Turf Talk Newsletter – 08 September, 2026

Justin Snaith, Keagan de Melo and Blaine Marx-Jacobson are the respective favourites for the Lucky Fish Top Trainers Championship, the Lucky Top Jockeys Championship and the Lucky Fish Top Apprentices Championship respectively.

Snaith is at odds of 15/10, Alan Greeff is at 18/10, Tony Peter is at 5/1, Sean Tarry is at 5/1 and Dean Smith and the De Kocks are at 25/2 and 14/1 respectively.

However, it will likely be  a two horse race between Snaith and Greeff and Snaith must be a good thing with a big yard in Cape Town together with a yard in KZN to draw from with Greeff only having his one yard at Fairview and thus being limited to one or maybe two meetings a week and Snaith likely having an average of about four a week.

In the Top Jockeys Championship De Melo is even money followed by Richard Fourie and Craig Zackey on 3/1 and 4/1 respectively with Lerena and Matsunyane on 6/1 and 16/1 respectively.

The Top Apprentice Champiohsip has Blaine Marx-Jacobson at 16/10, Anaas Mosaheb at 2/1, Dezahn Louw, Trent Mayhew and any other apprentice at 14/1 and Damyan Pillay at 20/1.

Click here to read about the rules of the Championships

The respective leaderboards are shown below:

Hah Lah Lah won her last start over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville by 3,30 lengths running off a merit rating of 100 in a Class 3 Handicap (Picture: Race Coast)

One of Hawwaam’s promising progeny is the Dean Kannemeyer-trained gelding Hah Lah Lah, who has won four out of five starts and is already rated 108.

He is unbeaten in three starts on turf and has won over trips from 1200m to 1400m.

Dean Kannemeyer said, “All is good with Hah Lah Lah, he will probably come out at the end of September and I will start prepping him. They are all back in Cape Town and they all traveled well.”

A race like the Gr 2 Cape Merchants in December could be on the radar, presuming he will be kept to sprints for the time being.

Hah Lah Lah looks to have the stamina capacity to stay a mile, but the question is whether he will settle over that trip.

He did something unusual and impressive in his only win over 1400m. It was on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville and he was returning from a long injury enforced break that had required three months of box rest, a month of just walking and a month of just trotting before beginning normal work.

On that occasion he missed the break and was left in last place early. The pace was then slow and as Craig Zackey had a fresh horse underneath him he decided it was pointless trying to hold him back so he just let him circle the field at his own comfortable pace. He half expected him to tire in the straight, but in the end when challenged he found another gear and pulled away from a good field with the Hollywoodbets Durban July entry JP’s Palace in a 0,60 length second.

That race suggested he would have the stamina capacity for a mile.
Perhaps he does but the question is would he settle over that trip?

In his next start he had another wide draw over 1400m on the poly and broke slowly again. This time Zackey attempted to settle him at the back, but fought a losing battle as he continually pulled and only had enough in the straight to finish fifth.

Hah Lah Lah, who needed plenty of work on his starting stall performance, has had two sprints subsequently over 1200m, both at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

He won the first of them by a length off a 94 merit rating in a B Stakes race and won the second of them by 3,30 lengths in a Class 3 Handicap off a 100 and was raised to 108.

He should have an exciting four-year-old season being by Hawwaam and having had only five runs.

Hawwaam looks increasingly likely to follow in the footsteps of his sire Silvano as far as progression goes. His progeny are tending to improve with age and he does not tend to throw precocious horses (see article dedicated to him in this newsletter).

Brave Waam is a progressive sort who can continue to be followed (JC Photos)  

Hawwaam is beginning to make an impact as a sire and is following in the footsteps of his six-times champion sire Silvano.

Hawaam’s progeny do not look to be precocious and they improve with age and most of them will likely enjoy going over ground, although there will be the odd classy speedster too. That was the general pattern of Silvano’s progeny.

Reigning Champion Sire Vercingetorix is also by Silvano and looks likely to outdo him, but simply because he is a phenomenon who produces champions at all ages and over all distances.

Hawwaam has only had two stakes winners, but as his first crop have now just turned four bigger things can probably now be expected of him.
Hawwaam was not a straight forward horse and was famously scratched before the start of both the SA Derby and Durban July. Some of his progeny seem to have inherited his quirks.

