Please Note: Hollywoodbets Scottsville –  Saturday 23 May 2026. Jackpot Carryover R250 000. Race 5 off at 14h00. Estimated Pool: R1 Million.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Southwell and Haydock (UK) – 21 May 2026

Race 1

SNAP YOUR FINGERS was a beaten favourite over 1600m last time against winners after a promising debut second over this trip. The return to this distance and drop back into maiden company will suit and she should atone. Stablemate SECRET FATE and well-related QUIRKY are bred to be useful so worth a market check on debut. FOREST ACT and FREESTYLE DANCE are other newcomers to keep an eye on. EMPRESS OF PEACE will know more about it after a pleasing introduction and could improve to make her presence felt. (Brendan Gaillard 7-5-6-1)

 

Race 2

RAPTOR KING caught the eye once the penny had dropped when staying on to finish third over 1200m on debut. On that evidence the step up to this distance, with that experience to count on, should be more to his liking. LIFE IN COLOUR improved in first-time headgear and could have a role to play if building on that with the headgear retained. However, a bigger threat will likely come from one of the first-timers so follow the betting moves. DISDAIN, MASTER SMOKER, NOBLE SAINT and WARTRAX BLAZE are of particular interest before any market clues. (Brendan Gaillard 9-7-6-3)

 

Race 3

MISS FANTASTIC hasn’t been seen since finishing a close-up third on debut over this trip 17 weeks ago but she would’ve come on since and won’t need to improve much to make a winning reappearance. RENDEVOUS IN RIO fits a similar profile and has both the form and experience to play a leading role. GATHERING WINTER and MISS RIVER DANCER had legitimate excuses for disappointing last starts and they can make their presence felt if bouncing back to earlier form. DESTINY’S DREAM, ARTIFACT and CHERICHERILADY have also shown enough to get a look in. Watch the betting on the newcomers. (Brendan Gaillard 10-4-7-5)

 

Race 4

SANDS OF VALHALLA raced prominently throughout when only outrun late on debut over track and trip. He would’ve benefitted from that experience and won’t need to improve much – if at all – to go one better. HIGHWAYMAN HARRY and BERRY LANCER have the form and experience to challenge the selection while CAPTAIN COOPER should, on the evidence of his debut course-and-distance debut, pose more of a threat back in a maiden after finishing unplaced in a sales race last time. Newcomer SHINING STAR is attractively bred and warrants respect, especially if the market speaks in his favour. (Brendan Gaillard 15-16-1-9)

 

Race 5

FUTUREWOLFF has found his niche over this distance. He defied a 3-point penalty and rise in class to remain undefeated over this trip last time and a career-high mark may not be enough to prevent him from completing the hat-trick. DAMOVA has a bit to find on the form of a recent meeting with the selection but is weighted to pose more of a threat. Last-start winner WE ARE THE LOGANS won his only start over 2400m so could also have a say. TITANS OF WAR, POPLAR PARK and BELLEROPHON appeal most of the remainder. Brendan Gaillard 7-5-8-3)

 

Race 6

OPEN SESAME bounced back to form with a close-up third last time in first-time blinkers and a repeat of that effort, with the headgear retained, could suffice. CEUTA is finding it hard to win but is unbeaten over track and trip so could snap a 340-day winless run. WOMAN’S WORLD was a game-in-defeat third from the front in a 2000m KZN feature and will be hard to peg back if adopting similar tactics over this shorter trip off an unchanged mark. Returning FIRE IN HER SOUL and RINGA RINGA ROSES have shown enough to be competitive, so too are hard-knockers AZALEAS FOR ALL and BOOM BOOM. (Brendan Gaillard 9-2-4-1)

 

Race 7

FASHION NEWS won a Work Riders’ maiden on debut and did so in the manner of an above-average 3yo filly. She is open to any amount of improvement with that experience under her belt so it should pay to follow her progress, especially as this extended trip should be more to her liking. Fellow recent maiden winner UTSAAH has improved with blinkers fitted and should remain competitive on her handicap debut. Class-dropper PRINCESS ILARIA also warrant respect. TOP SHELF TEDDY will be suited by the drop to this distance and should make her presence felt too. (Brendan Gaillard 5-6-3-8)

 

