Turf Talk Newsletter – 22 September, 2025

The judges had little option but to declare a dead-heat between Saudi Cat (closest) and What A Fortune at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Monday due to the circumstances that transpired (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The judges had little option but to declare a dead-heat in the fifth race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today (Monday), because one of the horse’s nose was obscured and the mirror image could not be used as evidence because it was clear that it was not properly aligned with the positive image.

The fifth race over 1250m at the nine race meeting was particularly intriguing, because it pitted a trio of relatively highly rated three-year-olds against some seasoned older handicappers. As it turned out the topweight Boogiefield was bettered by the Richard Fourie-ridden favourite Saudi Cat late in the race only for 4kg claiming apprentice Dezahn Louw to bravely drive the 6/1 shot What A Fortune between the pair and this brought the judges into it.

The judges deliberated for an unusually long time in an attempt to separate the Vaughan Marshall-trained Saudi Cat (Hurricane Cat) and the Candice Bass-trained What A Fortune (What A Winter) and in the end they were forced to declare a dead-heat.

The mirror image on a photo finish can be used as a guide for the judges to assist when a horse’s nose is obscured in a close finish.

However, in this case it showed that the same horse was not on the same line in the mirror image as it is was on the positive image (as is displayed in the photo finish below).

All of the horses whose noses could have a line put on it in the positive image have their noses through the line on the mirror image, which proved the mirror image was not correctly aligned.

This was also the case for the third and fourth-placed horses

The mirror image could therefore not be reliably used to make the judgement.

The rules about photo-finishes are shown below:

65. JUDGING AND PHOTO-FINISH FILMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
65.1 A judge or his assistant or his authorized substitute shall be in the judge’s box at the time of the start and shall remain in the box until the HORSES have passed the winning post, the result has been declared and the ALL CLEAR given.
65.2 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the RULES, during the running of the RACE and until the judge has given his decision, no PERSON or individual other than the judge and/or his assistant and/or his authorised substitute shall be permitted to enter the judge’s box, nor, save for the SB, shall any PERSON or individual have any contact with the judge and/or his assistant and/or his authorised substitute.
65.3 No PERSON or individual other than the photo-finish camera operator and/or his authorised assistant shall be permitted to enter the photo-finish operating room until the judge has put the numbers of the winner and placed HORSES in the frame. When a photo-finish picture has been called for by the judge, the door or any other opening in the room shall remain closed until the judge has declared the result of the RACE and has exhibited the numbers in the frame.
65.4 As soon as possible after the RACE, the judge shall name the first 6 HORSES past the finishing post or such further number as the SB may instruct him to do, and his placings shall be final unless an OBJECTION to the winner, or any placed HORSE, is made and upheld, provided that this RULE shall not prevent a judge from correcting a mistake, where such correction is made before expiry of the time allowed for the notification of intention to object under RULE 68.2.
65.5 Except where a HORSE’S nose is not visible, the judge shall base his decision exclusively on the HORSE’S nose and if there is a discernible difference, he shall not give a dead heat.
65.6 A judge shall satisfy himself as to the correctness of the placings from the photograph. If there is no photograph available due to a failure of the photo-finish camera or if, in the sole opinion of the judge, the images on the photograph are indistinct, then the judge may have regard to the race film to satisfy himself as to the correctness of the placings. If there is no race film available, the judge shall, to the best of his ability determine the placings as his personally observed them. The judge’s decision shall be final and binding

In accordance with rule 65.5, the judge was only able to use the positive image to make the judgement. He could not use the mirror image as a guide due to the alignment error.

A question which could be asked is whether the judge could have used Rule 65.6, which allows  some discretion, to apply logic? After all every horse on the day which could have a line placed on its nose on the positive image was through the line by the same margin on the mirror image and What A Fortune’s nose was not through the line.

However, there is no place for “reasonable doubt” in the racing rules as is also shown in the objection rules whereby a third-placed horse successfully objects against the winner, but is then officially placed second whereas logically it should be placed first – in racing the argument is there is no way to prove the third-placed horse would have otherwise beaten the second-placed horse.

There were actually a plethora of close finishes on the day at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, but the race five photo finish was the only one that had an obscured nose.

