Warren Lenferna

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth serves up an enticing Christmas Eve programme featuring eight competitive races. The first is scheduled to go off at 12:40, with the final event at 16:45. Punter interest should be high, with several standout performers across the card.

Race One is a Workriders Maiden Plate over 1,000 metres and also kicks off the Bipot. Louis Burke, who has enjoyed notable success in these events, is booked to ride the rapidly improving Rachettu. The son of Vercingetorix, from the Justin Snaith yard, appears to be progressing with every start and could be confidently banked in the opening leg.

The second race, an Open Maiden over 1,200 metres, launches the Place Accumulator. Fantine looks hard to oppose here. Trained by Dean Kannemeyer and partnered by stable jockey Craig Zackey, she rates as the runner they all have to beat.

Race Three is the first leg of the Pick Six, a 1,200-metre Open Maiden for fillies. Cutie Patootie stands out as the confident first choice. She caught the eye on debut when finishing third to Playing Trix and should have improved significantly from that experience. The Querari filly is trained by André Nel, and in-form rider Aldo Domeyer retains the ride.

The fourth race on the programme is a Maiden Plate over 1,500 metres and gets the Jackpot underway at 14:25. In Motion has been knocking loudly on the door, finishing close up in his last four starts, and looks primed to shed his maiden tag. He may not find a better opportunity than this. Honorine’s Gimme and Spanish Verse appear to be his main dangers.

Race Five, over 1,000 metres at 15:00, sees Tenango from the Candice Bass yard earning the first vote. With Aldo Domeyer aboard once again, Tenango may have needed his recent comeback run after a highly successful KwaZulu-Natal campaign. He is clearly talented and boasts strong winning claims. Fire Attack, although dropping in distance, is another to respect and should be running on strongly late to make his presence felt.

The sixth race is a C Stakes up the straight. Apprentice Sifisokuhle Bungane has been catching the eye in the saddle and would have learned plenty from his ride on Rattlesnake last time. It is encouraging to see him retain the mount. The son of Buffalo Bill Cody is an honest performer, produced a fair effort last outing, and his form line is beginning to sparkle. Other runners worth considering include Catch A Penny, Playing Trix, All About Al, and Palace Gift.

Trainer Herman Brown has shown encouraging signs of late, having saddled both a winner and a runner-up recently, indicating his yard is in good form. He holds a strong hand in the seventh race, where Gold Index and The Night Ferry look set to fight out the finish. A slight preference goes to The Night Ferry, likely to enjoy a handy, possibly front-running ride under Richard Fourie.

The final race is a 1,600-metre Open Maiden for fillies and promises to be a highly competitive affair. Punters are advised to include as many runners as their budget allows in the exotics. Burning Desire is an intriguing contender, having caught the eye on debut, and should relish the step up to the mile.

RACE 1

5 RACHETTU      3 JOUEUR DE FLUTE      4 CASINO KING        8 FINAL CALL

Preview: RACHETTU (5) is improving rapidly and gets the services of in-form Louis Burke. He rates the one to beat. JOUEUR DE FLUTE (3) is taking time, holding form and has a huge place chance. CASINO KING (4) has claims on good penultimate and FINAL CALL (8) can serve up more off the good last run. (Warren Lenfrena 5-3-4-8)

RACE 2

1 REDLIGHT LANE       8 FANTINE      4 AUTUMN RUSH      5 GATHERING WINTER

Preview: REDLIGHT LANE (1) is an interesting runner and was only 5,5 lengths off the winner last time. She could still improve and is the each way value suggestion. FANTINE (8) is improving with racing and should go very close to winning. AUTUMN RUSH (4) ran a fair race last time and can earn again. GATHERING WINTER (5) has quartet credentials. (Warren Lenferna 1-8-4-5)