Race 8

Debut winners WILD AS THE WIND and SHIVERING LIGHT are open to any amount of improvement over this extended trip after successful 1160m introductions. BRISTOL HERCULES, TURBO POWER and BUDDY BOY have the form and experience to challenge the unbeaten duo, though a bigger threat will likely come from DRIVELIKEAMASTER whose winning turn is near after 3 consecutive second-place finishes. Last-start winner CHIEFTAIN’S SHIELD and consistent PRINCE OF KILDARE have earning potential too. (Brendan Gaillard 13-14-5-8)

 

Race 9

BLOOMINGTON has improved at a higher level since dropping in ratings. He is competitive off his current mark and with blinkers fitted could capitalise on this ease in grade. Last-start winners EMPRESS WU and PRETTY ANALIA remain competitive under 3-point penalties, while ROYAL HORIZON could also have a role to play dropped to this class off a reduced mark. SIX OF ALL, GOLDEN ASPEN and Highveld returnee OH MY GUCCI GIRL are others with earning potential. (Brendan Gaillard 1-8-3-5)

David Thiselton

 

The highest rated race for the meeting at the Vaal today is the sixth, a MR 95 handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m, and Woman’s World makes appeal as the one to side with.

 

The course structure was published at the time of going to press as having an outside rail that was in by six metres, so there might not be any draw bias on the day.

 

The James Crawford-trained Woman’s World has a draw of four, which is a slight concern because if there is a draw bias it is likely to be in favour of high numbers, so the trends must be monitored on the day.

 

The Global View mare’s four wins have been from 1800m to 2400m and she comes off a good 0,70 length third to Gerbera in the Listed East Coast Cup over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

 

In October last year she went close over 1500m on the Vaal Classic track, showing she is effective over shorter trips.

 

The Vaal straight course probably requires horses to have a bit of stamina as the horses generally tend to be more exposed to daylight down the straight.

 

Mickaelle Michel is riding at the top of her game, she knows the horse and she has a useful 1,5kg gender claim.

 

Lady Sabrina ran a cracker over this trip on the Vaal Classic track last time out from a tricky draw and can go close from draw 5.

 

Lady Blunt has the ability to be a contender and is another fancied runner with a low draw (three).

 

Azaleas For All gets a nice high draw and comes off a good run over 2000m. Her four wins are from 1800m to 2000m, but she has done well over this trip before and can do so again.

 

Ringa Ringa Roses is usually thereabouts and can’t be ignored.

 

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a Maiden over 1200m, Highwayman Harry will go close if low draws are advantageous. He is in consistent form over sprint trips. The two-year-old Sands Of Valhalla ran a cracker on debut over course and distance and jumps from a middle draw of ten. Echoes Of War ran three fine races last year from four starts before being laid off and unless he needs it he could have a say.

 

Corrupt has always struck as one with plenty of scope and as a staying type, so he should have come on from his last run following a short layoff and he should now start coming into his own, so he has a fine chance from draw two in the fifth over 2400m. Futurewolff is a fascinating runner as he has won both of his starts since being stepped up to this  2400m trip and off a five point higher mark he is drawn in pole again. He is 1kg worse off with Damova for a 3,10 length beating if gender claims are ignored and is otherwise 2,5kg worse off, but on both scores he emerges ahead on paper. Damova found her form again when the blinkers were removed after she had run two well below par runs, so she should be right there.

 

In the seventh over 1600m Falconfly has the number one draw so hopefully the low draws are not at a disadvantage as this lightly raced five-year-old has been in fine form and should be spot on in terms of maturity as a daughter of Futura. She can rise above her current merit rating of 73. Utsaah has improved since blinkers have been fitted and with Craig Zackey in tremendous form she can do well off a reasonable merit rating of 77 in her first start out of the maidens. Alta Capitana would prefer further but she has come down to a competitive rating and could earn.

 

In the eighth over 1400m Drivelikeamaster has been knocking on the door and over an ideal trip can finally get out of the second box. Wild As The Wind won well on debut and has a lot of scope for improvement so should be right there. The form of Shivering Light’s debut win has worked out well and he also has a chance, although he has to come back from a short layoff. Bristol Hercules has ability and could pop up. Chieftan’s Shield is capable of a resolute finish and should be in the shake up.

 

In the ninth over 1400m Legendary steps up to a suitable trip and has come down to a mark one point higher than his last win. Empress Wu is an honest sort who starts off handicapping on a competitive mark of 64. Pretty Analia is capable of a strong finish from off the pace and is just three points higher than her last win.

