Turf Talk Newsletter – 05 May, 2025

Gladatorian was given a fine ride by Sean Veale in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

The first Graded feature of the new era was the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and it saw a scintillating victory for the Stuart Ferrie-trained five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Gladatorian, who was given a fine ride by Sean Veale.

Gladatorian was offered at 20/1 by Hollywoodbets in the opening ante-post market for the traditional Champions Season opener and was recommended by Turf Talk (https://www.turftalk.co.za/kzn-yard-could-land-first-champions-season-blow/).

Those who took the eachway odds would have been smiling by race time, because with the field having cut up to 12 runners at the declaration stage he started Tote favourite and was a bookmakers starting price of 9/2.

Sean Veale did well to hold his position from draw five early on as Gladatorian was being pushed sideways on the hindquarters by the slower starting Great Plains, who was heading for the same gap.

Great Plains took his medicine and dropped back on to the rail, while Veale settled Gladatorian one out in midfield with cover.

Meanwhile, the Michael Roberts-trained second favourite See It Again probably had the best start of his career and was one of the first away from draw two under his new rider Raymond Danielson, who then settled him in the running three back on the rail.

Three-year-old Great Plains, who won the Listed Gatecrasher over this course and distance as a juvenile, was on the rail two positions behind See It Again right near the back. Both See It Again and Great Plains run in the colours of big KZN owner Nick Jonsson.

The pacemaker Texas Red switched outward off the false rail while See It Again went inward and a dream gap opened for Gladatorian, who showed his usual fine turn of foot and had hit the front by about the 150m mark.

See It Again was a strong contender on the inside and Great Plains, on the rail next to See It Again, was also right in it.

Gladatorian held on to beat See It Again by a short-head with Great Plains only 0,25 lengths further back.

The Real Prince ran on exceptionally well from last to be beaten just 1,35 lengths. Questioning, Cafe Culture and Montien were next best.

Gladatorian had thus landed a second Gr 2 at Hollywoodbets Greyville, having won the Post Merchants as a three-year-old.

He is owned by Messrs Late Agasthamuni Gujadhur, E G Hart de Keating, M L Jean Hardy and Gold Circle’s CEO Michel Nairac.

Veale, who praised Ferrie and his team for a fine training feat, said they had not been able to really gallop Gladatorian with the all the rain there had been at Summerveld, so said there was still plenty in the tank for him.

His next mission will likely be the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and thereafter it will either be the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July or the Gr 1 Champions Cup or both.

Gladatorian has never raced beyond 1750m before, but won when sent over the latter trip for the first time.

His pedigree, with Vercingetorix having won the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and his dam, who won over 2000m, being by stamina influence Dynasty, suggests he could get the 2200m of the July, despite the speed he possesses.

The Jonsson-owned pair See It Again and Great Plains can also look forward to fine respective Champions Seasons after excellent pipe openers.

Justin Snaith and Ravi Naidoo with the Gr 2 WSB Guineas trophy, which Snaith has now won six times. (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Passionate Durban owner Ravi Naidoo enjoyed multiple stakes race success, including Grade 1 and Grade 2 wins, with Vercingetorix colt Cousin Casey as a two-year-old and he came to the course on Saturday to watch that now five-year-old entire run in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes and to also watch his up and coming Vercingetorix colt, the Justin Snaith-trained Sail The Seas in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.

It was a comeback from injury run for Cousin Casey and not much was expected from him from a wide draw and he was duly beaten 5,65 lengths into tenth.

Sail The Seas then made amends under a fine ride by Muzi Yeni to enhance the Hollywoodbets Greyville Graded record of horses running in Ravi’s “Kalinga” French grey with a violet cap colours, which besides Cousin Casey’s multiple succeess also includes a Gr 2 WSB 1900 win for Future Swing.

Starting at 6/1 Sail The Seas edged out two open weight for age Gr 1 winners, his WSB Met-winning stablemate Eight On Eighteen (Lancaster Bomber) and the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes winner Cosmic Speed (Querari).

In a change of tactics to his come-from-behind second in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes behind Main Defender, Craig Zackey had no hesitation in taking Sean Tarry’s charge Cosmic Speed to the front in a field reduced to seven runners with the late scratching of Legal Counsel.

Cosmic Speed set sedate early fractions with Sail The Seas in close attendance and Eight On Eighteen off the pace, but still in touch some six lengths off the leader.

Zackey sat for as long as he could once off the false rail but with Sail The Seas breathing down his neck he was finally forced to go for broke.

But Yeni always had him in his sights and looked to have the upperhand as they entered the final furlong.

However, Eight On Eighteen was moving up well on the rail and became a threat to Sail The Seas.

Sail The Seas, who had looked immature during the Summer so was always likely to improve, won by 0,60 lengths with Eight On Eighteen next best and Cosmic Speed a long head further back.

