David Thiselton

Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King, The Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince, the Highveld Horse Of The Season Fire Attack, Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes winner Gladatorian, dual Gr 1-winning stalwart See It Again and the consistent dual Gr 1-winning Royal Victory will ensure that this year’s renewal of the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup is going to be one of the races of the season.

Of the trio that make up the field of nine Montien proved when second in the prestigious Gr 1 weight for age L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m that he can mix it successfully with the best and he then confirmed that with a cracking 0,90 length third in the Gr 1 WSB Met over 2000m, while Son Of Raj and Litigation look a bit outgunned here but are no slouches.

The Champions Cup is viewed as a race which favours the horses who did not run in the Hollywoodbets Durban July i.e. the “fresh” horses.

However, the list of the last ten winners makes that theory refutable.

The below shows the last ten winners of this race and whether they were fresh or ran in the July:

2015: Futura (ran in the July), 2016: Marinaresco (ran in the July), 2017: Sail South (fresh), 2018: Captain America (fresh), 2019: Rainbow Bridge (ran in the July). 2020: Golden Ducat (ran in the July), 2021: Jet Dark (fresh), 2022: Jet Dark (ran in the July), 2023: Princess Calla (fresh, although ran on July day in the Garden Province), 2024: Dave The King (fresh).

So the tally is 5-5 in the last ten renewals.

Dave The King once again did not run in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, because he does not say the trip, and he will be going for a double-double i.e. winning both the Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup for two seasons in succession. The Global View five-year-old gelding is a horse with a giant stride who is capable of unwinding a finish from 800m out, which makes him hard to beat at this tight track as he has proved when winning the Gold Challenge for the last two years and when winning this race last year. Callan Murray has ridden him in his last two starts, both wins, so knows him well and can get the best out of him from draw four.

The Real Prince proved his class when winning the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2200m and will be a big runner if at his best from pole position. He had a weight advantage in the July and at weight for age level this is tougher, but in his penultimate start he was flying in effortless style from off the pace for fourth place in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, so he looks capable of making the step up and he will enjoy this trip. He is not as fresh as Dave The King, but the fact his connections are taking a chance shows that he has pulled up well from the July and from pole position he is a big runner.

Fire Attack had some minor issues that saw him missing the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and trainer Alec Laird had his doubts he would have run in the July anyway. However, he made a fine comeback from a three month layoff on July 6, only just failing to catch the progressive Choisaanada in the Gr 3 4Racing Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m, despite giving the latter 3kg. He possesses a strong finish and as a relatively fresh horse has a fine chance under champion jockey Richard , Fourie, although draw seven is tricky.

Gladatorian possesses a fine turn of foot as he proved when winning the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and arriving only just too late when having some traffic problems and being beaten just 0,35 lengths by Dave The King in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m. At last he has drawn well, so will be a massive runner if at his best, with the question mark being how much the July took out of him.

See It Again missed the July due to an abnormal blood count, but this dual Gr 1 winner over 2000m has shown this winter that he has at last settled down from his gelding at the beginning of the season and looks to be back to his best. He was touched off in the Drill Hall and was badly hampered in the Gold Challenge before running on, so a line can be drawn through the latter race. He has a middle draw of five and will be attempting to do better than his third place finish in this race last year and his second place in 2023.

Royal Victory never runs a bad race, but it has to be said that both of his Gr 1 wins were on the Highveld and in his only test in this class of field at weight for age level he was beaten was beaten 3,10 lengths in this race last year. He might have been tired from the July last year, whereas this year he has been supplemented into this race so is obviously in fine fettle. He was also only just touched off by Fire Attack in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on the Highveld in late March, so on paper he should finish on top of that one.

Montien is a highly effective handy to front-running sort when at his best. He has been most disappointing in the Champions Season this winter, but had wide draws to overcome in both races, the Drill Hall and Gold Challenge. From a good draw in this race he has the chance to show the class that carried him to second place in the Prestigious Gr 1 weight for age L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m and to a 0,90 length third in the Gr 1 weight for age WSB Met over 2000m.

