Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Beverley and Kempton (UK) – 27 May 2026.

David Thiselton

Star Major is the second favourite for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and this progressive Querari colt has been in fine fettle at Randjesfontein after his superb win in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.

Tim Woodruff is the Randjesfontein assistant to trainer James Crawford and he said about the Maine Chance Farms-bred bay, who is owned by passionate Durban-born owner, Ravi Naidoo, together with Neville Isdell, Mr J I Bloch and Mrs Prakashni Pillay.

Tim said, “He is all good, we have just tried to freshen him up because it is a quick turnaround between races, but he is doing good. You do get your things between races you sometimes have to deal with, but I do think he will be alright for the Daily News.”

Star Major jumped from a wide  draw in the WSB Guineas and was dropped out.

He turned for home in last place with a number of lengths to make up, but then produced a good turn of foot followed by an impressively resolute finish coupled with an eyecatching late gear change that saw him surging to a 0,90 length victory over the hot favourite Tin Pan Alley.

 Of course sectional timing invariably shows that apparent late surges or apparent flying finishes are usually an optical illusion caused by the other horses slowing down at a more rapid rate than the apparently strong-finishing horse. Invariably the surging horse is actually also slowing down.

Indeed the sectional timing of the WSB Guineas shows Star Major’s 100m to finish time to be his slowest sectional of the entire race.

However the fact that he was able to have the fastest 100m to finish time of the whole field, despite having had to make up many lengths to get there, seems to show that he has got some stamina.

He did win the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m and finished a fair 3,20 length fourth in the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m, both at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. In the latter race he ran on despite having been a bit keen in the running.

That would illustrate he has the stamina, but hopefully he will be able to settle better this time.

He settled very well in  the WSB Guineas and due to his wide draw Tim Woodruff said the same tactic of being dropped out will be employed.

He added, “Obviously it’s a short straight so it’s obviously not ideal. But just looking for a good run  and then obviously the July afterwards.”

He gave his opinion on the 2000m distance, “He should get the trip.”

Querari won a Gr 1 over 2000m and Star Major is out of a mare by stamina influence Silvano and this mare not only won over 1900m, but was an own sister to Follow The Star, who won the Listed Glenair Trophy over 2800m.

So on pedigree he will easily stay the trip.

Mickaelle Michel retains the ride and if winning it she will become only the second woman in SA history to win a Gr 1, the only one to date to have won one being Lisa Prestwood on the Buddy Maroun-trained Al Nitak in the Golden Horse Sprint on June 1, 2023, almost exactly 23 years ago.

Mickaelle has been in excellent form and Tim confirmed that if everything went well in the Daily News she would keep the ride for the Hollywoodbets Durban July too.

Tim agreed she had been outriding many of her male weighing room colleagues and added, “She has got the touch.”

It would be somewhat ironic if Mickaelle did win the Daily News with a horse conditioned by assistant trainer Woodruff, because Tim’s mother Carol (nee Millard) was the first woman to have a professional license in SA. She had started riding work for her legendary father Terrance Millard at the age of 12 and from age 14 started riding in and winning many amateur races. She was apprenticed overseas and rode in the tough school of England and Germany in professional races. However, the SA authority of the time refused to allow her to ride in professional races in SA, gross unfairness. To get around the legalities the authority installed a rule that overseas apprentices wee not allowed to ride here. This came back to bite them because years later a top apprentice from Europe came over only for everybody to discover he was not allowed to ride here. Carol was able to ride in Cape Hunt races against professional jockeys, ironically a more dangerous discipline than flat racing, and she was able to ride in Zimbabwe under a “Day” license, which was usually utilised when there were not enough professional riders available. She remembers winning a Cape Hunt race on Hawkins, who had formerly been one of Terrance Millard’s many Gold Cup winners. She also finished second in “The Schweppes” in Zimbabwe.

But back to Star Major, who is still a colt meaning a Daily News win will look very good on his stallion CV.

Tim said, “If you win the Guineas and the Daily News it is just next level.”

Tim said Star Major had a fine chance of realising the dream of Ravi Naidoo and no doubt all the other owners too, a win in the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He concluded, “He is ticking all the boxes, He’s a machine.”

