Race 1     

1 PHIL THE FLUTER 2 MYSTIC VISION 5 BLUE QUARTZ 6 BATTLE OFTHE BULGE

Preview: 1 PHIL THE FLUTER is knocking hard and over an ideal trip he is the one to beat.2 MYSTIC VISION has run some fair races and if repeating his last run for the same rider he could be in the shake-up. 5 BLUE QUARTZ is always thereabouts and has a chance in this line-up. 6 BATTLE OFTHE BULGE improved last time and could earn if he confirms the form. (David Thiselton 1-2-5-6)

Race 2     

5 CARTAGENA 6 RAINY SEASON 3 NUCLEAR FORCE 2 FLAG BEARER

Preview: 5 CARTAGENA is a progressive sort who looks likely to enjoy a staying trip and he could claim the hat-trick. 6 RAINY SEASON can go close if repeating his last start.3 NUCLEAR FORCE won last time and off a three point higher mark could be in the shake-up. 2 FLAG BEARER is an honest galloper and if able to overcome a tricky draw under Gavin Lerena he should be right there. (David Thiselton 5-6-3-2)

Race 3     

1 HOTARU 2 EMPRESS WU 3 MISS TAKES 6 CHERICHERILADY

Preview: 1 HOTARU improved to go close last time when stepped up to this distance and looks the one to beat.2 EMPRESS WU has been knocking on the door and should be right there too, although she might prefer 1000m. 3 MISS TAKES drops down in trip and that could be to her benefit, so she could be a contender. 6 CHERICHERILADY has shown some ability and could earn here. (David Thiselton 1-2-3-6)

Race 4     

4 LIKE A PRAYER 5 CAPTAIN EFFICIENT 6 ALONE TIME 7 GOLDEN ASPEN

Preview: 4 LIKE A PRAYER won easily in the maidens last time and off a 71 merit rating could have a chance here. 5 CAPTAIN EFFICIENT is a consistent sort and with Gavin Lerena up he should go close again. 6 ALONE TIME has good pace and is in good form so he should be in the shake-up too. 7 GOLDEN ASPEN is not too consistent but at his best will be in the shake-up here. (David Thiselton 4-5-6-7)

Race 5     

2 GREAT NOTION 3 FLIGHT OF A CONDOR 10 VALIEVA 7 DEZIRE

Preview: 2 GREAT NOTION  is an improving sort who looks to have a fine chance here. 3 FLIGHT OF A CONDOR has plenty of ability and should be right there. 10 VALIEVA is distance suited and has a form chance with Gavin Lerena up being a bonus. 7 DEZIRE won well on debut and starts off handicapping on a reasonable merit rating. (David Thiselton 2-3-10-7)

Race 6     

5 VIBE SA 8 KING OF NUMBERS 10 PAUL REVERE 16 PRINCE OF KILDARE

Preview: 5 VIBE SA has a lot of ability and his previous start on the Highveld can be ignored because he had traffic problems (7:40) so with Gavin Larina up he should be hard to beat. 8 KING OF NUMBERS is knocking on the door and should be right there over a drop in trip that he won’t mind. 10 PAUL REVERE is an up-and-coming sort and he should be in the shake-up over a suitable distance.16 PRINCE OF KILDARE has gone close in his last two over sprints and should be right there under S’Manga Khumalo. (David Thiselton 5-8-10-16)

Race 7     

7 STORM AHEAD 4 ART NOUVEAU 1 MOLOTOV COCKTAIL 2 CHABAL

Preview: 7 STORM AHEAD has a good draw and with S’Manga Khumalo up should go close. 4 ART NOUVEAU won well last time out when stepped up to 1,700 metres and starts off handicapping on a reasonable merit rating, so could be in the shake-up.1 MOLOTOV COCKTAIL won well second time out and also starts off on a reasonable merit rating and with Gavin Lerena up can go close if able to overcome a tricky draw. 2 CHABAL went close last time over a middle distance and a repeat of that effort will see him in the shake-up. (David Thiselton 7-4-1-2)

Race 8     

12 INSTANT ATTRACTION 1 FREE IN SEATTLE 5 WAGRAM

Prevew: 12 INSTANT ATTRACTION is in good form and could have a chance if able to overcome a wide draw. is in fine form and off a four point higher mark he can be in the shake-up again from a good draw.1 FREE IN SEATTLE is a consistent sort and although a four point raise for her last win is quite tough she could earn again in this line up. 5 WAGRAM has the form to be a contender here but does have a tricky draw. (David Thiselton 12-1-5) 

