Turf Talk Newsletter – 02 September, 2026

Anaas after clinching a treble with a win on That’s My Baby in a strong A Stakes race (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Apprentice Anaas Mosaheb scored his first treble at Hollywodbets Greyville last Friday night and the Mauritian youngster was a whisker away from adding to that tally in the penultimate race of the night when his mount Grand Appeal failed by 0,25 lengths to fetch the also running-on The Swansong.

Confidence plays a big part in jockeyship and Anaas is full of confidence at present, saying, “I don’t know what is happening, but horses are just running for me at the moment. I feel I have been getting that little extra because of my improvement in using the stick with my left hand. I have been practicing the change of hands and the use of the left hand a  lot on the equisizer. It has been helping a lot. I know when to use it, because I have watched a lot of videos of great jockeys like Keagan de Melo and Richard Fourie and you can see when they do it the horses change legs and quicken. You can watch and see some of the races I have won is especially because of my left handed use of the stick. I have been practicing to be as neat as I can with the left hand, so that there is no difference between it and my naturally stronger right hand.”

A good example was last Friday night on the 25/1 outsider, the Kumaran Naidoo-trained Galactic Beauty, who had no right to win on form. Anaas’s late change of the whiphand to his left hand saw her finding the little bit extra she needed to beat the fancied Future Prospect by 0,30 lengths.

Click here to watch the replay

Anaas has had 17 wins to date, 16 in South Africa and one in Mauritius, but is yet to win a black type race.

However, The A stakes race he won over 1400m on the Sean Tarry-trained That’s My Baby last Friday night was as good as a black type race such was the quality of the field.

He said, “You need to have soft hands for that mare, because she usually pulls a little bit in a race. As soon as you grab her mouth she will just pick her head up and you will be unable to stop her. Mr Tarry told me to not do anything after jumping, to just come out softly and then find a position. I also went to talk to Keagan de Melo, because I know that he used to ride this horse and would be able to tell me how to get the best out of her. He gave me some tips and I did it in the race and it worked nicely. I had soft hands all the way and she traveled beautifully. When I pressed in the straight she just gave me her best.”

That’s My Baby has a tremendous record at Hollywoodbets Greyville and clearly loves the track, so her odds of 16/1 were generous. She made full use of her gender allowance to beat a top class field by 3,30 lengths.

Click here to watch the replay 

Anaas had ridden a Tarry horse for the first time the previous day at the Vaal, finishing third on the 14/1 shot Space Mission.

He has another ride for the five-times champion trainer this Friday.

Anaas has been around racehorses since he was a toddler. He used to sit on the shoulders of his father at the always jam-packed Champs De Mar racecourse meetings.

He was taught the basics of riding by a man called Ibrahim Nazia, who initially worked horses on a road, because he did not have a normal track. However, he later moved to a proper equestrian centre.

Anaas was subsequently accepted into the Mauritius Academy and thereafter he moved to the Guy Desmarais Training Centre in Floreal, where he rode work for various trainers.

At the age of seventeen he had his first ride in a race on 19 August 2023.

He said, “I rode in only 21 races in Mauritius and had one win (on Whipping Boy) and one place. I did not get any of the best horses, but had good results from limited opportunities.”

He continued, “I then put in the application for the South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) and thankfully I was accepted. I’m very grateful to be here today.”

He revealed, “I worked hard and learnt quickly, because I am chasing just one goal and that is to be Champion Jockey like my Idol Nooresh Juglall.”

Mauritian Nooresh Juglall was a twice South African apprentice champion who famously won all three legs of the Triple Tiara on the Ormond Ferraris-trained Bridget Oppenheimer-owned Cherry On The Top while still an apprentice. He went on to ride with great success in Singapore but during the Far East island’s off season in 2021 he passed away in tragic circumstances after a horrific incident in a race at Champs De Mar.

Anaas said, “He was the jockey who pushed me into racing. I never talked to him, but just from watching him he inspired me so much and that’s how I fell in love with racing.”

Anaas has always based his riding style entirely on Nooresh’s.

He said, “I have built slowly but surely and am now seeing the results.”