RACE 3

7 CUTIE PATOOTIE      2 AURELIAN      6 KISSES      9 BEAUTIFUL ONE

Preview: CUTIE PATOOTIE (7) caught the eye on debut when placing third of eleven and with natural progression, could be tough to beat. AURELIAN (2) went close last time and should not be a maiden for too much longer – big chance. KISSES (6) can do way better than her last three but is never far off the action and has a bright place chance. BEAUTIFUL ONE (9) is a must for trifectas and quartets. (Warren Lenferna 7-2-6-9)

RACE 4

3 IN MOTION      4 TIME HONORED      5 MONTESSORI      1 BARRY’S BOY

Preview: IN MOTION (3) is banging loudly at the door having achieved four seconds in his last four runs and has only had five career starts. If he doesn’t win today, he may battle going forward. TIME HONORED (4) is never far off the winner and should be in the firing line and a must for all bets. MONTESSORI (5) surely has plenty scope for more progression and can be included in on the shortlist. BARRY’S BOY (1) could be the quartet value. (Warren Lenferna 3-4-5-1)

RACE 5

2 ELUSIVE WINTER      1 FIRE ATTACK      3 TENANGO     4 WINTER SNAP

Preview: ELUSIVE WINTER (2) is speedy, has solid form and rates an obvious bright winning chance. FIRE ATTACK (1) wants further but in saying that his last run was huge when racing over 1160m finishing second to Buffalo Storm Cody on the Highveld. Despite needing further and getting ready for other races to come – he can go very close – each way chance. TENANGO (3) and WINTER SNAP (4) are must includes for the quartet.

RACE 6

2 RATTLESNAKE      10 CAVALRY COMMANDER      6 CATCH A PENNY      5 MOODY BLUE

Preview: RATTLESNAKE (2) is holding consistent form, again gets weight off the back from the talented apprentice and is the warm order first choice. CAVALRY COMMANDER (10) ran a much better race last time when nearly beating Gold Giboski and can go one more. CATCH A PENNY (6) is a stunning filly that won a gutsy race last time. She is one for the shortlist and must be factored into all bets. MOODY BLUE (5) is a recent maiden winner but could fair well and place first time in open company – quartet inclusion. (Warren Lenferna 2-10-6-5)

RACE 7

7 THE NIGHT FERRY      6 GOLD INDEX      4 DEVIL A SAINT      5 MELA STRENGTH

Preview: Trainer Herman Brown holds a strong hand here with two hugely competitive runners. THE NIGHT FERRY (7) is likely to punch forward and take the race by the scruff of the neck and can hold on. Richard Fourie sticks with the ride which is always a great sign. Stable mate GOLD INDEX (6) is consistent and never far off the action – big chance. DEVIL A SAINT (4) is taking time for the next win but went close last time and must be respected and included. MELA STRENGTH (5) always has claims and a warrants inclusion in the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 7-6-4-5)

RACE 8

2 SILVER SALUTE      3 SOUTH OF FRANCE      6 BURNING DESIRE      7 GREEK HEIRESS

Preview: SILVER SALUTE (2) showed encouraging progression at the second time of asking and with the likelihood of more to come, could rate a hard horse to oppose. SOUTH OF FRANCE (3) keeps running third but should get it all right soon – strong place chance. BURNING DESIRE (6) ran a good race on debut and would have come on from the experience and can be expected to get way closer this time – big runner. GREEK HEIRESS (7) went close last time and should again finish in the money. (Warren Lenferna 2-3-6-7)

David Thiselton

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July will be a milestone one with the prize money doubled to R10 million and with a longer handicap introduced as the topweight will be upped to 62kg and bottom weight lowered to 52kg.

It will fittingly fall on the 30th anniversary of the centenary July, which turned out to be one of the greatest of all Julys as it was won by the legendary Alec Laird-trained London News, who went on to put South African racing on the map by winning the QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

The renowned South African wildlife painter Henk Vos released his celebrated work, the Painting Of The Century, depicting a century of July winners, after the July’s centenary running.

