See It Again, a dual Gr 1 winner who was a narrow second in the Hollywoodbets Durban July last year and who, as things stand, will be the topweight this year. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Even if See It Again does not win this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, his mere presence will have a big impact on the race.

Or to be more accurate, his presence at the time of the publishing of the weights could be the key to the final result.

This is presuming the 131-rated Main Defender will be scratched before the publishing of the weights as a horse who is unlikely to stay the trip.

See It Again is currently merit rated 132.

Ignoring Main Defender, there are, as things stand, only eight horses who are in the handicap, or, in other words, not under sufferance.

An example of what an impact See It Again will have on the race can be seen in the three-year-olds weights with him in the race and with him out of the race.

With See It Again in the race Green With Envy carries 53,5kg as things stand and Lucky Lad carries 53kg, Purple Pitcher carries 53kg, Snow Pilot 53kg, Pure Predator 53kg, Frances Ethel 52kg, Oriental Charm 53kg, Hluhluwe 53kg, William Iron Arm 53kg, Hotarubi 53kg, Mid Winter Wind 53kg, Silver Sanctuary 52kg, My Soul Mate 52kg.

Without See It Again then Dave The King off 126 becomes the topweight and in that case Green With Envy will carry 56,5kg, Lucky Lad will carry 55,5kg, Purple Pitcher 55kg, Snow Pilot 55kg, Pure Predator 54,5kg, Frances Ethel 54kg, Oriental Charm 54kg, Hluhluwe 53,5kg, William Iron Arm 53,5kg, Hotarubi 53kg, Mid Winter Wind 53kg, Silver Sanctuary 53kg, My Soul Mate 52,5kg.

So Green With Envy, the ruling favourite, will be the three-year-old who most wants See It Again to be in the race.

Hotarubi and Mid Winter Wind are the three-year-olds who most want him to be scratched before the setting of the weights.

Main Defender is unlikely to run in the race as one with a stamina doubt. However, he remains among the entries and if it is decided to run him then he will have little impact on the weights if See It Again is in the race. However, he will be hugely important if See It Again is scratched before the publishing of the weights.

In the latter case then, as things stand, Green With Envy and Lucky Lad will be the two three-year-olds who will most want Main Defender to be there.

Of course there could be a shake up in the three-year-old weights after the running of the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and Woolavington 2000, particularly if both Green With Envy and Frances Ethel are beaten.

The below shows the weights as things stand with 1) See It Again in the race and 2) without him (and in both instances it is presumed Main Defender is not in the race.)

Weights, as it stands, without See It Again 

Gold Circle

Above is the first 2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July Log as issued today by Gold Circle.

The Log was determined by Messrs Lennon Maharaj (Senior Handicapper), Raf Sheik and Graeme Hawkins and their deliberation was overseen by Manfred Rohwer, Chairman of the Gold Circle Racing Committee.

The panel considered Merit Ratings, Current Form and Graded Race performances in arriving at their decision and the issuing of the Log is to provide a clear indication to all stakeholders and racing fans as to where each horse fits into the pecking order with just 53 days to go before the running of the R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 6 July.

In a genuine effort to be as transparent as possible, the Log is issued on the basis that if the HDJ was run today, these are the horses that would make up the final field. But there are still a number of key races scheduled in the coming weeks, presenting an opportunity for horses to improve their chances of being considered for the final field at the time of final declarations at 11:00 on Monday 24 June.

Forty-five horses stood their ground at the first acceptance stage yesterday with the second declaration stage set for Monday 3 June. A notable scratching was the unbeaten 3-year-old filly, Gimme A Nother who is destined to continue her racing career in America. Flag Man was the only additional supplementary entry after his eye-catching win on Saturday, but he will need to perform well in the Daily News 2000 to get into the final HDJ field. There is a final supplementary entry stage which closes at 11:00 on Tuesday 18 June. The Log reflects the top twenty horses in order of preference and the next six in alphabetical order.

#HDJ2024 #HDJ #HollywoodbetsDurbanJuly #HDJRideTheWave

Richard Fourie produced a phenomenal finish from Lucky Lad to win the Gr 2 Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes (JC Photos) 

Richard Fourie scored the most votes in the Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month competition for April for his ride on Lucky Lad in the Gr 2 Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein Standside.

The first correct voter to be drawn out of the hat in the draw for the prize was Don Ismay.

He wins:

1 x Night stay at Graceland for 2 including breakfast
1 x round of golf for 2
1 x Dinner Voucher

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ABOUT GRACELAND’S STAY AND PLAY GOLF PACKAGES

Posted below is the Turf Talk description of the ride and the replay can be watched by clicking at the bottom:

Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby winner Green With Envy started off his Champions Season campaign in fine style by winning the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and he heads the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 entries (Picture: Wayne Marks)  

Gold Circle

Recent Gr2 WSB Guineas winner and ruling ante-post favourite for the R5million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, Green With Envy heads the list of a dozen high class nominations for the Gr1 Daily News 2000.

