Turf Talk Newsletter – 23 June, 2025

Eighteen - Will He Be A Runner?

The racing fraternity will find out whether hot ante-post favourite Eight On Eighteen is a runner in the Hollywoodbets Durban July shortly after 11H00 on Tuesday morning. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The South African racing community is on tenterhooks waiting for the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field Announcement and Draw ceremony as they wait to hear whether the hot ante-post favourite Eight On Eighteen is a runner of not.

He was said to have a 50/50 chance of running by the Justin Snaith team and they and the owners, Nick Jonsson and Johann Rupert, would likely have left their decision until as late as possible.

The final field announcement will be broadcast live on Gallop TV and Racing240 at 11H00 on Tuesday morning.

There is likely to be cheer of approval from around the country if Eight On Eighteen’s name is announced in the top 18.

The horses will be announced in weight order, from top to bottom, so if Eight On Eighteen’s name does not appear in the first seven announced horses there is likely to be murmurs from the live audience and groans of disappointment among the country’s television audience around the country.

If Eight On Eighteen is among the runners the certanties to join him would be Oriental Charm, See It Again, Royal Victory, Confederate, Gladatorian and Atticus Finch.

The horses who will also likely be in the top 18 are: Purple Pitcher, Selukwe, The Real Prince, Okavango, Native Ruler, Immediate Edge, Madison Valley, On My Honour and My Best Shot.

If Eight On Eighteen is a runner there will likely only be two more places in the top 18 to be fought out by twelve horses and if he is not a runner there will be three places.

The twelve horses to fight out the last precious places will be Underworld, Future Swing, Pomodoro’s Jet, Beating Wings, Holding Thumbs, Litigation, Magic Verse, Rainbow Lorikeet, Son Of Raj, The Equator and Thunee Playa.

Future Swing and Pomodoro’s Jet were the only two of those to be in the top 20 on the last July log.

Future Swing might have blotted his copybook by being unplaced in both the Gr 2 WSB 1900 and Gr 3 Tote Derby, but he finished close up in the Gr 1 WSB Met and was second in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.

Pomodoro’s Jet has not run for a while and is unproven at the top level over ground, but he has won his last two starts in convincing fashion.

Underworld was a 0,30 length second in the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m, beaten by Madison Valley and beating On My Honour and Litigation. However, at the weights all three of those other mentioned horses performed better than him. Underworld had earlier run third in the Gr 3 WSB 1900, beating all of Okavango, Thunee Player, Future Swing, Native Ruler, Holding Thumbs and Madison Valley, so his two top three finishes in traditional July pointers could well earn him a place.

Litigation was a 0,35 length third in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Wyne Premier Trophy, beating Future Swing by 0,75 lengths, although he was receiving 1kg and was subsequently well beaten by Future Swing in the WSB Met. Litigation was a 1,75 length fourth in the Cup Trial, beaten by Madison Valley, Underworld and On My Honour and of those he only performd better at the weights than Underworld.

Rainbow Lorikeet could be a candidate to leapfrog Future Swing and Pomodoro’s Jet and make it into the top 18. She has won two Gr 3s over 1800m and 2000m respectively this season and finished a far from disgraced 4,25 length fourth in the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes behind the top class trio of Double Grand Slam, Red Palace and Rascova and she was also a most unlucky 1,70 length fourth in the Gr 2 Woolavington 2000.

Holding Thumbs beat Future Swing by 7,20 lengths in the Gr 3 Tote Derby over 2400m on June 14 at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, but earlier lost to him by 0,35 lengths in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville despite receiving 5kg.

Son Of Raj, who is out to make the final field for the third time in succession, won the Gr 3 Betway London News Stakes over 1800m back in February, beating Purple Pitcher by 1,90 lengths, although he was receiving 3kg. However, he was eased out of the race next time out and then ran a 3,75 length seventh in the Gr 3 4Racing Jubilee Stakes over 1800m, which would not have done his chances much good as he was not in the top 20 on the log at the time.

Magic Verse was a shorthead second in the Premier Trophy, beating Litigation and Future Swing, although the latter pair performed marginally better than him at the weights, and he has recently been fourth in the Gr 3 Legal Eagle Stakes, third in the Listed Pocket Power Stakes and a good second at level weights to 118-rated Sugar Mountain in the Winter Mile and he beat 118-rated Seeking The Stars comfortably at level weights.

