An apprentice race was held at the Vaal on July 25, but these races were few and far between last season as the Academy is playing catch up on the two Covid years of no recruitments (Picture: SAJA) 

The South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) are looking forward to a fine season as the effects of the two Covid years should soon be behind them.

Tarryn Mason, the Academy’s Sports Scientist and Digital Marketer said, “We’ve got a lot of young apprentices at present, they are still finding their feet. Unfortunately with COVID we didn’t recruit for two years, so we have a bit of a gap that we’re trying to fill at the moment. It’s also why we have quite a few Mauritians with us at present, we try to find people who have had a bit of foundation training. So next year we will have a lot of race riders in the system. We have unfortunately lost our apprentice races due to the lack of race riders, we don’t have enough for the field, so we’re trying to build back up to that, which we will do shortly.”

In further good news there could soon be a formal relationship with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club with the aim of bringing more of their apprentice riders out to benefit from the learning environment of the  world renowned SAJA.

Meanwhile, Apprentice Liason Coach Paddy Wynne is bullish about enough current South African apprentices making it in this toughest of professions.

He said, ” There are always promising apprentices. There’s always someone coming through.”

Kobeli Lihaba was the SA champion apprentice in the season just past with 49 wins at a strike rate of 9.9%.

Rachel Venniker became a fully fledged jockey in January, but was still in second place on the log with 26 wins at a strike rate of 9.3%.

Trent Mayhew was next best on 23 wins and Paddy said that now that he had ridden out his 4kg claim it would be easier for him as he would be able to ride a little heavier and feel stronger.

Malesela Keratile Katjedi officially qualified as a jockey today (Thursday) having been at the Academy for five years and he ends his apprenticeship with 73 wins.

Siyando Sosibo and Siphesihle Hlengwa will also be lost to the Academy this season as they are also qualifying soon.

Paddy said about Brevan Plaaitjies and Nirvan Nastili, “Brevan is still learning, but he has potential. Nirvan has improved a lot in Jo’Burg and since he’s been going to the East Cape.”

Qatar apprentices Mohammed Hassan Alabdulmalik and Abdulla Rashid Al-Mansouri were in South Africa for a period recently.

They came over on a private ticket with the aim of gaining some riding experience as well as to receive advice from the SAJA riding masters.

Paddy Wynne initiated the relationship with Qatar, inviting a group of Qatar apprentices over in 2019 and managing them.

Abdullah won the apprentice race that was put on for them that year.

Abdullah contacted Paddy this year to ask if he could come over and Paddy assisted in getting his license and provided him with training while he was here.

After Abdullah had a winner in just his third ride, Mohammed then contacted Paddy and asked if he could come over too.

Although they were both over on a private ticket this time, SAJA are in communication with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club to create a more formal platform for apprentices to come out here.

If the Qatar riders who come out are as good as Mohammed then trainers, owners and the public will welcome such a relationship.

Paddy feels Mohammed has a bright future and spoke of how hungry he was to reach a high level.

He was here for just over two weeks and had 13 rides for four wins, a second, a third and two fourths.

The apprentices get very few opportunities in Qatar as a lot of overseas jockeys are brought in.

So their stints in SA and the like of Australia and the U.K. during their three month off season are most important for them.

The final apprentice standings for the 2023/2024 season:

Meanwhile, the Appie Leg Up Foundation, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to provide educational bursaries to deserving students pursuing their racing careers, should provide a further boost to the riding ranks.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE APPIE LEG UP FOUNDATION

Mike de Kock has two horses in contention for the Equus Horse Of The Year Award, Gimme A Nother and Dave The King (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

The World Pool Gold Cup meeting decided a number of Equus awards, whilst it made others even more contentious.

The Andre Nel-trained Redoute’s Choice wrapped up the Equus Stayers award. He won Cape Town’s most prestigious stayer’s race, the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m, and on Sunday won the country’s most prestigious stayers’ race, the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m.

