There has not been an Equus Awards press release about the final points standings for the equine section of the Equus Awards, but a quick calculation shows Dave The King to have moved past his stablemate Gimme A Nother into the top spot for the Equus Horse Of The Year category.

However, it should be noted that the points logs hold no weight in deciding the champions, as they did last year, but are just there as a guideline for the expert panel, and there is also no longer a public vote.

This is probably as a result of the travesty last year when Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Winchester Mansion landed the Middle Distance award ahead of See It Again, despite the latter having clearly been the best performer in the category.

Dave The King was not even in the top five in the standings when the points standings were last released on July 10.

However, the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup he won on the last weekend of the season is regarded as a “Super Grade 1” and the 48 points he earned took him from 72 points to 120 points, surpassing Gimme A Nother’s 104 points.

His win did not change anything in the Equus Middle Distance award which is comfortably led by Royal Victory on 90 points.

It should be noted that the the four distance-related categories (Champion Sprinter, Miler, Middle Distance, and Stayer) excludes performances in age-group restricted races, meaning Green With Envy did not accumulate any points towards the Equus Middle Distance award for his victories in the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

However, Dave The King would have moved into the lead in the Champion Older male category ahead of Royal Victory and Thunderstruck.

Dave The King is on top of the Champion Miler category too.

Thunderstruck stays on top of the Champion Sprinter category thanks to Lucky Lad’s failure to win the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint. Lucky Lad got 20 points for second in the Mercury Sprint but that left him eight points shy of his stablemate.

Proceed stays on top of the log in the Champion Two-year-old male category thanks to a filly, VJ’s Angel, winning the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes.

The new darling of the SA Turf, Quid Pro Quo, is way clear on top of the Equus Two-year-old filly category.

No three-year-olds performed well enough on World Pool Gold Cup day to threaten Green With Envy’s and Gimme A Nother’s positions on top of the Equus Three-year-old Male and Equus Three-year-old filly categories respectively.

Likewise, Princess Calla was not ousted from her position on top of the Champion Older Female category.

In the stayers category Master Redoute would have joined Red Maple on top on 18 points.

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The expert panel consists of Graeme Hawkins (chair), Deez Dayanand, Vicky Minott, Nico Kritsiotis and Rouvaun Smit.

Gavin Lerena was the leading jockey in the Central Provinces (JC Photos)

The champions of some racing categories are decided on stakes and can already be announced.

Richard Fourie was the toast of the season having smashed what was thought to be one of the safest records in sport, the 334 wins of Anthony Delpech achieved in the 1998/1999 season. Fourie set a new mark of 377 wins and he also broke the East Cape record, 116 held by of Greg Cheyne, setting a new mark of 119, well clear of S’Manga Khumalo on 62 and Luyolo Mxothwa on 53. Fourie was also the KZN and Western Cape Champion jockey. In KZN his  126 wins, were well clear of Serino Moodley on 72 and Muzi Yeni on 62. In the Western Cape his 90 wins were clear of Grant van Niekerk on 68 and Aldo Domeyer on 62. The Central Provinces championship was dominated by Gavin Lerena, who had 153 wins, well clear of Calvin Habib on 89 and Muzi Yeni on 86. Fourie’s strike rates in East Cape, KZN and Western Cape were 24.84%, 24.47% and 20.55% respectively, while Gavin Lerena’s strike rate in the Central Provinces was 24.13%.

Kobeli Lihaba was national champion apprentice with 49 wins. Malesela Katjei had the most wins by an apprentice in the Western Cape, a paltry two, which underlined the effect no recruitments in the two Covid years had on the apprentice ranks. Lihaba led the KZN and East Cape tables on 29 and 13 wins respectively and Katjedi and Siyanda Sosibo both had 17 wins in the Central Provinces.

Anathi Feni won the Workriders Challenge and also had the equal most wins of 6 by a workrider during the season together with Phenisile Mongqawa.

The national champion trainer is Justin Snaith with stakes earnings of R20,981,288. Sean Tarry was expected to mount a strong challenge on World Pool Gold Cup day, but it did not materialise and in fact his yard has been going through a rare lean spell and have a current trot of 50 runs without a winner. Nevertheless Tarry finished second to Snaith for the second year in succession. His total earnings were R19,450,638. Brett Crawford was in third place on R18,848,063 followed by Mike de Kock on R17,655,844 and Candice Bass-Robinson on R14,517,800. Alan Greeff had the most wins, 139, followed by Gavin Smith on 134 and Snaith on 120. Brett Crawford with 106 and Tony Peter with 101 also had over 100 wins and Peter, who finished sixth in the championship on R13,018,438, had the highest strike rate of 18.9%.