Beating Wings’ best three performances this season were fifth in the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes, third in the Gr 2 Igugu Stakes, a race she won last year, and fifth in the Gr 2 Woolavington 2000. She actually performed better than Rainbow Lorikeet at the weights in the latter race, although the latter was hampered and unlucky.

Thunee Playa’s finished fifth in the WSB 1900, but that would not normally warrant a July berth.

The Equator won once in Ireland and was fourth in a Gr 2 there before running a decent fifth in the Gr 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. However, he has not had a run in South Africa so would not have been able to advance his position outside of the top 20 on the final July log.

Who would want to be a final field panelist?!

July Jockeys Will Be Looking For A Place In History

JP van der Merwe will be out to become only the fifth jockey in history to win the July in successive years. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

The jockey booking are always of interest in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and of particular interest this year is that only six current jockeys plying their trade in South Africa have won the big race before, Piere Strydom, who has four wins, Richard Fourie, who has three wins, S’Manga Khumalo, who has two wins, Gavin Lerena, who has one win, Kabelo Matsunyane, who has one win and JP van der Merwe, who has one win.

Piere Strydom needs just one more win to join Anton Marcus on a record five July victories, but it would seem he couldn’t get a ride this year due to the weights.

He is limited to rides of 58kg and more and having lost the ride on topweight See It Again to Raymond Danielson all of the rest of the rides of 57kg and above look to be taken, unless there is an unforeseen circumstance.

Richard Fourie will be out to join Strydom, Harold “Tiger” Wright and Anthony Delpech on four July wins, although he has not yet been declared on any runner.

Fourie’s first July win came after the Justin Snaith-trained Legislate successfully objected against Wylie Hall in the 2014 renewal and he then had successive July wins on Do It Again in 2019 and on Belgarion in the lockdown July of 2020. Fourie joined the elite group of C MacDonald (1900 and 1901), Syd Garrett (1919 and 1920) and Anthony Delpech (2010 an 2011) to win successive Julys. In 2021 he could have been part of numerous July records in one go as his mount Do It Again was attempting to become the first horse to win the July three times, Fourie was attempting to become the first jockey to ever win three Julys in a row, Justin Snaith was attempting to join the legendary Fred Murray as the first trainer to win four successive Julys, while Do It Again’s joint owners Bernard Kantor and Nick Jonsson were attempting to become the first to be winning owners for three years in succession. Alas, Do It Again was continually hampered down the straight and finished a desperately unlucky 1,90 length fourth.

S’Manga Khumalo will be out to land a third July win and his mount On My Honour looks to be the best value in the field at long odds of 33/1 as he looks to have some class. His trainer Glen Kotzen won the big race with Big City Life in 2009. Khumalo won with the Sean Tarry-trained Heavy Metal in 2013 and the Mike de Kock-trained Sparking Water in 2022.

JP van der Merwe’s first July ride was as recent as 2022 on the Paul Peter-trained Astrix. He will join the elite group of jockeys who have won two Julys in succession if Oriental Charm repeats his win of last year. The gallant horse is the second favourite at present.

Gavin Lerena will be out to land a second July victory on the Frank Robinson-trained Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial winner Madison Valley, who was about a 40/1 shot in the ante-post betting. Lerena’s first win was aboard the Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix-trained Kommetdieding in 2021. Robinson has been associated with many July runners either as assistant to Herman Brown Snr or Jnr or as a trainer himself and he has experienced victory when working as a schoolboy for Johnny Nicholson when Beau Art won in 1980 and he was working for Gael Thompson when the latter won with Jamaican Rhumba in 1982. In his time with the Browns they finished second with Versailles in 1984, second with Sleek Machine in 1996, second with Sushisan in 2006 and third with Orbison in 2010.

Kabelo Matsunyane had his first July ride in 2021 aboard the Tyrone Zackey-trained Johnny Hero and was victorious in his third July ride on the Brett Crawford-trained Winchester Mansion in 2023. He rides the Robyn Klaasen-trained Purple Pitcher, who was 50/1 in the ante-post betting, in his fifth July this year.

See It Again’s rider Raymond Danielson had his first July ride on the Dylan Cunha-trained Strategic News in 2008 and his best finish is third on the Herman Brown Jnr-trained Orbison in 2010. He also finished fourth on The Apache in 2011.

Royal Victory will be out to give Muzi Yeni an elusive July win. Yeni finished second with Got The Greenlight in the 2020 July, third with the same horse in 2021, third with Safe Passage in 2022 and third with Royal Victory last year and he has also had a fourth and a couple of fifths.

