Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Southwell and Wolverhampton (UK) – 6 January 2026

David Thiselton

The L’Ormarins King’s Plate meeting is one of the iconic meetings of the South African turf and features the country’s oldest race, which has been run annually since 1861.

The Pick 6 will be worth taking as the pool always reaches a decent size.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m. Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner Quickstepgal carries a 2kg Gr 1 penalty. She was beaten 1,75 lengths over 1400m in her penultimate start by Princess Of Gaul, who carries a 1kg penalty as the winner of Gr 2s over 1200m and 1400m. However, Quickstepgal likely needed the latter race and beat Princess Of Gaul by 2,50 lengths in the Guineas. Quickstepgal had fine form in KZN too from 1200m to 1400m. Mia Moo is the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint reigning champion and come off a Listed win over 1160m. Mon Petit Cherie has blossomed into a classy sort and is a runner. Symphony In White and Lowveld Lily could be considered for wider permutations.

In the next leg, the Gr 2 Antonij Ruper Premier Trophy over 1800m, Okovango and Native Ruler are the best weighted pair according to official merit ratings and should fight it out with preference for the latter as he is drawn in pole and has been more eyecatching. Regulation is progressive and he can be considered too from a good draw, despite officially being 7,5kg under sufferance.

In the Cartier Paddock Stakes defending champion Double Grand Slam will go close from draw five out of ten. She comes off a win over 1600m and British Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is up with Andrew Fortune being jocked off. However, Fortune still has a fine chance aboard Double Grand Slam’s stablemate Wish List. This Legislate filly was finishing well from a wide draw in the Cape Fillies Guineas (CFG) for a two length third and on pedigree will relish the step up in trip. She has yet another tough draw of eight. Reet Petite finished strongly in the CFG and it appeared her loss by 0,75 lengths was only because she ran out of real estate. From pole position and with Richard Fourie up she is the choice to win over a step up in trip she should enjoy on pedigree. Rainbow Lorikeet is a reliable sort and is sure to thereabouts again from a good draw. Red Palace was runner up last year, but needs to bounce back from a shocker last time and that won’t be easy from the widest draw of ten. Her stablemate Keukenhof came from last in the Cape Fillies Guineas and was only 3,90 lengths back at the line and will relish the step up in trip. Sukhumvit was impressive last time out when romping home in the Gr 3 1Voucher Victress Stakes over 1800m. She will now be 9kg worse off with the 3,25 length runner up in that contest, Rainbow Lorikeet, so on paper the latter has her measure, but Sukhumvit has just never got going in her career and now that she is coming into her own she could be the surprise package from draw seven. Minogue is in tremendous form and tries a trip for the first time that she is actually bred for, so has a fine chance too from draw six.

Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Buffalo Storm Cody is unbeaten in three starts this season and is the highest rated horse in the country on 132, so will take a power of beating in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship. He is drawn 13, so hopefully there is not the bias towards the low draws that there has been on occasion. If there is a bias towards low draws then the second highest rated runner, Tenango, will not actually be favoured by barrier one because he is a hold up horse with a terrific finish and will have traffic problems if the field track over towards the inside. I Am Giant is drawn two and is one who likes to relax in midfield before unleashing his powerful finish. Asiye Phambili will love this distance and will be hoping the gaps open for her from a likely midfield position from draw five. Truth and Snow Pilot both have good pace and are outsiders to consider. Constellation is officially way out at the weights but this three-year-old is relatively unexposed and is on the up. Lucky Lad is a twice Gr 1-winning sprinter and although he might need luck from draw three he will enjoy the normal furious pace of this race. Richard Fourie is aboard Gr 1-winning three-year-old filly Direct Hit, whose first career defeat in six starts was last time out when beaten 2,60 lengths over this course and distance by  Asiye Phambili. She was only half-a-kilogram worse off than weight for age in that race, so is up against it with Asiye Phambili here, but that was also her second run after a layoff and she could bounce back.

