Turf Talk Newsletter – 20 April, 2026

The Klawervlei Stud-based Kommetdieding being paraded at last year’s Stallion Day (Picture: Klawervlei)

The People’s Champion’s First Yearlings Catch The Eye!

Sarah Whitelaw

The charismatic Kommetdieding has made a solid start with his first yearlings selling this year.

At the Cape Yearling Sale, Kommetdieding had seven yearlings gross R1.23 million, with his top lot being the colts out of Manousckas Beaut and Second Voice who made R250 000 apiece.

Black Minnaloushe mare Manousckas Beaut is a winning granddaughter of G1 Empress Club Stakes winner Fading Light, while Second Voice is a daughter of champion sprinter Captain Of All, which makes her Kommetdieding colt closely inbred to Captain Al.

At the Premier Yearling Sale, 15 Kommetdieding yearlings made R4.175 million and averaged R278 333.

His top priced lot sold off at the Premier Sale was a R900 000 filly (Lot 115) out of Sylvie.

That filly was knocked down to Antony Beck. From the family of champion fillies Mother Russia, Nother Russia and Gimme A Nother, the filly in question is a half-sister to three stakes winners including 2024 G2 Betway Joburg Spring F and M Challenge winner Celtic Rumours.

Kommetdieding had just four yearlings on offer at the recently concluded National Yearling Sale.

His National Sale quartet was headed by a filly (Lot 85 – pictured below) out of Limpopo River, who was knocked down to Sean Tarry Racing Stables for R425 000. A half-sister to 2020 G1 Gold Medallion third No Laying Up, this filly is out of a full-sister to Zambezi River, winner of his first three starts including the 2014 Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes.

This Kommetdieding filly went for R425,000 at Nationals sold to Sean Tarry (Picture: BSA)

An exceptional racehorse, Kommetdieding won the Klawervlei Farm Sale race on his only start at two.He went on to prove himself among the best of his generation at three, four and five, during a career which saw Kommetdieding earn more than R4.255 million.

When he won the 2021 G1 Vodacom Durban July, Kommetdiedingding defeated the G1 winners Linebacker, Got The Greenlight, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge, Belgarion and She’s A Keeper.

Kommetdieding’s 2022 G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met win came at the expense of such champions as Jet Dark and Do It Again.

From the powerful Sadler’s Wells male line, Kommetdieding is a son of the Fort Wood sired champion and high-class sire Elusive Fort. His dam Adorable, a Captain Al three-parts sister to triple G1 winner Captain America, ran second, to the brilliant Gibraltar Blue, in the Listed Gardenia Handicap over 1000m, and she is directly descended in female line from the hugely influential mare Paradoxical. Among the latter’s numerous important descendants are La Troienne, arguably the most influential broodmare in the stud book.

Kommetdieding’s legendary broodmare sire Captain Al continues to make his mark on the stud book, with his sire sons including such hot stallions as Erik The Red, Malmoos and One World, with Captain Al mares also firing on all cylinders. This season alone, Captain Al ranks as the broodmare sire of nine individual stakes winners, including such top-class performers as Double Grand Slam, Gimme What I Want, Good Day Sunshine, and Questioning.
Captain Al is also the damsire of the very exciting Turn It Up, an impressive winner of this season’s Race Coast Sales Slipper and Roland Garros, winner of the same day’s Race Coast Sales Big Cap.

With his pedigree appearing to suit a large percentage of the South African broodmare band, Kommetdieding looks poised to make his mark at stud.

The Eric Sands-trained Vercingetorix colt Ferryman was one of three winners for Sabine Plattner at Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting. The other two were both trained by Andre Nel (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

The Wilgerbosdrift-based champion broodmare Halfway To Heaven is reportedly one of only eight South African broodmares since 1940 to have produced three Gr 1 winners or their equivalent before the pattern came into being.

However, she is particularly special because her first three foals, Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World), Hawwaam (Silvano) and Golden Ducat (Philanthropist) were all multiple Gr 1 winners.

Eric Sands trained Rainbow Bridge to win five Gr 1s and Golden Ducat to two Gr 1s and he is now bringing out the best of the latest pair of Halfway To Heavens to race, Foudre (Fire Away) and Ferryman (Vercingetorix), both of whom joined him as maidens from other yards.

The story of the weekend in Cape racing was the success of Ferryman at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday under Calvin Habib in his third career start and his first for Sands.

Habib had him in about fifth place on the rail after jumping from a good draw of three and he then displayed a good turn of foot to hit the front by the 350m mark. He then continually found extra when challenged.

The three-year-old has plenty of substance and is the same red chestnut colour as Golden Ducat.

A magnanimous gesture by his former trainer Andre Nel came to light in the post race interview.

Eric Sands said, “Andre Nel asked me … he felt he could not do the horse justice where he was and he felt the horse needed more. He had spoken to Mrs Plattner about me training this horse. At first I said no and they said I would regret it and then they delivered the horse. It takes a big man to do that. To lose a horse like this from a family like this. He put the horse first and that says a lot in my book.”

