Turf Talk Newsletter – 26 October, 2026

Note To Self and Wish List finish one-two in the Hollywoodbets Durban July (Picture: Race Coast) 

Justin Snaith is the first trainer to have two Equus Horses Of The Year in his yard for over ten years and in fact he was also the previous trainer to have achieved that feat with the Dynasty pair Legislate (2013/2014 Horse Of The Year) and Futura (2014/2015 Horse Of The Year) in training together in the 2015/2016 season.

He had two successive Horses Of The Year too with Oh Susanna (Street Cry) and Do It Again (Twice Over), but Oh Susanna had departed for stud by the time Do It Again was named Horse Of The Year and it was the same scenario when Mike De Kock had successive Horses Of The Year with Irish Flame (Dynasty) and Igugu (Galileo) as Irish Flame was still overseas when Igugu was named Horse Of The Year and she departed for overseas before Irish Flame had returned.

Snaith’s current two Equus Horses Of The Year are Eight on Eighteen (Lancaster Bomber) and See It Again (Twice Over).

The former made a fine recent reappearance, surging late to get up in an A Stakes event over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on October 17.

See It Again is in fine shape ahead of his reappearance and the yard spoke about him.

They also spoke about the Equus Champion three-year-old filly Wish List and about the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Note To Self. Those two aren’t Horses Of The Year but are inerestingly by two former Snaith-trained Horses Of The Year, Legislate and Futura respectively.

Jonathan Snaith said, “Multiple Grade 1 winner See It Again is progressing exceptionally well and is scheduled to gallop on Wednesday as preparations intensify for the Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate and Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met. The stable is delighted with his progress, and Justin has penciled in a comeback run towards the end of November. He is very much on track and thriving ahead of what promises to be another exciting campaign.”

He continued, “Wish List, last season’s standout filly, will be targeted at the Gr1 Paddock Stakes and Gr1 Majorca Stakes. She is set to make her seasonal reappearance in the Summer Bowl on 29 November, which should provide an ideal stepping stone towards her principal summer objectives.”

He concluded, “Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Note To Self is also firmly on schedule and ready to embark on his summer campaign. The likely route will see him contest the Gr2 Premier Trophy over 1800m before progressing to the Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.”

Drumbeat is by Wootton Bassett out of Captain Al mare Cloth Of Cloud and he is now joint third favourite for the 2027 Epsom Derby after winning the Gr 1 Criterium De Saint-Cloud on Sunday at Saint-Cloud (Picture Via YouTube)

South African-bred broodmares have been hitting the headlines overseas.

The former champion sprinter Via Africa’s success in Australia is well known, with the Var mare first producing the Gr 1 winner In The Congo by Snitzel and then the superstar five-times Gr 1 winner Autumn Glow, who is by the Autumn Sun.

The former Equus champion two-year-old filly Cloth Of Cloud by Captain Al is now following suit as her Aidan O’Brien-trained son Drumbeat by Wootton Bassett is now a Gr 1 winner in France.

In his previous start the two-year-old colt won the Gr 3 Zetland Stakes by 5,5 lengths at Newmarket when stepped up to a mile and two furlongs for the first time.

On Sunday in France he scored his third career victory in the Gr 1 Criterium De Saint-Cloud over the same one mile and two furlongs distance and he did it by a comfortable two lengths in just his sixth career start.

The horse got Ryan Moore out of trouble, because he looked to be badly boxed in when turning for home in the small seven horse field, having improved from second last position coming around the final turn on the inside of Godolphin’s chief hope, Al Jabbar (Sea The Stars).

However, he managed to squeeze through a gap as the pacemaker, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Victory Speech (Wootton Bassett), faded tamely.

Once he saw daylight it was race over as he stretched impressively to overtake stable companion Shakespeare (Dubawi) and win by two lengths.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Jesus Green (Ghaiyyath) was a length further back in third.

Drumbeat has been priced up as the joint-third favourite for the Epsom Derby next year with prices varying from 12/1 to 20/1.

The favourite is the Aidan O’Brein-trained Gr 1 Dewhurst Stakes winners Darkness Falls (Camelot), who beat Jesus Green by 4,25 lengths when winning the Gr 1 Golden Fleece Stakes over a mile and one furlong at Leopardstown.

The second favourite for the Derby is the Aidan O’Brien-trained Giant Sequoia (Frankel), who was an impressive winner of Saturday’s Gr 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes over a mile at Doncaster.