RACE 1

1 BISON WARRIOR   5 THE SWAN SONG   2 ASHEEF  8 KIKI U BEAUTY

   Preview: BISON WARRIOR (1) has been runner-up at his last two. He makes his poly debut but from the best draw and is the one to beat considering the exposed runners. THE SWAN SONG (5) makes his debut from a strong visiting stable should be watched in the market while ASHEEF (2) is a filly making her debut with a 2.5kg claimer aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 1-5-2-8).

RACE 2

5 LIZ HERLEY   6 SEI BELLA   10 LADY JEROME   7 FLORAL KINGDOM

Preview:  LIZ HURLEY (5) made good improvement second time out and should be primed for this. SEI BELLA (6) has made steady improvement and was beaten by a promising filly last time out. LADY JEROME (10) has the widest draw but was a close-up second at long odds at just her second start. FLORAL KINGDOM (7) is also showing signs of improving but does look held on current form. (Andrew Harrison: 5-6-10-7).

RACE 3

2 MANAGERIE   3 LEGAL TANGO   1 BOOGEY   7 DANCING PARTY

Preview: MENAGERIE (2) has been touched off in her only two starts, last time in the Strelitzia Stakes. She looks the part here. LEGAL TANGO (3) made good improvement second time out at long odds. A repeat should see her close again. BOOGY (1) made good improvement second time out and from the best of the draw should put in a telling blow. DANCING PARTY (7) found some market support on debut and likely to improve with the experience. (Andrew Harrison: 2-3-1-7).

RACE 4

7 BARRY’S BOY   4 KA CHOW   8 DONMAGOO   2 HIGHVELD STORM

Preview: BARRY’S BOY (7) comes with some steady Cape form and lines up against some modest opposition. KA CHOW (4) is a two-year-old that started favourite on debut but disappointed. He gets a 2.5kg claimer aboard and can make amends. DONMAGOO (8) has been knocking at the door in Open Maidens. Keagan de Melo stays with the ride and the gelding should be competitive in this line-up. HIGHVELD STORM (2) is struggling but has shown patches of good form and can surprise. (Andrew Harrison: 7-4-8-2).

RACE 5

9 GRAND OCCASION   2 HODGEPODGE  7 SASCHA’S DREAM   5 ZENA ROSE

Preview: GRAND OCCASION (9) is smart and a 2.5kg claimer aboard will help her cause as she has won on the synthetic surface. HODGEPODGE (2) has been climbing up the handicap after her last two wins and got a five-point raise for her last effort. She does appear to be improving and the switch to the poly could see her go in again. SASCHA’S DREAM (7) is seldom far back and has taken to the poly taking on males at her last two. FINE WINE (8) and ZENA ROSE (5) do battle once again with Zena Rose slightly better off at the weights this time around. (Andrew Harrison: 9-2-7-5)

RACE 6

3 FLYING FATE   1 MYSTIQUE ROUGE   7 ACT OF GRACE   10 LILAC IN WINTER

Preview: Competitive handicap. FLYING FATE (3) is lightly raced and was not far back when making her handicap debut. She will much prefer this trip and should go close. ACT OF GRACE (7) is still on the up and was a comfortable winner in her local debut over the distance. She has useful Cape form and can go in again. MYSTIQUE ROUGE (1) got a hefty shunt up the handicap for her last win. She does take on stronger here but has a light weight from a good draw and has a chance again. LILAC IN WINTER (10) was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out and has a handy galloping weight. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-7-10).

RACE 7

2 SUGAR BUSH   3 CAPPELLINO   10 TRAFALGAR SQUARE   4 ROCK MUSIC

Preview: Wide open. SUGARBUSH (2) takes on males but has come down in the handicap and also down in class. She caught the eye last run and can do better here. CAPPELLINO (3) is consistent over the trip and with a handy galloping weight he should be competitive. TRAFALGAR SQUARE (10) is never far back and loves this trip. ROCK MUSIC (4) is down in class and with his 4kg claimer staying with the ride he must have a fair chance. (Andrew Harrison: 2-3-10-4).

RACE 8

2 MILITARY COMMAND   8 CATCH A PENNY   11 SUMMER WINTER   5 MIGHTY ZAMBEZI

Preview: MILITARY COMMAND (2) ran well below par last time out. He has come down in the ratings  and should be competitive in this line-up. CATCH A PENNY (8) takes on males but has run two smart races on the poly and can feature again in spite of her big weight. SUMMER WINTER (11) has a tough draw but has done well on the surface and is not out of it. MIGHTY ZAMBEZI (5) has improved with cheek pieces and is over his best course and distance. (Andrew Harrison: 2-8-11-5).