Ferryman was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein and was a R2,800,000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Habib said Ferryman is still learning to race, so he looks to have a bright future.

Can either him or Foudre deliver a fourth Gr 1 winner for the mare?

The Khaya Stables-owned Foudre arrived at the sands yard a hard-knocking maiden with five previous starts, but he had suffered a tendon injury.

He made his debut for Sands after a 21 month layoff and has reeled off three wins on the trot, from 1200m to 1600m.

He is now only rated 87, but is on the right track.

Ferryman and Fouudre’s promising wins will have been a boost to Hawwaam’s stallion status.

Meanwhile, Halfway To Heaven has a Gimmethegreenlight yearling filly and a Gimmethegreenlight weanling colt on the ground.

This family also enjoyed success at the BSA National Yearling Sale last week as Gift From Heaven, a Querari daughter of Halfway To Heaven, had a Digital Age colt (Lot31) make R800 000. The colt was bred by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and purchased by Form Bloodstock.

Robin Of Locksley going down to the start at Borrowdale earlier this year (Zimbabwe Equine News)

Cape Breeders

Drakenstein Stud’s four time G1 winning sire Futura has had an excellent season in 2025-2026, and the son of Dynasty was back in the headlines on Friday.
Futura gelding Robin Of Locksley provided his sire with another feature race success when he won the Listed Zimbabwe Derby at Borrowdale on Friday.

The Debra Swanson trained three-year-old came into Friday’s 2400m contest off a runner up finish in the Listed Zimbabwe 2000.
Under Jeffrey Syster, Robin Of Locksley stormed home to claim his first black type win by two and a half lengths.

Bred by Hopes And Dreams Stud, Robin Of Locksley, who is out of the Dubawi mare Happy Archer, races for the Centaur Syndicate.

It is not the first time that Futura has enjoyed success in Zimbabwe, with his daughter Dindingwe named Zimbabwe’s Champion 2YO Filly of 2019-2020.

South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2014-2015, Futura has a very smart crop of three-year-olds this season with this group headed by G2 TAB SA Derby winning filly Curious Girl and G1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby runner up Note To Self.

Ruling Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini being targeted at Chester’s May meeting (Picture: Sky Sports Racing) 

Andrew Dietz (Racing Post)

Aidan O’Brien successfully prepped his Betfred Derby and Oaks winners at Chester’s May meeting last year and the master Ballydoyle trainer is set to target the track again with two of his leading Epsom Classic contenders Benvenuto Cellini and Amelia Earhart.

O’Brien has always been fond of testing his top three-year-olds in the Chester trials and he is also planning to send star four-year-old Minnie Hauk to Chester for her seasonal debut in the Huxley Stakes.

Last year, Lambourn won the Chester Vase en route to Derby glory and Minnie Hauk took the Cheshire Oaks before becoming a dual Oaks heroine for O’Brien, who has been forced to rethink plans for Benvenuto Cellini after Epsom’s opening fixture of the season was rescheduled for next week due to a watering system issue.

“He was going to Epsom for the Blue Riband Trial, but it’s been put back a week now so we might go for the Chester Vase [on May 6] on the way to Epsom,” said O’Brien.

“He’s a lovely, slick-moving horse who was third in the Futurity at Doncaster and he’s done well physically. While he’ll improve, we’re happy to start there.”

Benvenuto Cellini is a best-priced 6-1 to give Ballydoyle another Derby success at Epsom on June 6, having taken over as favourite from stablemate Pierre Bonnard following his comeback seventh in this month’s Ballysax.

Click here to read the whole article

Pressonregardless gives Craig Zackey a treble and takes him to 201 wins for the season (JC Photos) 

Craig Zackey reached the 200 wins mark for the season on Sunday at Turffontein Standside when the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Querari gelding Best Candidate came from the clouds to win a Maiden over 1400m and he later made it 201 for the season when the decent David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Lancaster Bomber gelding Pressonregardless  won a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m.

In all three of his wins on the day Zackey displayed his oustanding judgement of pace.

In his first win he was aboard the Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained two-year-old Master Of My Fate filly Doesyourmotherknow in a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1400m.

The filly had over-raced a bit in her previous start, but that did not stop Zackey from taking her to the front.

It was his first race ride on her and he had her nice and relaxed on a long rein.

She looked in trouble, to some, when the market rival, the grey Impressive, who had also relaxed well in the running, swept past her at the 400m mark still in the hands.

However, Zackey had left plenty in reserve. Doesyourmotherknow fought back and in the end won going away by 1,75 lentths.

In the next race over the same course and distance Zackey relaxed Best Candidate from the off and had him moving comfortably on the rail near the back from draw three.

He only drew the stick at about the 300m mark, despite the second favourite Quevano having caught the leader Brave Waam and looking the winner some lengths ahead. However, Best Candidate made up the ground relentlessly and got up in the last stride to win by 0,30 lengths.

