Andrew Harrison

With Champions Season over it’s down to brass tacks at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today. With the local breeding season on the horizon there are a number of mares and fillies likely having their last tilt at a win so it could all be a little spicey.

The first is an open Maiden sprint with a number in with winning chance. Dean Kannemeyer’s filly Forthegoodtimes was not friendless in the market on debut and finished a close-up third over course and distance. She should come on lengths from that showing. Pink Skies has improved with every outing for Mike Miller and has taken on colts at her last two and not far behind. Back to a sprint she should feature prominently. Sweet Cherry found some market support on debut and was not far behind the Snaith runner Sweet Green. She should come on from that with a claiming apprentice aboard. Iceberg Rose has been a beaten favourite at her last two and narrowly beaten on this course last run so she should be competitive while five-year-old Tipperary has been runner-up at her last three and lines up for her 31^st start.

Gimme The Power looks the part in the second and seldom far back. She is surprisingly still a maiden back is back to a sprint with Keagan de Melo staying aboard and should crack the ice. Floral Kingdom  is lightly raced but has shown up well in recent outings. She was a beaten favourite last run and the switch back to turf could be in her favour. Rustige Kracht was a distant fourth on debut and will need to improve. Umoyawokubamelela is an Australian import making her debut and will be one to watch.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a tricky Open Maiden. Future Prospect is a lightly raced five-year-old. Never too far back, she caught the eye on this course last run when a close-up third. After The Fire has improved in blinkers and stepping up in trip. This is not a strong field and Glen Kotzen’s filly should feature prominently. Guild The Lily improved last run over a sprint and now jumps in trip, that on pedigree, should suit. Jenny Darling showed some improvement when stepped up in trip last run on the poly and could surprise.

Glen Kotzen could hold the keys to the fourth where Golden Angel looks the part. She played second fiddle to stable companion Sesame  last time out but is now 6.5 kg better off and should easily turn the tables. Hurricane Flight has been coming to hand slowly and found some market support last run and has another handy weight. Our Lady Fate has made some recent improvement in blinkers and must be factored in.

The fifth is a competitive C Stakes over 1600m. Buddy Boy was run out of it late over course and distance last time out and has improved in blinkers. He should put in another a bold claim. Double Causeway is the dark horse. He seems to have issues but after a lengthy break he started favourite against stronger first time out of the maidens. He finishing with only one behind but is still a colt and obviously has shown something on the home gallops. Song To The Moon has had one outing since arriving from the Cape for the winter season. He has a fair weight but also the best of the draw. Blizzard Boy has placed in all three start since shedding his maiden. He has a fair weight but should be competitive again.

If the first five on the card were tricky it gets more open from here. Captain’s Pride was not far back from a wide draw on the poly last time out and this trip suits. From a favourable draw she should be competitive. Izibulo showed some improvement in blinkers last run over shorter and should prefer the extra while Alltheboysiveloved  has had two outings since arriving from the Cape and was much improved without a tongue-tie last start and must have a strong chance. Blue Poppy is seldom far back and is course and distance suited.

In the seventh, Cappellino has been knocking on the door for some time now but all recent form has been on the poly which is a concern. He is 2.5kg better off with veteran Trafalgar Square who has also been consistent and should put in another forward showing in his 78^th start. Bless Me Fred is over his best course and distance and is the pick of stable rider Rachel Venniker although stable runner Futano only has 49kg to shoulder and could surprise. Champagne Mac showed up well first run for his new stable and although struggling for his second win, he has been consistent over the trip.

No easy race to round off the card but Ricky Maingard can finish off a successful winter season raid with Billy Cool who was a comfortable winner on the poly last time out but had some fair Cape form prior to that. He did get a punishing six-point raise in the handicap which is a concern. Caribbean Gold  takes on males but was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out with a first time tongue-tie. Blazing Fury is holding form well but does have a big weight and could prove to be the pick of the Louis Goosen runners. Cavalry Commander was a beaten favourite last run but goes well on this course which is always a plus.

