Race 1

MAGIC DECLARATION looks the one to follow. He made a promising debut over 1200m and should relish the distance. He tries the turn but has drawn wide. TWO TIGERS didn’t disgrace himself on the Poly last time and looks a big threat. MEGA AWESOME has been gelded. He has a wide gate but can show more. SWORD OF LIGHT was beaten as favourite but another top rider gets aboard. He is back from a lengthy layoff and must be considered. Argentine import COVER is late on the scene as a three-year-old but could be one to watch. (Trevor Reid 11-12-13-2)

 

Race 2

Hawwaam filly KNOCKIN’ BOOTS made good progress from start one to two. She is back around a turn but is open to further improvement. SECRET LIFE got a lot closer in her last start when upped in distance again. NICOLSON LANDING is looking to go one better after just missing at her last start. Her stable is in good form and she can get the job done. TAKEACHANCEONME needs to find more to challenge for the win but has champion Craig Zackey in the irons and the pair jump from a plum stall. DESTINY’S DREAM, LANTERI and TEA FOR THREE add to a competitive race. (Trevor Reid 8-10-2-4)

 

Race 3

SAMUEL SHARPE ran a fair race in his first try over distance. He finished 3.30-lengths behind REPETITION over 2400m. He was an impressive winner in his penultimate with blinkers fitted and with the headgear reapplied he could be a big threat. REPETITION thoroughly enjoyed going ground and it could be a repeat performance if preferring the switch to the inside track at Turffontein. GREEN MACHINE beat SAMUEL SHARPE a few runs back and so his last run well behind the above mentioned wasn’t his best form. He must be respected. CORRUPT is back to best and has a say. (Trevor Reid 5-3-4-2)

 

Race 4

SCARLET O’HARA is on a roll and can make it three wins on the bounce. The Red Ray filly has got the timing right from wide draws and is unbeaten in two starts over 1800m. PALACE DANCER ran a cracker in her first run after a rest when beaten 0.25-lengths by SCARLET O’HARA and as she is 1.5kg better off at the weights must be given a fair chance of turning the form around. FRANGIPANI is unbeaten in two starts at this venue and could be the dark horse. She suddenly won easily in her last start and could be on the up having matured. DIMAKO’S JET can threaten from a plum gate. (Trevor Reid 5-3-8-2)

 

Race 5

Wide open. SIKELOI bounced back to form when only just ousted by useful Top Shelf Teddy. She could show the strength of the form but is upped in distance. THE MIGHTIEST was runner-up over 1600m last time. She ranged up dangerously then and having drawn well again should run another decent race. APOSTROPHE is one that should enjoy the drop in distance. She is holding consistent form and could get rewarded jumping from gate one. Well-bred ANAHITA rates the value proposition on her handicap debut. More in it. (Trevor Reid 4-11-10-7)

 

Race 6

ORANGE COUNTY has been holding form nicely since an easy win on the Standside track at this venue. He can get back to winning ways carrying a light weight after being beaten as favourite. PALACE PRINCE showed something like his best form at Hollywoodbets Greyville in a feature event. That kind of form entitles him to respect even if having yet to win over the trip. THAT’S MY BABY wasn’t far off some of the best fillies around last time. She has won over the distance and could be dangerous. WAYNE was unlucky last time. He will need to overcome a wide draw. (Trevor Reid 7-2-1-6)

 

Race 7

With many talented sprinters it could pay to go wide in the exotics. MRS STORMIATRIX was on a roll before having a valid excuse in her last start. She is back from a break and could attract support if all is well. Watch out for MANYELETI who is also back from a rest. She has ability and has been backed in all her starts. LOVABLE has race fitness on her side and was a promising second the only time she raced at this venue. She can get it right from a plum gate. TEMPRANILLO ran a cracker from a wide draw last time and could add to a solid record at this track. (Trevor Reid 6-4-5-1)

 

Race 8

STAGGERWING won as easily as expected after showing up against some high-class individuals in her prior starts. She has room for improvement and can make a winning handicap debut. POWER OF PEARLS followed up her Maiden win with a decent run and having drawn well could be in the fight. QUIET WINTER attracted some support last time and caught the eye making good progress. She must be respected too. MISTY METAL could make the exotics pay if anywhere near her best. She had valid excuses in her last two starts. JAZZ PIANIST is capable of better and can pop up. (Trevor Reid 7-6-5-2)

David Thiselton

 

The Vaughan Marshall-trained Vibe Check was one of the meeting bankers on Hollywoodbets Durban July day and he not only duly delivered, but likely won many new fans in the process as this strongly built, imposing colt has a rare presence about him.

 

Marshall has said the Maine Chance Farms-bred Querari colt would be even better suited to 1600m, so fans can possibly look forward to him running again on World Pool Gold Cup day, although he has unfortunately drawn very wide.