In the King’s Plate Jan Van Goyen could be something special and will take a power of beating from draw two. The Real Prince can turn it on in fine style and will be a threat. Gladatorian is way better than his last run when unusually strong on the bit and if bouncing back to his best he will be a big runner. See It Again is fresh and a big runner if able to produce his best. Dave The King is always dangerous if able to dictate due to his long run in. Garrix impressed last time and must be a runner too and outsiders to consider are Cosmic Speed and Fire Attack.

The last race over 2500m is tough but the trio who make most appeal are Holding Thumbs, Ahead Of The Facts and Triple Time.

RACE 1

(10) KENTUCKY LASSIE is holding solid form, both her runs have been decent and she looks ready to win. (3) DESERT CLOUD has been consistent and will have a decent chance here, she is the main danger to the top selection. (2) STONE OF SCONE is capable of much better and that last run is best ignored. (1) LAYDELAY ran well on provincial debut and will be a big runner. (Devonne Govender 10-3-2-1).

RACE 2

(4) AMANATTO is knocking on the door and overdue for the win, she will have a big chance here. (3) AM STILL WINNING ran a cracker in the last start and will be a big challenger. (1) INTRO represents KZN form which usually stands up strong here, she has been consistent and needs to be respected. (9) MATTS ROCKET represents Highveld form and can go well here, include in larger perms. (Devonne Govender 4-3-1-9).

RACE 3

(1) BACK FOR MORE has been consistent and will have a massive winning chance. Her last run was a cracker and she has a decent draw so must go into all bets. (4) FLASH LIGHTNING is never far back and will be in the firing line. (6) SUPREME JUDGE placed at big odds and if repeating that run will be in the money. (8) HOLLANDIA BAKKERIJ was an easy maiden winner and has scope to go well. (Devonne Govender 1-4-6-8).

RACE 4

(7) PANNING GOLD ran a cracker on provincial debut and will have a massive chance if reproducing that run here. (9) XPLICIT CONTENT is holding consistent form and will be a big danger. (1) KING VISERYS has a much better draw with the claiming apprentice aboard and will be challenger so respect. (4) PRINCE FLORIAN ran very well in his last start and will be there once again, must include for all bets. (Devonne Govender 7-9-1-4).

RACE 5

Open race, go wide. (5) SPEED RACER won impressively in his last start and is certainly capable of following up here. (1) GOLDEN PAVILION is capable of much better and will have a big chance in this competitive field. (6) AVERNIAN GODDESS is always in the mix, she is capable of a big finish on her day and must be respected. (9) COASTAL PATH hasn’t been far is recent runs and cracks a good draw so will be in the firing line. (Devonne Govender 5-1-6-9).

RACE 6

(2) WISHES AND DREAMS is holding good consistent form and will be the one to beat. (1) SILVA CITY has always been rated by the yard and will be the main danger to the top selection, she has competed in some strong races so deserves respect. (5) HAZE AND SMOKE is another who has been holding good form and can finish in the money but will need to lift to beat the top two selections. (7) GORGEOUS CAPE ran well in the last start and can get into the quartets. (Devonne Govender 2-1-5-7).

RACE 7

(2) IZANAMI ran extremely well from a tough draw in her last start, another bold showing can be expected. (5) POMEROL is holding form and will be a challenger here, include in everything. (9) CITY OF DREAMS was narrowly beaten in her last start and another decent run is on the cards, big winning chance. (7) PENNY’S WORLD ran well when finishing 3rd and now gets Craig Zackey, huge runner. (Devonne Govender 2-5-9-7).

RACE 8

Open looking race. (7) SESAME has consistent Cape form and will have a big winning chance on provincial debut, Cape form stands up strong in the province and could pay to follow Sesame here. (3) OLIVE OYL ran a cracker in the last start and will be in the firing line once again. (9) CANFORD QUEEN was narrowly beaten in the last start and will run another big race. (5) SPOIL YOURSELF placed at big odds and if repeating that run will be in the mix. (Devonne Govender 7-3-9-5).

Andrew Harrison

Garth Puller, peerless in the saddle as a rider and a horseman of note. With three of the seven runners in the Progress Plate that headed the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday evening, one was never sure which was the ‘right’ one, all on a different agendas.