Chase Maujean has a third July ride on the Alan Greeff-trained My Best Shot, who is the big race’s dark horse as he has swept all before him in the East Cape and is unexposed against top class opposition, although he was defeated by six lengths on the poly by On My Honour in the RA Stakes over 1600m. Maujean’s first July ride was in 2017 on the Geoff Woodruff-trained Pagoda and in 2023 he finished fifth on the Robyn Klaasen-trained Second Base.

Calvin Habib is on the Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch, who will be out to give trainer Alec Laird a second July win having won the centenary July in 1996 with London News. Habib had his first July ride in 2019 and this will be his fifth July ride, but he is yet to get a place.

Twice South Arican champion jockey and reigning New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy will be riding the Fabian Habib-trained Confederate.

Kennedy has never won the July before, but regards his third place finish on the notoriously difficult Mike de Kock-trained 100/1 shot Forest Path in the 2009 July as one of his career best rides. His first ride in the July was in 2004 on the unplaced 100/1 shot Cousin John and his best finish other than his third place in 2009 was fourth on the Glen Kotzen-trained Eyes Wide Open in 2019.

Those were some of the riders declared by Monday morning.

The final field and their riders will all be revealed at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field and Draw ceremony, which starts at 10 O’Clock on Tuesday morning with the live broadcast starting at 11 O’Clock.

New Sire Point Lonsdale Has Same Lines As The Coronation Stakes Winner

Cercene gives trainer Joseph Murphy a first Gr 1 winner. (Sky Sports Racing)

Maine Chance Farms new sire Point Lonsdale is bred on the same lines as the Gr 1 Coronation Stakes winner at Royal Ascot last week, the Joseph Murphy-trained filly Cercene, and that agurs well for the former globetrotting son of Australia just ahead of South Africa’s next breeding season.

Both horses are Irish-breds by the Galileo stallion Australia, who won the Epsom Derby the Irish Derby and the Juddmonte International, and both horses are out of mares by Acclamation.

Point Lonsdale is one of three multiple group winners produced by the Listed National Stakes/Listed Bedanken Stakes winner, the Irish-bred mare Sweepstake.

Cercene is the second Group peformer produced by her Irish-bred dam Tschierschen (Ire).

Both Sweepstake and Tschierschen hail from Northern Dancer line mares.

Sweepstake, whose sire Acclamation is also responsible for Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior and champion sire Dark Angel, also ranks as the dam of Point Lonsdale’s champion full-brother Broome.

Ireland’s Champion Older Male in both 2021 and 2022, Broome earned more than £2 000 000 in a career that saw him compete in all of Britain, France, Ireland, Japan, Hong Kong, the UAE, and the USA. His nine career victories, of which eight came in black-type races, included the 2021 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Sweepstake is also dam of the top-class Diego Velazquez (by Galileo’s son Frankel), a 2,400,000 guineas purchase from the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. To date, Diego Velazquez has won four of eight starts including the 2023 G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes. The son of Frankel also won last year’s G2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes and G3 Meld Stakes before suffering a setback which saw him miss the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

A top-class racehorse, who won group races at two, four and five, Point Lonsdale, like Maine Chance’s previous star stallion Silvano a globetrotter star, earned more than £ 700,000 in prize money.

Point Lonsdale, winner of seven of 20 starts, showed tremendous precocity winning four of five starts at two, when he ran second, to subsequent Irish classic winner Native Trail, in the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.

At two, Point Lonsdale won all of the G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes and Listed Chesham Stakes, having won his debut by five and a half lengths. (Previously Futurity Stakes winners included legendary sire Giant’s Causeway).

The classy Point Lonsdale would go on to win both the G2 Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Huxely Stakes and G3 SP Or Better Guaranteed With Tote Alleged Stakes at four when he also ran third in the G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup.

However, it was at five when Point Lonsdale put up one of his most impressive performances. He romped home to thrash multiple group winner Arrest by five and a half lengths in the G3 tote.co.uk Ormonde Stakes.

During his globetrotting career, Point Lonsdale accounted for numerous high-class performers including G1 winners Auguste Rodin, Bay Bridge, Dubai Honour, Duke De Sessa, Iresine, Onesto, and Tunnes.

Point Lonsdale is one of over 40 stakes winners for his triple G1 winning sire Australia, a classically bred son of Epsom classic winners Galileo and Ouija Board.