Son Of Raj is a former Gr 1 SA Derby winner and he has earned his merit rating of 119. However, the first seven mentioned above are all rated 125 or above, so he has a tough task here at the weights.

Litigation is rated only 113, so has it even tougher.

Dave The King is selected to beat The Real Prince with Fire Attack next best and Gladatorian, See It Again and Montien could follow them home in  that order.

Graeme Hawkins

The R135 000 Turf Talk Syndicate B Stakes over 1000m tops the bill for a largely “bread-and-butter” 9-race programme under sunny skies at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this afternoon. Cape Town has enjoyed a break from the heavy rains over the past few days, but the going remains on the soft side. Carded as the sixth race on the programme, the headliner has attracted a small field of only seven runners, but there are several with winning claims, none more so than The US Of A whose form since being gelded is most encouraging.

Last time out The US Of A made short work of subsequent winner, Escarpment, but he incurred a seven-point penalty and although a short-priced favourite in the ante-post market, it is not a foregone conclusion that the 4yo son of The United States will follow up. The Michelle Rix/Harold Crawford training partnership send out two livewires in the form of Elusive Winter and Peace Of Mind. ChampionJockey-elect, Gavin Lerena, will be aboard Elusive Winter whose last run is best ignored. He is most effective over the minimum trip and judged on his best recent form must have a chance, but at level weights with The US Of A, the latter is slightly preferred.

Peace Of Mind could be a big threat at the weights. The 3yo daughter of Var carries just 51,5kgs for the services of in-form apprentice Brevan Plaatjies, and in receipt of 7kgs from both The US Of A and Elusive Winter, Peace Of Mind would not be winning out of turn. Flying Finley was comprehensively beaten by The US Of A over track and trip on 17 June but is now 3kgs better off and could get a lot closer this afternoon. In their previous meeting on 25 May, Flying Finley finished ahead of The US OF A, but I suspect that the latter was not at his best on that occasion. Tanneron is holding from very nicely and there is little to choose between Candice Bass-Robinson’s runner and Peace Of Mind when judged on their 1-2 finish back in May. That was over 1100m, and the slightly shorter trip and revised weights may enable Peace Of Mind to turn the tables this time around.

It all adds up to being a competitive and interesting contest, but there is no lack of pace in the race and that could play into the hands of The US Of A.  Richard Fourie is likely to settle just in behind the early duel for the lead and produce Paddy Kruyer’s inmate with his customary late charge over the final 150 metres. That could prove the winning recipe and, on a day when bankers are at a premium, it may pay to throw your lot in with The US Of A, despite the open nature of the race.

A pair of Class 4 Handicaps over 1200m will close out the race meeting and upset results in either cannot be ruled out. The eighth race sees recent maiden winner, Late December, step into handicap company for the first time, off what appears to be a competitive mark of 79. There is not a great deal of solid form to work with and the quality of Late December’s impressive victory over promising subsequent winner African Memoir – his sole start this calendar year – suggests that Greg Ennion’s 3yo son of Rafeef can go back-to-back. Carriacou probably rates the biggest threat but both Honor Of Kings and Winter Pearl warrant consideration for Jackpot and Pick 6 permutations.

Rhydian has many issues but is not short of talent and Dean Kannemeyer’s charge could register his second career victory in the ninth race. Louis Mxothwa retains the ride after finishing third behind Azzurri in heavy going last time. His breathing problems are well documented but if all goes according to plan, Rhydian may carry too many guns for the in-form Firingonallengines, who steps up a division here following his narrow victory over Lover’s Lane in Class 5 last month. The unreliable but capable Paratrooper and Counter Attack make some appeal but if Rhydian fluffs his lines, the race is ripe for a surprise result.