The iconic painting now hangs in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Alec Laird actually ordered one of the prints of the painting before it was completed as the print had the first of his great Uncle Syd Garrett’s five July winners on the left and the greatest of his father’s record seven July winners, Sea Cottage, was in the centre.

The right hand side just had a blank with a silhouette of a horse, because Vos did not know yet which horse he was going to paint there.

Alec, who trained out of Randjesfontein on the Highveld, related, “He hadn’t made up his mind what horse he was going to put in the last panel (the 20th panel) and he even said to me ‘I would like you to win the July because I would like to put you as the last painting.’ With about a year to go I said to him I’m not going to make it.’”

However, fate then had it that London News not only became the 14/10 favourite for the 100th running of the July, but he was also saddle cloth number 20, being the only three-year-old in the field and the bottom weight.

Piere Strydom recalled, “I remember at the traditional Friday night cocktail Henk Vos was there with his big painting and there was one spot left for the 100th winner and I can still remember saying to someone that I think my picture’s going to be up there.”

London News duly won the race and Alec, London News and Piere Strydom are now at the forefront of the famous painting’s 20th panel and the horse is fittingly carrying the no. 20 saddle cloth.

The London News story starts at the National Yearling Sale of 1994.

Alec recalled big owners Laurie and Jean Jaffee’s chief aim at that Sale was to buy a yearling by their own 1987 July winner, Bush Telegraph.

Alec recalled Harmony Forever being his number one choice at that Sale.

However, he remembered London News being “a nice horse.”

He added, “On the first day a Bush Telegraph colt called Mr Newspaperman went for about R300,000. London News looked more athletic and Jean Jaffee actually said to me, ‘What about this one?’ On the first day they didn’t get a horse, the second day they didn’t get one and the more they asked me about London News the nicer he got, because I was otherwise going to go home without a horse!”

The Jaffees managed to secure London News.

Alec recalled, “He was a light youngster and even as a three-year-old was quite light. He didn’t show immediately, but we always had the feeling that he would be a nice horse when he matured.”

In fact, London News made a particularly inauspicious debut, beaten no fewer than 16,5 lengths under Anton Marcus in a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal on June 6, 1995.

However, he got better and better and when he smashed the Greyville 2000m course record, which still stands today, in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, he had won six out of eleven starts including the Dingaans and two middle distance Gr 1s.

Piere Strydom was aboard for the Daily News 2000 too.

He reflected on the 1996 July, the first of his four victories in South Africa’s greatest race, “London News was a lekker horse to ride because he had gate speed, a lot of natural speed and he would travel right up there in front and he had a good kick. But at the top of the straight (having led) I thought with a light weight let me just let the reins go a bit and get a length or two for the short straight. But he accelerated way quicker than I had expected and that’s when he made up three or four lengths on the field. Obviously it was going to tell at the end and he was stopping quite badly at the end. I heard the horses coming and I was just hoping for the line and he held on.”

Alec added, “Mike Rattray had invited me to watch in his box because it was on the line and he won by a neck but my eyes wouldn’t believe it because there was so much pressure. I wanted to see the number up!”

Alec described the emotion of being on the honour roll together with his late record-breaking seven-time July-winning father Syd.

In fact his extended family is comfortably the most prolific July-winning family in history with his grandfather Alec winning one as a jockey, his great Uncle Syd Garrett winning two as a jockey and three as a trainer, his father Syd winning a record seven as a trainer, and the cousins Dennis Drier, Alec Laird and Charles Laird each winning one July apiece – a total of 16 for the July dynasty.

David Thiselton

The R500,000 WSB Grand Heritage saw another big crowd enjoying themselves at the Vaal and produced its usual thrilling finish with the Diane Stenger-trained Mastership proving why he is held in such high regard and giving Marco van Rensburg a third success in the race that has the biggest field in South African racing.