Among Australia’s top performers are such G1 winners as Order Of Australia (Breeders’ Cup Mile), Galileo Chrome (St Leger), Mare Australis (Prix Ganay), Ocean Road (Gamely Stakes), and Point Lonsdale’s champion own brother Broome, while Cercene became his seventh Gr 1 winner.

Galileo has enjoyed plenty of success in South Africa, with his SA progeny including such champions as Igugu and Mahbooba, as well as the dams of G1 winners Dyce, Green With Envy, and Hero’s Honour.

His sire sons in South Africa included the likes of the late Kingsbarns and also the current decent sire The United States, while the much missed New Predator was sired by Galileo son New Approach. Another son of Galileo, Global View, is the sire of reigning South African Horse Of The Year Dave The King.

The impeccably bred Point Lonsdale hails from a high-class family, with his relatives including the short-lived, but hugely successful sire and G1-winning two-year-old, Zoffany, as well as the Galileo sired G1 James Squire Metropolitan winner Land Legend and group-winning two-year-olds Elite Status, Wilshire Boulevard, and Rostropovich.

Fortune Going Away With Legal Counsel

Andrew Fortune was content to sit without cover on the quarters of the pacemaker after jumping from a wide draw in the KZN Breeders Mile and his mount, the Justin Snaith-trained Legal Counsel (Legislate), still proved too good as he won going away. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)

Andrew Fortune is an absolute master in the saddle and his talent was on full display at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

He warmed up with a masterful display on The Golden Goal for Doug Campbell but the cherry on the cake was Legal Counsel in the KZN Breeders Mile.

Justin Snaith is on record that his runners would come into their own as Champion Season progressed and Legal Counsel gave credence to his views but in truth, yesterday’s race was always on Snaith’s radar.

After winning at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Snaith earmarked the KZN Breeders Mile and the plan worked out as Legal Council was given a superb ride by Fortune jumping from a wide draw with main rival Cherry Ano in a plum gate.

Drawn wide at his previous start, Legal Council did well to finish a close-up second to Thisiswhatitmeans and MJ Odendaal’s charge franked that form, winning his fourth race in succession last Wednesday.

Fortune had no hesitation in going forward from his wide gate as Go Grayson Go set a decent gallop. Crossing the subway, supporters will have been in two minds. Fortune had hardly moved so it was a case of; is he playing the opposition on the break or is the tank is empty?

It proved to be the former as he gently coaxed Legal Counsel into the lead and was not for the catching with a well beaten Cherry Ano touching off a game Go Grayson Go for the minor money.

How much did Legal Counsel have left, only Fortune, Snaith and the owners will know.

The scratching of Eastern Highlands from the first may well have opened the way for Blackjack Randall but that’s all speculation as Mike Miller’s charge made all for an easy victory. The first time blinkered son of Danon Platina made short work of the opposition as Tristan Gooden barreled him out of the gate and was not for the catching with Director making a vain attempt to close the gap and the balance stretched out like the washing.

After Donald T dropped the bombs yesterday, there were a few the fell out of love with the USA but not the punters who went in late to see Love The USA top of the boards for the second.

However, the filly missed the target and after making the pace, folded in the straight. If you want to know how fit you have to be to be a jockey, look-up the replay of the finish to this race on the GallopTV YouTube channel. Chad Little and Athandiwe Mgudlwa were neck and neck over the final furlong as Act Of Grace and Charge It battled it out with Charge It getting home by the narrowest of margins for Alyson Wright.

Fortune, deputizing for Denis Schwarz on The Golden Goal for Doug Campbell in the third, tracked the pace on the rail and got his mount to build up momentum in his hands getting to the line with a couple of backhand slaps. There is a lot of substance to the filly Queen Of The Air and she ran on smartly for second and should be worth following. Favourite Cassandra was unruly in the gate and underwent a vet check before being reloaded but was never going well and beaten a long way out.

Campbell was back in the winner’s circle with owner/breeder Sir George Albu 30minutes later as George’s Magic finished with a wet sail under Serino Moodley to open the Pick 6. Favourite Master Silvano was a little awkward out of the gate before Sean Veale set sail for the lead. He cut in, in front of Fortress Of Fire who was forced to ease for a few strides. These to led into the straight and looked set to fight it out but George’s Magic slid through smartly up their inside to win going away.

Window To My Soul and Tee Dog vied for favouritism in the fifth but they may as well have stayed in their boxes as Quinn’s Time made short work of his opposition. Stepped up in trip by Glen Kotzen, he sat in just off the pace but once asked to run by Cole Dicken, he had the entire field off the bit crossing the subway as he quickened up smartly, drawing off to win as he liked. Tee Dog held on for third behind Call Me Wild with Window To My Soul never in the hunt.