The first race, a Maiden Plate over 1200m, is due off at 12:10 and the improving Mount Augustus could get punters off to a positive start. The 2yo son of Vercingetorix has his peak run after being rested and gelded and although the form of his last start has not yet been franked, Justin Snaith’s charge should make a bold bid for top honours. He may have most to fear from Time Honoured who ran a promising race first up as a gelding when fourth behind Late December on 12 June. The consistent but well-tried Iko Iko cannot be lightly dismissed and is a must for Exacta and Trifecta combinations. He races beyond the minimum trip for the first time in his career and may relish the extra 200m.

RACE 1

9 MOUNT AUGUSTUS ran a lovely race on the 12th of June up the straight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, he showed good speed early, and stayed on really well for second behind Spirit, he is clearly improving with every start, in this field, he must have a good each way chance. 8 WORLD WARRIOR finished just over seven lengths behind Saudi Cat on the 17th of June, he was just off the speed early, and stayed on nicely for that sixth position, watch for big improvement here, he could certainly go very close in this field. 4 IKO IKO was a touch disappointing last time behind October Storm, it wasn’t the strongest maiden field around, he jumped well, he travelled well in his race, and then became one paced late, on his best form, he could finish amongst the places. 5 TIME HONORED ran a much better race on the 12th of June, it was a big field with some decent young horses in the race, if he can bring that run to the track on Tuesday, he will go very close. (Brandon Bailey: 9 – 8 – 4 – 5)

RACE 2

2 BATON ROUGE won very impressively on the 17th of June at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, he was given five points for that victory, the big weight of 64kgs won’t make life easy for him, but he tries hard and he looks to be in a great space at the moment, he will go very close to winning again. 1 MELA STRENGTH finally cracks a decent draw, he should get the run of the race here, include him into all bets, he will be running on strongly. 3 STATE CAPITOL ran a super race behind Midway on the 17th of June, she was drawn wide, and still managed to finish well for third in a driving finish, if she can build on that performance, she will go very close. 4 NARETOI will need to improve quite a bit to win, but he definitely ran a better race last time with the blinkers and the tongue tie fitted, he could sneak into the Quartet at a decent price. (Brandon Bailey: 2 – 1 – 3 – 4)

RACE 3

4 MIGHTY MARY has been rested for 62 days, she absolutely took off late for second last time behind Take It As Red, she is a nice filly, the step up in trip to 1600m should unlock further improvement, there is no doubt that she will have a big winning chance in this field. 7 SESAME has shown good improvement in her form since being tried over some ground, her last three runs have been excellent, she will be just off the speed early, and she will be running on powerfully late, include her into all bets. 3 HEAVENLY MAFIA ran a fair race behind Paralegal on the 12th of June, she was still very green, the way she finished her race off last time, suggests that she will love the step up in trip to 1600m, watch her closely. 5 ZENA’S ACT showed good improvement in her last start on the 20th of June at Fairview Racecourse, if she can bring that performance to the track on Tuesday, she could finish amongst the places. (Brandon Bailey: 4 – 7 – 3 – 5)

RACE 4

1 GOLD GIBOSKI ran a cracker last time behind Star Major, he is certainly improving with racing, from a good draw, he will go very close to winning. 3 SMART HORSE ran a fair race behind Captains Alliance on the 24th of June, he may have just needed that run back from a small rest and gelding, the cheek pieces stay on, he should run a good race from a neat draw. 10 ROYAL DAWN moved down to the start magnificently last time, he showed massive improvement in his form, he finished second behind Midway, if he can beat the tricky draw here, he will have a good each way chance. 7 BLAME IT ON ME has been well tried in the maiden ranks, he ran well last time behind Boundless Love, it’s very hard to be overly confident with this individual, but he carries no weight on his back on Tuesday, he might be able to sneak into the places at a big price. (Brandon Bailey: 1 – 3 – 10 – 7)