He said he was very happy with his progress and having only started out here in February he has quickly become an apprentice to follow.

Anaas’s immediate goal besides being champion apprentice is to establish himself in South Africa and earn enough to bring his wife and parents out here.

However, he has big ambitions and concluded, “Further in the future I want to roam around and ride in every racing country including Hong Kong … one day I want to be over there.”

The powerfully built Ideal World filly Mocha Blend carrying 63kg to victory in the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet

Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup winner Mocha Blend, who ended last season on a high by winning the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet over 2000m carrying a welter burden of 63kg, is looking a picture at Summerveld and trainer Frank Robinson is planning her assault on this year’s R6 million Summer Cup.

He said, “I’m probably going to put her in a race in Joburg and it might just be the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile, because it’s at Turffontein with its long straight and there’s a nice stake. So that would be a similar prep to last year when I put her in the Listed Summer Pudding over 1600m where she finished a close up second.”

Last year Mocha Blend carried bottom weight of 54kg in the Summer Cup off a 105 merit rating and she was officially 5,5kg under sufferance.

Frank pointed out, “She’s now a 120, but there is just the 6kg spread, so she should be reasonably well weighted.”

He added, “I don’t know why people have got this thing about fillies being weaker than colts, it’s like that with humans yes, but not with horses. I’ve seen more champions who are fillies, just looks at Winks, Treve, Enabled, Devon Air, Empress Club, Beach Beauty, Zenyatta, the list is endless, so I’m not scared to take on colts. Mocha Blend is huge and she’s got a massive backside. She is very well at the moment, she walks around like she’s the queen. But she has a beautiful temperament, she’s as soft as butter. You can stand right behind her and she wouldn’t kick you.”

Mocha Blend is a Mauritzfontein Stud homebred and Steven and Jessica Jell also have another top quality horse with Frank. The filly Chocolate Mousse is by Rafeef out of the Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding and she will be making her debut in about a month’s time. She is the Silvano mare’s first foal.

The Swan Song gets up to clinch a most fitting victory (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Drakenstein’s Stud’s flagbearing stallion Trippi, who was South African Champion Sire in the 2015/2016 season,  had 1,073 runners worldwide, sired 857 winners, including 94 stakes winners of 191 stakes races and he had 14 individual Grade 1 winners.

However, one of his most remarkable runners will always be the Summerhill Stud-bred colt The Swan Song.

This Justin Snaith-trained Greg and Gina Bortz-owned colt was purchased at the BSA National Yearling Sale for R300,000.

That is looking to be a fair price, considering he finished second on debut and then won his next two starts.

He acquired his name because he was Trippi’s last ever foal.

It was thus remarkable that on the day Trippi passed away he came out that evening and won at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

He had to overcome a draw of 9 out of 9 at last Friday night’s meeting and showed a fine turn of foot to win by a quarter of a length under Richard Fourie.

An interesting fact is that the first South African-bred Trippi to win was a filly called Agra, who was also trained by Justin Snaith, although she was ridden by Felix Coetzee.

Agra also became Trippi’s first SA-bred Stakes winner when winning the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes on Met day under Coetzee.

Enceladus will be out to give Joseph O’Brien a second win of the St Leger as a trainer and a third win overall (Picture: Racing Post) 

Joseph O’Brien lining up double raid on Doncaster Classic in season to remember

Owning Hill handler has been a force to be reckoned all year at the big British meetings.

At The Races

Having placed a focus on success in Britain during 2026, Joseph O’Brien is preparing a two-pronged assault on the Betfred St Leger, as he bids to continue his dream season at Doncaster.

The Owning Hill handler has not only scooped Oaks success with Thundering On at Epsom on UK soil this year, but also proven a force to be reckoned with across all the major festivals, enjoying a five-timer at Royal Ascot and walking away with the leading trainer prize at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

He is now set to saddle both Enceladus – a winner for O’Brien at both the Royal meeting and Goodwood – and improving Vinnie Roe Stakes scorer Highwayman on Town Moor, in a race he has won both as a jockey with Leading Light in 2013 and then a trainer when Galileo Chrome landed Classic gold in 2020.