 

In the Gr 2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Saturday the big horse jumped well from pole position under Sean Veale and was soon using his massive stride out in front with the rest of the field looking like whippets behind him.

 

Veale revealed later that Vibe Check had been very green and he had battled to get him to corner.

 

The big bay kept going well in the straight  and fended off late challenges from Green Energy, Secretary Bird and Red Spice to win by 0,40 lengths.

 

Veale pointed out Vibe Check was still growing and had put on 7kg since his last start.

 

He said, “There is a lot of improvement to come.”

 

What makes the Vibe Check story even more compelling is that he races in a famous set of silks that have resurfaced.

 

The colours white with red stars and a green cap used to be owned by two former Chairmen  of the Durban Turf Club Douglas Saunders and his son Chris, who won two Julys together with these colours, Jollify winning it for them in 1967 in the big race’s most famous finish, the dead-heat with the immortal Sea Cottage, and then ironically winning it with Sea Cottage’s half-brother Naval Escort in 1969.

 

The colours have been taken over by Irishman Seamus Burns, whose family own Lodge Park Stud,  a highly esteemed thoroughbred breeding farm and racehorse nursery situated in Freshford, County Kilkenny, Ireland.

 

Seamus apparently has an annual holiday to Cape Town, or at least used to, that coincides with the like of the Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale and he is no stranger to big race success in South Africa, winning the Gr 1 Gold Medallion with the Vaugan Marshall-trained Ambiorix (Vercingetorix) in 2021.

 

In the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes on World Pool Gold Cup day Vibe Check has drawn 34 out of the 36 entries.

 

Marshall did say on Saturday after the win that Vibe Check would take his place in the latter race, but he might think twice from a draw that is going to end up very wide. On the other hand the big horse’s front-running style might make it well worth having a go as his early pace could see him finding the rail in front without expending too much energy.

 

Vibe Check cost R650,000 at the Race Coast Summer Sale last year.

 

Please Note

The below pool time changes due to Match Time Change.

SOCCER 1: SUU: 08 JULY 2026

Match 1 (M1): LAUSANNE SPORT vs FLAMENGO RJ. Match Time Change To 21:30

New Pool closing time 21:30

Soccer4 Friday 10 July 2026. Carryover R25 000. Estimated Pool: R 75 000. Pool Closes at 20h45. Sport 23 Pool 2.

Soccer10 Friday 10 July 2026. ADD-IN R150 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 20h45. Sport 18 and Pool 1.

Soccer6 Saturday 11 July 2026.  ADD-IN R50 000. Estimated Pool: R 400 000. Pool Closes at 20h00. Sport 6 Pool 1.

Soccer10 Saturday 11 July 2026. ADD-IN R150 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 20h00. Sport 20 and Pool 1.

Soccer Any 13Xtra Saturday 11 July 2026. Carryover R100 000. Estimated Pool: R200 000. Pool Closes at 15h00. Sport 13 and Pool 1.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Catterick and Kempton (UK) – 8 July 2026.

David Thiselton

Summerveld trainer Gareth van Zyl was very excited by the third place finish of King Pelles in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July and added that the Equus Champion Stayer had come out of the race well, so will be defending his crown in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup on the 25th.

The result showed that the older horses were out at the weights with the three-year-olds and Gareth mentioned that before adding, “To have split the three-year-olds showed that he has improved, so it is very exciting.”

King Pelles was actually a touch unlucky as he was sitting in what was in retrospect the perfect position behind Wish List approaching the straight, but lost that position when Gladatorian switched outward off the rail.

Nevertheless, after being shuffled backwards and having to come around the horses in front he showed a fine turn of foot and became a threat to the three-year-olds Note To Self and Wish List.

He clung on to third place, beaten 1,55 lengths, just ahead of another three-year-old Viva’s Liberte.

Australian-based Chad Schofield, the son of former top Durban-born jockey Glyn Schofield, said afterwards he felt he had a chance of winning and added that he could feel that had the race been over a touch further he would have had a very good chance.

It was another heady day for chief owner Ravi Padayachee, with this being the passionate Durbanite’s first July runner, and in the last few hundred metres he and his fellow owners would likely have just about lifted the roof off the grandstand from his private box. To win the Hollywoodbets Durban July is every owner’s dream and would be an especially auspicious achievement for a hometown owner.

Ravi’s Lucky Vest 12 CC owns King Pelles in partnership with Dave MacLean, Gary Player and N V Parmanand.

King Pelles put all of them in the spotlight last season by landing four Gr 3 staying events including the KZN Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup and walking away with the Equus Champion Stayer award.

He has taken them on another exhilarating journey this Champions Season and will put the cherry on the top if successfully defending his Gold Cup crown, although he is going to have stiff opposition from this year’s Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase winner, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts.