Izibulo gives Hollywood Racing their 100th win of the season and is led in by Lesley and Devin Heffer and Ian Stangroom (left) (Picture: Race Coast)
Hollywood Racing had been on 99 wins for the season for eight days when the afternoon/night meeting on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly started at 16H15 today (Friday).
However, it was a most appropriate meeting in which to get number 100, because Owen, Lesley and Devin Heffer were all on course for an on course announcement about the new online betting entity Lucky Fish, a Race Coast initiative in which profits will be returned to racing.
A parade ring announcement informed the betting public about Lucky Fish and how it will operate and those who love racing and care about its future are sure to have been impressed by this initiative.
The wait for the 100th of the season after the 99th had stretched to 22 runners by the time the night meeting had reached race 5.
Garth Puller and Sean Veale were the lucky recipients of R10,000 each for the 100th winner when the Lancaster Bomber filly Izibulo won the fifth race, a Class 5 event over 1400m.
Izibulo’s groom Lovemore Mpukane received R3,500 in total, made up of the R1000 he would normally receive from Race Coast for the win and a R2,500 bonus from Hollywoodbets for being groom of the horse who recorded the 100th win.
Craig Peters and Sanele Mchunu received R2,500 each for being respective commentators of the race.
Hollywood Racing made it 101 when Kaapse Klopse won the last race. This Rafeef gelding gave both Sean Veale and MJ Odendaal individual doubles for the meeting.
Hollywood Racing were not he only owners to have a double on the night as there was also one for Howard Schwegmann, who is on an unbelievable run at present. His double tonight was via two Gareth van Zyl-trained horses Future Flo (Futura) and Good Traveller (Visionaire).
Garth Puller also had a double.
Gareth van Zyl, the reigning KZN Champion Trainer, has now taken the lead in the KZN Trainers championship as he goes to 29 wins in KZN, two ahead of Alyson Wright.
