Turf Talk Newsletter – 6 May, 2026

Trust is led in after winning the Dingaans (JC Photos)

The Dingaans winner is invariably viewed as a July prospect and this year there looks to be a fine chance of that coming to fruition.

The Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained Heavenly Blue colt Trust was the Jackpot City Dingaans winner this year and on Saturday he faces an important stepping stone race into the Hollywoodbets Durban July, the Gr 3 WSB 1900.

Trust looks to be taking a merit rating protecting route and will likely avoid the traditional Champion Season event for the best three-year-old middle distance horses, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

Running close up in the latter race will see his merit rating potentially leaping many points, whereas the WSB 1900 is a merit rated band event.

His gross 110 merit rating become a nett of 105 over this distance in the month of May and that puts him in the 102 to 106 band, who all carry 54kg.

He is officially 1,5kg under sufferance with the best weight runner Son Of Raj, but looks to be a progressive sort and the way he was running on when runner up in the Gr 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m suggests he will relish this trip.

However, against him is a draw of ten.

Serino Moodley knows him well and will have a plan.

Trust looks to be the class act of the field and is the one to beat.

Trust’s high profile owners are Larry Nestadt, Gary Player and Lindsay Ralphs and family. None of them have won the July before, although Nestadt has gone close on a number of occasions and the memory of those near misses will make victory this year all the more sweet .

Regulation will be a horse who will be going all out to win this race as he has a merit rating of 105 and has a bit to do to qualify for the July. He ran an eyecatching race in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day. He had nowhere to go towards the inside in the straight, but after finally being able to switch outward into space he produced a low flying finish for an unlucky 2,75 length third. If he manages to reproduce that run after a four month layoff he will be a big runner in the WSB 1900, although JP van der Merwe will have to negotiate a tricky draw of eight in the ten horse field.

The Ultimate King is a borderline July horse too, because although he is rated 117 and has good form he does not have top form and a Gr 3 is his biggest win. It might take more to qualify this year with a R10 million stake up for grabs, so look for a bold bid from him from draw six.

Imilenzeyokududuma is a talented sort and from pole position could put his recent uninspiring form behind him. He is capable of a strong finish and gets his first plum draw since finishing second in an A Stakes race over 1400m last August.

Isivivane, drawn two, will also be out to run a big race, as he will need to improve on his 104 merit rating to be considered for the July final field. He has quite a tough task at the weights on Saturday being 2kg under sufferance with Son Of Raj.

Ahead Of The Facts is a useful stayer and is likely using this race as a preparation for races like the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, Gold Vase and Gold Cup.

Holding Thumbs is also a good stayer, but trainer Glen Kotzen also views him as classy enough to qualify for the July. He is rated high enough on 119 to get into the July, but is his middle distance form good enough? He will likely be going all out to win it and is not without a chance considering he finished just a shorthead behind My Best Shot in the Algoa Cup over 2000m at Fairview when receiving just half-a-kilogram.

Master Redoute was the Gold Cup winner two years ago and was not disgraced in the July that year either. He ran an encouraging race on WSB Met day in the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m, as if followed a string of disappointing runs. He will be out to impress in the 1900 on Saturday.

Son Of Raj has run twice in the July, but has never threatened to be a serious factor. He will need to improve on his recent form.

Native Ruler ran a cracker in the July last year and should be a big runner here, although he has to overcome a wide draw and carries topweight of 62kg. However, Andrew Fortune is aboard and should be able to get the best out of him.

It is going to be an intriguing race and as always will have an impact on the Hollywodbets Durban July betting market.

Alec Laird’s best chance of winning the Hollywoodbets Durban July this year, 30 years on from his only win in the big race, probably lie chiefly with Fire Attack, who is pictured above winning the recent Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes (JC Photos)

Alec Laird has six entries in the Hollywoodbets Durban July in a year in which the iconic race’s renewal will mark the 30th anniversary of his only win of the big race with London News (Bush Telegraph) in 1996.

It will also mark the 60th anniversary of the July’s most infamous incident, the shooting of the legendary Sea Cottage just three weeks before the big race.

