2025 KZN RACING AWARDS
PUBLISHED: August 30, 2025
Equus Champion Gladatorian was the star of the show at the annual KZN Racing Awards which took place in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday night. The Stuart Ferrie-trained son of Vercingetorix was voted Champion Horse of the Season and part-owner, recently retired Chief Executive Officer of Gold Circle/Race Coast KZN, Michel Nairac, […]
Equus Champion Gladatorian was the star of the show at the annual KZN Racing Awards which took place in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday night. The Stuart Ferrie-trained son of Vercingetorix was voted Champion Horse of the Season and part-owner, recently retired Chief Executive Officer of Gold Circle/Race Coast KZN, Michel Nairac, was on hand to receive the trophy on behalf of his Mauritius-based partners.
Victorious in the Season-opening 1400m IOS Drill Hall Stakes (Gr2) in May and the 1800m Hong Kong Jockey Club Champions Cup (Gr1) on the final day of Champions Season at the end of July, Gladatorian also finished a close third in the 1600m Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (Gr1) in June and rounded off his 5yo campaign with earnings of just under R3-million. Ferrie is now planning to send Gladatorian to the Cape, with the 2026 1600m L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Gr1) and the 2000m World Sports Betting Cape Town Met (Gr1) the obvious targets.
Gladatorian was also honoured as KwaZulu-Natal’s Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance performer. For Gladatorian’s regular pilot, Sean Veale, the 2024/2025 season proved a “break-through” year with Veale riding more than 100 winners for the first time in his career. Of these, 70 were recorded in his home province – enough to secure the popular Hollywood Racing-retained rider the honour of being crowned the Province’s Champion Jockey.
Gareth Van Zyl retained his Champion KZN Trainer title with 49 winners, comfortably clear of Dean Kannemeyer and Garth Puller who saddled 43 winners each on the East Coast. Van Zyl also played a major role in Hollywood Racing’s Asiye Phambili being voted Champion Sprinter & Champion Older Mare. In his care, the daughter of What A Winter won the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes and Grade 3 Southern Cross during the Cape Summer, before being transferred back to Duncan Howells for Champions Season. In search of an elusive Grade 1 victory, Asiye Phambili was denied by the narrowest of margins in the SA Fillies Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville before finishing a highly creditable third against the boys in the Mercury Sprint on the final day of Champions Season.
Dual Feature race winners, Quickstepgal and I Salute You, emerged as the respective Champions in the Two-Year-Old and Three-Year-Old categories. Quickstepgal is trained by Tienie Prinsloo and raced in the colours of Rakesh Singh but has now subsequently been sold to the Wernars family, while I Salute You hails from the Peter Muscutt stable. King Pelles, trained by Gareth Van Zyl, was a dominant winner of the Champion Stayers Award, having closed out his season with victories in the Tote Derby, the Durban Gold Vase and the World Pool Gold Cup.
The Champion Apprentice Award was shared by Brevan Plaatjies and Mxolisi Mbuto who each rode 14 winners in KZN, although Plaatjies’ additional winners around the country were enough to secure him the Equus Award as National Champion Apprentice. Hollywood Racing were crowned Champion Owners of KwaZulu-Natal while Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein emerged as leading breeders in the province for the second consecutive year.
In the special awards’ category, Tawanda Taruvinga was voted KZN’s Racing Personality of the Year. Tawanda’s infectious smile, fiery passion, creative talent, and effervescent personality have made him a popular figure amongst the local racing fraternity and a valuable asset to Race Coast KZN’s social media and broadcast teams.
Anita Akal presented her annual award to Race Coast KZN’s Marketing Executive Stephen Marshall, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport of horseracing in general and the success of Champions Season 2025 in particular.
2025 KZN Racing Awards:
Champion Two-Year-Old: Quickstepgal.
Champion Three-Year-Old: I Salute You.
Champion Sprinter: Asiye Phambili.
Champion Middle Distance: Gladatorian.
Champion Stayer: King Pelles.
Champion Older Female: Asiye Phambili.
Champion Older Male: Gladatorian.
Horse-of-the Season: Gladatorian.
Champion Apprentice: Brevan Plaatjies & Mxolisi Mbuto.
Champion Jockey: Sean Veale.
