Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Newmarket (World Pool) (UK) – 3 May 2026.

Race 1

9 EL COHETE ran a great race on debut, she was well supported in the market when finishing second behind Margate, with natural improvement expected from this filly, she will be hard to beat. 7 PEACE GARLAND has run two nice races in succession, she is clearly improving with every start, top jockey Richard Fourie has been booked to ride this individual on Sunday, she can earn on her best form. 3 CHINWAG caught the eye late on debut when finishing fourth in the same race as El Cohete on the 30th of March, even though she wants further, she will be staying on strongly late, watch her closely at a decent price. 4 HURRICANE PAIGE looks progressive, she can sneak into the Quartet. (Brandon Bailey 9-7-3-4)

 

Race 2

7 SWIFT SERENITY will be hard to beat, her form of late is very good, this looks to be the perfect race for her to exit the maiden ranks. 5 RUBY REX has been rested for 210 days, in hope that she doesn’t need the run back from a lengthy break, she will be competitive on her current form. 1 MISS SMILEY caught the eye late at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 18th of March, she has run some decent races with the blinkers fitted, she has a place chance in this field. 3 TAKE THAT has been rested for 210 days, she ran a lovely race on debut when finishing just over three lengths behind Call Of The Karoo, if she doesn’t need the run after a long break, she will make them all work for victory, include her into all bets. (Brandon Bailey 7-5-1-3)

 

Race 3

4 CHANCE ENCOUNTER travelled like a winner when finishing second behind Bonelli on the 6th of April, he is consistent, and he tries hard, he will run a big race again from a neat draw. 1 ERIC LIDDELL finished fourth in the same race as Chance Encounter last time, he finished like a train on that occasion, he will be running on strongly late, watch him from a good draw. 2 RED DAWN has dropped even further in the ratings, the blinkers have been removed, he should finish amongst the places at a nice price. 8 SHOW OFF should be cherry ripe, he was doing some good work late behind Future Free at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 15th of April, he will love the step up in trip. (Brandon Bailey 4-1-2-8)

 

Race 4

5 PENTOLINA quickened up smartly to win a good race on the 1st of April, she was given five points for that impressive win, top jockey Richard Fourie knows this filly well, she will be just off the speed early, and she will be storming home late. 8 LARK’S SONG was heavily supported in the market when finishing second behind Backinthefastlane on the 18th of April, the yard thinks highly of this filly, she will go close to winning. 3 BENEATH THE CLOUDS just needed her last run after a small break, she will be much fitter going into this race on Sunday, if she gets away from the field at the right time, she will be competitive. 2 GIVEN TO FLY won a good race on the 25th of March, she was given five points for that win, the step up in trip should bring out further improvement, include her into all bets from a nice draw. (Brandon Bailey 5-8-3-2)

 

Race 5

3 QUEEN REGENT won the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes impressively on the 6th of April, she was given nine points for winning well, she will love the step up in trip to 1600m, on her current form, she has a big winning chance again. 5 SWIATEK has been rested for 64 days, she was terribly unlucky in the Grade 3 SplashOut Prix Du Cap on the 28th of February, she has a wonderful turn of foot late, if the gaps open at the right time, she will go mighty close to winning. 10 ROCCAPINA finished her race off beautifully behind Queen Regent on the 6th of April, unfortunately the wide draw here will make life tough for her, but she is classy and she has lots of ability, she can earn on her best form. 2 GIVE ME EVERYTHING needed her last run, she will improve tremendously. (Brandon Bailey 3-5-10-2)

 

Race 6

7 KALAHARI KING won impressively on debut, he looks special, the yard thinks highly of this colt, he will be hard to beat. 3 EARN THE WEEKEND quickened up beautifully to win just under the hands on debut, it was a messy race, and he still managed to win well, he looks progressive, watch him closely. 1 MARGATE won with tons in hand on the 30th of March, she has a beautiful action, even though this is a big jump in class for her, she could be anything, include her into all bets. 6 TAG AND RELEASE was heavily backed in the market when beating Redford in style on the 18th of April, he was out the gates like lightning when leading the field from start to finish, he can only improve. (Brandon Bailey 7-3-1-6)

 

Race 7

4 LA PULGA was given a terrific ride by jockey Aldo Domeyer on the 6th of April, he stayed on strongly up the lane to win a top race, even though he has gone up in the ratings, he will be right there in the finish again. 2 FUTURE FREE is well related, he won well at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 15th of April, he will love the extra 200m on Sunday, include him into all bets. 3 VIVA’S LIBERTE ran a cracker behind Jet Force on the 6th of April, he will be cherry ripe for this race, the 1800m trip looks ideal for this beautiful gelding, he can definitely win from a good draw. 7 TENPENNY never runs a bad race, he will keep them honest on his current form. (Brandon Bailey 4-2-3-7)

