Philasande Mxoli's Great Rodeo Ride
Rodeo Drive (closest) only just holds on from Minogue (JC Photos)
Sean Tarry was thrilled the gallant four-year-old Rodeo Drive had finally earned bold black type when winning the Gr 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on Tuesday and he believed Philasande Mxoli deserved a lot of the credit.
Rodeo Drive went into the weight for age plus penalties event as the winner of three races and had been the runner up in one Gr 1 race, in two Gr 2 races and she had finished in the frame in two other Graded races and in two Listed races.
The last time she had raced over this course and distance Rodeo Drive made a bold bid from the front against the boys in the Gr 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile. She finished a 3,70 length third with a lot of good horses behind her, so it followed that ridden with the same tactic in the Ipi Tombe she should go close and she could perhaps even reverse a 0,70 beating by her stablemate Callmegetrix in the aforementioned race if ridden a touch more conservatively.
Rodeo Drive had a slightly better draw this time which was also going to help.
Mxoli bounced her out from draw four and she was prominent approaching the turn.
However, this is where he made his race-winning decision.
Instead of rushing her to the front, as he had done in the Charity Mile and which had enabled her to claim the rail going in to the turn, he eased her and let her go at her own pace alongside leader Frozen Fantasy.
He then just left her alone and allowed her natural pace to get her to the front.
She had claimed the rail by the time she entered the straight and at probable less expense than in the Charity Mile.
This proved to be the case because she once again stayed on resolutely and this time managed to last long enough by a hair’s breadth as Minogue lunged late, but only just failed to get there.
It would have been a hattrick for Minogue, but more importantly would have been first bold black type for her too.
Callmegetrix, who beat Rodeo Drive by 0,30 lengths when winning the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m, was beaten 2,80 lengths into third and fighting for her head early when restrained at the jump had not helped.
Bred by the Sandown Stud, Rodeo Drive has won four of 17 starts and has earned R1,087,938 in stakes.
The United States filly, who is out of the Horse Chestnut mare Crystal Cavern, races for HarakaBloodstock(Pty)Ltd (Nom:Jodi Pieters)G Ambrose,K Maher,C Spalding,DS & MJ Slade,S&T Cawdry,B Taylor,D Priest,A Doyle & B Holland.
Her Gr 1 Ranvet Stakes winning sire The United States has also enjoyed stakes success this season with his sons Tin Pan Alley (G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, G3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes) and The US Of A (Listed Southeaster Sprint).
Rodeo Drive was purchased for R300,000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale and is a versatile type, because her best career performance before Tuesday was a 0,30 length second to the champion Quid Pro Quo in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship as a juvenile.
Can Any Sprinter Stop Buffalo Storm Cody?
Buffalo Storm Cody’s win at the Vaal Classic track over 1000m last week has been viewed by both the handicappers and Karel Miedema’s raceform website as the performance of the season (JC Photos)
The Tony Peter-trained Buffalo Storm Cody’s first test this season was going to be whether he could be as effective down the straight as he is around the turn and the four-year-old gelding has passed the test with flying colours.
The Kestorm Invstments-owned bay is currently not only the best sprinter in the land but is the highest rated horse in the land too on 132, with the next highest being the 129-rated Eight On Eighteen.
After winning the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the last weekend of his three-year-old season, the Narrow Creek Stud-bred Buffalo Bill Cody gelding was awarded a 125 rating.
He has rattled off three wins in three starts this season, all of them down the straight.
He went up to 127 after giving Fire Attack 4kg and a one length beating in a Conditions Plate over 1160m at Turffontein Standside in October.
He then went up to 130 after giving Gr 1-winning sprinter William Robertson 1,5kg and a 2,25 length beating in a Pinnacle Stakes race over the same 1160m course and distance.
Then last Thursday (December 11) over 1000m at the Vaal Classic track, Buffalo Storm Cody carried 62kg to an effortless three length victory in a strong Pinnacle Stakes race, beating the like of William Robertson again, and the handicappers awarded him a 132 for the effort.
He is going to be hard to beat if he travels down to Cape Town for the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on January 10.
Karel Miedema gave Buffalo Storm Cody an Ability Rating (AR) of 119 for his last win, which is the highest AR his raceform website has given this season with the second highest being 114 for Questioning’s win in the Gr 3 Matchem Stakes.
Richard Fourie rode Buffalo Storm Cody in his seasonal reappearance and his regular rider Gavin Leren has been back aboard in his last two starts.
Buffalo Storm Cody has had 15 starts in all for eight wins and he has won seven of his last eights starts, underlining his progression. Lerena has been aboard for six of his victories.