Sea Cottage, trained by Alec’s Hall Of Fame father Syd, recovered to run fourth in that year’s race before winning it in 1967 in a dead-heat with Jollify.

So with 30 years between the Sea Cottage incident and London News’ win, it would be fitting if a Laird horse made the headlines again 30 years further on.

Therefore it is somewhat ironic that Alec’s chief July hope, Fire Attack, has only had two wins this season and they are of the Gr 3 Betway London News Stakes over 1800m in March and the Gr 2 TAB Colorado King Stakes over 2000m last up.

As if winning the London News was not enough of a coincidence, Colorado King was another great July winner trained by Syd Laird, scoring by 1,75 lengths as a three-year-old in 1963 before going on to have a spectacular career in the USA.

However, Alec is not too sure of the immediate future for Fire Attack, who has never been tried beyond 2000m.

The 124-rated Fire Away colt has won five races, but four of those races have been Graded events.

His other Graded wins have been the Gr 2 TAB SA Nursery over 1160m and the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffotein Standside.

Staying the tough Turffontein Standside 2000m trip should see a horse being able to stay the easier 2200 trip of the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

However, Alec said, “He took his run in the Colorado King well, so we can have a look at another race. I don’t know if the July is the right race for him with the weights and everything, but we will cross that bridge a bit later.”

Alec’s other Gr 1 winner Atticus Finch finished last in the Colorado King Stakes and was blowing hard afterwards with some white mucous on the nostrils. Alec said he did not bleed, but another test will be done.

The Master Of My Fate gelding was in scintillating form in the early season, culminating in an impressive three length victory in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile.

However, he was then tailed off in the Betway Summer Cup when not striding out on his right hind.

However, his comeback was going well, with a seventh place finish in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes being followed by a decent 5,50 length fourth to See It Again in the Gr 1 wfa HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge.

(Fire Attack’s run in the latter race can have a line drawn through it as he was caught wide and began over-racing).

Alec said about the six-year-old Atticus Finch, “I was expecting a big run in the Colorado King and the way he had been working, there is still some life in him, so we will see.”

Atticus is rated 127 and Fire Attack 124, so as things stand they would carry 60.5kg and 59kg respectively in the July.

Alec admitted his other four July entries Texas Missile (94), Greeting My Master (110), Parisian Walkway (113) and Aristotle (106) were all longshots, but he said he would be seeing what he could do to qualify them for the big race.

Alec is a member of the July’s most successful dynasty.

He has won it once himself as a trainer with London News (1996); his grandfather, also called Alec Laird, won it once as a jockey in 1911 on Nobleman; his great-uncle Syd Garrett won it twice as a jockey (Goldwing (1919), Pamphlet (1920)) and three times as a trainer (Full Dress (1930), Sadri II (1941), Left Wing (1960)); his Hall of Fame father Syd Laird won the big race a record seven times as a trainer, (Kerason (1961), Colorado King (1963), Java Head (1966), Sea Cottage (1967), Mazarin (1971), Yataghan (1973), Politician (1978)); his cousins Dennis Drier and Charles Laird won it once apiece as trainers with Spanish Galliard (1992) and Hunting Tower (2007) respectively. That is 16 July wins for the family dynasty in total and 18 if Dennis Drier’s father-in-law John Breval is included (King Willow (1965), Principal Boy (1975)).

Eight On Eighteen winning the Cape Town Met at Kenilworth last year (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

Trainer Justin Snaith likes to stir things up with his jockey bookings from time to time – possibly to spread around the bounty of his championship yard, possibly to mix and match human and equine talent, and possibly to keep the jocks on their toes, so to speak.

Nevertheless, it was mildly surprising to see the name Craig Zackey alongside one of Snaith’s superstar horses for Saturday’s meeting at Greyville.

Eight On Eighteen, a dual Grade 1 winner and runner-up in the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July, is usually the preserve of Richard Fourie, but that rider is paired with another Snaith candidate, Legal Counsel, in the race in question, Race 4 on a significant card.

Another regular recent Snaith hire, Andrew Fortune, partners the yard’s up-and-comer Note To Self, while visiting French jock Mickaëlle Michel does the job on Okavango, Snaith’s fourth runner (out of seven) in the Conditions Plate.