Hat’s Queen came into the KZN Breeders 1900 with useful Graded race form but never got in a blow. She drifted alarmingly in the betting, from deep in the red to around 13-10 before the off and the market was spot on.

Pedestrian early fractions raised a further red flag with Givers Grace out in front but ambling along with Hat’s Queen seemingly comfortable in midfield.

Turning for home Gavin Lerena stoked up Hat’s Queen in a matter of strides but she was out-sprinted by Robbie Hill’s filly Queen Amina and the rest of the lightly weighted opposition and the favourite failed to hit the boards. Tristan Godden got the best out Queen Amina and his filly had the race won a long way out.

Darryl Moore does not have a big string but has a solid pedigree in racing and is having a good run of late. Richard Fourie, who has tapped off considering his charge for last season’s record-breaking championship, elected to stay with the ride on Tara Star for Moore in the KZN Breeders 1200 and like the professional that he is, he learned well from the filly’s last start and made all. There was a scramble for the minor placings but Fourie had the race won a long way out.

Fortune Gets 28 Days And A Fine For Much Debated Ride

The NHA inquiry into the much debated ride Andrew Fortune gave the Mike de Kock-trained Cherry Oh Baby has been concluded.

Public opinion when the verdict and penalty were released today varied wildy with some saying it was justified and one aficionado saying it was “ridiculous”.

Read the inquiry findings below:

The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (the NHA) confirms that at an Inquiry held in Durban on Monday, 23 June 2025, Jockey A Fortune was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.2. The particulars being that as the rider of CHERRY OH BABY, he failed to ride this horse in a competent and professional manner in Race 1 at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on 7 May 2025.

Jockey Fortune pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of the charge.

After considering the evidence presented (which included a testimony by trainer Mike de Kock) the Inquiry Board imposed a penalty of a suspension from riding in races for a period of twenty-eight (28) days, fourteen (14) of which are suspended for a period of one (1) year. Further, a fine of R20 000 (twenty thousand rand) was imposed, of which R10 000 (ten thousand rand) is suspended for a period of one (1) year. The penalty of a suspension and fine are conditional on Mr Fortune not being found guilty of a contravention of Rule 62.2.2, within the stipulated time frame.

Jockey Fortune has the right of appeal against both the finding and the penalty imposed.

A D Hyde

Racing Control Executive

Absolutely Yes Survives Objection In Langerman

Muzi Yeni gets up on Absolutely Yes, but had to survive an objection. (Picture: Wayne Mark).

Graeme Hawkins (Race Coast)

Absolutely Yes had to survive an objection lodged by Corne Orffer, the rider of runner-up Pay The Palace, before ultimately being declared the winner of the Grade 3 R500 000 Langerman over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Ridden by Muzi Yeni, Absolutely Yes, the least fancied of Justin Snaith’s four runners in the seven horse party, led from the jump with Pay The Palace (50/1) in close attendance and the pair locked horns inside the final 200m with Absolutely Yes (13/2) getting home by under half-a-length.

The head-on replay showed that there was a slight “coming-together” in the closing stages but Absolutely Yes was full value for his courageous win and the gelded son of Danon Platina has now won three races from only five starts and banked in excess of R600 000. Only time will tell whether Absolutely Yes, whose dam Maybe Yes won the KRA Fillies Guineas (Gr2), is set to follow in the footsteps of many previous high class Langerman winners, but for now owners Greg Bortz, Gina Goldsmith and Leon Ellman can celebrate having won a Feature with a very proud heritage.

Pay The Palace emerged with a great deal of credit and is clearly useful while One Stripe’s half-brother, Vapour Trail, ran above expectations to complete the Trifecta. There were disappointments aplenty but perhaps the very soft underfoot conditions did not ideally suit those who failed to fire.

The R250 000 Irridescence Stakes (Listed) for 2yo fillies over 1500m produced a thrilling finish with Ukuduma (5/1) just holding off a powerful late charge from the favourite Electromagnetism (15/10) by a rapidly diminishing short-head. Gavin Lerena wasted no time in taking the beautifully bred daughter of Vercingetorix to the head of affairs and Ukuduma showed plenty of resolve over the final 30 metres to ward off Electromagnetism with She’s My World (5/2) comfortably beaten into third spot.