O’Brien said: “Enceladus and Highwayman might both run and Enceladus obviously has been progressive and goes there on the back of a career best (in the Gordon Stakes).

“It looks like being a good renewal of the race, but Enceladus is an obvious contender and I think that the extra couple of furlongs will suit him, I don’t see it being an issue and he’s a good horse.

“It’s the same for Highwayman, to be honest, and he’s come a long way pretty fast and this will probably tell us what we do towards the end of the season with him. He’s a nice colt going the right way fast.”

Enceladus is seen as the most likely danger to the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Derby winner Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard according to the bookmakers, as the younger O’Brien once again attempts to prove his father’s Achilles’ heel in the year’s biggest races.

He is also set for what will be numerically his best season in terms of winners as he enters the autumn within €1million of the master of Ballydoyle in the Irish trainers’ championship.

However, there is no desire to topple the long-time standard setter in world racing, as he describes his philosophy for success.

“We just focus on our horses and try to put them in the best race we can and if you get stuck up on numbers, prize-money and things, there are so many variables that you will just drive yourself nuts,” explained O’Brien.

“We just focus on our horses and wherever that leaves us numerically and prize-money wise at the end of the year, so be it.

“This year we have focused on competing at the festivals in the UK as well as Ireland and that is something that has gone well, we’ve had a good Ascot, Goodwood and York. That is something you can focus on, but in terms of big targets on prize-money and winners at home, you just have to take it as it comes.

“It’s been very rewarding this year, but every year you are trying to beat your previous best and it does not always happen that way. This year has been a strong year for us and we’ll try to beat it next year.”

A trusted ally at O’Brien’s side throughout the campaign has been reigning Irish champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle who continues to thrive in the saddle but is currently sat on the sidelines after a crushing fall at Bellewstown that left him hospitalised.

The 23-year-old is reported to be recovering well from the incident and while no timescale on his return is yet clear, O’Brien is delighted to see his number one jockey escape relatively unscathed and well on the way to a comeback.

“Dylan is recovering well and it looks like his recovery is going a little bit quicker than what it might,” said O’Brien. “I’m not sure when he will be back yet, but he’s going the right way.

“It was a bad fall and luckily there isn’t too many falls on the Flat, but when there is it can be pretty serious as you have a lot of speed to contend with. It was a nasty fall and it gave everyone a fright, but he’s making a good recovery, thank God.”

The unreliable but talented Kelp Forest overcame a wide draw and long odds to easily win the last race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)

With older horses you take what you get as Adam Marcus alluded to after the seven-year-old Kelp Forest made short work of the Class 4 Handicap that headed a card with six maiden events at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday, although R28 for a win on the tote suggested that many tickets went into the waste bin.

“His form is very in-and-out,” said Marcus. “His good runs are exceptional; his bad runs are really bad but I think at his age he has his good and bad days and I said to Kabelo in the ring that if he decides to run today he could win a race like this very easily. He was the only seven-time winner in the race.”

It was a good day for ‘Kelpie” as Matsunyane kept him covered for as long as possible before producing him with a telling late effort in the minimum of fuss to collar long-time leader Cork Bay who looked to have it all sewn up a furlong out.

The form behind Richman’s World is panning out nicely and Vaughan Marshall will have a dead line on what may be to come. The first two across the line in the card opener at Hollywoodbets Durbanville both finished a long way behind Rich Man’s World on their debut.

The Marshall-trained Stealth was six lengths behind stable mate Rich Man’s World but ran out a comfortable winner with Snow Sniper, nearly nine lengths back on debut, but a comfortable second with the balance chasing shadows.

Keagan de Melo played the waiting game on Sabre Wing in the second and when he asked for an effort Greg Ennion’s filly reeled in the front runners with ease. She was chased home by first timer First Bloom who is likely t come on lengths from he debut effort and one to follow.

Winter Blossom was the ‘money horse’ and given a good lead by pace-making stable companion Paradigm Shift, but when the pressure was on she was one-paced as the three in front strode by.