Naidoo revealed Sail The Seas had been bought by himself, Dave MacLean, Rurik Gobel and Countess Labia on reflex while they had all been sitting at the same table at the BSA Nationals.

He said the chances of such a story working out in racing increased when the horse was bred by Drakenstein Stud.

Sail The Seas cost R500,000.

Drakenstein also bred Eight On Eighteen, so scored an exacta.

Sail The Seas will go the Daily News 2000 and Hollywoodbets Durban July route, while Eight On Eighteen will go Daily News and it will be decided from then.

Snaith said it had been tough for horses training out of Summerveld due to all the rain and felt it was just the ability of his two horses that had enabled them to come through.

He spoke highly of the current three-year-old crop with all of One Stripe, Eight On Eighteen, Cosmic Speed and Fire Attack winning open weight for age Gr 1s.

Fire Attack was unfortunately scratched from Saturday’s event.

Garrix holds on in a thrilling finish to the Gr 3 Legal Eagle Stakes. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Gavin Lerena won all three Feature races at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday and for three different stables. To quote commentator Alistair Cohen, Garrix had to “stretch every sinew in his body” to scramble home in the R350 000 1800m Grade 3 Legal Eagles Stakes, a nose ahead of the pacesetting 75/1 chance Otto Luyken, with the fastest finisher Mucho Dinero (25/1) a short-head away in third spot.

Garrix attracted solid on-course betting support, shortening from 16/10 to start at 9/10 but his legion of supporters were kept on the edge of their seats as Garrix made heavy weather of putting the race to bed. Otto Luyken stuck to his task well and it was only in the very last stride that Garrix put his nose in front, although Mucho Dinero would have swept past them both had the race been a few metres further. Garrix, a smart 3yo son of Vercingetorix, is trained by Piet Steyn and the gelding has now won the first two legs of the Winter Series and will hopefully be seen in the final leg, the Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes over 1950m on 25 May.

The One World colt, Dreamworld, bred by the Avontuur Stud, smashed a quality field of juveniles in the R300 000 Grade 3 Winter Nursery over 1100m. Gavin Lerena wasted no time in taking the initiative, forcing the early pace, and going quicker than his market rival North Point. Impressively, Dreamworld found another gear when Absolutely Yes and All The Rage loomed large, and the Vaughan Marshall-trained galloper went on to score decisively.

Absolutely Yes, having his first run as a gelding, ran on strongly from just off the pace and the son of Danon Platina will appreciate a stiffer test of stamina going forward. Although beaten into third spot, Aldo Domeyer was upbeat regarding the future of All The Rage and the son of Rafeef is another who looks to have a bright future. North Point was given every chance but failed to quicken over the final 200m and was edged out of the frame by the consistent Orbit.

Gavin Lerena was again seen at his superb best when driving Time For Love home in the R200 000 Ladies Mile over 1600m. Time For Love, winner of the Ladies Mile last year but without a victory since, sat in the box seat as Callmegetrix ensured a decent pace and the 5yo daughter of Time Thief had to dig deep to get the job done. Callmegetrix was brave in defeat and was only half-a-length in arrears at the line with Gimmethatpearl, Fun Zone, Kinda Winderful and Gold Poker Game all within a length of Time For Love in a blanket finish. Beware The Bomb having her first start since December never settled in running but was not disgraced, beaten little more than a length, and the impressive looking 3yo Lancaster Bomber could make amends in the near future.

Earlier in the day, Richard Fourie won three of the first four races, booting home She’s My World (11/10) in the opener, Jet A One (18/10) in the third race and Dumbledore (12/1) in the first leg of the Pick 6. Ironically, he was beaten in the second race on the afternoon’s shortest-priced favourite, Claire De Lune (4/10), who ran on powerfully but failed to reach the Andre Nel-trained Rikkitikkitavi (14/1) who skipped clear approaching the final 200m. Certainly, Rikkitikkitavi was not winning out of turn as she showed useful promise when a close fourth on debut and the 3yo daughter of Querari should make her mark beyond the maiden ranks.

Ruling Court holds off fast-finishing Field Of Gold (far side) to win the 2000 Guineas (Sky Sports Racing)

Sheik Mohammed’s Godolphin had weekend of a lifetime in global horse racing

By Robert Kieckhefer, UPI Racing Writer

There are good days. There are great days. And then there are — once in a great while — days like Godolphin had Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Churchill Downs in Kentucky and Newmarket in England.

Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and an accomplished horseman, might have dreamed of something like this weekend when he created Godolphin in the early 1990s. But he never could actually have expected it.

On Friday at Churchill Downs, Good Cheer extended her unbeaten record to seven straight with yet another dominating victory in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks. Godolphin’s Michael Banahan beamed as he hoisted the trophy. He said, paraphrasing his charming Irish brogue, “See ya at the Breeders’ Cup.”