Trained by Vaughan Marshall, Ukuduma is out of the Jet Master mare, Thunder Dance, herself a multiple Grade 1 winner. Ukuduma has now won twice from as many starts, and with the Black-type earned on Saturday, she has gone some way towards repaying her R2,6-million price tag at the 2024 National Yearling Sales.

Star Major (1/1) was all the rage in the opening event, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, but he kept his supporters on the edge of their seats as he only mastered the newcomer, United Front, in the final few strides to score by a neck. United Front showed little sign of being inexperienced and this was a very a smart debut by the son of One World who looks to be a winner in waiting. The pair finished comfortably clear of Gold Giboski and Diamond Days, both of which appeared to find the trip a little beyond them.

Oncidium proved friendless in the market for the second race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) over 1400m, easing from 4/1 to 8/1, but the 2yo daughter of Danon Platina came home in the manner of an odds-on favourite. Richard Fourie went forward shortly after the start and Oncidium maintained a solid gallop all the way to the line, winning for the Justin Snaith team by more than two lengths. The time recorded was more than a second slower than the opening event, but Oncidium could do no more than win and she may have further improvement to come.

The regally bred debutante October Storm was quoted in the red for most of the week heading into race day, but eased on-course to 18/10 before the off of the third race, a Maiden Plate over 1000m. Ridden by Gavin Lerena for the Vaughan Marshall stable, the R2,8-million half-brother to Tempting Fate and October Morn, was always travelling well and he quickly put the race to bed when called for his effort. Another newcomer, Magical Place, filled the Exacta position with Thunder Downunder and Iko Iko making up the Quartet.

The fourth race and opening leg of the Pick 6, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1400m, was won in comprehensive fashion by the well-supported Adam Marcus-trained Meg’s Legacy (28/10). Meg’s Legacy is by the 2014 “July” winner Legislate and is a half-sister to last year’s Hollywoodbets July hero, Oriental Charm. Recent maiden winner, Ariovistus, was the subject of inspired betting support in the fifth race, a C Stakes over 1950m, and the market move proved spot on. Well handled by Richard Fourie, the Piet Botha-trained Ariovistus (33/10), quickened smartly in the stretch to beat Ahead Of The Facts (13/2) by the best part of a length, with the pace-setting Wood World staying on for third.

Leading apprentice Brevan Plaatijies has been riding up a storm of late and was seen to good advantage when piloting Kamchatka (5/1) to an easy victory for trainer Andre Nel in the eighth race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1600m. Plaatijies was happy to allow Kamchatka to settle a few lengths off the early speed, but the 3yo daughter of Erupt quickened well over the final 300m and drew clear to beat the James Crawford stable companions Lady Look Alike and Miraculous in stylish fashion.

Maritzburg Memory (7/2) came from well off the pace to take out the ninth race and final leg of the Pick 6, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1200m, denying the free-running Girl Like Us (33/1) in the final few strides. Maritzburg Memory, with Sean Veale in the saddle, was a third winner on the day for the Vaughan Marshall stable. Music Of The Night (7/1) took out the tenth race over 1200m narrowly ahead of I’m The Buzz (11/2) and Dean Street (12/1) bounced back to his best form for trainer Lucinda Woodruff to beat the useful Nordic Quest in the eleventh race, a Middle Stakes over 1000m.

Lerena And Zackey Keep The Heat On Fourie

The Lucky Houdalakis-trained Pomodoro gelding Ready Set Fire came back from a break of over a year to confirm the strong form he had shown as a juvenile with a comfortable victory in the last race over 1000m under Craig Zackey. (JC Photos).

Gavin Lerena and Craig Zackey both rode doubles at Turfontein Standside today to keep their championship hopes alive with just over five weeks of the season remaining.

Lucky Houdalakis and Robyn Klaasen both had doubles.

Richard Fourie is still in front in the championship on 236 wins, achieved at a strike rate of 25.32%, Gavin Lerena is second on 232 wins at 25% and Craig Zackey is in third place on 228 wins at 17.34%.

Houdalakis is on 47 wins at 17.74%.

Klaasen is on 25 wins at 11.31%.

Today's Question

When was the last time an owner got the July exacta?

Picture: The picture gives a clue to the answer

FIELDS, Tuesday, 24 June

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth

Today’s Question Answer

Nick Jonsson had a share in Do It Again and Made To Conquer, who finished one-two in the 2018 Durban July. The previous owner to do it was Luke Bailes who had shares in the one-two in the 1990 July, Illustrador and Olympic Duel.