Kabelo Matsunyane finally got One Step to jump on terms and the daughter of One World was able to track the ace set by Mac D and when all cried enough, Des McLachlan’s charge was left to charge home in front.

Favourite Miss Arizona was never comfortable as Gavin Lerena tried to get her to settle and although the optics intimated that she was running on strongly for second, it was more that the opposition had cried enough.

Miss Arizona was disappointing but it all came together in the fourth as Wreath Of Snow gave recently retired sire Snow Pilot’s credentials a boost as his full brother shed his maiden in an effortless end-to-end victory. Justin Snaith said that he had brought his charge on slowly to this win, his first start over 1000m being too short. “He’s been given every chance,” commented Snaith post-race. Although this was just a maiden Wreath Of Snow won well enough to suggest that there is more to come – Cape Guineas – maybe!

In the fifth, Spinnaker set sail for home from the start and was not for the catching to give Snaith a quick double. Favourite Big City Roller was making up leeway late in the race and could be looking for further. Eye-catching was Miyabi King. A good-looking son of top UK sire Kingman, he was given a good grounding run by Lerena and I don’t think this colt will be long for the maidens.

In a tight finish, nine-year-old Barney Mcgrew finished with a flourish to touch of favourite Axis Power in the tight finish to the D Stakes. It was all for the taking over the final 100m but Sean Veale produced Andries Steyn’s veteran with a telling late run to snaffle them all for his seventh win.

Unsolved Riddle has a fine chance in the last race (JC Photos)

The Highveld meeting at the Vaal today (Thursday) should see the high draws favoured down the straight with there only being a 2m wide fale rail from the 1600m mark to the 1000m mark.

In the first race over 1000m Autograph was a touch inlucky last time out and would be a confident selection if he had a higher draw than three. Periodic Table jumps from draw eight under Keagan de Melo and has consistent form from 1000m up to 1500m, so he should be involved. Treasure State has some fair form and could finish third behind those two.

In the second over 1000m Midnight Special will be hard to beat if jumping on terms as she dwelt last time over this trip and only failed by a neck to get there. Her draw of four is a bit on the low side. Amadioo dwelt on debut and did well to finish a 6,10 length third to the promising Rivera, so she has a chance from a nice high draw. Piteraq has some nice Cape Town form and has a nice high draw, so she should be right there on her Highveld debut.

In the third race over 1400m Campo Formio has some fair form and from a high draw can go close over a suitable trip. Handsome Badger was not far behind Campo Formia when making his debut and could be involved with improvement, but he does have a low draw. Platinum Shay could be in the shake up from a nice high draw as she has shown some ability. Berry Lancer comes from the in-form St. John Gray yard, but does have a draw of one. Steel Pier has to be considered in this line up despite a lowish draw.

In the next race over 1400m, Go For broke has run two good races and will enjoy this trip, so she should be hard to beat from a nice high draw with Gavin Lerena up. Knockin’ Boots also has a nice high draw and actually narrowly beat Go For Broke the last time they met, so she should be involved here. Northern European has shown some ability and has a nice high draw.

In the fifth race over 2000m Azaleas For All has a plum draw with Gavin Lerena up and she has been in cracking form, so should go close over a suitable course and distance. Free in Seattle represents the flying St. John Gray yard and will enjoy this trip, but she does have a tricky draw of seven out of seven. Cartagena should be right there if able to overcome a tricky draw as she is capable of running on well.

In the sixth race over 2000m Itsnowornever has a fine chance from a plum draw if he repeats his penultimate start and he has the advantage of the in-form 4kg claimer Anaas Mosaheb up. Heroic Act was not far behind Itsnowornever in the aforementioned race and he also has a good draw. Ghostbuster is capable of earning in this lineup.

In the seventh over 1600 meters Rock My Boat is well drawn over a suitable trip and she is only half a kilogram under sufferance, so should go well with a 4kg claimer up. Gallic Victor went close last time and looks to be off a competitive mark at present. Special Envoy went well on debut and should enjoy the step up in trip, but he does have a tricky low draw.