A historical similarity happened at the now defunct Clairwood Park on September 12, 2007.

Read the article written below at the time:

Clairwood judges, Warren Eisele and Robert Moffatt, faced a problematic photo finish recently and had no choice but to revert to the racing rules.

In the first leg of the PA on September 12 a horse called Eradikate, who was contesting third place, finished very close to the horse on his outside and had his head down. Despite the photo finish camera being positioned high up in the grandstand above the judge’s box in order to create an angle that can easily separate horses, Eradikate’s nose was still hidden from view.

The mirror placed on the far side of the finish line is there specifically to accommodate such an occurrence but, most unusually, Eradikate’s nose was hidden from view from that side too by a horse close to him on his inside.

Rule 65.5 states, “Except where a HORSE’S nose is not visible, the judge shall base his decision exclusively on the HORSE’S nose and if there is a discernible difference he shall not give a dead heat.”

Although it seemed probable that Eradikate had finished fourth, stipendiary stewards and judges have for a long time abided by an interpretation of the law that makes no place for “reasonable doubt”. In the case whereby the nose is not visible a dead-heat must be awarded.   

Count Huhtikuu is a comfortable winner at Turffontein Inside (JC Photos)

The James Crawford-trained Count Huhtikuu was the star of the show at Turffontein Inside on Saturday when winning a strong Graduation Plate over 1600m by a cosy 1,30 lengths under Callan Murray and the win clinched a double for Heinrich Rix’s Stonehill Stud and his underrated stallion Royal Mo.

Crawford had called this Royal Mo gelding a horse he had always liked and a big improver when trying him high in last season’s Gr 1 SA Derby and in the Gr 3 Magical Zulu Kingdom 2200. In the 2200 he was beaten just 2,95 lengths by Otto Luyken and as he was 4,5kg under sufferance he was raised to a 95 merit rating. However, he still faced a tough task on paper on Saturday as he was officially a whopping 12kg under sufferance with the fancied Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway, who is rated 119. The distance of 1600m might have seemed on the sharp side considering he ran in the aforementioned features over longer trips, but in fact the last time he ran over 1600m he finished just 0,90 lengths behind the progressive older horse Claw when receiving just 2kg in the May of his three-year-old season. However, his draw of ten out of ten on the tight track was tough and he duly drifted out alarmingly from 9/2 to 25/2. Murray took him up to the head of affairs and was content with a one out and one back position behind 115-rated leader Solar Sail. Despite facing the breeze, Count Huhtikuu was beautifuly relaxed. He drew alongside Solar Sail coming off the elbow at the 300m mark and then skipped away and stayed on resolutely to beat Solar Sail by 1,30 lengths with Parisian Walkway staying on for a 1,35 length third. It was the latter’s first run since disappointing in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 on 24 May and he should come on from the run. The favourite was actually the Candice Dawson-trained Pumpkin Pie, who might be rated only 92, but he had close up form to Choisanaada in the winter series and would have been racing fit. However, Pumpkin Pie was pipped for third by Parisian Walkway. Chestnut Bomber bounced back to form with a 2,40 length fifth and the useful Sean Tarry-trained pair of fillies Cocomelon and Gerbera were next best respectively.

Vaal trainer Brett Webber has done wonders with the Royal Mo stayer Mo Ment. After 12 starts this gelding looked to be a real battler as he had picked up a second, a fourth and a fifth in weak fields but in his other nine starts was usually well beaten. He is now a five-year-old and has won six times. His six wins have come in his last eleven runs starting from December 21 last year when he was stepped up to a staying trip of 2400m for the first time. His wins have ranged from 2400m up to 3000m and he keeps on improving. In fact he looked a certainty on paper on Saturday because he had won his previous start over 3000m by 10,50 lengths in a Middle Stakes event and he was raised only six points, so was surely running off a capped rating. The front-running Mo Ment dictated under the ever improving Malesela Katjedi and stayed on readily to win the 2600m Middle Stakes event by 1,60 lengths. Mo Ment’s first three runs were in Cape Town but he then moved to Webber’s Highveld yard when purchased by Mrs BI d’Oliviera, who is reaping the dividends of being patient as she now looks to have a stayer with feature race potential on her hands.