Zackey might not be a familiar frontline soldier for Snaith, but the championship-chaser does plenty of duty in the stable. Indeed, he has ridden 44 Snaith runners so far this season – and delivered eight wins.

While Zackey is entrusted with prized property on the colt’s return to racing after three months of rest, it’s unlikely he’s being lined up to ride Eight On Eighteen in the upcoming Durban July. Zackey is surely nailed on to ride The Real Prince in the Greyville showpiece – as the defending champion duo and as a retained rider for trainer Dean Kannemeyer.

Zack Lloyd partnering Eight On Eighteen?
Social media speculation is that Eight On Eighteen could be partnered in the Big One by Australian Zack Lloyd, who is being flown in by Snaith Racing for a July date.

Lloyd is the son of former SA champion jockey Jeff Lloyd, who tried unsuccessfully for decades to win the July – before emigrating Down Under with his family.

This leaves the racing chatterati speculating entertainingly about how Snaith might compile his July squad.

Current July ante-post favourite See It Again (6-1) was steered to victory in the 2026 Cape Town Met by Fortune, but the Snaith brains trust might prefer that man’s maverick genius on one of the younger candidates he has shown he gets to run well – like Wish List or Note To Self.

Other jockeys in the hunt
And what of Fourie, who is arguably the No 1 choice on the smorgasbord of aces? It’s quite likely he will opt for See It Again; but will Justin and brother Jonathan give the nod? Is his Saturday outing on Legal Counsel a pointer in another direction?

Female riding stars Mickaelle Michel and Rachel Venniker surely come into the Snaith conversation, too, as does Tristan Godden, who recently triumphed impressively on July hopeful Okavango.

JP van der Merwe is contracted to owner Greg Bortz, so will be earmarked for Regulation, one of Snaith’s 10 July entries who also steps out this weekend – in the WSB 1900, a traditional July pointer for which he is the ante-post favourite.

Justin Snaith will keep everyone guessing for a while yet, no doubt. He’s an ultra-canny operator and has an impish sense of humour. Everyone needs to be kept on their toes.

Ever enthusiastic Doug Campbell with the Soqrat filly he was determined to bring home and he did so (Picture Supplied)  

A record R207,8-million turnover at the recent Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale once again reflected the strength of South Africa’s major bloodstock buyers, with Form Bloodstock, Jonathan Snaith and Vermaak Equine to the fore.

But it wasn’t only the big fish making waves.

Smaller buyers were also in the mix and making their presence felt.

That balance is central to the identity of the National Sale, with Bloodstock SA CEO Michael Holmes welcoming a result that once again delivered for the full spectrum of the industry – ranging from leading farms to smaller breeders and buyers with varying budgets.

One of the more heartening stories came from veteran trainer Doug Campbell (82), who beamed with excitement after securing Lot 74 from Heversham Park Farm – the very filly he had come to buy. She will be named ‘Home Sweet Home’.

Click here to read Charl Petorius’ whole story

Princess Arverni is comfortably ahead of stablemate Donquerari (green and red colours) at the finish of the WSB Dash over 400m (Julia Marnewick)

Louis Goosen scored the exacta in South Africa’s shortest thoroughbred horse race, the WSB Dash over 400m, with his smart five-year-old mare Arverni Princess and his six-year-old soldier Donquerari respectively.

He said no special training had been given to the pair and added, “The secret is to select the right horse for the race. The horse must, number one, be quick out of the pens and, number two, must land running. And then, funnily enough, the horse must be able to kick again in the final 200m.”

The 71-rated Arverni Princess by Vercingetorix was a pick up ride for apprentice Blaine Marx-Jacobson, meaning she carried the very minimum weight allowed in the race, i.e. 50kg, because she was set to carry 54kg but got Marx-Jacobson’s 2,5kg claim as well as the 1,5kg gender allowance for females.

Donquerari, rated 86, had to carry 56kg under Calvin Habib.

Princess Arverni duly pinged the starting gates from draw three and tore into the lead, although Sun In My Pocket from the standside draw in the eleven horse field was also very quick to get going and Donquerari on her inside was matching her.