Best proved to be Cardinal Chief as Rachel Venniker booted home her third winner of the evening, the third of four, and three for Michael Roberts.

It was all to play for at the top of the straight as The Marquee led the way but Cardinal Chief gradually reeled him in, going on the win comfortably.

Fortress Of Fire lost his way after showing potential in a smart debut win. He was nowhere in a couple of juvenile features that left Michael Roberts puzzling.

Six months down the line and the son of Fire Away is finally for filling that early promise as he crushed a Class 4 against some useful opposition in the first leg of the Pick 6.

The field was cut to five runners given all the scratchings but after taking a few knocks after the start Rachel Venniker settled her mount in behind. Keagan de Melo made an early dash for the line crossing the subway but Venniker had all under control allowing Fortress Of Fire to drift in without breaking his momentum. He was 2.5kg worse off with second-placed Maphaka on their last meeting which says a lot for his progression.

Master Du Rouvray turned the tables on Gotta Go Eddie after the two met back in October last year. Gotta Go Eddie has one of the more consistent formlines and Mark Dixon’s runner is still progressing as he showed when hooking up with ‘Eddie’ at the top of the straight and out-dueling Mike and Mathew de Kock’s runner. Dixon was more than happy with the win as he pointed out that his charge needed further but he was forced into Friday night’s race due to a lack of opportunity.

Yadav Singh stayed loyal to Cole Dicken after the rider had made the most of his pick-up ride on Iron Will at his previous start that resulted in a comfortable front-running victory.

It was more of the same as Iron Will led the six-horse field all the way until challenged by Grand Appeal some 300m out. Callan Murray appeared to have time his run to perfection as Grand Appeal pocked his nose in front, but Iron Will lived up to his name and refused to give in under a driving ride from Dicken and came back for more. It was heads up-and-down at the line with Iron Will a nose to the good.

Willie Pieters was a Gr1 winning trainer before switching to the safari business but he is back with the Classic Racing Syndicate in partnership with leading bloodstock agent Andy Williams. The syndicate currently has two trainers in Darryl Moore and Paul Gadsby with Pieters stating that the syndicate was going to support the smaller trainers who did not always get the recognition that they deserved.

Moore came up trumps in the first race on the New Year as Keagan de Melo made all the running on Captain Venture, a relatively cheap buy that underpins the Pieters/Williams expertise.

Black Frost finally got his act together as he kept up a solid gallop to see off all contenders in the first leg of the PA giving Venniker the first of her four winners and the first of three for Roberts.

Salani Kahle

New Year’s eve on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly was a low key meeting with mostly maidens and low-class handicaps but it did show up one galloper with potential. Salani Kahle is an imposing son of Master Of My Fate and given his bulk and the fact that he is still a colt will no doubt have contributed to his late start on the race track.

All at sea on debut, he followed up with a convincing maiden win and last Friday franked that form with an equally commanding victory first up in a handicap.

It is way too early to get over excited but given his pedigree, a mile and further may well be his optimum trip, and he is far from the finished article so Gareth van Zyl and Anthony Delpech of Hollywood Racing will be plotting a way forward as Salani Kahle is definitely one for the notebook.

Hollywood Racing rounded off another successful year with a double on the day as the ever game El Rey Viene held off all challengers two races later for Duncan Howells and regular Howells pilot Kabelo Matsunyane.

David Thiselton

The national trainers championship is particularly intriguing this season, because it is closer than it was last season at this stage and the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July also has the potential to bring about a dramatic change in the standings in just one race.

Last season Justin Snaith was well over R7 million clear of his chief rival for the title every season, Sean Tarry, at this same stage, while another perennial contender, Mike de Kock, was R8 million behind and the championship-winning Peter yard were more than R6 million behind.

This season Snaith is only about R2.8 million clear of both Peter and Tarry and the Mike and Mathew De Kock yard are less than R100,000 behind the latter pair.

Snaith has an even money chance, with Hollywoodbets, of adding R593,750 to his tally with Double Grand Slam in the Gr 1 R1 million Cartier Paddock Stakes on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Tony Peter has a 25/20 chance of adding R890,625 in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship with the highest rated horse in the land,  Buffalo Storm Cody.