RACE 1

3 FORTHEGOODTIMES   7 PINK SKIES   6 SWEET CHERRY   13 ICEBERG ROSE

Preview: Open maiden. FORTHEGOODTIMES (3) was not friendless in the market on debut and finished a close-up third over course and distance. She should come on from that showing. PINK SKIES (7) has improved with every outing and has taken on colts at her last two and not far behind. Back to a sprint she should feature prominently. SWEET CHERRY (6) found some market support on debut and was not far behind the Snaith runner Sweet Green. She should come on from that with a claiming apprentice aboard. ICEBERG ROSE (13) has been a beaten favourite at her last two and narrowly beaten on this course last run. She should be competitive. (Andrew Harrison: 3-7-6-13).

RACE 2

3 GIMME THE POWER   10 FLORAL KINGDOM   9 UMOYAWOKUBAMBELELA    7 RUSTIGE KRACHT

Preview: GIMME THE POWER (3) is seldom far back and surprisingly still a maiden. She is back to a sprint with Keagan de Melo staying aboard and she should crack the ice. FLORAL KINGDOM (10) is lightly raced but has shown up well in recent outings. She was a beaten favourite last run and the switch back to turf could be in her favour. RUSTIGE KRACHT (7) was a distant fourth on debut and can improve. UMOYAWOKUBAMBELELA (9) is an Australian import making her debut and should be one to watch. (Andrew Harrison: 3-10-9-7).

RACE 3

3 FUTURE PROSPECT   4 AFTER THE FIRE   2 GUILD THE LILY   8 JENNY DARLING

Preview: Tricky Open Maiden. FUTURE PROSPECT (3) is a lightly raced five-year-old. Never too far back she caught the eye on this course last run when a close-up third. AFTER THE FIRE (4) has improved in blinkers and stepping up in trip. This is not a strong field and she should feature prominently. GUILD THE LILY (2) improved last run over a sprint and now jumps in trip that on pedigree should suit. JENNY DARLING (8) showed some improvement when stepped up in trip last run on the poly. She could surprise. (Andrew Harrison: 3-4-2-8).

RACE 4

7 GOLDEN ANGEL   4 HURRICANE FLIGHT  2 OUR LADY FATE  3 SESAME

Preview: Glen Kotzen could hold the keys to this race. GOLDEN ANGEL (7) played second fiddle to stable companion SESAME (3) last time out. However, Golden Angel is 6.5 kg better off and should easily turn the tables. HURRICANE FLIGHT (4) has been coming to hand slowly. She found some market support last run and has another handy weight. OUR LADY FATE (2) has made some recent improvement in blinkers and must be factored in. (Andrew Harrison: 7-4-2-3).

RACE 5

4 BUDDY BOY   3 DOUBLE CAUSEWAY   1 SONG TO THE MOON   10 BLIZZARD BOY

Preview: BUDDY BOY (4) was run out of it late over course and distance last time out. He has improved in blinkers and should put in a bold claim. DOUBLE CAUSEWAY (3) is the dark horse but obviously has issues. He has had a lengthy break but started favourite against stronger first time out of the maidens finishing with only one behind. He is still a colt but obviously has shown something on the home gallops. SONG TO THE MOON (1) has had one outing since arriving for the winter season. He has a fair weight but also the best of the draw. BLIZZARD BOY (10) has been placed in all three start since shedding his maiden. He has a fair weight but should be competitive. (Andrew Harrison: 4-3-1-10).

RACE 6

3 CAPTAIN’S PRIDE   5 IZIBULO   7 ALLTHEBOYSIVELOVED   2 BLUE POPPY

Preview: Wide open handicap. CAPTAIN’S PRIDE (3) was not far back from a wide draw on the poly last time out. This trip suits and from a favourable draw she should be competitive. IZIBULO (5) showed some improvement in blinkers last run over shorter and should prefer the extra. ALLTHEBOYSIVELOVED (7) has had two outings since arriving from the Cape. She was much improved without a tongue-tie last start and must have a strong chance. BLUE POPPY (2) is seldom far back and course and distance suited. (Andrew Harrison: 3-5-7-2).