Race 9     

9 CALIDA 13 LIBECCIO 15 WALLED GARDEN 6 AFTER HOURS

Preview: 9 CALIDA  has a fine form chance here and is the one to beat. 13 LIBECCIO can go close if repeating either of his last two starts. 15 WALLED GARDEN made a decent comeback after a long layoff and if confirming the form could be in the shake-up. 6 AFTER HOURS is a consistent sort and could be right there again. (David Thiselton 9-13-15-6)

David Thiselton

The Vaal has an eight race meeting today and in the races down the straight the low draws should be advantageous by trends with the outside rail in by 12m, although at the last meeting on this course, when the outside rail was in by a lesser amount, the high draws turned out to be advantageous, so it is not a given. 

The highest rated race of the day is a MR82 handicap over 1200m and if the high draws do not turn out to be disadvantageous then Vibe SA will be hard to beat. His last Highveld start can be ignored as he had traffic problems and Gavin Lerena is now aboard, so that will give him every chance. His last run was in KZN and he was not disgraced in the 1200m race around the turn at Hollywoodbets Greyville. King of Numbers is drawn number one, which will be an advantage by trends, and he will be ridden by the ever improving Malesela Katjedi. This hard-knocking sort lost by only a neck last time over 1400m and drops down to 1200m for the first time in quite a long time, but he has good 1200m form.  Paul Revere is an up and coming sort, who should be suited to this distance and he has a fair draw of six under the promising Kobeli Lihaba. Prince of Kildare has the in-form S’Manga Khumalo aboard from a nice low draw and he should be thereabouts as he has been in consistently good form for his last three runs. It’s personal runs from a middle draw and on form could earn another cheque.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Like A Prayer won a workrider’s maiden in easy fashion last time and off a reasonable 71 merit rating could follow up under Muzi Yeni from a middle draw. Captain Efficient is an ultra-consistent sort and with Gavin Lerena up from a draw which is just on the high side of middle she could be in the shake-up. Alone time has good pace and might be hard to catch if the low draws do turn out to be advantageous. Golden Aspen has dropped down to a competitive mark and might be ready to put his lacklustre recent form behind him. Nazare is drawn one, and after a good win last time could be in the shake-up off a three-point higher mark. 

In the fifth race over 1200m Great Notion is a progressive sort, who makes plenty of appeal. Callan Murray should be able to negotiate a draw of 11 out of 19. Flight Of The Condor has a very high draw, but looks to have plenty of ability. Valieva has Gavin Lerena albeit from a high draw, but she does have the form to be a contender. Dezire won well first time out, but is another one with a high draw in this tricky contest.  Alabama Anna is drawn number one and this might allow her to bounce back to form off an attractive merit rating. 

In the seventh race over 1800m Storm Ahead is in hard-knocking form and under in-form S’Manga Khumalo is the one to beat. Art Nouveau won nicely over 1700m last time and off just a two-point higher mark could be in the shake-up from a plum draw. Molotov Cocktail won well second time out when stepped up to 1600m and this well-bred sort by Danon Platina out of Nother Russia should relish the step-up in trip.  Chabal did well last time when stepped up to a middle distance for the first time,  so has a good chance here from a fair draw of six. Future Wolff is an honest sort who can be in the shake-up here if able to overcome a tricky draw of ten. 

In the eighth race, over 1800m Instant Attraction has done well in two starts since winning her maiden and she has a fair draw here, although her one-and-a-half-kilogram claiming rider rides 1kg overweight.  Free in Seattle is an ultra-consistent sort and after a win last time over 2000m she has a plum draw and a four-point higher merit rating, so it will be tough, but she could earn again. Wagram is a progressive sort who ran well when stepped up to a middle distance for the first time and she could be in the shake-up if able to overcome a tricky draw. Sneak Preview has the form to be a contender here. Elembee has Piere Strydom up and could earn. One Religion can’t be ignored, but will have to overcome a wide draw. 

In the ninth race, over 1500m​ Calida has a fine form chance and is the one to beat  from a low draw, which will be advantageous by trends. Libeccio has the form to contest this, but does have a tricky draw of 11 by trends. Walled Garden was not disgraced last time after a layoff of about a year and could come on from that run. After Hours is an honest old warrior and could earn again.  Unsolved Riddle has Strydom up and is capable of better than last time, but does have a high draw.