When A Name Becomes A Story
Horses around the world have names which often attract attention and the imagination and effort Hollywood Racing have put into their horse naming convention attracted attention around the world through their sprinter Isivunguvungu, who was given the name by Springbok Odwa Ndungane (it means “storm” in Xhosa and Zulu)
Long before a thoroughbred carries a saddlecloth, it carries a name, often borrowed from a memory, a loved one, a celebrity, a private joke, a world event or a lifelong dream. In the picking of a name, the horse becomes personal. The simple question of what to name a horse carries a world of sentiment, superstition, humour and hope, WRITES CHARL PRETORIUS IN HIS OFF THE RECORD COLUMN.
Across the globe, naming conventions reflect culture as much as pedigree. In Europe, breeding giants like Coolmore favour names that echo history and heritage — Galileo, Churchill, Dylan Thomas, Los Angeles, City Of Troy, Australia, and other figures or nations whose resonance extends beyond the racetrack. In the United States, names often emphasise strength and distinction, with champions like American Pharoah, Gun Runner, Flightline, and California Chrome.
In Hong Kong, horses are registered with both English and Chinese names, and superstition and numerology heavily influence the choice; translations can produce curious results, such as Everyday Lettuce or Happy Lucky Dragon Win. In Australia, colloquialism and playful creativity come to the fore, with champions like Winx, allegedly inspired by exotic dancers; Makybe Diva, named using an amalgamation of five staff members at her owner’s fishing business; and Waikikamukau, a nod to a rural town.
South Africa tends to favour the colloquial style familiar in Australia, but with its own flavour. Over the past decade, our country’s rich and diverse population has started to make its mark on racehorse names. Owners draw inspiration from local languages, heritage, pop culture, and everyday life, producing names that are distinctly South African, often clever, sometimes cheeky and full of character.
Hollywood Racing started exploring local cultures when naming their horses several years ago and Devin Heffer, Hollywoodbets’ Brand and Communications Manager, said that every unique name has a story behind it. “Our horses are named in English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans or even French! We push to use names in the vernacular so that it can identify with a wider audience. But not only that, also to showcase the culture of South Africa to the world.”
Heffer elaborated: “We don’t have a set policy, probably only to not give a horse a bland name, or something that doesn’t mean anything to us. We have team members, brand ambassadors, colleagues, presenters, commentators, friends and more. Sometimes they are just from our own personal experiences or funny stories, and we don’t always have to share the story. Sometimes it’s fun to leave it up to the imagination. If you think about it, we could give our runners names like ‘Storm’, ‘Legs of Thunder’, ‘We Are Moving Forward’, ‘Brother’, or ‘Go Well’. Instead we get Isivunguvungu, Imilenze Yokududuma, Asiye Phambili, Mfethu and Salani Kahle.
Click here to read the full Charl Pretorius’ Off The Record Article
Pundits looking at See It Again In A New Light
See It Again’s season suddenly looks bright after his belated reappearance saw him storming home for third after losing ground at the start in the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes over 1600m. He is pictured winning the Green Point two years ago (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Pundits looking at See It Again in a new light ahead of Cape Town
There has been a Met betting shake-up after a dramatic weekend
Mike Moon (The Citizen)
The punters’ picture of the WSB Cape Town Met was dramatically changed in just a few fleeting moments of galloping time at the weekend.
It was the outcome of the Grade 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes over 1600m that got the mental calculators whirring – not so much former Equus Horse of the Year Dave The King holding on to win the race in familiar style, but the performances of runner-up Garrix and third-placed See It Again.
The latter had been consigned to the naughty corner and the chilly reaches of betting boards after developing a senior citizen’s curmudgeonly streak, refusing to load and having to be scratched from two races at his home track Greyville.
With the help of a horse whisperer at the Green Point start – and the renowned hands of veteran jockey Andrew Fortune – See It Again entered his starting stall satisfactorily. But, when the gates opened, the big chestnut flyjumped away and lost lengths to a strong field.
The way See It Again and Fortune made up ground and battled their way into contention forced a rethink of a racehorse who had definitely entered “uncool” territory. A repeat of that effort – or indeed an improvement upon it over a more conducive 2000m – could easily see the Michael Roberts-trained gelding landing the Met.
See It Again, who was once at 16.67 in WSB’s Met betting, immediately shortened to 5.00 – with long-time favourite Eight On Eighteen easing slightly to 1.82.
Garrix, from the small stable of Piet Steyn and a 40-1 shot in the Green Point, was slashed from 25.00 to 6.25 in the Met reckoning.
As all these audit balances were being done, the National Horseracing Authority’s handicappers were doing their merit rating sums.
See It Again’s MR of 125 was left untouched because the officials deemed that winner Dave The King was the appropriate line horse for their calculations – and also left his MR unchanged at 128.
Garrix was not so fortunate. He was slapped with five points, from 118 to 123.
But the poor horse who suffered most was sixth-placed Jet Force, from the Des McLachlan yard, who went from 93 to 120 for “a performance well above his pre-race ranking where he had been rated to finish last”.
