Turf Talk Newsletter – 17 February, 2026

North Point was a stand out at the weights, considering the conditions, in a B Stakes race over 1000m on February 4, and he duly won cosily (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Although there are many who lament the merit rating system, history shows that in the training ranks those who do not lament it but rather master it can get an edge and the same would apply to punters.

Sean Tarry is one of the trainers who knows the merit rating system and its particular South African anomalies inside out and another was the late great Buddy Maroun and it is little surprise that Tarry is a five-times Champion trainer, while Maroun was dominant in sprint handicaps.

There is currently a racing program in place in KZN and the Western Cape where astute punters can get an extra edge if they apply themselves.

This is though the races known as A, B, C and D Stakes races and Middle Stakes races.

Those who have done their homework will know that these races are weighted by merit-rated band.

Furthermore, females get an allowance of 2,5, 3kg or 3,5kg, so they should theoretically be at a handicap advantage.

The merit rating band for A, B, C and D stakes races has a 1kg spread.

For example, in a B Stakes race the 94 to 96 nett merit rated band will carry a weight of 61,5kg,  the 91 to 93 band will all carry 60kg, the 88 to 90 will all carry 58,5kg etc.

Middle Stakes race work similarly except there is a three point spread in the merit rating bands.

61,5kg in a Middle Stakes race will be carried by horses rated from 99 to 102, 60kg for those rated 95 to 98, 58,5kg for those rated 91 to 94 etc, meaning the higher rated the horse is the more chance it has of being well weighted.

The horses whose merit ratings fall at the top of the merit rating bands are all at an advantage in the A,B,C and D stakes races and it is obviously better to be at the top of the bands in the Middle Stakes races, particularly those horses who have high ratings.

Some punters take note of the horses who are well weighted in these races.

An easy way to check it is to look at the best weighted column in the Computaform.

However, looking at this column alone is often not enough, because some horses will be struggling off their current merit ratings.

So the best way to gain an advantage is to look at how well horses are weighted in the current race and then to look at how they did the last time they raced in a merit rated band race.

A classic recent example could have been seen this month with a horse called North Point.

In a five horse B Stakes race he was at the top of his merit rated band, whilst Gold Giboski was at the bottom of his band.

This meant that despite running off a Nett 92 merit rating, North Point was only giving the nett 87-rated runner Gold Giboski 1,5kg instead of the 2,5kg he would have had to give him in a handicap.

North Point’s previous race more than confirmed he was up to his current merit rating, because in that race he was not only at the bottom of the merit rated band but it was in a Middle Stakes race, meaning he was 1,5kg under sufferance with the horses who were at the top of his band and he was actually 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted runner The US Of A … and yet he had finished a 0,40 length second in that race to the progressive Demanding Dave, with whom he was half-a-kilogram under sufferance.

North Point should have been the strong favourite in that five-horse field considering the weight structure and his performance last up.

Instead he was the 7/2 third favourite and oddly enough the favourite was Gold Gibsoki, who was not only at the bottom of his particular merit rating band, but North Point had beaten him by a head in that aforementioned Middle Stakes race and he was now 1,5kg better off.

North Point duly won the race and Gold Giboski was only a 1,25 length third, beaten by roundabout the margin he should have been beaten by on paper.

In the B Stakes race over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday this week, the mare Captain’s Christy is officially the best  weighted runner, but that is due to her gender allowance of 2,5kg. However, she was as well weighted last time in a B Stakes race and was beaten 1,60 lengths into fifth.

Connery is joint-second best in at the weights and is top of his merit rating band and was top of his band in his last race too, when beaten just a neck. The difference was he had a 4kg claimer on last time, Dezahn Louw, and now has Chad Little aboard. Going back further, the previous time he ran over this course and distance was also in a B Stakes race and he won with a 4kg claimer up in a race where he was top of the merit rating band. His last start proved he was up to his six point merit rating increase. So it could be a decision as to whether Chad Little is 4kg better than Dezahn Louw or not? Most would say a 4kg claimer over 1000m is valuable. Connery’s form against the other well weighted runner Jet Legacy is a bit muddling, while the third of the three second best-weighted runners, Circumbendibus, was at the top his band over course and distance last time in a B Stakes event and was beaten 1,80 lengths, albeit by a good sort in Wild Justice.