Andrew Harrison

Punters face a competitive card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today but the first leg of the Pick 6 should fall the way of Managerie.

Stuart Ferrie’s filly has been touched off in her only two starts, last time in the Strelitzia Stakes behind Querari Dancer. She does take to the poly for the first time but looks the part.

If there are dangers, then Legal Tango made good improvement second time out at long odds for Michael Roberts and a repeat should see her close while Boogey made good improvement second time out and from the best of the draw could put in a telling blow.

Bison Warrior looks the part in the first leg of the Bi-Pot as far as the exposed form is concerned as he has been runner-up at his last two. He makes his poly debut from the best draw and is the one to beat but Justin Snaith saddles the first timer The Swan Song that should be watched in the market while Asheef is a filly making her debut for Louis Goosen with a 2.5kg claimer aboard.

In the second, Liz Hurley made good improvement second time out for Candice Bass and should be primed for this although Doug Cambell’s filly Sei Bella  has made steady improvement and was beaten by a promising filly last time out. Lady Jerome has the widest draw but was a close-up second at long odds at just her second start and should improve with the experience.

Lucinda Woodruff has made a splash this Champions Season and Barry’s Boy is her only runner on the day. He comes with some steady Western Cape form and lines up against some modest opposition. Two-year-old Ka Chow may be a danger as he started favourite at his second star but disappointed. He gets a 2.5kg claimer aboard and can make amends. Of the rest, Donmagoo has been knocking at the door in Open Maidens. Keagan de Melo stays with the ride for Kom Naidoo and the gelding should be competitive in this line-up.

Four competitive handicaps round off the card. In the fifth, Grand Occasion is smart and Gareth van Zil has a 2.5kg claimer aboard will help her cause as she has won on the synthetic surface. Hodgepodge has been climbing up the handicap after her last two wins and got a five-point raise for her last effort. She does appear to be improving and the switch to the poly could see her go in again. Sascha’s Dream is seldom far back and has taken to the poly taking on males at her last two. Fine Wine and Zena Rose do battle once again with Zena Rose slightly better off at the weights this time around.

The sixth is a wide open handicap but Dean Kannemeyer’s filly Flying Fate is lightly raced and was not far back when making her handicap debut. She will much prefer this trip and should go close. Act Of Grace is still on the up and was a comfortable winner in her local debut over the distance and has useful Cape form. Mystique Rouge got a hefty shunt up the handicap for her last win and does take on stronger here but has a light weight from a good draw and has a chance again. Lilic In Winter was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out and has a handy galloping weight and can feature.

The seventh is another tricky handicap but Sugarbush takes on males but has come down in the handicap and also in class. She caught the eye last run and arrive at good odds for Andre Nel. Cappellino is consistent over the trip and with a handy galloping weight he should be competitive along with Trafalgar Square who is never far back and loves this trip.

Peter Muscutt saddles his only runner of the afternoon and Military Command ran well below par last time out. He has come down in the ratings  and should be competitive in this line-up. Catch A Penny  takes on males but has run two smart races on the poly and can feature again in spite of her big weight. Summer Winter has a tough draw but has done well on the surface and is not out of it along with Mighty Zambezi  who has improved with cheek pieces and is over his best course and distance.

David Thiselton

 

The July build up of 60 years ago was like no other before it and It is fitting that this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, carrying a record-breaking stake of R10 million, falls on such an auspicious anniversary date

In the month of May 60 years ago the great Sea Cottage began his July preparation by running in a race often used by Syd Laird as starting point for his best July contender, the Gr 1 Newbury Stakes over 1200m.

Sea Cottage beat another famous horse in the 1966 Newbury renewal, the previous year’s Gr 1 SA Guineas winner William Penn, whose story bears repeating.

Willaim Penn had won six Grade 1s up until being retired to stud in 1969 and was a July runner up by half-a-length in 1968, carrying topweight and giving the winner Chimboraa 24 pounds.