The Mike de Kock-trained Dave The King’s victory in the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup gave him a fine chance of landing the Equus Horse Of The Year award as he became the only horse in the country this season to land two open Gr 1 weight for age races. On the other hand he did lose by 4,25 lengths to Royal Victory when fourth in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champion Stakes and Royal Victory also won Jo’Burg’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup, albeit with bottom weight, and also finished third in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July. Dave The King also finished second in the Gr 1 wfa Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. The other big contender is the unbeaten De Kock-trained Gimme A Nother, whose seven wins include two Gr 1s, two Gr 2s and a Gr 3. She has only raced against her own gender, but has beaten them with ease and the lack of a stand out among the rest of the population makes her a strong contender. The Dean Kannemeyer-ttrained Green With Envy won two three-year-old Gr 1 classics, the Splashout Cape Derby and the Daily News 2000, as well as a Gr 2 and a Gr 3, so he also has a chance.

Dave The King might claim the Equus Champion Miler award with his easy Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge win in June coupled with his open Gr 1 wfa second. He exacted revenge on Main Defender in the Gold Challenge and the latter was only seventh in that race. The other contender is the now retired Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Charles Dickens, who won the country’s likely most prestigious open Gr 1 wfa mile, the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, beating See It Again by 2,75 lengths with the latter later being beaten 2,45 lengths by Dave The King in the Gold Challenge. Charles Dickens was also third in the Gr 2 WSSB Green Point Stakes. Gimme A Nother is also a contender as winner of the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes over a mile as well as winner of two Gr 2s and a Gr 3 over a mile, all against her own gender though.

The Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory looks to be in pole position to land the Equus Middle Distance Champion award as the only one to win two open Gr 1s over middle distances and one of them was a weight for age event. However, Green With Envy won two three-year-old Gr 1 classics, the Splashout Cape Derby and the Daily News 2000. He also won the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m. Royal Victory won the Non-Black Type Michaelmas Handicap and finished third in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, but ran on 1kg better terms than Green With Envy in the July and only beat him by 1,20 lengths, so they put in equal performances over the 2200m trip.

The Equus Champion Two-year-old filly will be the Barend Botes-trained Quid Pro Quo, who made history on Sunday by becoming the first to land all of the Gr 1 Allan Robertson, the Gr 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper and the Gr 1 Douglas Whye Stakes.

The Equus Champion Two-year-old colt will likely go to the Sean Tarry-trained Proceed as the winner of both the Gr 1 Gold Medallion and a Gr 3 event as well as a second and a fourth in two Gr 2s. On Sunday the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes was won by the filly VJ’s Angel which left Proceed in the pound seats.

The Equus Champion Three-year-old colt looks set to be fought out by the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Green With Envy and the Tony Peter-trained Main Defender. Green With Envy won the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 as well as the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and the Gr 3 Politician Stakes. Main Defender was the only three-year-old of the season to win an open Gr 1 wfa event. He also won the Gr 2 Betway Spring Challenge, the Gr 3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes and the Gr 3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes.

The Equus Champion Three-year-old filly will be Gimme A Nother.

The Equus Champion Sprinter will likely go to the Sean Tarry-trained Thunderstruck as he won the Gr 1 wfa Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint, was second in the Gr 1 wfa World Pool Cape Flying Championship and he won the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes. His stablemate Lucky Lad also won a Gr 1 and a Gr 2 and was second in the Gr 1 wfa Mercury Sprint on Saturday, but his Gr 1 win came with a low weight in a handicap event. Mercury Sprint winner Surjay was well beaten by Thunderstruck in the Cape Flying.

The Equus Older Male award will go to either Dave The King or Royal Victory.

The Equus Older Female award will likely go to the Tarry-trained Princess Calla as an easy winner of the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes coupled with a close second in the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and third in the Horse Chestnut Stakes. This can be compared to Humdinger’s narrow win in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes, her second in the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes and her second in the Gr 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes, all against her own gender.