Snaith was Western Cape champion trainer with 101 wins for stakes earnings of R17,254,163, followed by Bass-Robinson on 81 wins and R13,302,150 and Crawford on 62 wins and R8,447,188.

The Central Provinces champion was Mike de Kock on stakes earnings of R12,396,843.75 (66 wins) and Tony Peter on R11,983,937.50 (98 wins) was second with Sean Tarry on R11,484250.00 (70) wins third.

The KZN Championship and East Cape Championship is decided on number of wins.

Gareth van Zyl produced a late charge in the KZN Championship with two trebles in the last few meetings to pass Alyson Wright and claim the title by just one win from Alyson Wright, whose yard went through a lean spell and didn’t have a winner in the month of July. Van Zyl had 54 wins to Wright’s 53 and Wendy Whitehead was next best on 46.

In the East Cape Alan Greeff’s 139 wins were five clear of Gavin Smith on 134 and Kelly Mitchley was next best on 78.

The national champion breeders were Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein on stakes earnings of R32,691,781 followed by Drakenstein Stud on R30,753,181 and Varsfontein Stud on R22,153,894.

Drakenstein set a new record 21 individual stakes winners, breaking their own record set the previous season of 20. The 21 individual stakes winners won 31 stakes races between them, which was not as high as their 35 stakes wins the previous season.

Drakenstein Stud were easily the Western Cape champion breeders on R15,084,644, clear of Varsontein on R5,607,044 and Klawervei Stud on R5,256,800.

Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein dominated the Highveld breeders championship on R15,736,094 with Varsfontein on R8,893,750 and Drakenstein on R6,779,250.

They also won the KZN breeders championship on R7,664,250 from Varsfontein on R5,601,875 and Drakenstein on R5,477,438.

Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein also won the East Cape Championship on R4,168,338 beating local breeders Ascot Stud who returned 3,488,900 with Drakenstein on R3,411,850.

Drakenstein Stud were champion owners with R13,976,956 to the Hollywood Syndicate’s R13,154,675 and Sabine Plattner on R7,176,963.

The Western Cape standings were Drakenstein R7,561,019, Nick Jonsson R5,442,725 and Nick Jonsson & Douglas Ross R5,205,063.

The Central Province Champion owners were Messrs J F & L M F Wernars & Mrs T J Wernars on R5,452,250 followed by Messrs P J Victor, B J Wiese & Natasha Sturdy on R4,075,000 and Drakenstein Stud on R4,007,875.

KZN champion owners were the Hollywood Syndicate with stakes earnings of R6,609,500 from S Plattner on R3,726,500 and Messrs Greg Bortz & Leon Ellman & Ms Gina Goldsmith on R3,196,250.

The East Cape champion owners were Arun Chadha and Warne Ripon’s ASSM Racing Syndicate on stakes earnings of R1,978,225 with the  Hollywood Syndicate on R1,403,600 and Pine Lodge Stud & Halo Stables T/A Halo Syndicate (Nom: Mr A C Greeff) on R1,148,388.

Gimmethegreenlight was national champion sire for the third time and for the second time in succession he achieved what no other South African sire had done since at least 1953 and he might possibly have been the first in history to have done it.

The Varsfontein Stud-based son of More Than Ready has not only been National Champion Sire for two years in succession, but he has also been the leading sire of three-year-olds and the leading sire of two-year-olds for two years in succession (the breeding championships are based on stakes).
Gimmethegreenlight ended the season with his progeny having earned a total of R30,732,600 in stakes, a new South African record. He was not far ahead of Vercingetorix on 28,413,038 with Querari next best on R16,623,956.

One World set a new freshman stallion record mark of 30 individual winners of 40 races, breaking his father Captain Al’s 2004/2005 record of 22. He also equalled Captain Al’s overall two-year-old record of exactly 30 individual winners of exactly 40 races set in 2009 and would have broken it had the Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting not been moved from Wednesday to Thursday last week.

David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Wylie Hall gelding Fifth Of July wins cosily at Turffontein Standside on Saturday (JC Photos).

Two particularly well named horses, Dual Prophecy and Fifth Of July, won respective races at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

Both of their names are influenced by South Africa’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The Joe Soma-trained Dual Prophecy by Twice Over is a three-parts brother to Do It Again, being out of a half-sister to Do It Again and being by the same sire as Do It Again.

“Do It Again” is a synonym, in the right context, of “Twice Over”.

However, the name of the stalwart Justin Snaith-trained gelding Do It Again also turned out to be wonderfully prophetic.

He won the Durban July in 2018 … and then in 2019 he did it again.

Sheldon Peters rates the 2019 July as one of his most memorable commentaries and it certainly was a spine-tingling and wonderfully apt moment when he empasised on the finish line “… and he will DO It Again!”.

