World-class horseracing and entertainment on a fantastic day at the races as Triple Series heats up
4Racing Press Release
It’s Classic Day at Turffontein this Saturday 4 March and all eyes will be on a veteran seven-time South African champion jockey who is rolling back the years and a young apprentice making her own mark on the sport of horseracing, on what is set to be an exciting second round of ‘The Championships’ season.
Classic Day marks the second leg of the World Sports Betting Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara series for three-year-olds, and there will be a whopping R1 500 000 stake on offer for the Grade 1 World Sports Betting SA Classic and R1 250 000 stake for the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both to be run over 1800 metres at Turffontein this weekend.
Champion apprentice Rachel Venniker was sensational in brilliantly winning the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas on Eye of the Prophet in the first leg of the World Sports Betting Triple Crown, holding off S’manga Khumalo in a thriller, and she will now be looking for her first Grade 1 win as she again gets the ride from trainer Paul Matchett this weekend.
The Triple Series is regarded as racing’s ‘ultimate test’ and should Venniker again lead Eye of the Prophet home, the connections will stay in the hunt for the R2 million bonus for the winners of all three legs of the WSB Triple Crown.
Other exciting runners announced in the final fields today to compete in the WSB SA Classic include Shoemaker, East Coast, Billy Bowlegs, Royal Victory and Anfield’s Rocket.
Legendary 56-year-year old jockey Piere ‘Striker’ Strydom was equally imperious in winning the SA Fillies Guineas with Lady of Power in the first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and he will be seeing if he can repeat his heroics on the flying filly this weekend in the second leg.
Strydom comes into Classic Day in fine form, having won the Grade 1 Splashout Cape Derby at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this weekend on See It Again, so he will be buzzing as he looks to win the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara with Lady of Power to stay in contention for the R1 million bonus for the winners of all three legs of the Triple Tiara.
Other strong fillies who were announced in the SA Fillies Classic final fields today to take on Lady of Power include Emirate Gina, Feather Boa, Bonete and None Other.
Entrance is absolutely free for punters and those looking to enjoy a day at the races at Turffontein on Classic Day, which has much to offer all those involved in horse racing, with good stakes for owners and trainers and plenty of incentives for the talented jockeys and hardworking grooms who will be responsible for the racing spectacle.
Hospitality packages are also available and if you can’t make it to the course you can follow the action live on Racing 240 on DStv Channel 240 or you can take a bet in-store or online with TAB at www.tab4racing.com.
“We expect Classic Day to live up to its name and to be one for the books! The World Sports Betting Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara Series adds a unique and exciting dimension to the season and we are looking forward to some exhilarating racing as we see if Eye of the Prophet and Lady of Power can try and stay in the hunt for the Triple Series bonuses. I encourage racegoers, punters, and fun-lovers to head to Turffontein Racecourse this weekend to experience this fantastic Classic Day live,” said Fundi Sithebe, Chief Executive Officer of 4Racing.
FINAL FIELDS FOR THE R1 500 000 WORLD SPORTS BETTING GRADE 1 SA CLASSIC:
| 1 | 12 | Shoemaker | 60 | 114 | A | Richard Fourie | Mike de Kock | |
| 2 | 7 | Eye Of The Prophet | 60 | 113 | BA | #Rachel Venniker | Paul Matchett | |
| 3 | 1 | East Coast | 60 | 112 | A | Keagan de Melo | Mike de Kock | |
| 4 | 5 | Royal Victory | 60 | 112 | BA | S’manga Khumalo | Nathan Kotzen | |
| 5 | 4 | Money Heist | 60 | 108 | BA | Piere Strydom | Gareth van Zyl | |
| 6 | 2 | Anfields Rocket | 60 | 107 | A | Raymond Danielson | Grant Maroun | |
| 7 | 14 | Billy Bowlegs | 60 | 106 | A | Denis Schwarz | Alec Laird | |
| 8 | 11 | Electric Gold | 60 | 106 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Sean Tarry | |
| 9 | 13 | Laguna Verde | 60 | 106 | BA | Craig Zackey | Lucky Houdalakis | |
| 10 | 10 | Argo Alley | 60 | 105 | A | Nathan Klink | St John Gray | |
| 11 | 16 | Jimmy Don | 60 | 105 | A | Gavin Lerena | Erico Verdonese | |
| 12 | 6 | Le Morne | 60 | 105 | A | Luyolo Mxothwa | Brett Crawford | |
| 13 | 8 | Rule By Force | 60 | 102 | T A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Joe Soma | |
| 14 | 15 | Star Coin | 60 | 98 | BA | *Kaidan Brewer | Alec Laird | |
| 15 | 9 | Total Protection | 60 | 96 | A | Ryan Munger | Ashley Fortune | |
| 16 | 3 | Captainofthegreen | 60 | 81 | A | Athandiwe Mgudlwa | Gareth van Zyl | |
FINAL FIELDS FOR THE WILGERBOSDRIFT R1 250 000 GRADE 1 SA FILLIES CLASSIC:
| 1 | 12 | Lady Of Power | 60 | 109 | T A | Piere Strydom | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 2 | 4 | Feather Boa | 60 | 108 | A | Richard Fourie | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 3 | 8 | Reny | 60 | 106 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Brett Crawford | |
| 4 | 6 | Emirate Gina | 60 | 105 | A | Raymond Danielson | Roy Magner | |
| 5 | 1 | Bless My Stars | 60 | 103 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | 5 | None Other | 60 | 101 | A | Keagan de Melo | Lucky Houdalakis | |
| 7 | 3 | Orarari Gold | 60 | 101 | A | Diego De Gouveia | Corrie Lensley | |
| 8 | 9 | Bonete | 60 | 97 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Mike de Kock | |
| 9 | 10 | Silver Hills | 60 | 93 | A | Gavin Lerena | Sean Tarry | |
| 10 | 2 | Gimmealight | 60 | 87 | BA | #Rachel Venniker | Paul Matchett | |
| 11 | 11 | Pomozelous | 60 | 83 | T A | Craig Zackey | Joe Soma | |
| 12 | 7 | Mighty Goddess | 60 | 78 | BA | Denis Schwarz | Billy Ruiters |
SA Classic Day race day schedule on 4 March 2023 at Turffontein Racecourse are as follows:
11h40 Race 1: 4Racing Welcomes You Middle Stakes (1000m)
12h10 Race 2: Racing240 For Racing For You Maiden Juvenile Plate (1160m)
12h45 Race 3: Racehorse Owners Association Maiden Juvenile Plate (1160m)
13h20 Race 4: 4Racing TV Maiden Plate (F&M) (1160m)
13h55 Race 5: Hawaii Stakes (Grade 2 Open) (1400m)
14h30 Race 6: Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic Grade 1 (1800m)
15h05 Race 7: World Sports Betting SA Classic Grade 1 (1800m)
15h45 Race 8: Drum Star Handicap (Listed Open) (1800m)
16h20 Race 9: TAB Telebet 0861 000 822 MR 76 Handicap (Open) (1160m)
16h55 Race 10: Next Turffontein RaceMeeting Saturday 11 March Maiden Plate (1600m)
ENDS
For any media inquiries contact Jermaine Craig at 0832010121 /