Justin Snaith clinched the national trainers championship on Sunday as Sean Tarry’s challenge failed to materialise and Richard Fourie’s record-breaking season ended on 377 wins, with his Gr 1 win on Dave The King on Sunday fittingly being his last win of the season. .

Drakenstein Stud are the champion owners and Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein are champion breeders.

Kobeli Lihaba is the champion apprentice.

The Equus Champion Broodmare could go to Beach Beauty as dam of the dual Gr 1 winner Beach Bomb as well as Narina Trogon, who won three Listed races this season.

Gimmethegreenlight is the champion stallion and the champion freshman sire is the record-breaking One World.

Gimmethegreenlight has been crowned national champion sire for the third time and for the second time in succession he has achieved what no other South African sire had done since at least 1953 and he might possibly have been the first in history to have done it.

The Varsfontein Stud-based son of More Than Ready has not only been National Champion Sire for two years in succession, but he has also been the leading sire of three-year-olds and the leading sire of two-year-olds for two years in succession.

Carl de Vos, stud manager of Varsfontein Stud, said at this time last year, “Charles Faull looked through the records, which go back to 1953, and said Gimmethegreenlight is the only stallion to have won all three of those titles in the same season.”

The titles go on stakes earnings and not number of wins.

Gimmethegreenlight ended the season with his progeny having earned a total of R30,732,600 in stakes, a new South African record.

He was R1,959,562 clear of Vercingetorix.

Vercingetorix had 14 individual stakes winners during the season of 18 races, while Gimmethegreenlight had 13 individual stakes winners of 24 races.

Gimme’s three-year-old total stakes were R16,460,200 and he edged out Vercingetorix by just R269,950 in this category.

Guimme’s two-year-olds earned R5,308,938 and he edged out the new kid on the block One World by a mere R84,663.

Gimmethegreenlight had an amazing five individual Gr 1 winners of seven Gr 1 races during the season.

Gimme A Nother won both the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic and the Gr 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes, Green With Envy won both the  Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000,  Lucky Lad won the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, Proceed won the Gr 1 Gold Medallion and VJ’s Angel  beat the boys in the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes.

The much admired stipendiary steward David McGillivray has passed away.

He had been working as a steward in Malaysia.

In November 2014 he announced his resignation  from the NHA having returned from a stint overseas in March the previous year to be Racing Control Executive and Director of the National Horseracing Authority (NHA).

The article below was written upon the announcement of the latter resignation.

It gives an insight into the impact he always made wherever he worked in the world.

Stating  “personal reasons”  his resignation is effective from next January and he will be taking up a new position overseas. McGillivray has over 25 years’ experience as a stipendiary steward and will be sorely missed as the NHA have without doubt upped their game since his appointment.

After returning from an overseas stint, he had noticed that standards had slipped and immediately set about reversing the trend.  The stipendiary reports for each racemeeting have been much more detailed since his appointment and other improvements, such as providing information to the public as soon as possible after a race, have been implemented.

The NHA have also taken a noticeably tougher stance in out of competition testing for performance enhancing substances and on “non-triers”.

He said of the information dissemination, “It is important to be proactive. For example, if a horse bled, the information must be disseminated as fast as possible as it could put out a spark before the fire. Sean Parker (the chief stipendiary steward  in KZN) has been very good at getting this sort of information out quickly. We have spoken to the television producers as we would like to get important stipendiary information out consistently between races.”

On out of competition testing, he said, “It is very important to level the playing fields and the more this can be achieved the better it is for racing. An increase in out of competition testing is definitely the way the world has been going in all sports.”

Raids on yards are being done unannounced nowadays, although in the interests of fairness and transparency the stipendiary stewards will always wait for a trainer or assistant to be present before, for example, extracting a blood sample from a horse.

McGillivray’s pet hate is form inconsistency and he has given a recent directive to clamp down in this regard.