RACE 7

3 CAPPELLINO   1 TRAFALGAR SQUARE   2 BLESS ME FRED   4 CHAMPAGNE MAC

Preview: Open handicap. CAPPELLINO (3) has been knocking on the door for some time now but all recent form has been on the poly which is a concern. He is 2.5kg better off with veteran TRAFALGAR SQUARE (1) who has also been consistent and should put in another forward showing. BLESS ME FRED (2) is over his best course and distance and is the pick of the stable rider Rachel Venniker although stable runner FUTANO (8) only has 49kg to shoulder and could surprise. CHAMPANGE MAC (4) showed up well first run for his new stable and although struggling for his second win, he has been consistent over the trip. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-2-4).

RACE 8

10 BILLY COOL   6 CARIBBEAN GOLD   11 BLAZING FURY   7 CAVALRY COMMANDER

Preview: No easy race to round off the card. BILLY COOL (10) was a comfortable winner on the poly last time out but had some fair Cape form prior to that. He did get a punishing six-point raise in the handicap which is a concern. CARIBBEAN GOLD (6) takes on males but was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out with a first time tongue-tie. BLAZING FURY (11) is holding form well but does have a big weight. He could prove to be the pick of the Louis Goosen runners. CAVALRY COMMANDER (7) was a beaten favourite last run but goes well on this course which is always a plus. (Andrew Harrison: 10-6-11-7).

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David Thiselton

The eight race meeting at Turffontein Standside today is highlighted by a MR96 Handicap over 2000m and it could well see the impressive Sea The Stars colt Mission To Mars proving himself an exciting prospect.

The Stuart Pettigrew-trained Irish-bred import will be having only his third career start as a six-year-old gelding, hardly credentials to get anybody excited, but he has been eye-catching in both career starts. On debut over 1500m he came from a hopeless position with a telling finish to be beaten just 0,60 lengths into second. Second time out he sat in the box seat and pulled clear under the hands to win by 10,50 lengths. He was accorded an 86 merit rating and if he is as good as he visually appeared to be then he should be a short-priced favourite to win this race. A good draw of two will aid his cause.

The topweight The Playboy Bomber had had three starts over 2000m for two wins and a second and with a 2,5kg claimer up he could make his presence felt if able to overcome a wide draw.

Coup De Grace six-year-old gelding Prince Of Kildare had generally been kept to races of a mile and shorter until being stepped up to 2000m last time and, as he stayed on well and only just failed, middle distances could now be his game, so he could be the chief threat.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1000m Mrs Stormiatrix turned the corner in the second half of the 2025/2026 season when kept to 1000m, winning three and finishing second in five starts over that trip. She has a nice middle draw and regular rider Calvin Habib stays aboard. Lonely As A Cloud sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight and comes off a good run over this trip. Pivotal Role had shown promise before a four month layoff and over this trip can get away with a bit of ring rustiness.

In the next race over 1000m Mount Pinatubo is 7,5kg better off with African Pride for a two length beating in June and looks the one to beat. African Pride can bounce back from his disappointing run on Gold Cup day in which he might not have enjoyed being under the lights for the first time. He came out a hundred percent sound and the fast ground will suit him. Karate Kid is in fine form but is perhaps drawn on the wrong side. However, he is able to come from off them so might be dropped out.

In the fifth race over 2000m Dual Prophecy bounced back to form last time and being 2kg better off with Guerilla Warfare for a 1,75 length beating he could be the one to side with. Guerilla Warfare could easily follow up as that was his first attempt at the trip and he came through it with flying colours. Those two should fight it out.

In the seventh over 1600m Harun Al Rashid looks to be off a competitive mark and can win over a suitable trip from a fair draw. Sky Pilot beat him by 0,90 lengths last time and is now 2kg worse off but there is a reversal of draw fortunes in his favour so there shouldn’t be much in it. Winding Power has come into her own and should be right there from a fair draw.

In the eighth over 1400m Rising Eagle looks to be a sort who can progress off an 87 rating, but he does have to overcome a wide draw in this suitable step up in trip. Spirit Of Gabz has some fair form and has proved he enjoys this trip, so he should be right there from a decent draw. Southampton has a form chance and with Gavin Lerena up might be able to overcome a tricky draw.

In the second race over 1160m Trompe L’Oeil caught the eye on debut and could beat Geostorm who is capable of better than last time and is drawn on the right side by trends.