 

Race 8

6 CLARK GRISWOLD needed his last run back from a small break on the 21st of March, there is no doubt that he will be much fitter for this race, he will be just off the speed early, and he will be powering through the field late, watch him at a decent price. 4 FOLLOW YOUR HEART stayed on well for third behind Flying Finley on the 30th of March, he should enjoy the extra 200m here, on his best form, he has a big winning chance. 10 SOOTY is in great form, he is a lovely looking gelding with a great action, the yard is in good form, he will be competitive again. 2 KLIPTOWN could be the value horse in this tricky race, he is much better than his last run over 1400m, the drop in trip will bring him back to his best, include him into all bets. (Brandon Bailey 6-4-10-2)

 

Race 9

9 MYSTIC INFERNO won like a smart filly in the making at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 1st of April, this will be a massive test for her on Sunday, she looks extremely progressive, there is no doubt that she can win again. 3 TRUE HORIZON was given a good ride by the apprentice to win nicely at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 18th of March, she was given three points for that win, on her current form, she will be super competitive. 8 FINAL CALL stayed on well for second in a tough race on the 1st of April, the blinkers have been fitted to this well-bred filly, she will be right there in the finish again, watch her late. 7 BLUE LAGOON finally got it right on the 18th of April, she beat Scandalize impressively, she can only improve now that she has the confidence to win races. (Brandon Bailey 9-3-8-7)

Half of the eight runners accepted for the Grade 3 Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today hold entries for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. A few years back, Marinaresco nearly scooped Africa’s Greatest Race taking this quiet route through Cape Town’s wet winter. He was trained by Candice Bass when he went a place better a year later in 2017. Bass saddles Viva’s Liberte who is quietly of the same profile.

Viva’s Liberte has not had the most ideal 2026. He was gelded at the end of last year and he was asked to take a less-than-ideal stance of one run before the Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m in late February. He acquitted himself well against horses who are of high ability but had far better preps when he finished three lengths behind Wish List in third. A neat effort after a freshen up saw him run an admirable race behind Jet Force in the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile at this course a month ago.

He should be peaking now. He has always given the impression that he would develop over time. He could also have a few pounds hidden away from the handicapper long-term. If he is to be taken seriously by the Hollywoodbets Durban July panel, he needs to start winning soon. There would be no better place to start. Craig Zackey is walking on water at the moment. He is carded to take the ride.

La Pulga, Otto Luyken and Tenpenny also hold entries for the 4 July showpiece. Tenpenny has been expertly placed by trainer Paddy Kruyer and he could also have some wriggle room with the handicapper. He finished ahead of Viva’s Liberte by a short head in the Variety Club Mile but he finds himself 0,5kg worse off. With that said, Tenpenny is certainly more suitable to the extra 200m on offer.

La Pulga is a real trier and he should not be too far away. He is often on the coattails of Tenpenny. Serino Moodley takes the ride for Bass. He might need to do more to show his credentials for Grade 1 level but he runs above himself and must be respected.

Peace Garland has put together two nice runs to date and she looks set to get the job done in race 1 over 1200m. She has been beaten by less than two lengths in both starts to date behind some seemingly promising two-year-olds. Richard Fourie takes the ride for Vaughan Marshall. To the eye, she might be most effective over further. She is a half-sister to Francel Ethel. She also finishes her races with a flourish. But she is going about things the right way.

Swift Serenity is a professional maiden but she is popping to win. From 11 runs, she has placed seven times including runner-up the last twice. She looks like she might have found the right field in race 2 over 1000m. She has a good, fluent stride, hopefully she can last for more than 950m which is her Achilles heel.

Signor Dante could represent some value in race 3 over 1800m. He has found some progressive three-year-olds too good in his last three runs including Future Free who runs in a Grade 3 later in the card and Note To Self who is given a chance in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He is deceptively lightly raced with only 12 career starts under his belt and he could have a little more to offer.

Lark’s Song has finished runner-up in her last two runs and she looks set to go a place better in race 4 over 1800m. She is well related, a sister to Rainbow Lorikeet. She is also low mileage having only her seventh career start on Sunday. Andrew Fortune takes the ride for Andre Nel.

A chance is taken on Swiatek in the Listed Ladies Mile, race 5 on the card. She loves this trip with her career best coming against the brilliant Double Grand Slam over this course and distance. She has always been considered slightly better at Hollywoodbets Durbanville but she is a really tough filly who gives her best. After her triumph over Double Grand Slam, she was forced to run in races which might have been too tough for her. This is not a slam dunk but she is more than capable of seeing off her rivals.