He said, “A trainer saying that the explanation for a below form run is that the horse ‘needed the run’ is not acceptable. Saying that it was the horse’s first run after a layoff is not going to help the punter who backed it at 5/2. Maybe in this sort of case we need to watch a horse gallop before it can be allowed to run again. We have an obligation to the punting public and a horse must arrive at the races fit. We also need to determine whether the excuse is what the trainer really means. These are the sort of run of the mill things we must chip away at.”

Objections are another aspect where consistency is vital. Workshops are held every couple of months in which all of the stipendiaries around the country go through all of the recent objections in each centre together, although this was implemented before McGillivray took charge.

During McGillivray’s control, there have been some heavy penalties dished out under rule 62.2.1 which states that a jockey should take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure that a horse is given a full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible placing. McGillivray has praised the stipendiary stewards in all South African racing centres for their support and efforts in implementing the improvements.

He said, “The NHA had been through a tough time as we have lost a lot of talent in a short period and in this field they are not easily replaced. It takes several years before a new employee in such a position can reach the required level. However, in all centres there has really been an effort to up the game and their support for the changes we have tried to implement has been fantastic.”

The stipendiary stewards of yesteryear are often remembered and reminisced about and statements such as “it would never have happened when he was chief stipe” are common place.

However, McGillivray touched upon how different the world was 25 years ago. He pointed out that two key aspects of society, discipline and respect, have changed for the worse and as a result life was generally a lot tougher these days.

He said, ”You just have to look at the way people dress to go to the races these days and you can also look at something like the July objection. There were three highly qualified stewards making that decision and that was their opinion, so you don’t have to agree with it, but it should at least have been respected. These days people have a tendency to get personal and to sling off.”

McGillivray is strong in his views on the obligations the NHA have to punters knowing that the happier they are the better it will be for the industry.

He has provided help and direction to the stipendiary stewards underneath him and the respect he has earned from the latter is one reason why his all too brief reign has made a difference.

Born in Mongu, Zambia, David Hugh McGillivray grew up in the country of his birth, as well as in Zimbabwe and Ireland.

David, who was 69 years old, had Irish heritage and attended school in Ireland before graduating from Gwebi College of Agriculture in Zimbabwe. He began his career in agriculture, specializing in land irrigation.

His journey in horse racing started in 1987 when he became a stipendiary steward in the Eastern Cape. In 1990, he moved to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and served as senior steward until 1993. The following year, he became Deputy Chairman of the KZN Stipendiary Board.

In 1994, David was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Central Provinces (Johannesburg and Vaal/Bloemfontein/Kimberley) and later became chairman.

The Sporting Post reported in 1994 that David McGillivray, then chairman of the Gauteng stipendiary board, had cracked down on trainers taking liniments and suchlike into the security areas at racecourses. Jockey Club rules prohibited any substances being taken into the security areas and McGillivray warned that he intended to enforce the rule strictly after two trainers were found rubbing substances on their horses’ legs before races.

In 1996 he moved to Malaysia, where he worked as a stipendiary steward until 1999 and later became Chief Stipendiary Steward, serving from 1999 to 2003. He held the position of Director of Racing Operations and Professional Racing Steward from 2003 to 2006.

David returned to South Africa as Chairman of the Western Cape Stipendiary Board from July 2006 to October 2007. He was persuaded to return to Malaysia, serving as Chief Steward from November 2007 to August 2009 and as Professional Racing Steward from September 2009 to February 2013. He returned to South Africa in March 2013 as Racing Control Executive and Director of the National Horseracing Authority (NHA).

In 2014, David moved to Qatar, where he worked until 2021. His final role was back in Malaysia as a steward until his passing.

On one occasion in Malayia David was attacked by thugs attempting to intimidate him and this left his arm disabled.

He will be sorely missed by the worldwide racing fraternity.

He had extensive knowledge and was sought for his unique capabilities by a number of racing jurisdictions around the globe.