One of his promising progeny is the Dean Kannemeyer-trained gelding Hah Lah Lah, who has won four out of five starts and is already rated 108. He is unbeaten in three starts on turf and has won over trips from 1200m to 1400m. Big things can be expected of him this season as a four-year-old son of Hawwaam who has only raced five times.

Another Hawwaam who has shown a big engine lately and is progressive is the Tony Peter-trained Brave Waam.

In his penultimate start over 1450m at the Vaal Classic track he was used up a lot early to get into the box seat and yet stayed on well to just fend off the challengers.

He proved that to be a good performance on Saturday, because this time he was well draw in three over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track and was able to get to the front comparatively comfortably and this time he won comfortably by 1,90 lengths, despite being off a three point higher mark of 82.

This four-year-old has won three of his last four starts and is the only horse to have beaten the exciting prospect Mission To Mars, doing it in the maidens. The latter came from way back and that day and overtook the rest of the field, but could not fetch Brave Waam. It had looked to be a case of Mission To Mars mis-timing his run, but in fact there was six lengths back to the third horse Periodic Table and seven lengths back to the fourth horse Silver Comet, both of whom won next time out.

So, the Brave Waam formline is one to take note of.

Glen Kotzen won on Friday night with the three-year-old Hawwaam gelding Danny Atlas, who enjoyed the step up to 1600 and beat a well regarded sort in Dreadnought.

The two stakes-winning Hawwaams are the Weichong Marwing-trained Diogenes and the Tony Peter-trained Perfect Miracle.

Diogenes was the first of his stakes winners and fittingly his stakes win was in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes over 2000m, which used to be called the Derby Trial. He finished fourth in the SA Derby but has not done much since. However, he could debelop into a useful stayer.

Perfect Miracle won both the Gr 3 WSB Sycamore Sprint over 1160m and the Gr 2 TAB Camellia Stakes over the same course and distance. In her last start she finished a 2,95 length fifth in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint. She has substance and won the Camellia Stakes from the usually unfavourable draw of one out of nine, so should be one to follow in her four-year-old career.

In fact Hawwaams in general should be watched as he looks to be a sire with plenty of promise.

Former KZN-based one-time winner Diamond Maker makes his East Cape debut  in the last race (Picture: Race Coast)

Fairview Poly Wednesday 9 September 2026 – Comments by Trevor Reid

RACE 1

MADRA RUA has been a disappointment to date in that he has yet to score. The well-bred gelding should beat these rivals trying the Polytrack for the first time. TWICE A QUEEN is a Twice Over filly making a debut for the Alan Greeff-Richard Fourie combination and must be respected. INDESTRUCTABLE has hinted at winning but may have preferred the turf. He is a threat. GOOD SHINE and NORSE WARRIOR both showed improvement last time out and could earn more money.

RACE 2

A small field but a competitive looking race. COCO BEACH has only been modest in three starts on the grass but could show improvement at this track and in a weak field like this. AMONG THE WILLOWS is still learning and although well beaten last time out she must have a chance at this low level. ALLEYAH’S ROCKET looked a winner till hanging in late and can contest the finish once again. QUEEN OF CASTILLE and JAZZ AWAY seem better than their last runs suggest and could surprise.

RACE 3

Another small but competitive field. ONCIDIUM has to give weight to all her rivals but is in good form and could score. AUGUSTA ROSSO is not as consistent as that rival but does have the ability to beat these rivals. POTENZA is improving and could be a threat. ALEX MILLER had a bit in hand when scoring last time out but is not an easy ride. EAST COAST GIRL and ROYAL MISSY have run in better races than this throughout the year and should be included in the Pick 6.

RACE 4

INGQWELE remains in very good form and should make a bold bid. TENJIKU should strip fitter this time and is capable of improvement. WORLD CHOICE is clearly better than a modest last run. TOO LATE MY MATE is knocking hard at the door and must be respected. VILA VICOSA and SUPREME JUDGE are not reliable but would not be surprise winners either.

RACE 5

NEW DAY showed what she is capable of with a very easy victory last time out and could follow up. BLUE PALACE looks her biggest threat and is course and distance suited. WOMAN IN GOLD and BOSNAY are not reliable but can earn. ROCKIE BLUE needed the last run and could make the frame. OH MANDY and MY AMI BEACH are both capable of late progress and could run places.

