Please note South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Newmarket (UK) – 4 May 2025.

Graeme Hawkins

Garrix looks set to take another step forward in his pursuit of a clean sweep in Cape Racing’s Winter Series when he takes on seven rivals in today’s R350 000 Legal Eagle Stakes (Gr3) over 1800m, but he is unlikely to have matters all his own way. Rascallion finished fifth some five lengths behind Garrix in the Variety Club Mile last month but Vaughan Marshall’s veteran campaigner is now 3,5kgs better off and races here from pole position as opposed to the widest draw of all in the opening leg of the Series. One can also argue that Rascallion will be better suited to Sunday’s slightly extended trip and there should not be too much to choose between Garrix and Rascallion at the line.

Billy Bowlegs is interesting! After a long spell in the wilderness – it has been 833 days since the 5yo son of The United States last tasted victory – Billy Bowlegs is showing signs of coming back to his best form and was running on very strongly from the back of the Variety Club field when finishing a three-length fourth behind Garrix. Now trained by Eric Sands, Billy Bowlegs is 2,5kgs better off with Garrix and is another who will prefer 1800m – a trip over which he has raced four times for two wins and two thirds. Magic Verse was very disappointing in the Variety Club Mile but if he reproduces the performance which saw him beaten a whisker by Rascallion in the Premier’s Trophy over track and trip back in January, then the 4yo son of Vercingetorix will go very close to winning.

Notwithstanding the evidence to suggest it will be no stroll in the park for Garrix, there appears to be plenty of upside for Piet Steyn’s charge and he may well step up another gear in this, his second run as a gelding. He was much better behaved in the preliminaries last time and it appears as if the unkindest cut of all has worked wonders for his temperament and allowed Garrix to settle down and focus on the job at hand. He gets the nod to beat Rascallion, Billy Bowlegs and Magic Verse in what is expected to be an intriguing contest.

The R300 000 Winter Nursery (Gr3) over 1100m is the opening leg of Jackpot One and the impressive North Point will be seeking a hat-trick of wins and his first Graded Stakes success. North Point has been dominant in his last two start-to-finish victories over 1000m and the additional 100m is unlikely to pose a problem for the Crawford team’s eye-catching 2yo son of William Longsword. All The Rage raised many an eyebrow when scoring emphatically on debut and the well-bred son of Rafeef could be absolutely anything. There is a line of form through Demanding Dave which suggests that North Point may have the edge but All The Rage has huge scope for improvement and is likely to give North Point a very good run for his money.

Demanding Dave is improving rapidly and his last effort when third to All The Rage was perhaps better than the formline suggests. The track on that day had a distinct bias against horses racing on the stand side of the course and Demanding Dave found himself in no man’s land. Orbit has three lengths to find with North Point but the son of One World may have needed that outing, which was his first since being rested and gelded. He is highly regarded and could get closer to North Point this time around. Dreamworld also appears well above the average and would not be a shock winner while Match That, a winner on debut at long odds, can only improve with the benefit of the experience.

Not easy to be completely definitive or overly bullish about the talents of these relatively unexposed juvenles but there is no doubting the overall quality that lines up in this year’s renewal of the Winter Nursery. I fancy North Point to edge out All The Rage but the chase for the winner’s purse does not necessarily end with this pair.

The R200 000 Ladies Mile (Listed) over 1600m seems very competitive but I am leaning towards the Drakenstein owned and bred Beware The Bomb, to be ridden by Richard Fourie for the Justin Snaith outfit. Beware The Bomb has not raced since misfiring in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas in December but the time off can only have done this imposing daughter of Lancaster Bomber plenty of good. And the comments from Justin Snaith are extremely positive, “doing great, include in all bets.” That is enough to persuade me that Beware The Bomb from a neat draw is ready to deliver a solid performance and perhaps yet another Stakes victory for Gaynor Rupert and her team.

But there is plenty of form to go around with bright winning chances for Kinda Wonderful and the ultra-consistent Callmegetrix. The latter finished runner-up behind another Drakenstein filly, Be Merry, in the Sweet Chestnut Stakes (Listed) over 1400m last month and would be deserving of victory here but she does have a difficult draw to contend with. Kinda Wonderful was second behind the progressive Give Me Everything in the Cape Oaks over 2000m and may now prefer a touch further than the 1600m she gets here. Time For Love has not been seen since WSB Cape Town Met race meeting when a close second behind Rainbow Lorikeet but she won this race last year and with Gavin Lerena in the saddle, she is worthy of respect again.

Gold Poker Game is capable of causing an upset while My Flower Fate, ideally course and distance suited, rates a money chance on her best efforts. It’s a complicated affair, as many Fillies’ Features are, but I am rowing in with Beware The Bomb to deliver on her potential.

It’s an early start at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday with the first of ten races, a Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) over 1000m, due off at 11:40. The field includes a number of well related debutantes but She’s My World may get us off to a winning start at the expense of Beautiful One.

Durban – On the eve of the launch of the 2025 Champions Season this coming Saturday, South African horse racing awoke to a brand new chapter in its history on the Workers’ Day public holiday today with the good news that the acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group (Hollywood/Hollywoodbets) has received the final stamp of approval of the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA).

In a transaction that dates back to the commencement of negotiations in 2023, and culminating in a Special General Meeting of Members in September of that year, KZN racing is set to benefit from a R500 million (and rapidly escalating) rescue injection by Hollywood in a seriously ambitious and committed plan to resurrect the failing industry in the richly culturally diverse province that has enjoyed a passionate following of the sport for well over a century. 