His wins included the 1968 J&B Met with topweight. He was two-one up in meetings between himself and his more celebrated half-brother Hawaii, who went on to become USA’s Champion Grass Horse as well as a successful sire, standing at Claiborne where he produced 25 stakes winners including Epsom Derby winner Henbit. William Penn proved infertile at stud, siring only nine foals, although they included three stakes winners. He was brought out of retirement as a ten-year-old and the first run of his comeback was in the J&B Met of January 1972. He flew up for second, three lengths behind the winner Force Ten to whom he gave 18 pounds. He went on to race successfully until he was eleven, the best performance of his final season being a 0,2 length second to the great In Full Flight in the Grade 1 Champions Stakes over 2000m at Greyville, beating another champion, Mazarin.

Back To Sea Cottage who was back at Greyville a week after the Newbury Stakes to win the Gr 1 SA Guineas by 3,5 lengths, his eleventh career victory in just 12 starts.

Six days later the country woke up to shocking news.

On that bright Friday morning Sea Cottage had been shot while walking under the Blue Lagoon bridge on the way to the Syd Laird ring on the beach.

The story is well documented with the shooter Johnny Nel being apprehended later the same day. The well-known gangster had foolishly used his easily recognisable yellow-coloured convertible to drive to the shelter on the south side of the bridge, which is still the same structure today as it was back then, to perform the dastardly deed.

He was allegedly acting on behalf of bookmaker Sonny Chislett, who had allegedly approached the owner of the Monaco Club, Monty Labuschagne, with the news that if Sea Cottage won the July he would have to close his business and therefore he demanded the debt he was owed by the latter be paid up.

Labuschagne’s alleged response was what would it be worth if they stopped Sea Cottage from winning the July and Chislett’s alleged response was that he would forego the debt.

It was Nel, a bouncer at the Monaco club, who hatched the plan.

If Nel can be forgiven to any extent it was in his later testimony that he had found it difficult to shoot an animal and had deliberately aimed for the soft flesh of the hindquarter in order to not kill him.

Syd Laird was still able to nurture Sea Cottage through the worst of the injury and he had him ready to run in the July three weeks after the shooting.

The big bay unfortunately suffered interference at a crucial stage and ended up running a four length fourth.

It was a bitter-sweet day for Laird because Sea Cottage’s six-year-old stablemate Java Head won the race.

However, the following year saw the July’s most celebrated renewal.

The 1967 SA Guineas winner Jollify, who was receiving 27 pounds from Sea Cottage, stole a march at the top of the straight under a fine ride by John Gorton.

Sea Cottage had a lot of ground to make up, but began eating up the ground.

He had to get around King Willow, who was going straight, before the natural instinct of shifting towards the leader, was able to happen.

A flying Sea Cottage with his enormous stride bore down on the three-year-old, despite the latter showing no signs of stopping.

The two Birch Brothers-bred horses flashed past the post together.

But had Sea Cottage got there in time?

Commentator Ernie Duffield thought not and said, “I think Jollify has held on.”

Minutes later the on course crowd let out a roar when the numbers were put up together to declare a dead-heat.

But the rest of the country apparently had to endure an agonising wait for news as the radio commentary ended and they went back to the  studio.

Craig Peters, who has by the way commentated 39 Julys, ten more than Ernie Duffield’s previous record of 29, recalled that day, at which time he was a young boy living with his parents in Mayfair, Johannesburg.

He said, “It was only sometime later on Pat Carr’s Forces Favourites program that we heard it was a dead-heat and I was absolutely elated (especially considering he had shed tears after Sea Cottage’s defeat the previous year). We saw the photo in the Stop Press and about two weeks later we watched the African Mirror footage of the race at the Drive-In. I remember also being at Sea Cottage’s last ever race, the Cutty Sark at Gosforth Park, which attracted a massive crowd. I watched by standing on the bonnet of my father’s car.”

“The immortal” Sea Cottage won twenty of his 24 races and there was still a reminder of him nearby at Hollywoodbets Greyville until recent years.

Syd Laird had always been terrified somebody would “get to” Sea Cottage and had metal plates fitted over the air vents on the road side of his stable.

His old stable served as a vendor stall in recent times at The Stables Lifestyle Market next to the Hollywoodbets KIng’s Park rugby stadium.

His stable was the third one down from the main entrance.

Those rusty metal plates were still in place across the air vents on the roadside of the stall until the closure of the market in March 2020.

Sadly, the building soon became completely dilapidated and an intriguing piece of Durban history went down with it.