Dean Kannemeyer’s colt has impressed with every race as he has matured winning the Gr1 Splashout Cape Derby and showing a tremendous turn of foot to collar star performer Sandringham Summit in the Gr2 WSB Guineas, a distance many thought was now on the sharp side for the Derby winner.

Nine of the 12 nominations are rated 109 and better, an indication of the class of opposition Green With Envy will face should they all stand their ground at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, May 25. Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot may lead the charge ahead of Pure Predator and recent WSB 1900 runner-up, Oriental Charm.

The Gr1 Woolavington 2000 is open to older fillies and mares and the Andre Nel-trained Saartjie staked her claim with an emphatic victory in the Listed KRA East Coast Cup, coming from almost last to run down Brett Crawford’s filly Future Girl in the last few strides. Nel’s filly is among the 12 nominations and also holds an entry in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Leading the three-year-old entry is recent Gr2 SA Oaks winner Frances Ethel. Second over 1400m on debut, she has racked up four straight wins including The Oaks Trial and The Oaks for Brett Crawford. Barry Irwin, Astute principal of Team Valor, has bought into the filly and his judgement is rarely off the mark.

Race-6(Turf)  R 1,500,000  2000m     0

TABGOLD WOOLAVINGTON 2000 (Grade 1)

For Fillies & Mares at Weight-For-Age

WFA: 2yrs-12.5kgs 3yrs-2.5kgs 

No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance

11   BELLEVARDE         (5M) 60.0 110  AT  Joe Soma

7   NONE OTHER         (4F) 60.0 110  A   Lucky Houdalakis

5   SAARTJIE           (4F) 60.0 110  A   Andre Nel

6   GILDED BUTTERFLY   (5M) 60.0 108 CA   Stuart Pettigrew

10   HOLD MY HAND       (4F) 60.0 108  A   Glen Kotzen

3   PERFECT WITNESS    (5M) 60.0 105  A   Candice Dawson

4   FUTURE GIRL        (4F) 60.0  97  A e Brett Crawford

2   FRANCES ETHEL      (3F) 57.5 118  A   Brett Crawford

1   SILVER SANCTUARY   (3F) 57.5 116  A   Mike de Kock

8   MY SOUL MATE       (3F) 57.5 115 CA   Candice Dawson

9   BEATING WINGS      (3F) 57.5 114  A   Stuart Pettigrew

12   MINOGUE            (3F) 57.5 102  A   Wendy Whitehead

(12)

Race-7(Turf)  R 2,000,000  2000m     0

DAILY NEWS 2000 (Grade 1)

For 3 year-olds

No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance

7   GREEN WITH ENVY    (3C) 60.0 123  A   Dean Kannemeyer

12   SNOW PILOT         (3C) 60.0 120  A   Justin Snaith

4   PURE PREDATOR      (3G) 60.0 119  A   Fanie Bronkhorst

5   ORIENTAL CHARM     (3C) 60.0 118  A   Brett Crawford

8   HLUHLUWE           (3G) 60.0 117  A   Justin Snaith

1   WILLIAM IRON ARM   (3C) 60.0 117  A   Tony Peter

11   HOTARUBI           (3G) 60.0 116 CAT  Sean Tarry

6   MID WINTER WIND    (3G) 60.0 116  A   Sean Tarry

9   BARBARESCO         (3G) 60.0 109  A   J A Janse van Vuur

3   JORDAN             (3G) 60.0  97  AT  Sean Tarry

10   THE GREY KING      (3G) 60.0  96 HA e Justin Snaith

2   FLAG MAN           (3G) 60.0  92  A   Gareth van Zyl

(12)

Cape Racing

Cape Racing hosted a visit by three Korean Racing Association (KRA) delegates at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday, 8 May 2024. The KRA delegates visited Cape Town before heading off to Hollywoodbets Greyville for the KRA East Coast Cup (L), which was run on 11 May 2024 and which was fittingly won by the Cape Town horse, the Andre Nel-trained Saartjie (Dynasty).

The delegation comprised Mr. Byunghyun Yoon, Auditor General (Representative), Mr. Haksoo Yeo, Senior Manager of the Audit Team and Mr. Seyoon Kim, Deputy Senior Manager of the Audit Team. The visiting delegation enjoyed a day of local food, tours and conversation hosted by Justin Vermaak, Executive Racing and Bloodstock, Mervin Gamble, Head of Betting, Craig Theron, Betting Manager and Alistair Cohen, Senior Manager – Broadcast and Commentating.

This visit was part of a long-standing partnership between Gold Circle and the Korean Racing Association (KRA), where the KRA has naming rights to a race organized by Gold Circle. In return, the KRA names a race in Korea for Gold Circle and invites them to send delegates.

This partnership helps to build relationships and provides opportunities for staff to learn from different markets and operations for both jurisdictions. Korea is a significant player in horseracing and offers substantial prize money.

In the past, Korea and South Africa have provided opportunities for jockeys and apprentices to race in each other’s countries. With direct exports opening up, Korea may become a future trading partner.