Suffice to say there are no stand out well weighted horses in this race and although opportunities like North Point will arise very now and again it is not always easy to find them and patience is required.

However, knowing the conditions should help with form study in any event.

There is also a D Stakes and a Middle Stakes race at the Wednesday meeting, so there is an opportunity there to try and find horses better weighted than others, although there don’t look to be any stand out cases like North Point was in those two races either.

Narrow Creek is name that has been cropping up in local and international Gr 1 races in recent times (Picture supplied)

Quality is the name of the game in Narrow Creek Stud’s Premier Yearling Sale draft. From siblings to current exciting prospects, offspring of top-class racemares, and relatives of the likes of Isivunguvungu and Buffalo Storm Cody, Narrow Creek will be offering something to suit every buyer. John Everett will also be offering yearlings by some of South Africa’s most sought after stallions, namely Buffalo Bill Cody, Hawwaam, Jet Dark, Malmoos, Rafeef and What A Winter.

Four potential standout lots in this consignment are:

Lot 94: Rafa’s Tune c Rafeef – Singforafa
This colt is by a Gr 1 winning sprinter out of a Gr 1 winning sprinter. His dam Singforafa was a top-class performer, whose six career wins included four black-type victories. She scored the biggest win of her career when victorious in the 2021 Gr 1 South African Fillies Sprint.

Lot 163: Yes Or No f What A Winter – Bat Out Of Hell
By the same sire as top-class fillies Clouds Unfold and Humdinger, Yes Or No is a three-parts sister to the What A Winter sired globetrotting champion Isivunguvungu. The Equus Champion Sprinter of 2022-2023, Isivunguvungu went on to enjoy success in North America, where he won the Da Hoss Stakes.

Lot 237: Fleeting Fire c Rafeef – Freed From Desire
By one of South Africa’s top stallions, this colt is out of Swallow Stakes winning half-sister to Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Buffalo Storm Cody. The latter was sired by a son of Redoute’s Choice, also the sire of Rafeef.

Lot 267: Something Strong c Rafeef – Indaba
By the sire of Gr 1 winners Aragosta, Master Archie, and champion Thunderstruck, Something Strong is a half-brother to Gr 2 World Sports Betting Camellia Stakes winner Cold Fact. His dam is a Gr 3 placed daughter of top sire and broodmare sire Dynasty.

For more information on this draft, please contact John on (082) 377 2912

Mar Del Plata has not won since December 2024, but he is consistent and capable of winning the seventh if at his best after a short layoff (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)

Nine testing races face punters at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday but as the saying goes, where there is adversity there is money to be made.

Chad Little makes his way up from Cape Town for Glen Kotzen and the pair can get the Pick 6 off to a winning start in the form of Sesame. The daughter of Legislate was a comfortable winner at Fairview last run and makes her local debut but had good Western Cape form before her last win which should hold her in good stead. Treasure Island has come to hand nicely at her last two and Mike Miller has stepped her up in trip which could be what she needs. There should be very little between Zena Rose and Sascha’s Dream, a neck separating them when last they met. It’s a toss-up between the two.

In the fifth, Phutulicious has a big weight and a wide draw to contend with but is never far back and with some luck in running could land this competitive handicap. Sun Dazed has the widest draw but goes well this trip and was a beaten favourite last run. He has the benefit of Andrew Fortune aboard. Town Crier is lightly raced and made marked improvement first run in blinkers. However, he did get a four point increase in his rating which could prove telling. Gorgeous Girl was touched off over the distance last run where she carried a light weight. She has more to shoulder this time around but the stable is in form and she has a promising 4kg claimer aboard once again.

Tienie Prinsloo saddles Convocation in the sixth. She is seldom far back and was not disgraced behind William Robertson last time out. She gets blinkers and S’Manga Khumalo has forgone the ride on the lightly raced Gareth van Zyl-trained Serengetti Sun, who returns from a long break but does appear to have some class. The break could find her out. Tara Star has been consistent of late and should put in another good effort with the form of her last run having held up and there should be little between One Smart Cookie and Back At The George as they meet on the same terms as their last encounter.