Following on from that wonderful feat the name Dual Prophecy is a very well thought out name indeed by his breeders Drakenstein Stud. It incorporates the number two of Twice Over’s name, but also the prophecy contained in the name of his three-parts brother … Do It Again’s name incorporates the number two in actuality and of course historically through his feat of being a dual July winner.

However, it goes further than that because Dual Prophecy’s dam is called Supreme Vision and of course a vision is often interpreted as a prophecy.

Perhaps Drakenstein only meant to incoporate the “vision” meaning into the name, but the name could incororate so much more and perhaps they saw that too.

Dual Prophecy is in fact a full-brother to See It Again, who has been strongly fancied in the last two Hollywoodbets Durban Julys and has finished second and an unlucky fifth respectively.

Dual Prophecy started his career in highly promising fashion with a narrow second over 1160m but then disappointed in his next three starts. He came back from a layoff to win his maiden on Saturday and will hopefully go on to realise his potential.

Fifth Of July was bred by Michael Leaf and he leased this horse to trainer David Nieuwenhuizen.

Michael owned Fifth Of July’s sire Wylie Hall and also owned his dam Virgo’s Babe after purchasing her in training.

Virgo’s Babe was a very quick Nieuiwenhuizen-trained filly by Malhub, who won the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery by an astonishing five length despite odds of 28/1.

She did not repeat that performance in the ensuing months, but did win the Listed Swallow Stakes the following January.

Later, Michael decided to make an offer for her after she had finished downfield in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint … the offer was accepted.

He kept her with Nieuwenhuizen and she won her first start for him in a Conditions Plate.

She then arrived at Greyville for one of the most fateful days of Michael’s life, the fifth of July, 2014.

Michael owned the crack Weiho Marwing-trained four-year-old colt Wylie Hall, who had won the Gr 1 SA Derby as a three-year-old and was coming off two good fourth place finishes in the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the Gr 1 Champions Challenge.

He was also at Greyville on the fifth of July, 2014 … to run in the Durban July.

In a dramatic finish Wiley Hall clung on under MJ Byleveld to beat the favourite Legislate in the big race.

However, after initially being bumped by Legislate, Wylie Hall had drifted outward in the finish, interfering with Legislate.

An objection was lodged and it was upheld, meaning Wylie Hall was demoted to second.

Many felt it was an unjust decision, questioning whether Legislate would have been able to overtake Wylie Hall anyway, while others pointed out that the first bump had come from an inward shift by Legislate.

Michael won widespread accolades for the sporting way in which he handled the bitter disappointment.

He pointed out in an interview today that the rule had changed that year in that the right to seek legal recourse to challenge an objection decision no longer existed … he therefore had no option but to accept what he himself felt was an unjust decision. He added that such luck was part and parcel of sport and mentioned the case of football whereby a result stands no matter the unfairness of a wrong penalty decision, for example.

Michael had almost immediate consolation for the unfortunate July loss when Virgo’s Babe won later on the same day under the lights. She not only won her 1200m event on the poly on the fifth of July , 2014, but she smashed the course record, a record that still stands today.

Wylie Hall went on to win the Gr 1 Champions Challenge to end his career with two Gr 1 wins as well as a Gr 2 and Listed event victories.

When Michael later sent Virgo’s Babe to Wylie Hall in the breeding shed there could only be one name for the resulting foal … Fifth Of July.

David Nieuwenhuizen had asked a long time beforehand whether he could lease the colt for himself and Michael granted him the wish.

The hard-knocking now eight-year-old gelding was recording his fourth career victory on Saturday and there could be more in the tank.

Meanwhile, Michael was forced to dramatically cut his numbers during the uncertainty of Covid-19, but he still maintains a foothold in breeding and racing.

Wylie Hall has become infertile, but not before produicng four stakes winners, including this year’s Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Down To Business.

Michael will hopefully soon be back in the game in a big way and nobody would ever begrudge him a Hollywoodbets Durban July victory to make up for that heartbreaking moment ten years ago.

Sudden Storm gelding Sudden Song (closest) gives Luyolo Mxothwa and Brett Crawford a treble together at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Futura Park trainers Justin Snaith and Brett Crawford dominated the race meeting held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, saddling three winners apiece across the nine-race programme.

Snaith was the first to draw blood when Knockout, who drifted alarmingly from 9/2 to 14/1, stormed home from the back of the field under Grant Van Niekerk to win the second race, a competitive Middle Stakes (F&M) over 1400m, beating the Crawford pair of Princess Izzy and Enemy Territory by a comfortable margin. Snaith and Van Niekerk followed up in the third race, the Cape A Stakes over 1100m, when We’re Jamming (5/1) finally put his act together to claim a long overdue victory at the expense of his lesser fancied stable companion, Speed Machine.