The strange part about Drumbeat’s prominence in the Epsom Derby market is that his Captain Al dam, Cloth Of Cloud, was a precocious speedster who won her first three starts from 1000m to 1160m, including the Gr 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m and the Gr 1 SA Nursery over 1160m.
Furthermore, Cloth Of Cloud was infamously temperamental and a very difficult ride, which ultimately led to her only having four career starts.

Drumbeat, on the other hand, looks to be relaxed in his racing style.
Cloth Of Cloud was out of the USA-bred Fusaichi Pegasus mare Our Table Mountain, who was named Equus Champion Broodmare as her progeny Cloth Of Cloud and the SA Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain won Gr 1s in the same 2015/2016 season.

Our Table Mountain won a Listed race over 1200m and was Listed-placed over 1800m.

Cloth Of Cloud was bred by Highlands Stud and was purchased for R2.2 million at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

Blandford Bloodstock, Diane Nagle and Linda Shanahan were reportedly the purchasers.

Blandford Bloodstock is a Newmarket-based bloodstock agent, David and Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud are Hall Of Fame breeders in Ireland and Linda Shanahan is from a prominent racing family in Ireland.
Drumbeat was bred by Barronstown Stud, but as luck would have it Cloth Of Cloud was sold in December 2024, fetching top price of 180,000 Gns in a Tattersalls online sale.

Cloth Of Cloud’s first runner by Galileo had to have wind surgery after two runs and only won one race thereafter.

Her next runner by No Nay Never is to date unplaced in seven starts in Ireland.

When sold Cloth Of Cloud was in foal to Too Darn Hot, bred to Southern Hemisphere times.

She was purchased by Irish-based Bloodstock agent Hubie de Burgh.

Meanwhile, Autumn Glow’s next race is the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Interestingly she is by a Redoute’s Choice sire The Autumn Sun, while her Gr 1-winning half-brother In The Congo is also by a Redoute’s Choice sire, Snitzel.

Redoute’s Choice has had fine success in South Africa with Rafeef being his main flagbearer and interestingly Refeef was also out of a South African-bred champion sprinter, National Colour, a daughter of National Assembly.

Magic Verse burst through on the inside to deny the well weighted favourite Mocha Blend (Picture: Race Coast)

Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)

After being slagged off by a disgruntled punter after his first two races, Richard Fourie “put his words back in his T-shirt”, as he reeled off a treble for Justin Snaith, first on In A Timely Manner and more importantly Magic Verse in the Conditions Plate that headed the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

In a field where many were prepping for the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup, Magic Verse was particularly impressive. Not having been seen out since a modest effort in the HKJC Gold Cup back in July, he scythed through his field under the minimum of fuss from Fourie.

Getting a clear run from the top of the straight, the Magic Verse quickened smartly under the hands to win as he liked from Mocha Blend with Whispering Death running a cracker at the weights to stay on for third.

It was an ideal Betway Summer Cup prep by Magic Verse but so was the performance by defending Cup winner Mocha Blend. Although second, she was running on stoutly and Frank Robinson will have been well pleased with her effort if one takes the long TAB Turffontein straight into consideration.

Third in the first, runner-up in the second and first in the third, that’s the way Fourie’s afternoon started and for those that follow the sport closely, the fact that Snaith was up from Cape Town to saddle his runners will have been the ‘office’ that there was something afoot.

After In A Timely Manner’s win, Fourie revealed post-race that the gelding still had plenty to offer as he got the better of The Marquee as he played them all on the break. Although shifting in away from the grandstand, In A Timely Manner had the race in hand a long way out with Snaith pointing out that he thought the right-handed Greyville circuit with its relatively short straight would suit the gelding’s running style.

The blue-blooded and expensive yearling purchase Samuel Bellamy was all the rage in the first but the benefit of experience is worth gold in many instances and Casino Royale, with one outing under his girth, showed the benefit of having some racing experience.

Jumping from a wide draw Serino Moodley had his mount contesting the lead early with Samuel Bellamy a tad slow out of the gate and having to take his medicine as the field shifted across in front of him.

Moodley revealed post-race that he knew Samuel Bellamy from the home gallops and decided to put him under pressure early.

It proved the right move as Stuart Ferrie’s four-year-old gelding quickened up smartly to hold off a late effort from Bright Blue with Samuel Bellamy racing green but making late progress from well back in the straight. One for the note book.
Trip To Venus had been knocking at the door for some time before Yogas Govender added blinkers and dropped him back to a mile for yesterday’s second race. He was given a strong lead by Prince Of Rabada allowing Tristan Godden to sit comfortably on the fence with favourite Le Concierge also comfortable on his outside under Richard Fourie. However, the favourite was under the pump early as Trip To Venus fired off the false rail and was not for the catching, leaving Le Concierge having to fight off Prince Of Raba for second.