In the first leg of the PA, over 1200m, Hotaru ran well last time over this course and distance in her first start for the Klaasen Yard and can go one better if able to overcome a tricky draw. Empress Wu is knocking on the door and from a nice low draw and an in-form S’Manga Khumalo up should go close. Miss Takes has the ability to be in the first three, but does have a tricky draw of nine by trends.

In the first leg of the Bipot, Cartanega is a progressive sort who looks likely to enjoy a staying trip and she could claim a hat-trick. Rainy Season and Nuclear Force look to be the main dangers.  

In the first race Phil the Fluter is knocking hard and over an ideal trip is the one to beat. Mystic Vision looks to be the main danger.

Andrew Harrison

It was a day of contrasting finishes at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday, some horses winning by a street, others battling tight finishes.

Ziyan’s Pride enjoyed the step up in trip as MJ Odendaal’s colt powered home in the first under Marco van Rensburg with the balance of the field well beaten.

Nautical Landing was not for the catching in the second. Tristan Godden bounced Mike Miller’s filly out from her ten draw and took no prisoners. Leading from the jump, she quickened smartly at the top of the straight and was not for the catching.

Silver Platter finally got his consistency rewarded in the third. Serino Moodley took the big-striding gelding to the front and made a winning move at the top of the straight to easily hold off a late-charging Limelight Legend.

Silver Platter was the first of two winners for owner Sabine Plattner and trainer Andre Nel, who was on course to lead in Silver Platter but gave all credit to his Summerveld assistant Byron Forster and his team.

Plum Pudding and Serino Moodley had to work a little harder in the fourth for Nel and Plattner as she only got into top gear over the final furlong to touch off Sign Of Fate and Plum Pudding’s stable companion Spring Kiss.

It was a Garth Puller one-two in the fifth as Queue Wing as apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto made good use of his 4kg claim to pinch and lead and hold off a fast-finishing stable companion Imperial Power to deny Moodley a quick treble.

Malcolm’s Dream has hardly ever run a bad race for Mark Dixon and the Carlise family who bred the mare at their Kinmount Stud in the KZN Midlands. Named in memory of their good friend Malcolm Phillips, Malcolm’s Dream notched up the seventh win of her career when scoring convincingly on the poly.

Cole Dicken seems to get the best out of her and back in the saddle yesterday, Malcolm’s Dream responded with a sustained finish and was never for the catching.

It was a battle of the apprentices in the eighth, a Class 5 over 1400m, as Damyan Pillay got the best out of Darryl Moore’s gelding Danube to edge out Send Me to deny Mxolisi Mbuto a double. Ironically Mbuto was aboard Danube at his last start.

It was Pillay’s first win back after fracturing his hip in a fall at Summerveld that set him back six months. Serious injuries quite often have an adverse effect on a young riders confidence but Pillay appears up to making a confident comeback.

MJ Odendaal landed a double as Thisiswhatitmeans made it three on the bounce for Sean Veale and Hollywood Racing in the eighth. Racing well back in the early exchanges as Twenty One May and Good Traveller set solid early fractions, when it came to the sharp end of the race, Thisiswhatitmeans finished best of all as he reeled in the pacemakers to win going away with Good Traveller edging Twenty One May for the shallow end of the purse.

The win by Thisiswhatitmeans added to the form of Good Council who lines up in the KZN Breeders Mile at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

Former jockey Piet Botha doesn’t look a day older than when he was a jockey back in the eighties of the last millennium. Taking on the best during Champions Season for the first time will have been a learning curve for the future but Papillon Blu certainly paid her way as she racked up her second win, first race out of the maidens, to round off the meeting. One never knows if Andrew Fortune is sitting with a ton in hand or an empty gas tank such is the way he rides. This tank was full crossing the subway and Papillon Blu floated home on gossamer wings.

Please note: Royal Ascot race 5 is a local race. Saftote pools, rules and dividends will apply. Fractional betting enabled on the Trifecta pool.

