Turf Talk Newsletter – 2 July, 2025

Gladatorian Ready To Play The Lights Out

Gladatorian put up a fine gallop at the official Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Stuart Ferrie’s future plans for Gladatorian when he won the Gr 2 Post Merchants at the Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting two years ago would never have included the Hollywoodbets Durban July, but things have changed as much for the Vercingetorix gelding as they have for Hollywoodbets Greyville itself, remembering that his Post Merchants win was the last race at that meeting before the lights failed and the meeting hd to be abandoned.

There will be no chance of the lights going out this year with the magnificent rejuvenation Hollywoodbets have made to the racecourse, including state of the art LED lighting which can be turned on and off with the flick of switch, and Gladatorian won’t need them anyway because the sun will still be out when he makes his bid for Hollywoodbets Durban July glory at 16H00.

Stuart said about the five-year-old’s well-being, “All is good, there have been no hiccups, everything has gone to plan.”

At the official Hollywoobets Durban July gallops Gladatorian flew home over the last 600m having been cantered under Sean Veale from the 1400m mark.

Stuart said, “He’s done his work now, that’s why he did a relatively hard piece of graft ten days out. He’d done nothing since the Gold Challenge, so he needed a piece of work down the straight.”

He said about his draw of 16 out of 18, “Well a bad draw is a bad draw, but with the way he runs, it’s not a train smash. He’s never going to be in the first two anyway. We just need a bit of luck and being out there is probably better than drawing one or two.”

There is a stamina doubt with Gladatorian only due to his speed, but on pedigree there should not be a problem.

His sire Vercingetorix is by stamina influece Silvano and Vercingetorix himself won the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 as well as the Gr 1 Jebel Hatta over 1800m at Meydan, plus a Gr 2 over that same trip at Meydan, and he finished second in the Gr 1 Dubai Duty Free over 1800 and third in the Gr 1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin over 2000m.

Gladatorian’s dam Harvard Crimson is by stamina influence Dynasty, who won the July, and she herself won a Listed race over 2000m.

Stuart has had experience in preparing July runners having been with Dennis Drier for many years in which time they prepared Beach Beauty and Lady In Black, who were both by Dynasty, to finish ninth and eleventh repectively without the race panning out well on either occasion. The yard also looked after the Stan Elley-trained Puntas Arenas when he finished second in 2015.

Gladatorian is a solid 16/1 shot with the sponsor and is quietly fancied by a number of pundits.

He has a magnificent turn of foot and his late surge is particularly impactful, so if he does stay every inch of the 2200m he could get up late rather than just failing to do so as when a flying 0,35 length third in the Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challege over 1600m last time out.

Stuart also has a chance of winning the Gr 2 Post Merchants again, this time with the Hollywood Racing-owned I Am Giant.

He said about the big five-year-old Querari gelding, “He needed that last run. He should be competitive, it looks very open, but some of the ones that ran in the Golden Horse Sprint have gone up in the weights.”

I am Giant is rated 116, which puts him at the top of the 112 to 116 merit rated band, which gives him a significant advantage.

Sean Veale also rides him and he has a fair draw of seven out of 14.

Stuart also runs She’s A Machine (New Predator) in the first race over 1200m on the poly and Chelsea Flower (Flower Alley) in the 12^th and last race over 1400m on the poly and Muzi Yeni and 4kg claimer Damyan Pillay ride from draw nine and two respectively.

He said She’s A Machine would be ridden a bit more positively this time and he felt she would “run well.”

He said Chelsea Flower had come down the merit ratings recently and with a 4kg claimer up taking off a further few kilograms he felt she would also run well.

Hollywoodbets Durban July Trainer Comments

Eight On Eighteen is ‘all the rage’, as he bids to land his 4th Group 1 of the season! (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

The following trainers’ comments preview was compiled by Michele Wing of Race Coast (see the video preview below the transcribed comments):

11. Eight On Eighteen: “Whether we’ve made the right decision to run him, I’m not sure yet. It’s a race where you push a horse to it’s boundaries and it takes it out of a horse. Weight and draw are perfect … it was a draw I’d hoped for“, Justin Snaith.

1. Oriental Charm: “We thought that there could be scrimmaging drawn on the inside, but he’s got a lot of gate speed and don’t think they’ll catch him”, Tim Woodruff (Assistant to James Crawford).

10. Immediate Edge: “His current rating is not a reflection of his ability. Very happy with draw 10“, Mike de Kock.

5. The Real Prince: “I’m confident he’ll get the trip. He’s a completely different horse to his brother, Gimme A Prince. He’s got a touch of class and not an over-raced horse”, Dean Kannemeyer.

3. On My Honour: “We planned it to come in with bottom weight … that’s what can win you the big one and hopefully we’ve done it right“, Glen Kotzen.

6. Selukwe: “We are pleased with the draw, especially how we see the race panning out. There’s still a lot of horse there“, Andre Nel.

15. See It Again: SCRATCHED (As at 1/07/2025 / Abnormal blood count).

16. Gladatorian: “You never know whether he’ll get the trip until he’s gone it, but he wasn’t stopping at Scottsville in the 1750m with 62kilos. His draw is not a complete ‘train smash’, with his running style “, Stuart Ferrie.