Bred by the father and son partnership of Cecil & Dr Gary Baitz, the five-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding had been a supplementary entry for this year’s Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup.

However, middle distances had seemed beyond him, because sandwiched in between a 1600m and 1500m victory in October and December respectively this year was a 3,95 length fourth over 1800m.

He was given a four point raise for the 1500m win, but the key was that this long-striding sort had seem to have come into his own since being applied with blinkers and since being ridden by Van Rensburg.

Since blinkers had been fitted he had finished a close third to Obisidian over 1600m and then had the sequence of those two wins over 1600m and 1500m, with the 1800m fourth in between, and he was ridden by Van Rensburg in those last three races.

The Grand Heritage is a far cry from the Summer Cup, so the starting price of 10/1 was good value from a draw of eight on a day in which the course had been immaculately prepared, meaning there appeared to be no significant draw bias.

Three-year-old Yippie Kay Yay for the in-form Mike and Mathew de Kock yard started favourite in the 21-horse field and looked fit and well in the parade ring, but then played up on the way to the start.

 Obsidian and Master Christmas were 8/1 shots. but the former was going to have to overcome a three point raise for a narrow win last time, while the latter did not impress going down to the start.

Pressonregardless was also 8/1 and looked a picture going down under Richard Fourie, but carrying 59,5kg off a 104 merit rating was not going to be easy.

The Nathan Kotzen-trained raider Rollotheviking came in for support to start at 25/2, while the local Highveld horse Birthright came in for a lot of support to also start at 25/2.

Mastership pinged the gate and from a prominent position and without cover he drifted towards the outside, which is often perceived to be the better going down the Vaal straight.

However, Savanna Valjalo had stuck to her station on the 100/1 outsider Sonic Jet from draw ten and this proved there was no great bias as he held the lead until the 200m mark and kept plugging on.

Rollotheviking had been trapped travelling well behind a wall of horses on the outside rail, but fortunately the running on 100/1 outsider Bob’s Your Uncle shifted inward under pressure and Rollotheviking was able to burst through running on strongly under Muzi Yeni.

Some would have viewed Rollotheviking as unlucky, but Mastership was being eased at the line and still won by 0,80 lengths from the KZN raider.

Bob’s Your Uncle was a 1,10 length third with Sonic Jet beaten 1,30 lengths into fourth and Obsidian a 1,50 length fifth.

Yippee Kay Yay made some late progress to finish ninth, but both Pressonregardless and Birthright were unable to find extra after sitting off the pace and they finished 17th and 15th respectively.

Mastership was another triumph for Varsfontein Stud-based sire Master Of My Fate, whose classy son Jan Van Goyen won the prestigious Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas the previous Saturday. The Jet Master stallion is now lying in third place on the national log behind the two champions Vercingetorix and Gimmethegreenlight.

Mastership was bought for R300,000 at the National Yearling Sale by Scott Gaskell, who now owns him in partnership with Desiree de Andrade.

The pair have poured a lot into racing and this was their first feature winner.

The Baitz family purchased Mastership’s Argonaut dam Clear Sailing out of the Dennis Drier yard after her original owners, Robyn and Robin Muir, had decided to put her on the market as a three-time winner.

Clear Sailing has done well at the Sales and at the August Two-year Sale last year her Rafeef daughter Sistership, who has finished second in both of her starts for Alec Laird, fetched R800,000.

Marco van Rensburg’s previous two wins in the Grand Heritage were on Stuart Pettigrew-trained horses, Soldier On in 2018 and ExpressfromtheUS in 2020.