Tony Rivalland sends out bottom weight Mar Del Plata in the seventh who has been close-up in recent outings, although he last ran on November 25 on the poly. He is way better off at the weights with the consistent Circumbendibus from that November clash and the latter is one of the principal runners here as he has won two of his last five starts and been close-up in the other three. Jet Legacy has won his last two over course and distance and was not far back on the poly last run but stable companion Position Of Power could be a better proposition as he is over his best trip with a handy galloping weight.

The eighth is a wide open handicap but Call Me Jane is seldom out of the money and was running on strongly behind the progressive Perfume Power last time out. She is now 2.5 kg better off at the weights and should be able to turn the tables. Captain Ventura was a recent maiden winner but three runs back was under a length behind Perfume Power. She is now 7kg better off and won well enough last run with first time cheek pieces. Vision To Achieve is quick and over her best trip although she may prefer Hollywoodbets Greyville! The same goes for Wings Of Josephine who is also in smart form.

Fortune may have to wait until the last to pay for his air fare back to Cape Town when he partners Night Tiger for Candice Bass. The gelding appears to have come to hand since his arrival from the Cape and was a good second behind the much in form Arverni Princess last time out. He was set to be 1.5kg better off in the weights with her, but she has ben scratched. Intrepid has a big weight but has been consistent of late and can feature. There appear to be many poly track specialists in the field, one of which is Trafalgar Square who gets a stronger rider aboard and can go one better.

Although there are many first timers in the first leg of the Bi-Pot recent Cape Town arrival Omkhulu Boss improved at his second start behind St Harry who has since franked that form against winners. He must rate the one to beat and could be a banker but keep a weather eye on the market. Of others that have run, the filly Smart Choice has improved with each outing and gets a sex allowance plus a further 1.5kg from Mickaelle Michel which could be enough to see her home. Stable companion Steamy Window was well beaten by promising Master Magician on debut and should come on from that effort.

In the opening leg of the Place Accumulator, Psyche is a filly taking on males but has shown up well in her first two starts and the step up in trip should suit. Red Cardinal has been close-up at his last two over the distance. He was run out of it late last start and can go one better. Stable companion Bourbon’s Beast has been knocking at the door and has the best of the draw. He should contest the finish along with Quarter Master who steps up in trip but has showing up well in two competitive maiden sprints and is one to watch.

Mike Wittstock (red tie) with members of the Monte Carlo Syndicate, and Scarlet O’Hara (Image: JC Photos)

Guineas Day at Turffontein ushered in the start of the 2026 The Championships on the Highveld. It unfolded with a blend of notable performances and personalities, and even a few birthdays celebrated along the way, all adding dashes of colour to the meeting. It was a reminder that Gauteng continues to offer quality racing that is as demanding as it is rewarding and, above all, still a lot of fun.

Click here to read the whole Charl Pretorius-written story

Buddy Maroun with another legend, his evergreen sprinter Golden Loom, who was fondly known as “Goofy” 

In the heyday of South African racing Buddy Maroun was not one of the big yards in contention for championship titles, but he was always one of the most talked about trainers due to his unconventional practise of running horses often and he was also one of the greatest trainers of sprinters this country has known.

The reasons for running his horses often was actually to aid soundness and was a technique used by his father Robert, who believed competition exercise could be more beneficial to horses’ form and soundness than conventional reliance on lengthy training gallops.

The legendary longevity of his horses’ careers proved the worth of this theory and in fact one of his horses won a Gr 1 on his 110th start, almost certainly a world record.

Having private training facilities coupled with his dedication and attention to detail was the other reason his horses had long careers as he was thus able to harrow and till his training tracks every day according to his own schedule.

Thirdly, he was a horsemen second to none who rode all of his own work and the bond he developed with his horses meant he knew exactly what they required.

He was known to have ridden 50 horses work in a single day.

Buddy shunned the politics of racing and was more interested in being with his horses than socialising, but he nevertheless  commanded immense respect from all industry people.

He passed away on his birthday on February 17 2008 under tragic circumstances while on a thoroughbred buying trip to Argentina, leaving SA thoroughbred industry people reeling in shock.

The two tributes paid to him below provide a good summary of the special place he earned in South African racing.

Click here to read Tribute

Click here for multiple tributes from industrymen 

It has been deduced that there were probably two great race mares in the early 1700s called Bonny Black? Who was the only horse to beat either of them?

The painting is of the younger Bonny Black