2. Madison Valley: “Gavin was very happy with his gallop and said he’s ‘spot on’. He’s thriving”, Frank Robinson.

17. Royal Victory: “I’m going to put blinkers on him for the race to get his mind on the job. He comes from off them, so the draw could be in our favour“, Nathan Kotzen.

4. Atticus Finch: “He’s a stronger horse than last year. He’s travelling down early to give him a few days to get over it. He’s not a good traveller“, Alec Laird.

8. Pomodoro’s Jet: “He’s had a hindered prep, as went off his food before his last start and had to be scratched. He’s looking well“, Tim Woodruff (Assistant to James Crawford)

9. My Best Shot: “He’s done everything he’s needed to do to earn himself a spot in the July“, Alan Greeff.

13. Okavango: “He is better than his Daily News run. Andrew Fortune is on the horse because he places a horse really well “, Justin Snaith.

14. Confederate: “His run in the Egoli Mile was needed and brought him on. He never disappoints and has not missed the first two“, Fabian Habib.

12. Purple Pitcher: “His last run was disappointing, but it was too short for him and he can be forgiven. He’s beaten horses like Royal Victory and Atticus Finch at similar weights. Draw 12 is not ideal for a horse that prefers to race handy, but am happy to have Kabelo Matsunyane back on him“, Robyn Klaasen.

7. Rainbow Lorikeet: “She has some solid Cape form and wasn’t disgraced in the Woolavington, having suffered interference. She’s in a good space and we have a lovely draw“, Terry Fripp (Assistant to Candice Bass-Robinson).

18. Native Ruler: “He’ll be out the trouble at draw 18. He’s a young horse and Tristan can give him every chance, he can possibly have“, Justin Snaith.

Click here to watch the HDJ 2025 preview

The Starters Treat It Like Just Another Race

Sean Leslie, seen on the stand on the left, presses the button for the start of last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July. (via youtube).

The starter will have what would seem to be the most pressurised job on the race course at around 16H00 on Saturday July, 5, but Sean Leslie, who pressed the button for the start of the Hollywoodbets Durban July last year, revealed, “You’ve just got to look at it as another race. You can’t let the pressure get to you.”

Last year was the first time Sean had pressed the button for the start of the big race, but the former on course farrier has been involved in many July starts as either a handler, farrier or assistant starter to Race Coast’s chief starter Solly Ngcobo.

He said it had not yet been decided who would press the button for this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July.

However, he gave insight into the specific rolls of the starter who is on the stand and the starter who is behind the stalls.

He said, “The guy at the back supervises the loading and makes sure the horses are all going in in the right order. He tells them when to load and once all of the horses are in, he checks that the back gates are all closed. Once the back gates are closed, he raises the white flag to indicate that it’s all clear behind to jump. Then it’s up to the starter in front to make sure all of the horses’ heads are straight and everybody can jump.”

False starts are a controversial subject.

Sean said about calling a false start, “It’s a hard one because you’ve got a split second to make that decision. Generally, you try and leave it up to the Stipes to make that call, unless you really see that the horses have got the gates open early and you can make that decision at the time.”

By leaving it to the stipendiary stewards, in the case, for example, whereby a horse rears as the button is pressed, the stipes can make a call to declare the horse a runner in the case where the rear was just an independent movement by the horse, or to declare it a non-runner in the case where the horse was impeded by the handler as it was attempting to jump out of the starting stalls.

Of course in some circumstances the most pressurised job becomes that of the on course veterinarian.

This was seen in 2019 when Dr Roehann Sutherland had to make the tough but correct call to scratch the star colt Hawwaam as he had hit his hindquarters in the gate and was lame for a short while.

The Glitz And Glamour Of The Races

Odwa Ndungane is a celebrity who enjoys a day at the races. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

There’s something magical about the world of horseracing that has always drawn a certain kind of person, especially those who love speed, style, and a bit of drama. Now and then, celebrities get hooked too — buying horses, placing bets, soaking up the thrill of the track, and sharing their experiences on social media.

The presence of celebrities in racing can attract new fans and opens doors to broader audiences, especially younger ones. Just as importantly, their investment and passion can inspire others to follow suit, injecting much-needed new blood. Charl Pretorius took a look at some of the famous names across the globe who have found a special place in their hearts for horse racing in his latest Off The Record column.

Click here to read Charl’s latest Off The Record column.

King Pelles Could Give Van Zyl's Title Hopes A Boost

King Pelles wins the Tote Derby. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Gareth van Zyl’s six-timer on the 16th of June saw him pulling clear in what had been a keen tussle for the KZN Trainers Championship, but the pressure is on again with about four weeks left of the season as perrenial rival Garth Puller is breathing down his neck.

Gareth is on 46 wins for the season in his bid to retain the title, while Garth Puller, who was champion in 2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2022/2023, five behind on 41 wins.

Gareth, who was champion in 2021/2022 and last season, 2023/2024, could increase his lead on Saturday at the Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting through the crack Duke Of Marmalade stayer King Pelles.

