Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Uttoxeter (UK) and Curragh (World Pool) (IRE) – 24 May 2026.

Alistair Cohen

 

There are often some treasures to be found during Cape Town’s winter series of feature races. There is often a long game in mind for horses with upside who are not quite ready for the warmer pleasures in Durban during winter. Future Free is a half brother to reigning Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen and he is likely nowhere near the same class. But, he is heading the right way and he could scoop the Listed Pocket Power Stakes over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth tomorrow.

His last run came in Leg 2 of this series which has produced Pocket Power, Marinaresco and African Night Sky. Over 1800m, the Listed Legal Eagle Stakes he finished a pleasing 2,05-length third behind La Pulga who is an entry for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, albeit optimistic. Future Free has always struck as a horse who will kick on as his career develops and as he is sent over further distances which he gets to venture over.

He is only a three-year-old which suggests there is plenty left in the tank. He gives the impression that this is the start of good times to come and he could be a step higher up the ladder in a few months when the sun shines slightly warmer in Cape Town. Andrew Fortune takes the ride for Justin Snaith.

Snaith sends out the lightly raced Prairie Dawn who is the most interesting runner in the race. He showed tons of courage to worm through a tight gap last time at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when lesser heart would have seen him with a hard luck story. With only six career starts, this must be a signal of intent from Snaith. From beating Show Off who has been disappointing to running against some solid campaigners is a huge ask. Craig Zackey was complimentary about his future. Keep an eye on him as the months go by. A good showing would put him in place for high hopes in the future.

Otto Luyken holds an optimistic entry for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. A win here might not do his chances many favours but it would keep him alive to qualify for Africa’s Greatest Race. His effort in the Legal Eagle Stakes was fair when he finished just under three lengths behind La Pulga. He seems held by Future Free. This extra distance is in his favour and he is a good horse when he decides to be at his best with a long, fluent stride.

Aquae Calidae ran a bold race on debut when he finished second behind Kalahari King. He showed a unique running style with his head low down demonstrating immaturity. He runs in race 1 over 1200m. His high number draw of No 10 down the straight is not ideal but he showed good pace first-up and experience could help his cause.

Spinnaker is a lovely looker and he also put up a sparkling first effort when he finished behind The Cullinan over 1200m. He steps up to 1400m in race 2. He is a half brother to Grade 2 WSB Guineas winner Sail The Seas. He hit the line with plenty in hand last time behind an experienced horse who also has a touch of ability. This looks like a hot maiden so he could face equally stiff opposition but impressions were high after his debut and he could make enough progress to win.

Signor Dante plummets in class in race 3 over 1400m. The doubt attached to his chances is if he can handle the drop in distance. He hints that his next win would come over slightly further and his running style backs that idea up. He has run against Note To Self, Eric Liddell, Prairie Dawn and Future Free in his last four runs. All of those horses would be warm order favourites in a race of this nature.

Lava Strike improved in his last run when he finished close-up behind Vercicat. There is no evident reason for him showing zero to finishing second so perhaps natural progression served him well. He gets the services of Richard Fourie in race 4 over the same 1200m distance. There is a real paucity of compelling form in this event.

If Moody Blue has the legs to win over 1200m, he looks like he has the right form in race 5. Andrew Fortune is the man for the job to see if he can be as effective over this trip. His recent runs have come against stronger. There is not much predicted rain leading into this meeting which takes off some doubt. If he is rolled, just about anything in the race can win.

Eric Liddell trotted up in his last run. He is on the up. If Signor Dante wins a few races earlier, Eric Liddell becomes even more appealing. He runs in race 6 over 1950m. He faces a competitive field against some well-tried older hard knockers who will not be easy to fend off. He seems like he is maturing rapidly enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. Scottish Links, Gentleman Joe, Fort Liam and Song To The Moon all stack up as contenders.

Charlie Bucket is somehow still a maiden. He has finished in the runner-up spot in his last three runs. Horses who beat him have not looked out of place going a step higher. He might be his own worst enemy because he leaves himself too much to do but the extra trip to 1600m is worth a roll in race 8. This is not quite now or never because there seems to be a few runners of interest but he would be a popular and deserving winner.