It was a Snaith Fourie treble as Song To The Moon made all the running to land the fifth in fine style. Allowed to dictate the pace, Fourie had the field backed up from the jump before quickening away at the top of the straight with Jazz Festival, a good two-lengths adrift, edged out a cavalry charge for the minor money.

Nautical Fire prevented a major boil-over in the sixth as Darryl Moore’s charge got home under a driving ride from apprentice Anaas Mosaheb to finally get the better of rank outsider Dog Soldier. The latter had snuck up the inside rail and hit the front briefly but Nautical Fire rallied over the final 100m to get his head in front close home.

Champagne Mac took full advantage of the postage stamp on his back as he quickened away from the opposition to win as he liked. Four-claiming Elrico Sesingi had Champagne Mac well position on the rail stalking the pace and when asked for an effort, Adam Azzie’s gelding shot clear and was not for the catching with Little Cracker making a forlorn attempt to close the gap.

Losing your stick under the current rules equates to unprofessional riding but four-claiming apprentice Qiniso Ngcobo is likely to get away just with a scolding from his riding masters as he steered Scandalize to a convincing victory for Glen Kotzen in the eighth. Steering his mount through a widening gap up the center, his intended back-hander saw his crop sailing away but it may well have been a blessing in disguise as Ngcobo punched his mount out under the hands and Scandalize responded with a winning finish.

Major League rounded off the afternoon for Mike Miller and Tristan Godden. A recent maiden winner at just his third outing he had been improving with every start. He took on some modest handicappers and followed up with a smart win. Challenge from all sides, Godden powered him home to hold off challenges from Follow Your Heart and long-time leader Who Blinked with The Swan Song running on from well back for the shallow end of the purse.

The Euphrates winning the Gr 2 Asahi Super Dry Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick on September 19 (via YouTube)

The Larry Nestadt part-owned The Euphrates is just outside the top 24 on the order Of entry for the 2026 Melbourne Cup and will make a last gasp effort to get into the final field, which will be dcclared on Saturday, by running in Wednesday’s Gr 3 Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup over 2400m.

The British-bred Frankel five-year-old gelding The Euphrates was formerly trained by Aidan O’Brien and he arrived in Australia in the middle of last year.

However, he was off for almost a year after some initial barrier trials and he finally made his Australian debut for Gai Waterhouse and  Adrian Bott on September 5 at Randwick, finishing fourth of nine in a Gr 2 over the too sharp 1600m  at Randwick.

Two weeks later he was stepped up to 2000m in the Gr 2 Asahi Super Dry Kingston Town Stakes and he won from start to finish in resolute style.

Two weeks after that he was stepped up again to 2400m in the Gr 2 Asahi Super Dry Metropolitan at Randwick and he finished a 3.6 length third.

Larry said after the latter defeat, “Today he had a lot of weight and didn’t make them gallop, they outsprinted him. He needs 3200m.”

His next start was two-and-a-half weeks later in the Gr 3 Ladbrokes Geelong Cup over 2400m and he disappointed, only managing a 6,7 length tenth.

His run on Wednesday will be only a week after that race and comes just six days before the Melbourne Cup itself, a Gr 1 run over 3200m at Flemington next Tuesday.

Such a tough program is pretty normal for Australian racing where horses tend to have intense programs of a few runs in between rest spells.

The Euphrates will be ridden by Jett Stanley from draw seven of 15 in Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup, a 2400m handicap at Bendigo racecourse in Bendigo, Victoria.

The Bendigo Cup does not have a god record of producing Melbourne Cup winners and a winner of this race has never gone on to win the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

However, in recent times the Bendigo Cup form has had a significant impact on the Melbourne Cup on two occasions.

High Emocean won the Beindigo Cup  in 2022 and went on to run a close third in the Melbourne Cup just six days later.

Knight’s Choice competed in the Bendigo Cup in 2024, finishing fifth, before pulling off a major $91 upset victory in the Melbourne Cup.

The Bendigo Cup is off at 07H55 SA Time on Wednesday.

The Euphrates runs in Larry’s Auatralian colours, which are the same as his South African colours i.e. all royal blue, except that in Australia there is the addition of yellow epaulettes.

The Euphrates is fourth favourite at present paying $8.50 on the Tote.

Proxima Dea was unwanted at the Sales, but is now unbeaten in five and a Gr 1 winner (Picture: Racing and Sports)

Stalwart Australian-based South African trainer David Payne made the headlines with a Gr 1 win at Randwick on Saturday with a filly nobody wanted, but who now remains unbeaten.