Deryl Daniels with the connections of Buster Barnes, who had just become the 7th horse in history to land the Zimbabwe Triple Crown (Picture: LoveRacingZimbabwe)

Deryl Daniels has been left with a dilemma any jockey would like to have as he has to choose between his Zimbabwean Triple Crown-winning partner Buster Barnes or his Gr 1 Castle Tankard second-placed partner Majestic Warrior for the forthcoming Gr 1 R1,8 million OK Grand Challenge, to be run at Borrowdale Park on June 8.

He said, “It’s a nice predicament to be in. I will probably end up on Buster Barnes. Jackie and Duncan Cocksedge are like my adopted grandparents over there, I stay with them and ride their horses, and they own Majestic Warrior and have shares in Buster Barnes so won’t mind either way.”

Daniels rode the Debra Swanson-trained Erupt gelding Buster Barnes to Zimbabwe Triple Crown glory at Borrowdale Park on Saturday and in the following race produced a flying finish from the Swanson-trained Master Of My Fate gelding Majestic Warrior to finish second in the Tankard, three lengths behind the Bridget Stidolph-trained winner Raffles (Time Thief), who was ridden by Gavin Lerena.

Daniels rode Buster Barnes in all three legs of the Triple Crown, which are all Gr 3s, winning the Zimbabwe Guineas by five lengths, the Island Farewell Zimbabwe 2000 by two lengths and Saturday’s Coca Cola Zimbabwe Derby by ten lengths.

Deryl said, “Buster Barnes was my first winner after I had started riding again. I was aboard for his debut which he won by ten lengths. He was bought over here at the BSA August two-year-old sale for R200,000 with the idea of winning the Triple Crown and it has worked out nicely. He is a decent little horse. He is still very immature, still very soft and will be an even better horse next year.”

Buster Barnes was an astute purchase.

He has a speedy female line with his Caesour dam Swervilia winning five times from 1000m to 1200m, including a Listed win and a Gr 2 second, while his second dam Lady Celeste (Amour Da Fleuve (USA)) won five times from 1000m to 1400m, including the Gr 2 Sceptre Stakes.

However, the Dubawi stallion Erupt won two Gr 1s over the Derby distance of a mile-and-a-half, so was going to impart the stamina.

On Saturday, Daniels was content to sit last early in the six horse field, about six lengths off the lead.

He moved into fifth place about a quarter of the way through the contest and into fourth place by the 1000m mark, still traveling sweetly.

Pair Of Aces had opened up a big lead, but when they turned for home Buster Barnes made up the ground effortlessly and was being eased up when winning by ten lengths from stablemate Follow The Band.

Deryl shares the Swanson stable rides with Jeffery Syster, with himself tending to get the heavyweight rides and Jeffery the lightweights.

Well known jockeys agent George “Titch” Croucher approached Deryl when a jockey was needed for the Republic Cup in July last year. He accepted and on that day ran second on 2023 Castle Tankard winner Ideal View and also rode Buster Barnes to victory on debut.

He said, “From there it took off. It has been a wonderful blessing and I really enjoy going there.”

Deryl is not only full of praise for the “nice people” of Zimbabwean racing, but also regards Borrowdale as probably the best racetrack he has ridden on in Southern Africa.

He said, “It is probably the fairest and nicest track I have ridden on. Most giving, most fair, it has everything … beautiful track.”

Just watching racing on TV at Borrowdale it is easy to see what a great racecourse it is and hopefully the glory days can return.

Buster Barnes is owned by the Centaur Syndicate, whose chairman is C John Smith.

Smith was full of praise for Daniels and said, “To win the Triple Crown, the jockey needs to ride his races in three different ways and be able to go to plan B with ease. What does surprise me quite a lot is that the jockey we chose to ride Buster Barnes is not better supported in South Africa. I know there was a period when Deryl Daniels was not riding and for a variety of reasons but he is back now – in full command of himself and I am impressed. His style, his balance, his calmness and his overall riding skills are there in abundance – and he can ride at 53kg. Here is a jockey SA trainers should be using a lot more – but not until Buster Barnes retires!”

Smith added, “The Triple Crown has only been won about seven times in the history of the Zim. I and some good pals were very pleased and proud to win the big handicap, the 2023 Castle Tankard with Ideal View, but elusive Triple Crowns still remain our chief goal. And the current season has filled Centaur with much pleasure – no more so than when Buster Barnes cruised through to win the Zimbabwe Derby. To buy a yearling or two-year-old, bring it through the months soundly to the three different races of the Triple Crown is not easy. Not only does the horse have to be exceptional, but so too does the trainer.”

There is actually zero income from betting for Zimbabwean racing and most of the races are run simply for “bragging rights” by the passionate industrymen.

Yet the club is now in decent financial health through the development of a retail park as well as infield farming activities. There are also a number of other typically creative Zimbabwean initiatives about to bear fruit in the near future. It is also understood that discussions are underway to rectify the betting shortcoming too.

Things are looking up for Zimbabwean racing and next season races like the OK Grand Challenge will likely attract a few South African runners.