Kalahari King has been one of the most impressive two-year-olds thus far. He runs in the Grade 3 Winter Nursery over 1200m. He looks a consummate professional when he took the above average Aquae Calidae off the bit and turned him over by 1,25 lengths. He was wise and fluent. The talk is that he would be fun to follow in a few months’ time.

Sooty comes from the in-form Paul Reeves yard and even though he makes life tough for himself, he could get his nose in front when he runs in race 8 over 1200m. His last three runs read two narrow losses and one narrow win. That is the nature of the beast. He is not the easiest to follow and have maximum faith in but he has the numbers to make a huge case for him.

Final Call is on the up and she looks a level above the opposition she is running with in race 9 over 1200m. She is getting the hang of things and the slow burn seems ready to ignite. When she won her maiden, she beat nothing of substance but she has seemingly strengthened up and gone about things the right way. Serino Moodley rides for Candice Bass.

Andrew Harrison

The battle for a place in this year’s R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July began in earnest on Wednesday with the announcement of the first 63 entries. Given the that first entry fee is a modest R2 500 there are plenty of connections willing to take their chances at this early stage.

That said, two of the early entries line up on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville this evening, the three-year-old Count Of Rouen and Johnny The Thief although both may have to take a back seat in a competitive handicap where Dean Kannemeyer has two lively contenders in the Class 3 Handicap over 1900.

Kannemeyer sends out Continentalexpress and Uzwano. Continentalexpress is consistent but would probably be more effective over further and while Uzwano goes this trip for the first time his pedigree suggests that he should easily see it out and may be the pick of the pair with Hollywood Racing’s Sean Veale in the irons.

Peter Muscutt sends out Count Of Rouen who was in need of his last run. As a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry he will need to put in a forward showing. Go Grayson Go is the likely pacemaker. He has been caught late at his last two over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and may just last over this 50m shorter. Mohave Prince is unbeaten in two since the blinkers were added, has a handy weight helped by Rachel Venniker’s allowance.

MJ Odendaal has always held Johnny The Thief in high regard and he was running on well over a distance well short of his best last time out. Only time will tell whether his is good enough to make the July field.

Punters face a competitive field from the first race where most are first timers so the betting should prove your best guide.

The second could rest between Peace Rose and Peach Melba although Emerald Forge makes her local debut and has been expensive to follow on the Highveld where she has started favourite on numerous occasions only to disappoint but must have shown some ability.

Kiartay and Bison Warrior could suffice in the first leg of the PA. Kiartay made a smart debut before taking on winners in a feature next time out, both runs at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. He has the best of the draw in his first outing for Tienie Prinsloo. Bison Warrior was run out of it late last run and the step up in trip with some experience under his girth should see him close again.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Bai Yulu made a smart debut at long odds for Mike and Mathew de Kock. She is bred to stay this trip and any improvement can see her home. Gold Gold Baby has some promising Western Cape form and meets little of note in this line-up and is the one to beat. Surprise could come in the form of Flickering Light who showed signs of coming to hand  when stepped up to 1600m last run. This trip should suit.

Tough handicaps follow. In the fifth, Tobacconist has come well at his last two and is over his ideal trip and Veale stays with the ride in preference to top weight Trois Quatre. Stuart Ferrie’s filly Hodge Podge is in cracking form and she followed up two close-up finishes behind subsequent Gr2 SA Derby winner Curious Girl with a comfortable victory over Fine Wine who has since gone on to frank that form. Of the balance I’m Invictus won well second time of asking when tried in blinkers. He has a handy weight and looks promising. Leading rider Craig Zackey takes the ride on My Boy Lollipop who has no recent form over shorter. The step up in trip and jockey booking could be a pointer.

In the seventh, Silver Salute was a comfortable winner over course and distance in her local debut. She only got a three-point raise in the handicap and can follow up. Blue Poppy was well beaten by Silver Salute when last they met but it was a below par performance from a wide draw. She should finish closer. Grand Occasion has been in mustard form of late and won well from a tricky draw when beating Blue Poppy last time out. Michaelle Michel’s 1.5kg allowance offsets her rating increase and she can confirm that result. West Side Story showed some improvement when going a mile again. She has a light weight and has an upset chance.

The eighth is a wide open handicap but Tyroconnell  has been knocking at the door of late in useful company. He has no weight on his back and gets cheek pieces again which can see him go one better. Queue Wing is a veteran with 48kg to shoulder from a good draw. Judged by jockey bookings Green Glow would look to be Kannemeyer’s second string but Serino Moodley was aboard when shedding his maiden and the gelding is way better than his last effort. Stable companion Kanaal Skater s better than his last run from a wide draw and has a winning chance on his penultimate showing while Sundance Kid has been runner-up at his last three but all have come on the poly which is a concern.