 

In the first leg of the PA over 1200m Rendezvous In Rio looks ready to score with her three seconds interrupted by one run over further in which she was only fifth. She went well in first time blinkers last time and Muzi Yeni is now up. Miss Fantastic should make a bold bid too.

 

The first leg of the Bipot over 1400m, should be fought out by Raptor King and Life In Colour, who both made good debuts. The latter is by Malmoos and is a half-brother to the like of True To Life and African Pride, so is given the nod.

 

In the first race over 1400m Snap Your Fingers’ good debut run was over this trip and she will appreciate the step back down to this trip. However, she will be vulnerable to a decent first-timer and Secret Fate is by Master Of My Fate out of Elusive Fort Gr 2 SA Oaks winner Secret Potion, so she could be the one.

Andrew Harrison

One always expects a horse trained by Dean Kannemeyer to come on from off the pace so it was thing of a surprise to see Spirit of Shimla making the pace in the Middle Stakes that headed the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

With only 52.5kg to shoulder, stable rider Craig Zackey would never have made the weight and the lot fell to Sean Veale who set off in front.

Stable companion Educator, who had endured a torrid passage at her last start, was giving Spirit Of Shimla 6kg and was last turning for home. But Zackey steered her through a gap up the inside of the seven-horse field and the daughter of One World made short work of the opposition, quickening up smartly and winning going away with Spirit of Shimla never for the catching by the rest of the opposition and comfortably in second.

Queraristinyferrari topped the boards, Meeksha was the money horse but experience told as Royal Crest bounced out of the gate and was not for the catching in the first.

Mike Miller has a tried and tested recipe when it comes to preparing juveniles and Royal Crest, although not winning early, made steady progress and broke a pair of seconds as she led all the way under Tristan Godden, back after a fall at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, to keep Meeksha at bay with the balance of the field chasing shadows.

Taking a leaf out of Godden’s book, Gavin Lerena made all the running on Place Of Practice for Gareth van Zyl to win the second. The two-year-old Putthelightsout was sent out a warm favourite but was a long way back early and made little impression as Place Of Practice kept finding to hold off visiting Royal Jacket and apprentice James Lihaba.

The adage ‘patience is a virtue’ is more applicable to racehorse owners than to most and after a string of third placings – four to be exact – the step up to 1600m was the right call by Duncan Howells for Peace Rose to stepped up to the trip and get the better of Gimme The Power.

Andrew Fortune looked to have made the right move on Justin Snaith’s filly, leading into the final 100m, but Keagan de Melo and Peace Rose gradually wore them down to get up late.

MJ Odendaal and Nicholas Patel  have an enduring relationship and Patel rode the perfect front-running race on Praise De La Rey to win the fourth. The race was run at no great pace  but when asked the question, the daughter of Act Of War kept finding to hold off Gold Gold Baby and Vixen’s War.

There was no willing apprentice to take the fifth by the scruff of the neck and all were looking around to make sure that everyone had space in a race run at a pedestrian pace.

Damyan Pillay, from his pole position draw, watched all unfold in front of him on Glen Kotzen’s filly Golden Angel. Taking the shortest way home, he kicked early in the straight and looked to have the result at his mercy.

However, Sifiso Bungane got going late on Red Coral and at one stage appeared to be going like a winner. But once alongside Golden Angel, her challenge suddenly became one-paced and Golden Angel held on for the victory.

Second on Spirit Of Shimla, Veale made no mistakes next up on Poetic Princess as she quickened out of the pack to take on pacemaker Quentasia who faded quickly. It was left to Clickbait to put in a belated but forlorn challenge for second. Third placed Princess Goldie was forced to ease off the heels of a head-strong Little Black Number and squeezed onto the fence shortly after the start. From there on Zackey was hard at his mount to pick up the bit but she kept on well in a courageous effort to snatch third.

Mark Dixon found the right race for The Gliding Fish and although the seven-year-old carried joint top weight in the last he had come down steadily in the ratings. Veale made it a quick double as he sat in patiently behind pace setter Pleasedtoseeyou, found the perfect gap at the top of the straight and went for the line. In the end it was a hard-fought win with Pongola heading him for a few stride and Pleasedtoseeyou not throwing in the towel but The Gliding Fish had his head in front when it counted.