On Saturday, Ruling Court edged clear in the final yards to win the Group 1 2,000 Guineas — the first European Classic of the year and England’s premier mile race for 3-year-olds, a stallion-making race won by an honor roll of champions including, lately, Frankel.

Godolphin also finished third and fourth with Shadow of Light and Tornado Alert. And note that Ruling Court was sired by Justify, the 2018 U.S. Triple Crown champion.

Later that same day, Godolphin took the first step toward a potential Triple Crown bid of its own as Sovereignty splashed through the sloppy Churchill Downs track to give Sheik Mohammed his long-sought after first victory in the Kentucky Derby.

Banahan beamed ever so broadly and said, “It’s a race we always wanted to win. … We’re so grateful to be standing here. … It’s a great feeling.”

No, wait. There’s more.

Sunday found Desert Flower battling gamely through the final furlong to land the Group 1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, another coup for the Godolphin racing operation and another quality filly eventually destined for the broodmare band — somewhere.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said the homebred Night of Thunder filly, who remains undefeated, is the best Godolphin has ever produced.

And two races before that, Beautiful Love romped home first by 4 1/2 lengths in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes with Godolphin stablemate Beautiful Love third. Both 4-year-old fillies were part of Godolphin’s international traveling team last year and doubtless are headed back to America this summer.

Godolphin, Appleby and jockey William Buick also finished first and second in a pair of 2-year-old races on the Newmarket program, showing more firepower is in the pipeline.

“It’s been an amazing weekend for Godolphin,” Appleby said, per Racing Post. “I’m in an incredibly lucky position. Outside the team there’s a huge amount of pressure, but for me it’s enjoyable and to be able to speak to His Highness [Sheikh Mohammed] every day is incredible.

“It’s not just what we’ve achieved here, but what we’ve achieved over in America. I said thanks to the team in the U.S. this morning as they’d tightened the screws a bit as I’m usually laid-back.”

Let It Be Said has been tipped to win the last race. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Tuesday May 6 Formguides and Selections 

Race 1

2 THREE TIGERS ran a lovely race on debut behind Gimmeathrill, he was slightly slow out the machine and still managed to storm home for fourth, there is no doubt that he will improve tremendously from that performance, he should go very close to winning. 3 CHURCHILLIAN is well related, he has run some very nice races in competitive fields, he should find this race much easier on Tuesday afternoon, he must have a good winning chance on form. 5 GOLD GIBOSKI put in a great performance on debut behind All The Rage, he was terribly green in running, and then stayed on strongly late to finish just over two lengths behind the winner, he will improve and must be respected. 8 THE ROARING ROCK will need to improve quite a bit to win, he might have a place chance at best in this field.

(Brandon Bailey: 2 – 3 – 5 – 8)

Race 2

8 SIGNOR DANTE found no support in the market on debut, he was very green early and then stayed on strongly to finish just under four lengths behind Green Planet, he should love the step up in trip to 1400m,  this is not a strong race, if he has made the necessary improvement back at home, he should go very close to winning. 5 DRICUS was a touch disappointing last time behind Show Off, he never really got into the race when they turned for home at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 21st of April, the drop in trip should help his chances, watch him closely. 9 OCEAN SKY has run two lovely races in succession, if he can get some luck in running from a wide draw here, he should be right there in the finish. 10 FATHER CHRISTMAS ran a much better race on the 14th of April behind Gold Dust, he looks to be improving with every start, he could sneak into the places from a wide draw.

(Brandon Bailey: 8 – 5 – 9 – 10)

Race 3

1 WILD APPLAUSE got going very late last time behind Angel’s Oasis, she was just off the speed early and then rattled home late to finish just over 0,5 lengths behind the winner, Jockey Muzi Yeni sticks with her from a good draw, if she can build on that last performance, she will go very close to winning. 3 LOUI’S STAR had no luck in running from a wide draw on the 14th of April behind Gold Dust, she has a lovely action, she gets a good draw, and Jockey Andrew Fortune has been booked to ride, watch for major improvement here. 2 SWEET CONIFER didn’t find much under pressure in her last start behind English Mistress, she has some fair form, from a good draw, she must be respected. 10 SUPREME FATE has been rested for 111 days, she looks progressive, if she doesn’t need the run badly, she could trouble them all in the finish. This is a competitive race, go wide in all your bets.