In the first over 1160m Purple Rain and Jack’s Legacy have the form to fight it out.

RACE 1

JACK’S LEGACY would have benefitted from the experience of her encouraging debut 2nd, albeit in a Work Riders’ race, so should be competitive with that run under the belt. PURPLE RAIN outran market expectations when 2nd over 1450m last time and need only confirm that improvement to play a role. WITHOUT REMORSE and NORTHERN EUROPEAN have the form and experience to make their presence felt. BELLFLOWER ran against winners last time and will pose more of a threat back in a maiden. Watch the betting on newcomers GREENHILLSOFJAMAICA, TOTHEPLACEIBELONG and LADY AARYA.

RACE 2

GEOSTORM was fancied to run well in a similar contest over track and trip last week but returned with legitimate excuses. His quick reappearance suggests those issues have been ironed out so he’s worth another chance. ONE TIGER, runner-up over course and distance recently, also remains competitive off an unchanged mark. SAKURA HANAMI fits a similar profile and will give cheek to her male opposition. Newly turned 3yo’s SHERLOCK HOLMES (gelded) and debut winner TROMPE L’OEIL are open to any amount of improvement so have to respected.

RACE 3

MRS STORMIATRIX made a winning reappearance in same-sex company at a higher level last time and is open to further progress with that comeback run under the belt. She has a 6-point penalty to carry against male opposition but should play a leading role. Returning PIVOTAL ROLE is respected after a layoff, especially as he appears the pick of the Van Vuuren-trained runners on riding bookings. LONELY AS A CLOUD is holding form and cannot be discounted under a light weight.

RACE 4

MOUNT PINATUBO finished ahead of WHISTLE THE TUNE and ALMOND SEA in a course-and-distance Grade 1 last season and is 2.5kg better off with that pair. AFRICAN PRIDE fluffed his lines on a recent trip to KZN but is capable of a lot better so is best kept safe on his Highveld return. Last-start winner KARATE KID is at the top of his game and remains competitive off a career-high rating. ESPINOZA and YAMADORI could earn minor money.

RACE 5

CULTURATI didn’t go unnoticed when finishing 6th of 10 over 1800m on his handicap debut last time. He races off a reduced rating over a more suitable trip and remains open to improvement, so it could pay to follow his progress. Consistent hard-knocker DARK SILVER is competitive off his current mark and distance suited so should be competitive with the benefit of his rider’s 2.5kg apprentice claim. GUERILLA WARFARE won when trying this trip for the first time recently and could have more to offer but DUAL PROPHECY is 2kg better off that rival, so there shouldn’t be much separating the pair.

RACE 6

Well-bred MISSION TO MARS cruised to a wide-margin maiden victory over 1600m recently and being out of a 2500m Grade 2 winner, this extended trip should be even more to his liking. He’s lightly raced and open to any amount of improvement. He will be tested, though, by several hard-knockers. PRINCE OF KILDARE, runner-up last time in his first start over this trip, APACHE SON, ROYAL EDITION and THE PLAYBOY BOMBER all have the means to trouble the selection.

RACE 7

Recent course-and-distance winner SKY PILOT is progressive so a 3-point penalty is unlikely to halt his momentum. Runner-up HARUN AL RASHID is weighted to pose more of a threat on these terms, as is veteran AFTER HOURS. However, with the benefit of his rider’s 2.5kg apprentice allowance, the biggest challenge could come from consistent class-dropper ORANGE COUNTY. Hat-trick seeking WINDING POWER and maturing KNOWMORE have earning potential too.

RACE 8

Well-bred RISING EAGLE confirmed the promise of his 2yo debut against older horses by winning well over 1160m last time. He is unexposed and open to any amount of improvement over this extended trip so it could pay to follow his progress. SPIRIT OF GABZ, another newly turned 3yo, showed enough promise as a juvenile to also acquit himself competitively on handicap debut. Class-dropper SUNSET WARRIOR and last-start winner LONGSWORD can trouble the 3yo principals. Hard-knocking 5yo mare SOUTHAMPTON, veteran stablemate COMING IN HOT and NARETOI have the means to make their presence felt too.