RACE 6

TORI’S GIRL may have just needed her last run. Fitter now she could bounce back and beat these rivals. OCEAN FLAME showed improvement last time and is not out of it. BLOOD OF EDEN will prefer this distance and could upset. DEE DEE’S DELIGHT and NIGHT IN JAPAN have shown improvement of late and must be respected. PRESERVE FOREVER is unreliable but is at her best over this track and distance.

RACE 7

Another very open race. MIO DESTINO did not show his best last time out. He is capable of winning a race of this nature. TASTE THE RAINBOW fought on for a solid victory last time out and could have more to offer. HONORINE’S GIMMIE is very consistent and deserves a winning turn. REAL WAR would probably prefer the turf but has done enough on this surface as of late to hold a winning chance. NOTORIX, CLAIRWOOD ROSE and BANDMASTER are all capable of running well when in the right frame of mind.

RACE 8

A very open race and it might pay to go very wide in the Pick 6. DIAMOND MAKER makes a local debut and it may well be a winning one. BUMPS LAST GRIND has been scratched a couple of times of late but can win a race of this nature. MARKETA is capable of earning money. ROCK UP was a very easy maiden winner that could have more wins in her tank. TRULY MAGICAL is in good shape and can make the frame. REMIND ME OF YOU and WORDSWORTH have both done enough of late to hold claims of scoring at this level.

Picture: Corsaro Super won on August 13, but tests hve shown the presence of an anabolic steroid in his system. Anabolic steroids are strictly categorized as Class 1 Forbidden Substances and are prohibited from being administered to a racehorse at any time, both in and out of competition (JC Photos)

PRESS RELEASE

Interim Suspension: CORSARO SUPER

The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa confirms that, following laboratory analysis conducted by its laboratory, the presence of an anabolic steroid, a forbidden substance in terms of the Rules, was detected in a urine specimen taken from CORSARO SUPER after the gelding won Race 2 at the Vaal Racecourse on 13 August 2026. The analysis also revealed the presence of a corticosteroid in the specimen.

In accordance with Rule 91.2, the Chief Executive has imposed an interim suspension on CORSARO SUPER pending the outcome of an Inquiry. The date for the Inquiry has not yet been finalised.

This interim suspension is a precautionary regulatory measure and does not constitute a finding of guilt. It has been imposed solely to safeguard the integrity and proper functioning of horseracing pending the conclusion of the Inquiry process.

Vee Moodley

Chief Executive

Tycoon Resources has won three out of four starts and should go close in the last race in the eight race meeting (Picture: HKJC) 

After three scorers on Sunday, At The Races tipster Tim Carroll returns with selections, analysis and a tricast on Wednesday as the season kicks off at Happy Valley.

This Wednesday sees a competitive eight race card from Happy Valley getting underway at 13H05 SA Time and the feature of the meeting is race 5, The Class 3 Central Handicap, over 1 mile, offering prize money of more than £200,000.

Now, onto this week’s selections:

Click here for a comprehensive guide to the meeting

The five-time winner Happy Fortune (Pathfork) is one of the horses who have benefited from Glyn Redgrave’s schooling (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Summerveld-based horse whisperer Glyn Redgrave has become a local legend in the way he can turn a horse’s fortunes around and he explained how methods used on polocrosse horses had helped him in his work with thoroughbred racehorses.

He said, “South Africa have won the polo crosse world cup three times. They used to get their butts kicked until it was decided to focus on our horses. When we first played this game we had running reins and gags and all kinds of horrible devices on horses. Now you will just find a snaffle. Our level of horsemanship has gone through the roof. If you want a good polocrosse horse you should be able to pick up a polocrosse ball anywhere around it, which is 358 degrees if you take out the blindspots. The horse shouldn’t have an issue picking up the ball from its front left foot, its front right foot, from the back feet, from around its belly, around its head etc. So that horse has to be educated to pressure all the way around it and it is then not going to dump a rider.”