Arverni Princess was far enough clear to be able to hang right across the course to her left, although she did take up Inafix’s running and Marx-Jacobson might be in trouble for that, because the stipendiary report said, “The Board has adjourned to review an incident that occurred at the 200m. ”

It was unlikely to have changed the result and she won by a length from Donquerari, who moved fluently throughout and was thus able to kick on in the final stages.

Sun In My Pocket stayed on to be a short-head behind Donquearari and Inafix rallied to finish a 1,30 length fourth.

Chicarito was pacy throughout and might possibly have got closer had Arverni Princess not taken up her lane as she did not have fresh air in front of her.

Arverni Princess, whom Louis has always owned alone, has had an interesting career. She won her sixth start over 1000m and was given a 76 rating which went up to a 78 after a close up fourth.

However, a couple of runs later her form began to dip and she steadily declined until she was rated 58.

Since then she just hasn’t stopped winning or going close and by the time the WSB Dash arrived she was a six-time winner.

She has now won seven but her official record will remain six wins and her merit rating will remain on 71.

The 400m distance is usually associated with American Quarter Horse racing and consequently the Durban Dash is not included in the season’s statistics or the participants career statistics.

The race certainly provides a thrill every season though.

Amelia Earhart was a fluent winner of the Cheshire Oaks, beating the Gaynor Rupert homebred I’m The One (light blue colours on the left) (Picture: Sky Sports)

The Herald (By PA News Agency)

Amelia Earhart proved too strong for the well-touted I’m The One in giving Aidan O’Brien a 10th victory in the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks.

I’m The One had looked the next superstar filly off the Clarehaven production line when making a winning debut at Newbury last month and she was the 6-5 favourite to cement her status as Epsom Oaks favourite in a race the Gosden team memorably won with the brilliant Enable nine years ago.

However, the market leader stumbled slightly at the start and did not look entirely in love with the track, whereas Amelia Earhart – fitted with the unusual combination of a hood and blinkers – travelled sweetly throughout in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Despite hanging right off the bend, I’m The One was still in the mix at the top of the straight but 13-8 shot Amelia Earhart powered home, with two lengths ultimately the winning margin.

An impressed Moore said: “We always thought she was a good filly and she’s by Camelot and from a family we know well.

“A mile and a half suited her, she handled the track and handled the ground and did everything right and gave me the perfect feel the whole way. It was the perfect Epsom trial.”

Boylesports made Amelia Earhart their 3-1 favourite for the Oaks, usurping I’m The One who was pushed out to 6-1 from 3s for Epsom on the first Friday in June.

Paul Smith of owners Coolmore said: “She was always a lovely juvenile and the chance was she was always going to improve for the step up in trip with the pedigree on the page.

“Ryan was delighted with her, she’s hit the line strong, has a beautiful action, great temperament and you couldn’t be happier with her. Ryan said she was very straightforward and honest, we’re really pleased.

“It’s a huge learning curve coming here and one run at Chester is probably worth two somewhere else. It’s great for that.

“She’ll probably go to the Oaks on the back of that. It was always in her pedigree and she’s a beautiful specimen.”

I’m The One is trained by John and Thady Gosden, with the former saying: “It was sort of the result I expected really, I flew up with Ryan and he told me the winner is a very good filly.

“Ryan sat on the inside and it opened up for her and our filly just showed a lack of experience on just the second run of her life. She blew the bend, but to that extent she has run a lovely race and we are pleased with her.

“I did warn everyone that all the hype (after Newbury) was stupid, but no one wanted to listen – or maybe they did as she went to odds-against in the end.

“You come to Chester to learn and you learn if you can go to Epsom and you learn about bends, and she certainly learned about that last one – William (Buick) couldn’t get inside and went outside and she went out to the middle of the track and will have learned a lot from it.

“You can’t take anything away from the winner and he had a very smooth run through and has the experience, but for a second run of her life I think it was a very solid effort from our filly.”

He added: “We will get her home now and see which way we want to play it. We know from this a mile and a half is no problem and she could handle Epsom but there is also the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

“There is no need to make that decision just yet, she’s in one and the other race hasn’t even closed yet, so we have time.”