(Brandon Bailey: 1 – 3 – 2 – 10)

Race 4

1 WATER DRAGON stayed on really well last time behind Chasingtherainbow, he was a long way back and fought hard all the way to the line, from a good draw here, he should get the dream run in transit, on his best form, he has a good each way chance in this field. 2 UNICORN ALERT has dropped even further in the ratings, and the blinkers have been fitted, he was very disappointing in his last start, ignore that run completely, he is currently racing off a dangerous rating, he can easily win a race like this on his best form, include him into all bets. 8 TWO A PENNY has been rested for 146 days, she is a decent filly, her form is good, if she doesn’t need the run badly, she will be competitive. 6 LANDOFTHERISINGSUN won his maiden impressively on the 11th of February, the yard thinks highly of this gelding, the big weight on his back won’t make life easy for him, but he has ability, watch him closely.

(Brandon Bailey:  1 – 2 – 8 – 6)

Race 5

1 PINOT GRIGIO finished powerfully for third in his last start behind La Pulga on the 14th of April, he drops back in trip to 1600m, and he gets a good draw of one, he should get the run of the race on Tuesday afternoon, Jockey Ashton Arries knows this colt well, he will go very close to winning. 9 MAJOR MASTER needed his last run badly over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, he is a lovely looking gelding with lots of ability, he should be storming home late from a wide draw, watch him closely. 3 DIAMOND ROCK ran a fair race behind La Pulga on the 14th of April, he should love the drop in trip now to 1600m, from a good draw, he must be included into all bets. 2 FUTURE TURN never runs a bad race, he is consistent and should be amongst the places again.

(Brandon Bailey: 1 – 9 – 3 – 2)

Race 6

4 COSMIC RHYTHM absolutely took off late to run a great race behind Wehaveasituation on the 16th of April, he was drawn poorly last time and really made up good ground in the home straight to finish just over two lengths behind the winner, if he can build on that last performance, he will have a massive winning chance in this field. 8 WEHAVEASITUATION won well on the 16th of April, she was given a top ride by Jockey Andrew Fortune, she likes to race just off the speed early, and then she comes with a strong finish late, she can easily win again. 1 BEER WITH THE BOYS never runs a bad race, he is in excellent form at the moment, his last run was superb, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be right there again. 2 MIDWAY ran a much better race last time, he is currently racing off a competitive rating of 61, from a good draw, he must be respected.

(Brandon Bailey: 4 – 8 – 1 – 2)

Race 7

10 BEACH QUEEN really finished her race off nicely on the 16th of April behind Lady Look Alike, she was drawn poorly in a big field, and she caught the eye late to finish second, this looks to be a nice race for her, she will be very hard to beat here. 1 DREAM SEARCHER has done nothing wrong of late, she has been rested for 69 days, Jockey Craig Bantam knows her well, and she really enjoys this trip of 1400m, she must have a good place chance from a good draw. 7 SAINT BRIGID stayed on strongly late behind Wehaveasituation on the 16th of April, she will be ridden for some cover early, and she will be doing her best work late, include her into the play. 3 HANG OUT THE STARS ran a much better race on the 16th of April, she was only beaten just over four lengths by the winner, if she can back that performance up, she could sneak into the places.

(Brandon Bailey: 10 – 1 – 7 – 3)

Race 8

5 LET IT BE SAID ran a super race in the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile on the 14th of April, he was a bit strong early in the race, and then finished off nicely to run second behind the very talented Garrix, he should love the drop in trip here to 1400m, Jockey Richard Fourie knows him well, he will be hard to beat on his best form. 1 GALLIC DREAM is as honest as they come, he loves this trip of 1400m, from a good draw, he should be very competitive again. 4 SUGAR MOUNTAIN never got into the race over 1200m last time, ignore that run completely, he should show major improvement now that he steps up in trip. 3 SILVER FALCON came from a long way back in the Grade 3 Champagne Stakes on the 21st of April, he stayed on well to finish fourth behind some very talented sprinters, if he can build on that, he could have a place chance from a good draw.

(Brandon Bailey: 5 – 1 – 4 – 3)

Race 9

13 JET FORCE could be anything, he was very unlucky last time behind Paratrooper, he was caught a long way back in running, and unfortunately the gaps just didn’t appear when it was needed, he flashed home late to run a brilliant third, if he gets a smooth run in transit on Tuesday afternoon, he will be difficult to beat. 2 TRIPPI’S SILK won impressively on the 16th of April, he was very slow out the gates, and then powered home to win well, he can be a tricky ride, if the race works out for him, he will always have a good winning chance at this level. 12 CROWNED HORNBILL looks to be improving at a rate of knots, he won a gutsy race on the 14th of April, he showed speed early and then fought them off nicely, it was a top ride by Jockey Muzi Yeni, he must have a good winning chance again here. 15 KING’S QUEST is highly rated by the stable, he should love the drop in trip to 1200m, his form is good, include him into all bet types. (Brandon Bailey: 13 – 2 – 12 – 15)

Has a filly ever win the 2000 Guineas in England?

Picture: The picture gives a clue to the answer