RACE 5

1 SANSA STARK disappointed terribly on the 17th of June, she was never in the race and was well beaten by her stable companion Baton Rouge, she is much better than that performance, from a good draw, and with the apprentice taking off 4kgs, she could certainly bounce back to winning ways. 5 TWICE THE MASTER is as honest as they come, he ran a lovely race last time, he stays well and he tries hard, even though it’s hard to win with him, he will run a good race again. 4 WOOD WORLD ran a fair race behind Ariovistus on the 21st of June, he has been nice and consistent through his entire career, jockey Gavin Lerena knows him well, he must have a place chance in this field. 8 HELIOTROPE finished just over three lengths behind the winner in her most recent start over 1950m, she will be switched off early from a tricky draw, and she will be doing her best work late, she is definitely better than her recent run, watch her closely. (Brandon Bailey: 1 – 5 – 4 – 8)

RACE 6

5 THE US OF A quickened up like a smart horse to win very impressively on the 17th of June, he is a lovely looking individual with plenty ability, even though he was given seven points for that victory, he looks talented and will take lots of beating again. 1 ELUSIVE WINTER had absolutely no luck in his last start up the straight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, he got a bad bump out the gates, he is an absolute speed ball, and he loves this trip of 1000m, if he comes out the gates well, he could be hard to fetch. 2 PEACE OF MIND got nailed on the post by Pink Pigeon last time, she ran a great race. she is also very speedy, with no weight on her back on Tuesday, she could finish amongst the places. 7 TANNERON caught the eye late behind Dean Street on the 21st of June, she will be stalking the speed early, and she will be running on powerfully late. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 1 – 2 – 7)

RACE 7

5 LOVERS LANE fought really hard all the way to the line last time, he ran a great race for second behind Firingonallengines, Trainer Paul Reeves and his team have done a wonderful job with this gelding, his form of late is very good, he must have a good winning chance in this tricky race. 6 GRAVITY didn’t find too much late in the finish on the 12th of June, he showed good speed early, and then became very one paced late, he tries hard, at this level, he will always have a good each way chance. 8 CHAMPAGNE MAC has been rested for 62 days, he tried to lead the field from start to finish on the 21st of May, unfortunately he stopped badly late and he finished five lengths behind his stable companion, he is much better than that, he could improve now that he has been freshened up back at home. 9 ROYAL LYTHAM has run some fair races of late, she is consistent, she could certainly trouble them in the finish on her best form. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 6 – 8 – 9)

RACE 8

7 HONOR OF KINGS returns to the Western Cape after running two fair races in KwaZulu-Natal, his form is very good, he won his maiden super impressively up the straight here at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 7th of December 2024, if he has taken the travel well, he should be right there in the finish. 2 LATE DECEMBER quickened up smartly to win a good race last time, the form of that race has worked out well, he is still improving and the yard thinks highly of him, he could easily win again, include him into all bets. 3 CARRIACOU has been rested for 150 days, he is very consistent, he likes to be switched off early, and then he comes with a strong run late, if he doesn’t need the run badly on Tuesday, he will go very close. 8 WINTER PEARL has dropped even further in the ratings, he finished like a train for fourth behind Surge Of Power on the 1st of June, if he can bring that run to the track on Tuesday, he could certainly trouble them all. (Brandon Bailey: 7 – 2 – 3 – 8)

RACE 9

2 FIRINGONALLENGINES won a gutsy race on the 12th of June, he really fought hard all the way to the line, he was given two points for that victory, Jockey Richard Fourie gets the ride on Tuesday, he should go very close to winning again in this field. 9 RHYDIAN stayed on nicely for third behind Azzurri last time, he is still improving, there is no doubt that he will go close, his form is solid. 6 SOOTY was disappointing on the 24th of June, he may have just needed that run, but he failed to find a finish and was well beaten, he has dropped in the ratings, if he can build on that poor performance, he might be able to sneak into the places. 5 PARATROOPER has run two shockers in succession, he is definitely better than that, if he bounces back to his best form, he could easily cause the upset in the lucky last. (Brandon Bailey: 2 – 9 – 6 – 5)