David Thiselton
Gareth van Zyl had high hopes for his two first-timers at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Monday and felt he had some other fair chances, but he never expected to have a six-timer.
There were only eight races at the meeting and Gareth revealed that he had a very strong chance with a scheduled race that was scrapped, so it could have been seven. His previous best on a day was four winners.
The six-timer has seen him pull six wins ahead of Garth Puller in the KZN Trainers Championship, so he should retain his title.He is now on 44 wins achieved at a strike rate of 13.84% with Pulller on 38 wins (10.95%), Alyson Wright on 35 (10.06%), Dean Kannemeyer on 34 wins (16.50%) and Peter Muscutt on 32 wins (21.62%.).
Gareth’s day started with an unusual first-timer, a horse bred by Sabine Plattner’s La Plaisance Stud but sold at the Sales.
Gavin van Zyl spotted this Vercingetorix colt, Wild Justice, who is a half-brother to the like of recent Gr 3 WSB 1900 winner Selukwe and to the decent 119-rated Supreme Warrior, and had to go to R900,000 to clinch him at last year’s BSA August two-yar-old Sale.
Nicholas Patel is very much part of the Van Zyl yard team and he was given the ride on the 4/1 shot Wild Justice, who showed great resolve to get the better of the 87/100 favourite Holy Star. Wild Justice is owned by Al Khayl Breeders (Pty) Ltd, Lucky Vest 12 CC (Nom: Mr Ravi Padayachee) & Miss Trinisha Pillay.
Gareth’s high hopes that the Laurence Wernars-owned Blue Sky Thoroughbreds-bred Legislate filly Serengetti Sun would make it two first-timers on the trot then came to fruition as the tall filly responded to strong urgings by S’Manga Khumalo to get up by a head and convert 83/100 odds. This half-sister to the ultra consistent Mogok 102-rated sprinter-to-1400m horse African Skyline went for R600,000 at the BSA August Two-year-old Sale after being chosen by Gavin van Zyl and Justin Vermaak. She looks like she might need a bit further.
In the third race Gareth said Futura filly Are You Sure, who is out of a Gimmethegreenlight filly, had shown herself to be a 1000m horse early on but having strengthened and matured she enjoyed the step up to 1200m and won by a cosy two length under Khumalo to convert 18/10 odds. She thus got rid of her maiden tag at the eighth time of asking but not before running three seconds, a third and three fifths for owners Mrs I Reddy,Messrs Kenny Naidoo,T Pillay,Theron Pillay,J A Vosloo,Lucky Vest12CC(Nom:Mr Ravi Padayachee) & SMB InsuranceBrokersCC(Nom:Mr M A Brackett). She was purchased for R160,000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale.
Gareth then made it a fourth win in the first four races when the consistent older filly Prankster (Canford Cliffs) won under Khumalo by three lengths over 1100m, despite 6/1 odds. Gareth had hopes for her as she had “seemed to be getting a little bit lazy” and the strong rider Khumalo was thus a “significant jockey strike.”
The yard’s only race contested that they did not win on the day was the fifth over 2400m and Gareth knew that the maiden King Celtillius would be up against it his first attempt at a staying trip running against winners in a C Stakes event under 4kg claimer Mxolisi Mbuto. So it proved as he could only manage a 4,25 length fourth.
In the seventh race Gareth felt Luhamba Phambili (Danon Platina) had credentials on form and the she duly delivered with a comfortable 2,50 length victory at odds of 5/2 to give Khumalo a five-timer on the day as he had also won the sixth race on the Wendy Whitehead-trained Giambattista.
Gareth said, “As the third, fourth and fifth winnners progressed I was just going through the day and enjoying it, but when I was hoping for the sixth that’s when the awareness and the tension set in.”
The punters also latched on to the trend for the day as they backed the Rafeef gelding Rafa’s Boy from 7/1 into 4/1 for the 1000m Bright Future Class 4 Handicap.
Gareth felt Rafa’s Boy might battle to overcome the seven point raise after his easy course and distance win in his previous start.
However, Anthony Delpech provided some excellent advice for Sean Veale.
Gareth said, “Anthony had noticed the ground had cut up and suggested Sean go to the front.”
It is harder for horses to fetch a leader when the ground is loose.
Veale rousted his mount out of the gates and took the lead towards the outside, having jumped from draw ten.
He drifted steadily inward to the inside rail and Rafa’s Boy held on from a fast-finishing Mar Del Plata to win by 0,60 lengths and clinch a quick double for Hollywood Racing.
Gareth said retaining the championship had been one his chief goals since closing his Cape Town operation and he will be hard to catch now.
This is actually the second time a trainer has won six races on a day this calendar year. Alan Greeff did it on 21 February on the Fairview polytrack, also at an eight race meeting. Greeff also scored a six-timer, at a ten race meeting at Fairview, on 14 April 2023.
Van Zyl and Khumalo had a fine long weekend together as they also won the Gr 3 Tote Derby on Saturday with Duke Of Marmalade gelding King Pelles. Gareth said he would find a race for this horse on Hollywoodbets Durban July day before thinking about running him in the Gold Cup.