Cape raider Sugar Mountain has been tipped to win race seven (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Jack Milner

With all the rain in the Western Cape, Candice Bass-Robinson has opted for a safety net and is carded to run five horses at Fairview on Friday.

They clearly mean business as Aldo Domeyer will be in town to ride them all.

With two Listed races on the card, Bass-Robinson is not the only visitor from the west as Glen Kotzen and the Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix yards are both represented.

The features are Race 6, the East Cape Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares, and Race 7, the Memorial Mile, both over 1600m.

It is rare to see the father-and daughter team of Crawford and Rix at Fairview as they do not raid too often so it is worth considering five-year-old mare Time For Love.

She was a good winner over this distance at Kenilworth on 5 May and was not disgraced in her two starts since over a bit further.

This distance clearly suits her and she should make a bold bid at scoring.

Muzi Yeni is in town today and he will be aboard the Time Thief mare. They are ideally drawn in barrier No 2.

Bass Robinson has a decent strike rate when raiding and Rainbow Lorikeet must be in with a good winning chance. On form there is not much to choose between the two visitors but in their last three meetings, Time For Love has finished ahead of Rainbow Lorikeet.

However, she does go well for Domeyer who has won two of the last three times he has ridden her.

Bass-Robinson-trained Sugar Mountain, though, looks the runner to beat in the Memorial Mile. While he did not fare well when coming up to Turffontein, he bounced back to his best after a rest and won a good race over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last time.

He is also the best weighted runner in the field.

One should never underestimate the local challenge and champion East Cape trainer Alan Greeff will be looking for his fifth successive victory in this race and his best hope looks to be lying with talented Fairy Knight.

This now four-year-old has had a very good year so far winning five times and his only defeat was in the East Cape Derby where he failed to see out the distance.

He showed he was still in fine form when beating elders last time out over 1300m.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 Maneki Neko, 9 Roomformanoeuvre, 10 Master Forester, 12 Lennoxtown

Race 2: 1 English Mistress, 7 Beijing Boulevard, 2 Lady Luck, 3 String Of Lights

Race 3: 6 Union Rose, 1 Storm Boulevard, 11 Pomo’s Big Spender, 7 King’s Sailor

Race 4: 2 Jade’s Caberneigh, 8 Breede Baby, 1 My Ami Beach, 9 Blue Palace

Race 5: 4 Piroshka, 5 Jewel Cat, 2 The Winter Lake, 8 Whatever Next

Race 6: 2 Time For Love, 4 Rainbow Lorikeet, 3 Luna Halo, 5 Crimson Princess

Race 7: 3 Sugar Mountain, 4 Cherry Ano, 2 Fairy Knight, 9 Hat’s Pride

Race 8: 2 Central City, 7 Magical Midlands, 4 Spin Doctor, 5 Catch The Tune

 

BEST BET

Race 2 No 1 English Mistress

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 6 Union Rose

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 2×9

 

BIPOT

R144

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1, 6, 7, 11

Leg 4: 1, 2, 8

Leg 5: 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 5

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 6, 11

Leg 3: 1, 2, 8

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4

Leg 6: 3

Leg 7: 2, 7

 

PICK 6

R2000

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11

Leg 2: 1, 2, 8, 9, 11

Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 5: 3

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5, 7

 

JACKPOT 1

R100

Leg 1: 1, 2, 8, 9, 11

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 3

 

JACKPOT 2

R80

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 7

Arc angel Opera Singer calls the tune in Nassau Stakes

Ryan Moore dictates from the front on classy filly, now all roads lead to Paris

At The Races

Opera Singer benefitted from a fine front-running ride by Ryan Moore to oblige at 10 furlongs on the first time of asking in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood – and now looks bound for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Last season’s champion juvenile filly had a setback in the spring, which delayed her return to action and denied her an outing in the 1000 Guineas.

A daughter of Justify, she made her comeback in the Irish equivalent, surpassing expectations when finishing third, and she came forward again when narrowly beaten by Porta Fortuna in the Coronation Stakes.