The last is another tricky handicap but Take Your Place has shown up well in two recent outings against speedy opposition. She gets a three-point relief in the handicap that should see her competitive in another wide open race. Call Of The Karoo was a beaten favourite last start when taking on stronger. She has top weight but also a stronger rider aboard. Amafort is unbeaten in two with blinkers and a useful 4kg apprentice aboard and has a hattrick chance.

David Thiselton

 

There are 63 entries for the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July to be run on July 4 over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

 

Champion trainer Justin Snaith, who is going for a sixth July win, led the way with ten entries headed by the WSB Cape Town Met and World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge winner See It Again. He also has last year’s July runner up Eight On Eighteen in his team as well as dual Gr 1 winner Wish List, the Met runner up Legal Counsel, the exciting Lucky Fish Cape Derby runner up Note To Self as well as Okavango, Happy Verse, Native Ruler, Regulation and Great Plains. Note To Self could be the one to side with, because this big son of Futura has a fine turn of foot and as things stand will have a nice galloping weight of 54kg, presuming the 130 rated See It Again will stand his ground and be allotted top weight of 62kg.

 

The race has new conditions with the difference between this year’s and last year’s being there is a 10kg spread as opposed to a 8kg spread; there are no maximum or minimum weights for three-year-old males or for three-year-old females or for older females, and there are no minimum weights for older males.

Rather it is just a straight handicap with the normal weight for age allowances, which in the case of a 2200m race taking place in the month of July is a 2kg weight for age allowance for the three-year-olds.

Mike de Kock has also won five Julys and will now be attempting to win one as a partner of his son Mathew. They have four entries headed by Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Jan Van Goyen, Gr 2 SA Derby winner Curious Girl, Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Splittheeights and the former Zimbabwean Triple Crown winner Buster Barnes. Of those Splittheeights looks to have some fine formlines and is potentially well weighted, although as things stand he is officially 2,5kg under sufferance off a 109 merit rating.

Dean Kannemeyer will be going for a fifth win in the big race, but last year’s winner The Real Prince is his sole entry.

Sean Tarry has won the July twice before and he has entered three horses, including Gr 1 SA Classic winner Grand Empire. The latter is officially 1,5kg under sufferance as things stand, an unusual occurrence for a Gr 1 winner, so he has to be considered potentially well weighted.

James Crawford now heads the yard who won the race twice in succession in 2023 and 2024 as his father Brett has relocated to Hong Kong.

James played a big part in both victories and has three entries, including the progressive pair Star Major and Reet Petite. They both have the perfect merit rating for a three-year-old as things stand, 114, because that means they come into the race with bottom weight of 52kg and they sneak into the handicap.

The other three trainers with entries who have won the race before are Alec Laird, Glen Kotzen and Candice Bass.

Laird has a big entry of six, headed by the Gr 1 winners Fire Attack and Atticus Finch. Fire Attack has had a disappointing season, but at his best he possesses a strong finish, so can’t be written off. Atticus Finch suffered epistaxis in last year’s race, but if things go well for him this former Betway Summer Cup winner has the class to be a threat, although he will have to carry a big weight of 60,5kg off his 127 rating as things stand.

Kotzen has entered the brave stayer Holding Thumbs, who will try his heart out.

Bass has three entries including the dependable Rainbow Lorikeet and the exciting three-year-old prospect Viva’s Liberte, the best of whom is unlikely to have been seen yet.

Another interesting entry is the Jackpot City Dingaans winner Trust, who was a narrow runner up in the SA Classic and he looks potentially well weighted off a mere 110 rating, which officially puts him 2kg under sufferance as things stand. He will be out to give July nearly man Larry Nestadt a first win in the big race and the other owners, Gary Player and the Lindsay Ralphs family, will also be trying to win the July for the first time.

The filly who only just missed landing the Triple Tiara, the Corne Spies-trained Hazy Dazy, is an entry.

KZN have plenty of entries headed by the Frank Robinson-trained Betway Summer Cup winner Mocha Blend, the Stuart Ferrie-trained Gr 1 Champions Cup winner Gladatorian,  the Gareth van Zyl-trained champion stayer King Pelles and his SA Derby runner up stablemate Salani Kahle, the Nathan Kotzen-trained stayer Shoot The Rapids and his improving stablemate Field Marshal, Peter Muscutt has three entries including I Salute You, Michael Roberts has entered the classy Ladyofdistinction and there are also entries from Darryl Moore and MJ Odendaal.

Devin Heffer, Hollywoodbets Brand and Communications manager, said, “It has been a privilege for us as a leading brand to be associated with this internationally acclaimed sporting event since 2022, and every year it just gets bigger and better. With the adjustment in the race conditions and a doubling of the prize money to a record new stakes pot, the first entries list is proof that the stars are aligned and  Hollywoodbets Greyville is set to live up to its label of the ‘Theatre of Champions’ on 4 July”.