RACE 1

1 WINDS OF GRACE 3 HUBERTUS HUNT 4 GALAXY QUEEN 10 SHADOWLINE

Preview: 1 WINDS OF GRACE is knocking on the door and has a fine chance to get it right here from a good draw over a suitable trip. 3 HUBERTUS HUNT improved to run a cracker in soft conditions last time and could earn if able to overcome a tricky draw under Muzi Yeni. 4 GALAXY QUEEN has 2,60 lengths to make up on Winds Of Grace but is improving. 10 SHADOWLINE has run two fair races and could improve. (David Thiselton 1-3-4-10)

RACE 2

11 BABETTE’S FEAST 7 LANCE ALOT 1 MILAN’S WORLD

Preview: 11 BABETTE’S FEAST disappointed last time but will appreciate the step back up in trip. 7 LANCE ALOT could have got closer last time if not carried out by the promising winner and now has a 4kg claimer but the draw it tricky. 1 MILAN’S WORLD has 1,70 lengths to find on Lance A Lot. (David Thiselton 11-7-1)

RACE 3

1 NKWENKWEZI 3 SKY PILLAR ROCK 8 CASUS BELLI

Preview: 1 NKWENKWEZI was due to have run last Thursday when coming off a hattrick and this progressive sort can rise above her current merit rating. 3 SKY PILLAR ROCK won well over 1800m and will enjoy this trip but does have a five point raise to overcome. 8 CASUS BELLI can earn if repeating either of his last two starts. (David Thiselton 1-3-8)

RACE 4

3 FATHER CHRISTMAS 6 PRINCE OF KILDARE 4 LADY BLUNT 1 JOHNNY DRAMA

Preview: 3 FATHER CHRISTMAS is knocking on the door is two runs on the Highveld and will be a big runner here from a middle draw. 6 PRINCE OF KILDARE is knocking on the door and is perfectly distance suited with Callan Murray up but does have a tricky draw. 4 LADY BLUNT has a form chance here from a good draw over a suitable trip. 1 JOHNNY DRAMA is distance suited and in good form but has to overcome a five point raise for his last win. (David Thiselton 3-6-4-1)

RACE 5

2 FRANCILIEN 3 TINA LOVELACE 6 LADY SABRINA 7 TOO LATE MY MATE

Preview: 2 FRANCILIEN was most disappointing last time but now has a good draw and can bounce back. 3 TINA LOVELACE finished second in the Gr 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes over 1600m and her class could help her overcome a big weight of 59kg for a three-year-old. 6 LADY SABRINA is in cracking form but does have a tough draw.  7 TOO LATE MY MATE had some eyecatching form as a three-year-old and has a tough draw in her reappearance but could make her presence felt. (David Thiselton 2-3-6-7)

RACE 6

3 SARAGOSSA CAT 4 WHIRLYBIRD 1 SISTER GOLDEN HAIR 5 OPEN SESAME

Preview: 3 SARAGOSSA CAT won impressively last time and can follow up off a reasonable mark. 4 WHIRLYBIRD  has improved with blinkers on in her last two and should be right there. 1 SISTER GOLDEN HAIR disappointed in her two comeback runs but this is easier and she should have come on from the two runs.  OPEN SESAME has shown enough ability in three starts to earn here. (David Thiselton 3-4-1-5)

RACE 7

7 MANYELETI 5 ALPINE JET 4 GREEN FLASH 11 MYSTICAL MISS

Preview: 7 MANYELETI is very quick and only just failed to make it two in a row when beaten by a smart sort. 5 ALPINE JET was beaten more than nine lengths by Manyeleti last time but is better than that. 4 GREEN FLASH is capable of being in the shake up here. 11 MYSTICAL MISS has shown enough to be able to earn. (David Thiselton 7-5-4-11)

RACE 8

8 TEMPRANILLO 6 AMAZONIAN 5 DEAL MAKER 11 PLUMBAGO PARK

Preview: 8 TEMPRANILLO was an easy winner third time out and can follow up off a reasonable merit rating. 6 AMAZONIAN improved last time and can progress again. 5 DEAL MAKER is knocking on the door and should be right there. 11 PLUMBAGO PARK has some eyecatching form and is a contender. (David Thiselton 8-6-5-11)