in the second as replacement rider Craig Zackey landed the gamble with the more exposed Japura chasing her home ahead of Mekong who was all at sea and one for the notebook.

Past Is Prologue is a filly that sits close to Gareth van Zyl’s heart. “It was a long journey with her and she has been lightly raced for a reason but she has been worth it. I got two take ways from Cape Town other than the experience …..she was two.”

A filly with a high knee action, we may not see her around a turn anytime soon but she is a good-looking daughter of Futura.

Keagan de Melo was booked off after an injury suffered at Turffontein on Saturday and he missed out on a possible treble with replacement riders filling in. Durban Diamond for Zackey, Calvin Habib on Sovereign Gem for Alyson Wright and Rachel Venniker for Garth Puller on Mohave Prince in the Progress Plate where Salani Kahle, after his recent victory was sent out favouite. But he didn’t make much impression from the back of the field as Royal Sword found himself in front and hard to catch in a small field but stable companion Mohave Princes made pressing progress to get home late ahead of Gotta Go Eddie with Royal Sword staying on for the minor money.

The Class 4 over 1750m was a competitive handicap but French Trip was given a smart ride by promising apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto. Sitting just off the pace and told not to break his mounts stride by seasoned Gr1 winning trainer Duncan Howells, he took the shortest way home with a clear run at the line and got home rather comfortably ahead of favourite Actor with Continentalexpress running on strongly and one to take note off when next he stretches to over 2400m and further.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Chelmsford City (UK) – 8 February 2026

David Thiselton

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July will be a milestone one with the prize money doubled to R10 million and with a longer handicap introduced as the topweight will be upped to 62kg and bottom weight lowered to 52kg.

It will fittingly fall on the 30th anniversary of the centenary July, which turned out to be one of the greatest of all Julys as it was won by the legendary Alec Laird-trained London News, who went on to put South African racing on the map by winning the QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

The renowned South African wildlife painter Henk Vos released his celebrated work, the Painting Of The Century, depicting a century of July winners, after the July’s centenary running.

The iconic painting now hangs in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Alec Laird actually ordered one of the prints of the painting before it was completed as the print had the first of his great Uncle Syd Garrett’s five July winners on the left and the greatest of his father’s record seven July winners, Sea Cottage, was in the centre.

The right hand side just had a blank with a silhouette of a horse, because Vos did not know yet which horse he was going to paint there.

Alec, who trained out of Randjesfontein on the Highveld, related, “He hadn’t made up his mind what horse he was going to put in the last panel (the 20th panel) and he even said to me ‘I would like you to win the July because I would like to put you as the last painting.’ With about a year to go I said to him I’m not going to make it.’”

However, fate then had it that London News not only became the 14/10 favourite for the 100th running of the July, but he was also saddle cloth number 20, being the only three-year-old in the field and the bottom weight.

Piere Strydom recalled, “I remember at the traditional Friday night cocktail Henk Vos was there with his big painting and there was one spot left for the 100th winner and I can still remember saying to someone that I think my picture’s going to be up there.”

London News duly won the race and Alec, London News and Piere Strydom are now at the forefront of the famous painting’s 20th panel and the horse is fittingly carrying the no. 20 saddle cloth.

The London News story starts at the National Yearling Sale of 1994.

Alec recalled big owners Laurie and Jean Jaffee’s chief aim at that Sale was to buy a yearling by their own 1987 July winner, Bush Telegraph.

Alec recalled Harmony Forever being his number one choice at that Sale.

However, he remembered London News being “a nice horse.”

He added, “On the first day a Bush Telegraph colt called Mr Newspaperman went for about R300,000. London News looked more athletic and Jean Jaffee actually said to me, ‘What about this one?’ On the first day they didn’t get a horse, the second day they didn’t get one and the more they asked me about London News the nicer he got, because I was otherwise going to go home without a horse!”

The Jaffees managed to secure London News.

Alec recalled, “He was a light youngster and even as a three-year-old was quite light. He didn’t show immediately, but we always had the feeling that he would be a nice horse when he matured.”

In fact, London News made a particularly inauspicious debut, beaten no fewer than 16,5 lengths under Anton Marcus in a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal on June 6, 1995.

However, he got better and better and when he smashed the Greyville 2000m course record, which still stands today, in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, he had won six out of eleven starts including the Dingaans and two middle distance Gr 1s.

Piere Strydom was aboard for the Daily News 2000 too.

He reflected on the 1996 July, the first of his four victories in South Africa’s greatest race, “London News was a lekker horse to ride because he had gate speed, a lot of natural speed and he would travel right up there in front and he had a good kick. But at the top of the straight (having led) I thought with a light weight let me just let the reins go a bit and get a length or two for the short straight. But he accelerated way quicker than I had expected and that’s when he made up three or four lengths on the field. Obviously it was going to tell at the end and he was stopping quite badly at the end. I heard the horses coming and I was just hoping for the line and he held on.”

Alec added, “Mike Rattray had invited me to watch in his box because it was on the line and he won by a neck but my eyes wouldn’t believe it because there was so much pressure. I wanted to see the number up!”

Alec described the emotion of being on the honour roll together with his late record-breaking seven-time July-winning father Syd.

In fact his extended family is comfortably the most prolific July-winning family in history with his grandfather Alec winning one as a jockey, his great Uncle Syd Garrett winning two as a jockey and three as a trainer, his father Syd winning a record seven as a trainer, and the cousins Dennis Drier, Alec Laird and Charles Laird each winning one July apiece – a total of 16 for the July dynasty.

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