The De Kocks have a 2/1 chance of adding a big R1,781,250 to their tally with Jan Van Goyen in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate (LKP).

Of course there can be upsets and the De Kocks also have the 10/1 chance Dave The King in the LKP, while the Snaiths have a strong hand with 5/1 chance Eight On Eighteen and 6/1 shot See It Again as well as 10/1 chance Sail The Seas and 33/1 chance Legal Counsel.

Sean Tarry has the 33/1 Cosmic Speed in the LKP and he could be fair value as he is a Gr 1 weight for age winner over a mile and has champion jockey Gavin Lerena up. His form in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over this 1600m trip also puts him close to Sail The Seas, Eight On Eighteen and See It Again. Cosmic Speed was a 2,95 length tenth in the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes but that was his second run after a five-and-a-half month layoff and his first run in Cape Town, so he was entitled to need it.

In the Cape Flying Tarry has the 25/1 and 67/1 outsiders Lucky Lad and Quantum Theory.

Snaith has the 20/1 shot Snow Pilot, while the De Kocks have the exciting three-year-old Constellation, who is rated a 25/2 chance.

In the Paddock Stakes Snaith also has the 25/2 shot Wish List and the 33/1 chance Little Suzie.

The Gr 1 wfa WSB Met carries a R5 million stake and Snaith could get a massive boost towards retaining his championship in that race.

He has the defending champion Eight On Eighteen, who will be hard to beat.

Eight On Eighteen will have some competition from a plethora of stablemates i.e See It Again, Sail The Seas, Regulation, Happy Verse and Native Ruler.

Dean Kannemeyer will have a strong hand in the Met with the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince and his talented full-brother Gimmie Rules.  Kannemeyer does not have the numbers to be a fancied championship contender, but he does have a lot of quality and as he has the potential to do the  Met/July double he has to be an outsider to take note of.

Tarry’s Met challenge relies on Legend Of Arthur, who has been disappointing since his SA Derby win, and Cosmic Speed, who might be stretched by the 2000m trip, although this Querari gelding’s dam is by Silvano, which makes it interesting.

The De Kock’s Dave The King will be stretched by the Met trip.

Tarry’s perennial opportunity to plunder comes in the Highveld feature season and the De Kocks could also rake in a lot of stakes money there.

Tarry has an exciting unbeaten three-year-old in the Vercingetorix colt Grand Empire and he has plenty of hard knockers for the Highveld season.

Tarry is famously prosperous at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting and his promising two-year-old colt Turn It Up, a half-brother to Gr 1 Gold Medallion winner Proceed, is an obvious candidate, as is the like of Mia Moo, who will be out to defend her SA Fillies Sprint crown, while stablemate One Fine Winter will be one of Mia Moo’s chief dangers. The like of Lucky Lad will be a Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint contender and Tarry is likely to have contenders for the top two-year-old fillies race, the Allan Robertson.

Jan van Goyen is not an entry for the WSB Met and the De Kocks might be eyeing the Highveld Triple Crown events with him.

They have plenty of promising three-year-olds like Miami Mountain, One Eye On Vegas, Constellation, Splittheeights, Trombolines and fillies like Drumnadrochit.

Tony Peter could also have a good Highveld season with his established stars being joined by the like of exciting two-year-old Heath House.

However, the July is going to be the big one and it looks like the Snaith yard will hold the aces for that race with a host of contenders like Eight on Eighteen, Native Ruler, See It Again, Regulation, Okovango, Happy Verse, Legal Counsel, Magic Verse, Randolph Hearst etc.

The Snaith yard have the numbers and the all round strength in all divisions and crucially they are likely to have to have the strongest hand in the July.

Hollywoodbets have them at 4/10 to defend their title and that looks to be a fair price for those brave enough to take it.

Sean Tarry and the De Kocks are at 6/1 and the Peter yard is at 8/1 with James Crawford and Dean Kannemeyer next best on 25/1 respectively.