The filly was fittingly ridden on Saturday by the sensational young jockey Zac Lloyd, who is the son of Payne’s former first choice rider in South Africa Jeff Lloyd.

Payne is the trainer of Proxima Dea (Tarzino), who defeated the boys to win the A$2m Gr1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m.

She won a four-horse Midway Class 1 three starts ago, a Midway Hcp two starts ago and took the step up into black type company last start, winning the Gr3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill.

In winning on Saturday, Proxima Dea made it five wins from five starts and took her career earnings to A$1.6m.

Payne was also the previous trainer to win the Spring Champion Stakes with a filly, winning it with Montefilia in 2020.

He was ecstatic with Saturday’s result.

.“To look at her you wouldn’t give much for her but she seems to have everything – guts, heart and class,’’ Payne said.

“I said to [jockey] Zac [Lloyd] she will outstay them, we can’t have a sit and sprint. I told him if nothing goes, you go, get up outside the leader and go early on her because we know the further the better with this filly.

“She can go to the Gr1 VRC Oaks now. The extra 500m won’t be a problem, she will love it and we can give her an easier ride.
“This filly keeps surprising me. Montefilia was a good filly but I think she stays better than Montefilia, I think Montefilia was maybe maximum 2000m.’’

Bred by Transtasman Breeders, Proxima Dea Proxima Dea failed to attract a bid at the sales, and when Ciaron Maher signed for her at the $300,000 reserve and took her home, he couldn’t sell her either.

Owners Hugh Docherty and Andy Giles, who bought her dam online for $7000, took her back and sent her to David Payne.

And the rest is history

“She is only going to get better the further they go,” Payne said.

Aladdin’s Lamp surges through on he inside to deny Palace Prince (JC Photos)

Saturday saw some intriguing racing at TAB Turffontein as well as overseas.

At Turffontein three Betway Summer Cup entries ran in the Tickets @ Howler For The Betway Summer Cup Pinnacle Stakes over the 2000m course and distance of the Summer Cup. They were last year’s Summer Cup third-placed The Ultimate King (Vercingetorix), the improved Palace Prince (Potala Palace) and last year’s Gr 3 TAB Jubilee Stakes winner Aladdin’s Lamp (Master Of My Fate).

Palace Prince looked to have the race won in the four horse field when quickening well from third place behind the pacemaker Top Floor. However, Aladdin’s Lamp, who had sat in last place produced a strong finish on the inside rail under Callan Murray to get up by 0,30 lengths.

The Ultimate King was disappointing in his seasonal reappearance and finished a 2,55 length last, but he will come on from the run.

Aladdin’s Lamp was having his second run of the season and should be cherry ripe for the Summer Cup. He has shortened in to 17/1 for the big R6 million race.
The Ultimate King is 14/1 in the ante-post market and Palace Prince is 33/1.

Palace Prince was receiving 2kg from Aladdin’s Lamp on Saturday and 4kg from The Ultimate King. However, as things stand he will face Aladdin’s Lamp at level weights in the Summer Cup and will get only 1kg from The Ultimate King.

Australia’s top weight for age event, the Gr 1 Cox Plate over a mile and two furlongs was run at a course other than Moonee Valley for the first time in its 106 year history on Saturday. Flemington was the host and it saw a fine ride by William “The Wizard” Pike who landed his first Cox Plate win aboard the Andrea Leek-trained New Zealand-bred Cosmic Crusader, who is a six-year-old gelding by the Japanese sire Maurice. Cosmic Crusader took a keen hold early and was towards the rear, but he made headway on the outside two furlongs out. He was ridden inside the final furlong and edged left towards the finish, but kept on to deny the Chris Waller-trained Birdman by 0,75 lengths. Andrea Leek only has 18 horses in her yard and became the first female trainer to win the Cox Plate after Deirdre Stein in 1985 with Rising Price and Moira Murdoch nine years later with Solvit. William Pike is the leading rider in Western Australia, but a major Gr 1 Spring success in Victoria had eluded and he said, “I don’t ever dream of winning these races, because it’s always too far to reach.”

In the UK at Doncaster dominant trainer Aidan O’Brien won the Gr 1 Futurity Stakes over a mile at Doncaster for the 13th time with the Frankel colt Giant Sequoia ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle. He started at odds of 11/1 and thrashed the field by three lengths. The runner up was the Andrew Balding-trained Lope De Vega colt Gran Dia and next best was the winner’s stablemate, the 11/8 favourite Noble Exhibit, who is also by Frankel.