Moore was keen to dictate on Aidan O’Brien’s charge and she took two lengths out of the field with two furlongs to run.

The closers were gaining deep inside the final furlong, with Andrew Balding’s See The Fire running a career-best and getting to within a neck, while French Oaks winner Sparkling Plenty rattled home for third behind the 9-4 winner.

However, the supplemented Emily Upjohn was disappointing, never threatening to get in a serious blow.

O’Brien said: “We’re so positive with Justify. When Ryan got off her last year, he said this filly would come back and win the Arc. When he rode City (Of Troy) last year, he said something the same, that he’d never ridden something like it before.

“Ryan gave her an incredible ride, he was so confident about her. We listen to what Ryan says, he tells us and we follow him all the time.

“Ryan said after the Boussac last year ‘this filly will win the Arc’. We had an interrupted spring with her, she was barely ready for a racecourse gallop in the spring, when she went for the Guineas.

“We left her after that to go to Ascot and she ran a great race, but what we were wanting to do was step her up to a mile and a quarter all the time and that was here.

“There’s every chance she’s going to get a mile and a half. Ryan said she was very classy to do that in front of a bunch of fillies like that and Ryan said she fought as well. I’m impressed with her really.

“She could go to one of the fillies’ races in France, she could go to the track (ParisLongchamp) and have a look at it. The Vermeille or those kinds of things, but the lads will decide what they want to do.

“I don’t think she needs to (run over the trip prior to the Arc), but she could do it; we’ll see, I suppose. I don’t want to be saying we’ll do something and not do it, but she’d have to run once before then anyway.

“She got a mile very strong in the Boussac, she opened up going into the furlong marker and galloped through the line.

“I couldn’t believe she was placed in the Irish Guineas, couldn’t believe it, she wasn’t ready to be placed but she got placed.

“The second day Ryan just felt another horse went to make the running and it just messed up his pace a little bit. He was over the moon with her and she was beaten by a very good filly.

“It always looked like the filly was crying out to go over a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half. Justifys, one thing about them is they keep going. Every one of them is the same, they just keep going.”

Speaking further on his jockey, O’Brien smiled: “Ryan? He should keep improving until he’s 45 and he’s only 40! I always keep telling him, every year he’s getting better.”

Moore added: “I was very confident she would stay. We always felt when she won the Boussac at a mile last year that, staying on very well, she would be a 10- or 12-furlong filly.

“We’re still learning about her but she’s shown herself to be top class. She should build on this as well. She does everything beautifully.

“I thought she would take a lot of beating today and hopefully she will improve again. I could absolutely see her being an Arc filly, but there is plenty of water to go under the bridge.”

Charlotte Bronte (Lancaster Bomber), a Drakenstein-homebred half-sister to Charles Dickens, gives both Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie respective trebles on the day (Picture: Wayne Marks)  

There will probably be a horse in the next couple of seasons in South Africa named Trois Sept Sept in honour of Richard Fourie’s record 377 wins just as there is a horse running at pesent called Trois Trois Quatre in honour of Anthony Delpech’s previous record of 334 wins.

However, Richard gave an early hint that he will not be sitting on his laurels and basking in the glory of last season for long as he began the new season with a treble at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today (Thursday).

As he was the only treble scorer on the double header day, he takes an early lead in the 2024/2025 championship.

Sean Veale scored a double at Hollywoobets Durbanville and Gavin Lerena scored a double at the Vaal.

Champion trainer Justin Snaith also scored a treble at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and Piet Botha scored a double.

Champion Sire Gimmethegreenlight followed suit and was the only stallion to have three winners on the first day of the new season, two at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and one at The Vaal.

The Henry Cecil-trained Oasis Dream filly Midday won the Gr 1 Nassau Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood meeting three times from 2009 to 2011. Her Kingmambo dam Midsummer was a half-sister to the Henry Cecil-trained Modern Day, who raced in South Africa before standing in the KZN Midlands.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT MIDDAY