Jet Force is not among the Met first entries, but is entered for the 1600m L’Omarins King’s Plate, with the mile clearly being his optimum trip.
See It Again and Garrix both hold dual LKP and Met entries and both shortened considerably in betting for the former after Saturday’s revelations.
King’s Plate favourite Jan Van Goyen is in to 2.86 after his demolition of a powerful field in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas on Saturday – having opened at 10.00.
Betting
L’Ormarins King’s Plate (10 January 2026):
2.86 Jan Van Goyen
4.55 Eight On Eighten
6.25 See It Again, Garrix
8.00 Dave The King, Sail The Seas
12.00 The Real Prince, Happy Verse
15.00 and upwards the others
WSB Cape Town Met (31 January 2026):
1.82 Eight On Eighteen
5.00 See It Again
6.25 Garrix
7.14 Sail The Seas
10.00 The Real Prince
14.29 Regulation
16.67 Happy Verse, Gimme Rules, Gladatorian
20.00 Olivia’s Way, Dave The King
25.00 and upwards the others
All 25 LKP Entries Stand Their Ground - No Supplementaries
Ridgemont Gr2 Green Point action from last Saturday as Dave The King (white cap) beats Garrix (red cap) with See It Again (pink cap) on the rail in third. All three are entered in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The 25 original entries for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate stood their ground at the first supplementary stage on Wednesday and there were no supplementary entries.
The field is shown below and below that is an analysis of the great event by Sarah Whitelaw.
L’ORMARINS KING’S PLATE (WFA) (Grade 1)
Open To Horses At Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-5kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 15 | Eight On Eighteen | (4C) | 60 | 129 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 1 | Dave The King | (6G) | 60 | 128 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 17 | Gladatorian | (6G) | 60 | 127 | AT | Stuart Ferrie | |
| 10 | Sail The Seas | (4C) | 60 | 127 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 24 | Fire Attack | (4C) | 60 | 126 | A | Alec Laird | |
| 14 | The Real Prince | (5G) | 60 | 126 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 25 | Cosmic Speed | (4G) | 60 | 125 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 18 | See It Again | (6G) | 60 | 125 | BA | Justin Snaith | |
| 16 | Garrix | (4G) | 60 | 123 | A | Piet / Elbert Steyn | |
| 9 | Questioning | (5G) | 60 | 123 | BA | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 4 | Sugar Mountain | (7G) | 60 | 123 | A | Candice Bass | |
| 5 | Great Plains | (4G) | 60 | 122 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 6 | Snow Pilot | (5H) | 60 | 122 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 22 | Jet Force | (4G) | 60 | 120 | A | Des A McLachlan | |
| 21 | Legal Counsel | (4G) | 60 | 113 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 13 | Legend Of Arthur | (4C) | 60 | 112 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 20 | #His Majesty (IRE) | (5H) | 60 | 107 | A | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 11 | La Pulga | (4G) | 60 | 95 | A | Candice Bass | |
| 23 | Mon Petit Cherie | (4F) | 57.5 | 120 | A | James Crawford | |
| 8 | Red Palace | (5M) | 57.5 | 119 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 3 | Jan Van Goyen | (3C) | 55 | 118 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 7 | Happy Verse | (3C) | 55 | 113 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 2 | Gimmie Rules | (3C) | 55 | 111 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 12 | Good For You | (3G) | 55 | 110 | CA | Glen Kotzen | |
| 19 | Vapour Trail | (3C) | 55 | 107 | A | Vaughan Marshall | |
| (25) | |||||||
Sarah Whitelaw
The G1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate continues to be one of the highlights on the South African calender.
First run in 1861, the King’s Plate has been won of some of the greatest thoroughbreds ever to grace the local turf.
A host of traditions and history accompany the King’s Plate. The first running of the race saw Queen Victoria donate a silver plate and 500 guineas to the winner. The King’s Plate has maintained its royal connection subsequently, with the British High Commissioner among the previous guests.
Today, the L’Ormarins sponsored showpiece is famed for guests being asked to attend the event in the sponsors’ blue and white colours, while every year upping the ante in terms of entertainment and excitement. The sight of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth decked out in blue and white remains one of the great sights of the South African racing calender.
Equally notably, the winner of the race receives a berth to that year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, one of the world’s greatest turf races.
A number of key feature races in the months and weeks prior to the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth feature often produce subsequent King’s Plate contenders, with this list including the G2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile, G1 Betway Summer Cup, G2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes, and G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas.
While last year’s winner One Stripe is a notable absentee from the 2026 King’s Plate, the race still promises to be an exciting and memorable contest.