MISS KANSAS, with Rachel Venniker up, is led into the number one box by her trainer Michael Roberts after their victory in the Bet With Tote Maiden Plate at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday. Picture: Race Coast/ Candiese Lenferna

Andrew Harrison

Dean Kannemeyer did a masterful job to get The Real Prince to stay the Hollywoodbets Durban July trip after just one warm-up run and there was many doubters. But Kannemeyer is rather set in his ways as he likes his horses to quicken from off the pace and finish off their races.  He learnt well from his father, the legendary Peter ‘PK’ Kannemeyer and PK’s long-time stable jockey Garth Puller who had many a supporter reaching for their blood pressure pills after a tight finish.

Kannemeyer’s colt Green Gateway was given a copybook stable introduction in the first at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday. The opposition will probably not go to ‘Hollywood’ so the win is taken with a pinch of salt but the eye-catching son of Gimmethegreenlight did everything that was asked.

 Bringing up the rear for much of the race, he quickened past his rivals when asked by title-chasing Gavin Lerena to win rather cozily from Mohave Prince who tried gallantly to stay with the winner. Interesting is that Green Gateway cost R2.2 million as a yearling, Mohave Prince R140k demonstrating they run in all shapes and sizes no matter their price tag.

Lerena has the Jockey Championship all but sewn up after today’s meeting. He was 12 winners clear of current champion Richard Fourie at the start of the day and extended his lead by another three by the time that he coaxed Vision To Achieve home in the sixth after making most of the running to win on  Bad Medicine in the C Stakes over 2400m for Alyson Wright.

Rachel Venniker, out of action for three months after breaking her leg in an early morning fall, was quickly into the winner’s enclosure as she steered the Michael Roberts-trained Miss Kansas to victory in the opening leg of the PA. Venniker showed no signs of rustiness from the lay-off as she kept Miss Kansas hard to her task in the face of stiff opposition from Blazing Beauty and 4kg claimer Jacey Botes as Tienie Prinsloo’s filly made a smart debut for the stable.

Next Of Kin started favourite in the opening leg of the Pick 6 but the grey hardly raised a gallop as Meerkat Moon and the filly Catch A Penny fought a bruising duel up the straight with Mark Dixon’s charge scraping in by the narrowest of margins. Lerena looked to have his second winner on the card in the bag as Catch A Penny eased clear of her rival, but Calvin Habib was not looking to go away easily and Meerkat Moon stuck to his rival and came back to snatch it on the line.

As former top rider MJ Odendaal has often alluded to the fact that a jockey never forgets the name of his first winner and the name of Sneeuwitjie will be forever etched in the memory of Dezahn Louw. It was not a polished ride as the filly took a hold of the bit and dragged him off to the front, but Tienie Prinsloo’s filly kept finding in spite of drifting under pressure. Lerena did not have it all his own way as favourite Flying South encountered a few traffic problems at the top of the straight but stormed home late only to be denied by under a length.

But Sneeuwitjie dropped the Pick 6 bomb, starting at 100-1 she paid nearly R40 on the tote.

Paul and Beth Gadsby battle along with a small stable of mostly modest horses but the filly Vision To Achieve is testament to their ability as trainers. A three-time winner and two seconds from her last five starts with Gavin Lerena aboard in her last three wins, he has worked her out that the filly does not respond to the sick. Punching her under hands out over the final 400m, Vision To Achieve responded to the kid-gloves and went on to win the fifth race of her career.

Lerena flew home to Jo’Burg happy that he almost has the championship title in the bag as he rounded off the meeting with his fourth winner of the afternoon, 16 clear of Fourie, on the Justin Snaith-trained Dafnes Daughter. It was anyone’s race coming through the final furlong with a wall of horses in contention, but Dafnes Daughter powered home to put the race to bed in a matter of strides and give leading owner Nick Jonsson his second winner of the afternoon after Miss Kansas.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Ayr and Windsor (UK) – 21 July 2025.