This Drakenstein Stud-bred gelding followed his Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman Cup victory over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day by winning the recent Gr 3 Tote Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

On Saturday the progressive four-year-old takes part in the Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase over 3000m.

Gareth’s father and assistant trainer Gavin van Zyl said, “He’s got to carry 60kg and over 3000m there’s a couple of horses with 50kg, so it’s a type of race where you could get spooked by one of those horses carrying 50kg, 10kg is a lot of difference over 3000m. But the horse is well and he stays well. He won a good Derby race where he was going away at the finish. The pace of the race is going to be quite important, because I think there’s quite a lot of speed in the race. So they’re going to be going at a decent pace. I think it’s going to be a proper, true run 3000m race, so it going to be a true test for King Pelles and if he can come through this, we can really believe we’ve got a very good stayer on our hands.”

King Pelles ultimate target for the season is the Gold Cup.

Gavin said Gareth’s other two runners on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, Convocation in Race 2 and Tomyris in Race 11, both had each way chances.

Meanwhile, Garth Puller only has one reserve runner on the day.

Oriental Bouquet Can Show What She's Made Of

Oriental Bouquet looked headed for the big time at one stage and can win off her current lowly merit rating. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Vaal Thursday Formguides And Selections

R1 3 BELLA BOOP BOOP carries a nice galloping weight over an ideal trip. 2 PARIS FUN also has a good galloping weight and from draw 2 she can build on her last run when finishing close up to a promising short. 1 CYBER SPIRIT has some fair form but tries a step up in trip she is not sure to get. 5 MADAME POMPADOUR could earn her if producing her best under top work rider Sam Mosiah. (3-2-1-5)

R2 1 FOLLOW THE MASTER ran well last time when stepped up to 2,000 meters and should enjoy this further step up in trip. 3 HEROIC ACT has run well twice over 2000m in his last three runs and should enjoy this further step up in trip. 2 SANTIAGO’S PRIDE had shown some fair form over staying trips but needs to bounce back. 6 ALAKANANI has finished close up over this trip before. (1-3-2-6)

R3 5 TRIP TO STATES ran a decent race last time over 1,200 m and has very much inform0 Gavin Lerena up over a trip which he should enjoy. 4 MISS TAKES has some good form in the context of this race and should also be in the shake-up. 3 ROYALE JACKET also has the form to go close here. 1 AFTERBURN could earn her if reproducing his penultimate start. (5-4-3-1)

R4 1 CURTISS CONDOR has been a little bit costly to follow but with erena up over an interesting step up in trip he might get it right this time.4 ETHICAL has the form to be involved if able to overcome a tricky draw. 2 FLIGHTLIGHT is drawn well and should relish this trip on pedigree. 3 GIFT OF ROYAL can earn you if repeating his last start. (1,4,2,3)

R5 1 DOUGLAS DRAGON has been knocking on the door and gets another good opportunity over a suitable distance. 2 BANHA BRIDGE is an honest sort who can be involved if overcoming a wide draw. 7 TEO TORRIATTE also has a wide draw but the step up to a trip he has won over before should suit. 8 CHABAL ran well over 2,000 meters in his penultimate start and he might enjoy the step up and trip here. (1-2-7-8)

R6 10 ORIENTAL BOUQUET was at one stage thought to be top class so has been disappointing overall but she has found her place off a lowly merit rating and should go close in this race. 2 GLOBAL THUNDER should be right there if able to repeat her last start. 1 THE NAVY LARK can never be ignored over this minimum trip as a horse with plenty of pace. 3 TWENTYTWENTYVISION can be in the shake-up if repeating his last start. (10-2-1-3)

R7 6 ICHACHA disappointed first time out of the maidens in a feature but back in this company should be involved. 5 ENFLAME won well on the Maidens and starts off in a reasonable 79 merit rating. 3 LAST CAR TO PASS is knocking on the door and should be right there. 2 BEYNAC ran well last time over 1,800 meters and could also earn over this trip. (6-5-3-2)

R8 5 PALACE PRINCE won well in the Maidens and could follow up off a reasonable merit rating. 1 SAIL THE SKY could earn her if bouncing back to his best. 4 AFTER HOURS is an honest sort who could be involved in the finish. 6 SNEAK PREVIEW could be in the money if producing her best. (5-1-4-6)

Mxothwa Treble, Sharon Kotzen Double, Fortune/Greeff Double

Guarding The Wall (Querari) secures treble for Luyolo Mxothwa and a double for Sharon Kotzen. (Pauline Herman Photography).

Luyolo Mxothwa rode a treble on the Fairview poly today, two of them for Sharon Kotzen.

Andrew Fortune substituted for the sidelined Richard Fourie and rode a double for Alan Greeff.

Mxothwa is now on 69 wins for the season and he has achieved it at a strike rate of 12.37%.

Fortune is on 36 wins at 13.38%.

Greeff is on 158 wins countrywide for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 17.77%.

Interestingly, his 158 wins are the joint most in the country for the season together with Justin Snaith, whose 158 wins have been achieved at a strike rate of 14.77%.

Sharon Kotzen has had 30 wins at 7.81%.