It is a reality that, given the combination of the prevailing economic climate and dramatic changes in the betting landscape, horse racing countrywide has languished in the doldrums for a large part of the 21st century. 

The move by Hollywoodbets is thus seen as the dawn of a new era of management and capitalisation, that will introduce a focus on the best utilisation of resources, while embracing a wider universal appeal that will keep pace with ever evolving modern entertainment trends, directed at a wider customer market.

The investment by Hollywoodbets is set to ensure job security for the estimated 6,000 people employed directly and indirectly by the industry and peripheral services in the province, and foster broader stakeholder interest and incentive for investment through the modernisation of facilities in venues and training centres, while also upgrading prize money, which has lagged over the past 30 years.

The operational aspect of the introduction of a new-look racing programme, coupled with incentives to promote racehorse ownership and boost field sizes, an important component of the key driver of improved betting turnovers, is already well advanced.

Whilst ownership transfers on 1 May, the investment began months ago. A huge leap of faith was required. Even before this final approval by the KZNERA, Hollywoodbets had confidently commenced its considerable investment. To date there has been extensive capital investment in facilities, which includes wide-scale renovation of buildings and equipment upgrades, as well as a revamp of the Hollywoodbets Greyville Polytrack. Day-night racing has proved immensely popular in KwaZulu-Natal and a multi-million-Rand upgrade of the lighting facilities at the home of the historic Hollywoodbets Durban July, brings the Durban City racetrack on a par with leading night-racing venues internationally. To have delayed these essential projects until formal approval had been given would have resulted in none of the work commencing until after the Champions Season.

The Summerveld Training Centre is also set for major improvements. Plans are well advanced for an extensive capital injection that will result in material upgrade of stabling, Grooms accommodation, roofing, roads and other infrastructure. 

Hollywood CEO, Suren Rampersadh, welcomed the announcement and confirmed that it was now all systems go for the company’s game changing plans to revitalise a sport that enjoys a unique place in the hearts and minds of passionate locals and the whole Purple Team.

“We wish to reaffirm that we are fully committed to securing the future of the horse racing industry in KwaZulu-Natal and are privileged to be in a custodial position to carry the baton into what we firmly believe will be a bright and prosperous future for the sport and all stakeholders in the region and beyond. The investment that commenced some time ago will continue, with plans to change the face and broad appeal of the business that operates in one of the most exciting sports internationally, with a global reach of over 584 million households,” added Rampersadh. “This has been a long journey, and we are super-proud that our team has got it over the line. I am sure that our pride is more than matched by the relief and renewed enthusiasm of all stakeholders”.

The encouraging news comes in excellent time for the much-anticipated launch of the 2025 Champions Season at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

Three months of action-packed top-level horseracing will be headlined by the 129th renewal of the historic Hollywoodbets Durban July, which will be run over 2200m on Saturday 5 July 2025.

Durban, South Africa – The countdown has begun! The 129th edition of Africa’s premier horse racing and social spectacular, the Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ), is set to take place on Saturday, 5th July 2025, at the iconic Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse. As the most anticipated fixture on South Africa’s racing calendar, the event seamlessly blends world-class horse racing with high fashion, entertainment, and a memorable social experience.

Staying true to the theme of “Marvels of Mzansi,” this year’s racing extravaganza promises an iconic line-up of South African talent, featuring a diverse array of artists set to captivate all attendees throughout the day. The national anthem will be beautifully performed by one of the country’s leading songstresses – look out for the reveal in May. With these performances, the thousands of attendees expected at Hollywoodbets Greyville will have a memorable experience. Stay tuned for the full artist line-up. All ticket holders can look forward to a day filled with live entertainment that will be talked about for years to come, as this year’s HDJ celebrates Mzansi’s vibrant spirit. 

Tickets for this outstanding event are now officially on sale via Ticketpro (www.ticketpro.co.za). Priced at R230 for general admission, your ticket grants access to a day of thrilling racing action, live entertainment, fashion showcases, gourmet food experiences, and an array of engaging activations from event partners. For added convenience, onsite parking is available for R170 per vehicle.

For those seeking an elevated experience, the VIP hospitality packages provide exclusive access to luxurious enclosures, premium viewing areas, and top-tier catering. These options can be explored on the official event website (www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za). Please note that VIP hospitality packages do not include general admission tickets, which must be purchased separately via Ticketpro.

This year’s theme, “Marvels Of Mzansi”, was unveiled in late February, marking the official commencement of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion Experience, presented by Durban Fashion Fair. The fashion programme includes the much-anticipated HDJ Young Designer Award, showcasing the best up-and-coming talents from KwaZulu-Natal. The winners will share the spotlight with the HDJ Invited Designers and DFF Rising Stars at the HDJ Fashion Preview Gala, set to take place at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in late June.

Racing enthusiasts can also look forward to the announcement of the first official entrants on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. With last year’s champion, Oriental Charm, emerging as the early ante-post favourite, excitement is already building. 

Secure your tickets today and experience Africa’s greatest horse racing and social event, the Hollywoodbets Durban July!

Please Note: From December, Unit cost of all Soccer10 Pools closing on Wednesdays will be R3.

The R3 unit cost on Wednesdays is on a trial basis only & follows requests from many customers to increase the Soccer10 Unit.

The unit cost of Soccer10 Pools on all other days remains R2.