Champion Trainer: Gareth Van Zyl.
Champion Owners: Hollywood Racing (Nom: Mr A Delpech).
Champion Breeders: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.
KZN Personality of the Year: Tawanda Taruvinga.
Anita Akal Award: Stephen Marshall.
Turffontein Inside Track Moved To Vaal Classic: 30 August 2025
PUBLISHED: August 30, 2025
Please note: Today’s Turffontein Inside Track meeting (30/08/2025) will be moved to the Vaal Classic Track. All distances and times remain the same.
Please note: Today’s Turffontein Inside Track meeting (30/08/2025) will be moved to the Vaal Classic Track.
All distances and times remain the same.
Slinky Mapimpi will be a tough nut to crack
PUBLISHED: August 29, 2025
David Thiselton The Listed Spring Spree Stakes over 1450m is the opening event of the Highveld Spring feature season and in Saturday’s running over the Turffontein Inside course 1200m Slinky Mapimpi is the tentative choice. The six-year-old Coup De Grace gelding has unfortunately drawn wide. Last time out he looked well handicapped off a 97 […]
Turffontein Inside Saturday 30 August 2025 – Comments by David Thiselton
PUBLISHED: August 29, 2025
RACE 1 1 ZAHRA DOMINIA 7 COMIC ARTIST 5 ARTIFACT 2 EREBUS Preview: 1 ZAHRA DOMINIA has run some fair races and looks the one to beat here. 7 COMIC ARTIST an a fair race on debut and from pole position has a chance too. 5 ARTIFACT is by Horizon out of Sparkling Gem and […]
RACE 1
1 ZAHRA DOMINIA 7 COMIC ARTIST 5 ARTIFACT 2 EREBUS
Preview: 1 ZAHRA DOMINIA has run some fair races and looks the one to beat here. 7 COMIC ARTIST an a fair race on debut and from pole position has a chance too. 5 ARTIFACT is by Horizon out of Sparkling Gem and is a half sister to Elizabedi Gold who won on debut. 2 EREBUS has shown enough to be able to earn. (David Thiselton 1-7-5-2)
RACE 2
1 MATROOSBERG 8 ONCEINABLUEMOON 7 EMERALD COUNTESS 4 MY LUCKY CHARM
Preview: 1 MATROOSBERG has caught the eye before but does have a tricky draw. 8 ONCEINABLUEMOON has shown enough to be able to be a contender from pole position here. 7 EMERALD COUNTESS could also be involved here. 4 MY LUCKY CHARM is by Master Of My Fate out of a Seventh Rock mare. (David Thiselton 1-8-7-4)
RACE 3
8 WINSTON’S WONDER 2 RINGHO 1 SILVER LONGSWORD 7 WALL STREET
Preview: 8 WINSTON’S WONDER made a good debut and now has pole position over a suitable trip. 2 RINGHO showed improvement last time and could be in the shakeup from a fair draw. 1 SILVER LONGSWORD could also be thereabouts from draw two if maintaining form. 7 WALL STREET returns from a five-month layoff but if fit enough should be right there. (David Thiselton 8-2-1-7)
RACE 4
6 INSPIRATION 3 RACEWAY 7 POWER OF PEARLS 1 RENDEVOUS IN RIO
Preview: 6 INSPIRATION has faced much better fields than this and could be the one to beat although she has a tough draw. 3 RACEWAY has a good draw and has the form to go close. 7 POWER OF PEARLS could go close here if able to overcome a tricky draw. 1 RENDEVOUS IN RIO has shown enough to be a runner here. (David Thiselton 6-3-7-1)
RACE 5
3 PALACE REVOLT 7 SEA SHANTY 1 VIBE SA 5 BRAVE VIKING
Preview: 3 PALACE REVOLT has run two crackers in his last two and on pedigree has a chance of staying this trip from a good draw. 7 SEA SHANTY has the ability to run on well and should be right there. 1 VIBE SA has come into his own and if given a good ride by the 4kg claimer could be a contender although the draw and top weight makes it tough. 5 BRAVE VIKING is course and distance suited and can’t be ignored. (David Thiselton 3-7-1-5)
RACE 6
2 THAT’S MY BABY 3 POBLANO 1 FROZEN FANTASY 4 FAMOUS LADY
Preview: 2 THAT’S MY BABY has a touch of class and over an ideal distance could make it a hat trick from a good draw. 3 POBLANO has plenty of ability and from a good draw could be a contender. 1 FROZEN FANTASY has the ability to do well here from pole position. 4 FAMOUS LADY won well last time and is on the up so cannot be ignored. (David Thiselton 2-3-1-4)