Snaith’s third winner came in the fifth race, the R200 000 Winter Country Final (Class 5) over 1400m, when Anthony Andrews produced the 20/1 chance Cloud Chaser with a good finish to easily beat home the favourite Spirit’s Unite. Her unexpected victory paved the way for a massive R68 000 Jackpot dividend as well as a Pick 6 Carryover on a challenging day for punters, as racing returned to a sticky Kenilworth following a lengthy absence due to the record rains experienced in July.

Crawford’s first winner came in the opening leg of the Pick 6, a Class 3 Handicap over 1400m, with Solar Power, who relishes soft underfoot conditions, scoring a dominant victory over the Snaith pair of Future Turn and Innamorare. In the seventh race Crawford’s Great Cat was scratched due to elevated TCO2 levels but stable companion, Night Bomber, came to the yard’s rescue, leading from start to finish under Louis Mxothwa to post a 3-length victory over Lunch Money. Crawford and Mxothwa completed their hat trick in the eighth race, in which Sudden Song (10/1) bounced back to his best form to hold off King Pelles and Twice The Master in a hard-fought thrilling finish.

Punters began the race meeting on the front foot when La Pulga (16/10) took out the first race, an Open Maiden over 1400m, in very easy fashion and the progressive son of Pomodoro looks a cut above the average. Thereafter it was generally very tough going for punters, but some relief came in the last race won in good style by the favourite Holding Thumbs.

Mascherina earned bold black type on Sunday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Cape Breeders

Ridgemont’s exciting young stallion Malmoos got yet another boost to his impressive female line when his half-sister Mascherina won the Listed Off To Stud Stakes (1600m) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

A four-year-old daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, Mascherina made it three wins from her last four starts with a convincing display on Sunday.

Under Tristan Godden, the Peter Muscutt-trained filly hit the front in Sunday’s Listed feature full of running and she went away to score by nearly half a length.

Bred and owned by Varsfontein Stud, Mascherina, also closely related to Sunday’s impressive winner Maphaka, has now won four of eight starts and earned R361 625 in prize money.

She is the third stakes winner produced by Fort Wood’s Listed Spook Express Handicap winner Justthewayyouare, who not only produced the top-class Malmoos but also G3 East Cape Derby/G3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Captain Splendid.

Justthewayyouare, a half-sister to successful sire Master Of My Fate, has a Vercingetorix colt (Lot 180) on offer at the August Two Year Old Sale.
Her star son Malmoos, who shares his champion sire Captain Al with current star sire One World, was a top-class racehorse who won South Africa’s Triple Crown in 2021.

Not only did Malmoos win the G1 World Sports Betting SA Derby, G1 World Sports Betting SA Classic and G2 World Sports Betting SA Classic in 2021, he also captured the G2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup and the G3 Palacebet.co.za Live Games Graham Beck Stakes.

Australia’s greatest race, The Melbourne Cup (aushorse.com) 

TABGOLD customers have had more opportunities to win on Australian flat and harness racing since Friday 2 August, because Quinella and Quartet bets have been added to the range of bets that were commingled with Australian tote betting giant Tabcorp.

TABGOLD customers can now take Win, Place, Exacta, Trifecta, Rolling Double, Jackpot, Quinella (first two finishers, any order) and Quartet bets bets directly into Tabcorp pools through TABGOLD.

The unit of betting and minimum bet amount will be R1 and R6 respectively with no fractional betting, as is the case with existing Tabcorp commingled bets on Australian races.

Witness Stand wins easily at the Glorious Goodwood meeting (via X)

Cape Breeders

Paardeberg Stud’s Breeders’ Cup winning sire Expert Eye enjoyed success at Glorious Goodwood on Saturday when his son Witness Stand won the Whispering Angel Handicap.

Successful on his racecourse debut at Chester last summer, the Expert Eye gelding had failed to add to his tally since, but had run some sound races in defeat – notably filling the runner-up spot in the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket in November.

Back on a sound surface and with cheek pieces applied for the first time, Witness Stand showed his true colours on the Sussex Downs, readily accounting for Piz Nair by three lengths.

Clover said: “He’s been second in three of his last five starts coming into here, so he’s run some very good races behind good horses, and it all worked for him today. He wasn’t right at Chester last time – there were a few Newmarket horses a bit in and out of form, and he was clearly better than that run. He worked well last week and I thought he was a big price today.”

Expert Eye, whose progeny also include G3 Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes winner Juniper Berries and Listed Chesham Stakes winner Snellen, was a superb racehorse. A group winner at both two and three, he crowned his career with a scintillating victory in the 2018 G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The son of Acclamation stands his first season in South Africa in 2024.

Goodwood holds 19 days of racing per year.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE HISTORY OF GOODWOOD RACECOURSE