In the next race over 1600m Zackey found himself one out and one back without cover on Pressonregardless, but managed to relax him on a beautiful long rein.

The gelding had no cover in the straight either but showed his class by stretching way from the fancied Kisshoten and then under strong urgings followed by a deft change of whiphand he managed to repel the  challenge of Sunset Riot to win by 1,20 lengths.

Zackey was second favourite for the title behind Richard Fourie for a long time this season, despite leading virtually throughout, but with a relentless travel regime and highly skilled and consistent riding he  has slowly built up a lead on the great rider and is now 48 wins ahead of him.

He is now a 1/10 shot for the title with Fourie at 3/1.

There is just three months and ten days left of the season.

Battleground could bounce back to form in the 5th (JC Photos)

The eight race Vaal meeting on Tuesday should be a  good one for punters and starts off with Northumberland looking hard to beat in the first race.

The Visionaire gelding showed pace on debut and stayed on well for a 2,0 length third to Sherlock Holmes, who had just come off a close second to Prayersnadpromises, who in turn has good formlines. Northumberland should improve and the threats come from the first-timers. Northumberland has been priced up at 14/10 by Hollywoodbets and this is due to the Robyn Klaasen-trained first-timer Cosmic Cap having been backed in from 28/10 to 18/10. The latter is a gelding by Captain Of All out of a two-time-winning 79-rated Master Of My Fate mare. His pedigree does not compare favourably to some of the other first-timers. Billion Stars is by William Longsword and is a half-brother to the like of Tail Of The Comet. Raptor KIng is by New Predator and is a half-brother to WSB Met runner up Legal Counsel. Sands Of Valhalla is by Erik The Red and is a half-brother to a couple of multiple winners. Those runners are 6/1, 7/1 and 6/1 respectively.

In the second race over 1200m, the Sean Tarry-trained Alice B Toklas looks difficult to oppose. She dwelt at the start on debut, losing two lengths, but ran on strongly late with a good action, finishing 2,75 lengths ahead of Platinum Shay. Malesela Katjedi has been kept aboard, while Keagan de Melo is aboard the first-timer for the Tarry yard Storm Avalanche, who runs for the successful owner Kenneth Pillay of Kestorm Investments. Storm Valanche is by Rafeef out of a moderate one-time-winning Dynasty mare and she has been backed in to 4/1 second favourite. Platinum Shay finished nearly five lengths ahead of Tax Free when the latter made her debut but Tax Free looks to have scope for improvement. Pista Resistance is by Chimichuri Run and is a half-sister to a Bezrin filly who won on debut before following with four poor runs.

In the third over 1800m Twelfth Or Never is the one to beat if her last run in a workriders maiden is ignored. Before, that she looked to be on the up and looked likely to relish this 1800m trip so a line can just be drawn through that run and she is chosen to win this uninspiring event. Royale Jacket did well to stay on for a three length second last time over 1700m considering he had to be used up early to overcome a wide draw. The winner of that race, Sand Script,  started favourite in a race over 2000m on Sunday but did Royale Jacket’s form no favours as she was beaten ten lengths, albeit from a wide draw. However, Royale Jacket does now have a better draw of four and should go close. Asiah’s Tiara beat Royal Jacket by four lengths when they last met, but that was a below par run by the latter as he had previously lost to the winner of that race, Terrence, by 1,20 lengths as opposed to 6,60 lengths and he had beaten Samuel Sharpe, who then beat him by 3,70 lengths. Royal Jacket can bounce back, as there is not much between him and Asiah’s Tiara if that last run is ignored. Greenside Giel has shown some ability and can earn here.  Emerald City can be in the shake up if producing her best.

In the fourth race over 1800m Gimmesuluv looks set to come into her own over a suitable trip with De Melo up.  Cool Reggae ran a cracker over 2000m last time and could be right there. Vixeninthevineyard should also be in the shake up.

In the fifth over 2400m Battleground is a useful stayer on his day and in form Marx-Jacobson should suit him. Onr More Star enjoyed the trip last time and has a fine chance. Damova is in good form and goes well for this jockey. Futurewolff won well over this trip last time and has a chance off a three point higher mark with Yeni up from pole position. Diesel’s Shadown needs to improve on his recent form. Romeo’s Magic needs to bounce back to form.

In the sixth over 1400m King Harald has some class and should go close over a trip which looks ideal. Golden Operator won well last time and ths progressive sort should be right there again. Wild Intent is the best weighted but returns from a layoff since the Summer Cup, so will likely need the run.

In the seventh over 1200m Green Flash has speed and can stay on too and although she has not run for three months she won the last time she ran fresh. Roaming  Spirit has the form to be a contender. Blizzard Snow is capable of popping up and can’t be ignored.

In the eighth over 1200m Lovable looks to be on the up and after a good run last time against a fair sort she can go one better. Miss Novax has been knocking on the door and should be right there. Wise Counsel is the one best fancied of the rest as she beat a fair sort easily in the maidens last July over 1450m and could run well fresh over this trip after a long layoff.