In the last race over 1400m Unsolved Riddle has a nice high draw and should go close over a suitable trip. Spy story represents the in-form St, John Gray yard and is also drawn on the right side over A suitable trip, so can build on his last second place finish. Sea Shanty is in good form and is capable of running on well, so his middle draw of six should not be a bother.

Gallic Victor won on debut for Dean Kannemeyer and Khaya Stables but he was sold out of the yard after failing tfo win in his next eight starts and he is now trained on the Highveld by Fabian Habib (JC Photos) 

Brendan Gaillard formguides for Vaal Thursday

RACE 1

PERIODIC TABLE is more effective over a sprint distance and will appreciate reverting to this shorter trip after a break. TREASURE STATE returns from a lengthy absence but showed enough in two starts to suggest that she will be competitive on her reappearance. AUTOGRAPH can earn again. ELEGANT EDGE could improve with alumites fitted for the first time.

RACE 2

MIDNIGHT SPECIAL has the form and experience to fight out the finish. There has been a subsequent winner from each of her 3 starts. However, it could pay to side with DASH EIGHT whose form of her debut 3rd has been boosted by 3 subsequent winners from that race. AMADIOO was an encouraging 3rd on debut as a 2yo and is open to any amount of improvement this term. PITERAQ is respected in her first Highveld appearance for new connections, while well-bred newcomer CHARISMATIC WORLD is another to keep an eye on.

RACE 3

STEEL PIER was 2nd over track and trip last time ahead of CAMPO FORMIO and HANDSOME BADGER so won’t have to improve much to go one better. That said, the latter was debuting on that occasion and is open to any amount of improvement with that experience to count on. BERRY LANCER has both the form and experience to play a role in the outcome and is also likely to improve after a subsequent gelding operation. NOBLE SAINT fits a similar profile on his reappearance after a pleasing debut. Newcomers KINGS PARK and MADRID are worth a market check on debut.

RACE 4

GO FOR BROKE sets a clear standard and will take some beating. She confirmed the promise of her debut 4th over this trip by finishing a close-up 2nd last time and a repeat of that performance should suffice. NORTHERN EUROPEAN has the means to pose a threat but she is engaged to run at an earlier meeting. KNOCKIN’ BOOTS, GRAINS OF PARADISE and well-bred STARLITE SILK appeal most of the remainder.

RACE 5

ART NOUVEAU won a similar contest over this distance on 30 July and a 3-point penalty is unlikely to prevent another forward showing. However, AZALEAS FOR ALL is closely matched on that form and weighted to turn the tables on 1.5kg better terms. BOOM BOOM has a bit to find on that meeting but should pose more of a threat on these terms. Versatile CARTAGENA remains competitive off her current mark, as does recent maiden winner TWELFTH OF NEVER on handicap debut after last month’s course-and-distance success.

RACE 6

STEEL SPRING made marked improvement in first-time headgear to shed his maiden tag at long odds over 1600m. This extended trip could unlock further improvement so it may pay to follow his progress, especially with the compression hood retained. ARUMUGAM, HEROIC ACT and HOPSCOTCH have the means to trouble the selection off their reduced ratings. Class-droppers ITSNOWORNEVER, ARIEL’S JET and CIRCLE OF GRACE are also capable of making their presence felt. GHOSTBUSTER and FULL GO are others with earning potential.

RACE 7

GALLIC VICTOR made an eye-catching Highveld debut at this level for new connections and, with any improvement, should fight out the finish. SPECIAL ENVOY warrants the utmost respect after an impressive debut victory, especially with that experience to count on and this extended trip likely to suit. TOP FLOOR return from a rest but have shown enough to make his presence felt if fit. PEACE TREATY and MILLENNIUM WARRIOR can also get into the picture off their current marks.

RACE 8

ONE TIGER has maintained his form and consistency at this level over sprint distances, but he could have more to offer over the extra at this stage of his career. SEA SHANTY is distance suited and proven at this level so should play a leading role. Versatile veteran UNSOLVED RIDDLE and hard-knocking handicapper LONGSWORD have the means to acquit themselves competitively, along with SUNSET WARRIOR off a career-low mark. SPY STORY and stablemate ON A JET PLANE complete the shortlist.