He continued, “Most thoroughbred racehorses will whip to the left, because most of the interaction happens on the left of a horse. So, I specialise in taking left-handed horses and educating their right side. So, all I am doing is using polocrosse schooling to make racehorses, showjumpers, polo horses, any horse for that matter more educated. Riding it becomes safer as it doesn’t have a favourable side or doesn’t have a dodgy left side or a nervous front right foot etc. The horse has to understand what it has to do, otherwise you are going to be taking shortcuts like using the hood to load a horse, although it is sometimes necessary when a horse is inconsistent in nature and renders his or her strength against us. The methodology also helps farriers etc just by desensitising horses and calming them down to have halter manners. And that’s all loading the horses into the pens is about. If it doesn’t listen to the pressure from the halter, then it’s not going to go in and it’s the same as being led into a horse box or across a puddle etc.”

Glyn is known as “Checkers” or “Plastic” by Grooms at Summerveld as he carries a plastic packet around with him when schooling horses.

He said, “The only time you know whether there is a problem with a horse is when there is pressure. So the starting pens, for example, is big pressure. Furthermore, because most people are right handed, most horses lunge better to the left, but I am left handed, so I do the opposite. That is also how I find in life, by not listening to people and finding your own way, you get further ahead than by repeating other people’s mistakes. So, I have come up with my own way of helping horses understand pressure on the right. You will find that when you do start lungeing an insecure horse on the right it won’t take long before it wants to stop and turn and go left, because that is what it knows … it knows pressure on its left. But that is our fault, because we walk up to the left hand side of a horse and from that side we put the halter on, put the bridle on, put the saddle on, put the jockey on and in every ring in the morning you will see every horse walking a left circle.”

He continued, “In actual fact we should be doing everything with them from both the left and the right. There is just a tradition of what we should and shouldn’t do with horses and that is how horsemanship gets stuck in a hole. Instead of the methodology of educating the horse, there is just this one approach … and if you listen to a horse it is going to tell you what to do.”

So the plastic packet he carries is firstly used to find out where the pressure sides are and then to educate the horse that there is nothing to fear.

He said, “Often people ask me what are you doing with that packet, swatting flies? No, I am swinging that packet to see if that eye is going to be set off, I’m looking to see if it has any trouble with what I’m doing and if it does then it will tell me and react and then I will know it’s likely going to have trouble at the pens and we can work on it before going to the pens.”

He said, “I herd them around with a plastic packet, then I do join up with the plastic packet, then I get them to accept the packet from the ground, to up and above it, to sitting on the fence on the rails with the packet and then by sitting on its back and swinging the packet. The excercises with the packet always start on the left, because that is where the horse is used to pressure coming from. All those excercises you do in the ring with the packet, you will eventually be doing in the pens with the horse to desensitize it.”

He continued, “Everything done is about educating a horse to pressure. You wouldn’t bring the packet out for the first time at the pens, that would be stupid as it would then be scared of the packet and could then hurt itself in the pens. At the pens you should also let horses rear etc and say to them ‘okay I am not as big and strong as you so rear if you want to’, let them get the immaturity out of them and eventually the penny drops and they realise there is nothing to fear around the pens.”

One of the most rewarding cases of Glyn’s work was the Darryl Moore-trained Happy Fortune, who refused to jump when first going to the pens and has now won five races and R470,000 in stakes.

Happy Fortune’s problem was she used to be head shy and when the gates opened she used to sit back on the back gate.

He said, “That was wierd because normally with the herd mentality and with a line of horse jumping it usually pulls most horses out. So the ones that don’t want to jump there is a problem with the feet, because the brain goes ‘no” and the feet freeze. ‘Sticking Up’ is a normal respone too for horses who don’t want to go into a float. However, once you educate them with that plastic packet they will finally accept the thing they don’t really want to accept. Then teaching them at the pens with the packet makes it mentally, emotionally and physically easier for them to get through it. So there are things they have to understand under pressure, mentally understand what’s going on, emotionally be happy about doing it, which most horses aren’t, and then physically be able to move their feet to accept the excercise of going into the pens.”

He concluded, “Happy Fortune overcame her fear by us jumping her out of the gates with a lead. She then realised she could pop her head out of the gates when the gates opened. Once she had overcome that fear we used to just put her head in the V and her head was then free as soon as the gates opened, unlike when she was sitting back.”

Glyn gives trainers of such horses excercises to do to prevent them from ever sticking up.

Horses do need to be reschooled if something untoward happens at the races.