Race 1

10 AQUAE CALIDAE ran a cracker on debut and will be hard to beat. 3 COPPER HEAD also has good debut form and should be right there. 4 ANOTHER HERO has run two good races and has a chance. 6 GODRIC GRYFFINDOR should be there or thereabouts. (David Thiselton 10-3-4-6)

 

Race 2

7 MADE IN CHELSEA should be hard to beat considering his good formlines. 4 SPINNAKER made a good debut and with improvement could go close. 3 CAPTAIN’S ANGEL should be in the shake up. 1 HERO’S JOURNEY should earn again in this line up. (David Thiselton 7-4-3-1)

 

Race 3

5 SIGNOR DANTE can bounce back as he has some fine form overall. 4 PACIFIC WATERS enjoyed the course and distance last time and has been given a reasonable merit rating. 1 FORT YUKON has a form chance. 3 RED DAWN could be in the shake up in this line up. (David Thiselton 5-4-1-3)

 

Race 4

3 LAVA STRIKE has some fine formlines and is the one to beat. 5 COFFEE CRUNCH has 3,60 lengths to make up on Lava Strike. 2 THE MUFFIN MAN comes from that same race and has 3,8 lengths to make up on Lava Strike. 10 LOVE FROM AFAR has the ability to earn. (David Thiselton 3-5-2-10)

 

Race 5

5 KELP FOREST has plenty of ability and is back to his last winning mark. 2 LOVING PRAGUE has some fine form and should go close. 1 WINTER PEARL is knocking on the door and should be right there. 8 OCTOBER STORM has the ability but is none too consistent and needs to bounce back. (David Thiselton 5-2-1-8)

 

Race 6

3 SCOTTISH LINKS is 2,5kg better off with Eric Liddell for a 2,25 length beating and there is a reversal in draw fortunes in his favour. 1 TUNGUSKA was well beaten by Eric Liddell last time when widely drawn but he is now drawn in pole. 9 ERIC LIDDELL is progressive and would not be a surprise winner because he is a grinder who will relish the heavy winter conditions but he does have a tough draw. 10 TOTHEMOONANDBACK is capable of earning in this line up. (David Thiselton 3-1-9-10)

 

Race 7

6 FUTURE FREE is a talented son of Futura and his progressive profile plus a step up in trip he will relish makes him the one to beat. 1 PAY THE PALACE has mixed it with some of the best and not been disgraced and he should be in the shake up over a trip he should get considering his fair run in the Lucky Fish Cape Derby. 5 PRAIRIE DAWN is a consistent sort who is on the up and he should enjoy the step up in trip. 7 MAGIC VERSE has a touch of class and is distance suited and he should be in the shake up despite having the widest draw in the seven horse field. (David Thiselton 6-1-5-7)

 

Race 8

5 FREQUENT TRAVELLER ran a good race over course and distance last time and is now two point lower in another maiden handicap. 2 CHARLIE BUCKET has been knocking on the door and from a good draw has a chance although he has to prove he stays this trip. 7 FATE OF PACE has a tricky draw but has the form and distance suitability to be a contender. 11 QUIET PLACE has earned a cheque in the last three maiden handicaps he has run in. (David Thiselton 5-2-7-1)

Score6 Sunday 24 May 2026. ADD-IN: R 3 771. Pool Closes at 17h00, Sport 6 Pool 1.

Score10 Sunday 24 May 2026. ADD-IN: R10 000. Pool Closes at 17h00, Sport 9 Pool 1.

Soccer13 GUARANTEED JACKPOT Sunday 24 May 2026. R17.5 Million (If only One 13 of 13 Winner). Pool Closes at 16h30. Sport 10 Pool 1.

Soccer4 Sunday 24 May 2026. Carryover R25 000. Estimated Pool: R100 000. Pool Closes at 17h00, Sport 20 Pool 1.

Soccer6 Sunday 24 May 2026.  Carryover R75 000. Estimated Pool: R 500 000. Pool Closes at 17h00. Sport 1 Pool 2.

Soccer10 Sunday 24 May 2026. ADD-IN: R200 000. Estimated Pool: R2 Million. Pool Closes at 17h00. Sport 15 Pool 1

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.