Reigning South African Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen is one of 25 thoroughbreds who have been entered for the 2025L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
Eight On Eighteen, unraced since finishing second in last season’s G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, is one of 11 Grade One winners nominated for the race, with this tally including Eight On Eighteen’s July conqueror The Real Prince.
Other exciting potential contenders include champion, and brilliant recent G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner, Jan Van Goyen, Dave The King, Garrix, See It Again and Sail The Seas, the first four home in the Ridgemont Green Point Stakes, and G1 winners Cosmic Speed, Fire Attack, Gladatorian, Good For You, Legend Of Arthur and Snow Pilot.
Interestingly, The Real Prince could be joined in the line up by his full-brother Gimmie Rules, while One Stripe’s three-parts brother Vapour Trail is another potential contender.
King's Sailor Can Follow Up
King’s Sailor won last week and has been tipped to follow up in Race 7 (Pauline Herman Photography)
Fairview Poly Friday Formguides And Selections
R1 The entire field make their debuts respectively, hence the betting will be the guide together with trainer comments. (1) FIRST OFFICER will be the narrowly first selection based on the stables excellent record with unraced runners and the same can be said for (3) JUST CARTER from the Dean Smith yard.
R2 (5) PRICELESS TREASURE is holding solid form and will have a big winning chance here. (2) LAYDELAY represents Cape form which stands up well here, she has been fancied in the betting in her last three starts and should be respected. (4) OCEAN FLAME is another who is in good form and is knocking on the door, big danger to the top selection. (3) WITCHING HOUR wasn’t far in her last start and should be in the firing line. (Devonne Govender 5-2-4-3).
R3 (1) TERMINAL VELOCITY is holding solid form and will be hard to beat here. (3) OH MANDY ran a cracker at big odds in her last start and needs to repeat that performance here, if she does she will be a big challenger. (4) RED LHASA is capable of running into the back end of quartets. (6) CELTIQUE is capable of much better and can pop up but is unreliable. (Devonne Govender 1-3-4-6).
R4 (6) FLASH LIGHTNING ran a cracker in the last start and with the claimer up will have a big chance here. (3) BLACKBERRY BREEZE is holding solid form and will be a serious contender here, include in all bets. (5) HENRY’S HEDGE is another who ran extremely well in the last start and cannot be ignored. (9) CANFORD QUEEN is holding her form well and is another that must go into all bets. (Devonne Govender 6-3-5-9).
R5 (3) EAST COAST GIRL has been running consistently and looks progressive, she will be hard to beat here. (2) BACK FOR MORE ran a cracker in the last start and another big run is expected. (7) LADY BOMBER has been racing consistently and is expected to go well here, include in all bets. (9) BLIND FAITH is capable of running into the quartets so include into the placings. (Devonne Govender 3-2-7-9).
R6 (10) KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ran extremely well in the last start and should run another good race but has a tough draw to negotiate. (4) WALKONTHEWILDSIDE is holding her form well, she is capable of a big finish on her day and will be right there. (9) DYNALLEY is knocking on the door having finished second in his last two starts so include in everything. (7) GLOBAL STATE is capable of running into the placings so include in quartets. (Devonne Govender 10-4-9-7).
R7 (5) KING’S SAILOR won well last week and can follow up off a three point higher mark. (2) OUTBACK EXPRESS was an impressive maiden winner and can go well here. (1) ABOVE THE HORIZON is never far back and is capable of running a big race. (4) PROLIFIC STAR is another who has scope to go well after winning his maiden and is one to keep an eye on. (Devonne Govender 5-2-1-4).
R8 (1) ALEX MILLER is in good form and should be hard to beat here, she has been running close up in recent starts and she now has the 4kg claiming apprentice aboard which makes her a huge runner despite the tough draw. (4) QUEEN OF JAZZ has been racing well and another honest run can be expected. (9) CITY OF DREAMS is never far back and can get much closer here. (3) HAZE AND SMOKE is lightly raced and can run into the money so include in larger perms. (Devonne Govender 1-4-9-3).
Fabian Habib Treble, Murray, Mbuto, Bronkhorst Doubles
Oklahoma Smokeshow (Erik The Red) secures a double for Mxolisi Mbuto and a treble for Fabian Habib (Picture: JC Photos)
Fabian Habib scored a treble at the Vaal Classic track today, two of them ridden by Mxolisi Mbuto.
Callan Murray rode an individual double and Fanie Bronkhorst also scored an individual double.
Callan Murray has moved into third place on the national log, one win ahead of the sidelined Serino Moodley, and his 62 wins have come at a strike rate of 14.59%.
Muzi Yeni had one win today and is in fifth place on the national log on 59 wins at 11.41%.
Mbuto is on 16 wins at 9.58%.
Fabian Habib is on 19 wins at 11.59%.
Fanie Bronkhorst is on 15 wins at 6.91%.
Today's Question
FIELDS, Friday, 19 December
Today’s Question Answer