RACE 7
6 SLINKY MAPIMPI 2 CHYAVANA 1 QUANTUM THEORY 8 NIGHT BOMBER
Preview: 6 SLINKY MAPIMPI has a tough draw to overcome but has good early pace and if able to get to the front will be a tough nut to crack. 2 CHYAVANA is capable of running on strongly and is a contender.1 QUANTUM THEORY is ultra consistent and from a good draw should be right there. 8 NIGHT BOMBER also has a chance in this line-up. (David Thiselton 6-2-1-8)
RACE 8
6 CLEVER TREVOR 8 CHIEFTAIN’S SHIELD 4 DYLAN’S CHAMP 3 MIGHTY EAGLE
Preview: 6 CLEVER TREVOR won well second time out and is a contender here over a suitable course and distance. 8 CHIEFTAIN’S SHIELD has improved and from pole position is a runner here. 4 DYLAN’S CHAMP could be in the shake-up if producing his best. 3 MIGHTY EAGLE won well last time but does have a tricky draw. (David Thiselton 6-8-4-3)
Happy Verse to help hit the Jackpot
PUBLISHED: August 29, 2025
Warren Lenferna This is the second meeting back at the country course, and landing on a weekend, the vibe is sure to be high-tempo. The first Jackpot runs from Races 5 through to 8, which covers the four Winter Country Championship finals over 1250m, 1000m, 2000m, and 1500m, respectively. The Jackpot looks to be one […]
Warren Lenferna
This is the second meeting back at the country course, and landing on a weekend, the vibe is sure to be high-tempo. The first Jackpot runs from Races 5 through to 8, which covers the four Winter Country Championship finals over 1250m, 1000m, 2000m, and 1500m, respectively. The Jackpot looks to be one of the plays for the day.
The first leg, Race 5 (1250m), has many with chances. Sun Dazed from Gate 1 can win. He went close last time and has competitive form. Commanding is taking time for his next victory, but he showed last time, when second to Late December, that his next is near. Azzurri is holding form and reunites with Chad Little. This son of William Longsword is a must for all betting calculations. Mont Loisir showed guts and determination last time to get the better of African Prince and, as a result, got a three-pound penalty but can nevertheless follow up. African Prince will be looking for revenge, which will make an interesting race. Escarpment runs well for apprentice Brevan Plaatjies but will have to negotiate the tricky draw and with some luck in transit he will pose a threat.
The second leg, Race 6 (1000m), is a race where one could possibly go light to reduce the cost of the perm. She’s My World from the Snaith yard makes her course debut, but knowing the professional operation they run, they may have taken this One World filly for a gallop to see the course in the lead-up to today. She won her maiden over this quick distance and has been holding solid, encouraging form since. She has a neat draw and ticks plenty of boxes. The value in the race is Bluff On Bluff. Despite his high draw, he can pop up.
Race 7 is the longest race of the afternoon over 2000m, where trainer Piet Botha holds a strong hand with two sparkling chances. Ariovistus is looking for three in a row and can achieve it from the best draw despite a 10-week rest. Baton Rouge is also hat-trick seeking. Kwite A King gets a nice weight turnaround with Ariovistus on their last meeting and will be a huge chance with some luck in transit. Professor Snape should be cherry-ripe for a huge effort, being the third run up after a 16-week layoff. Respect and include him as the value.
The closing leg of the pot runs at 16:40pm (1500m), and it could be a two-horse race between Lady Look Alike and Happy Verse. Lady Look Alike is ultra-consistent, is a huge draw strike (last time gate 11/12, this time 2/9), carries a handy weight, and gets the services of Richard Fourie. There is a slight preference for the seemingly talented Happy Verse with Aldo Domeyer in the irons. He was 2.85 lengths behind Absolutely Yes in a Grade 3 10 weeks ago and can bounce back to winning ways. His career’s first two wins were “wow.”