Earlier in a Middle Stakes event over 1000m the four-year-old Gimmethegreenlightgelding Gimmethegoodlife made it three wins in five starts since joining the Tony Peter yard, running out a comfortable 1,75 lengths winner under Louis Nhlapo, who substituted for absent Chad Little. Karate Kid ran on strongly for second and should pay to follow.

The useful Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained 108-rated Bjorn Ironside won a Graduation Plate over 1200m. He got his rating by finishing third in the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville as a two-year-old behind the classy Cats Pajamas, who ended last season with a 1,75 length fourth in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint. On Saturday Bjorn Ironside converted 9/10 odds, although he was receiving 3kg from the 92-rated Pennsylvania, who put in a fine performance to be beaten in the last couple of strides by half-a-length. The win clinched a double for Gimmthegreenlight.

Roy Magner scored a double on the day. His Act Of War three-year-old gelding Titans Of War scored at odds of 25/1 after Jeffery Syster got a late charge out of him in a 2000m handicap and later the What A Winter gelding Max The Magician looked a winner all the way of a 1600m MIddle Stakes event over 1600m as he travelled supremely before getting home by a comfortable two lengths under Muzi Yeni.

Mike an Matthew de Kock’s Buffalo Bill Cody filly Roaming Spirit made it a third career win when scoring in a 1000m handicap by 1,75 lengths and that was the first leg of a double for Callan Murray.

The Fabian Habib-trained 100-rated six-year-old Pomodoro gelding converted 17/10 favouritism in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1800m, running out a cosy 1,10 length winner under the in-form 4kg claimer Girish Samo-Burthia, whose nine wins this season have been achieved at a strike rate of 20%.

Picture: Gavin Lerena and Grant van Niekerk

Champion Jockey Gavin Lerena is currently serving two suspensions, both of which he appealed against but the appeal was dismissed in both cases. The first was for 30 days and the second for seven days, meaning his suspension stretches from September 12 to October 18. However, he is taking the matter to the high court in an urgent application to have the penalties suspended, pending review proceedings being brought in the High Court. The penalty in the first case was a 90 day suspension, of which 60 days are suspended, and a R200,000 fine, of which R100,000 was suspended.

Grant van Niekerk is also bringing an urgent application to the high court about his penalties, which included a 90 day suspension, of which 60 days were suspended, and a R100,000 fine of which R75,000 was suspended. He also had to make a public apology to the NHA via the media within ten days of the appeal dismissed ruling (so had to do it by 15 September 2025). Failure to do so was due to trigger the full 90-day suspension being enforced ten days after the apology deadline. It is not clear whether Van Niekerk has made the apology.

He is currently serving the suspension and it runs from September 10 to October 9.

The Sporting Post wrote about the urgent application being brought to the High Court (read below):

SA champion jockey Gavin Lerena and his Cape-based colleague Grant van Niekerk are launching independent urgent applications against the National Horseracing Authority and others, in the Gauteng division of the High Court on Tuesday in order to have their recent respective penalties suspended, pending review proceedings being brought in the High Court.

Both applications will be heard by Mr Justice Noko.

Van Niekerk’s penalty arose after a post-race interview following the running of the second race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on 26 March 2025.

He received a 90-day suspension from race riding, of which 60 days were suspended for three years, subject amongst others to a public apology. He also received a fine of R100 000, of which R75 000 was suspended for three years, on condition that he was not convicted of another Rule 72.1.26 violation during that period.

Van Niekerk’s subsequent appeal was dismissed and he was ordered to pay an amount limited to R50 000 towards the NHA’s legal costs of the day, as well as the costs of the Appeal Board. His appeal fee was also forfeited.

Lerena’s application is believed to relate to the incident involving a fellow rider being struck across the back by a crop in a race at Turffontein on 26 January 2025.

His appeal, after being suspended from riding in races for a period of ninety days, of which sixty days were wholly suspended, and being fined the amount of R200 000 of which R100 000 was suspended, was recently dismissed. Lerena was also subsequently ordered to pay the costs of the Appeal Board.

Both jockeys are believed to be represented by separate legal counsel.

The form of Soqrat filly Showgirl’s win on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville should pay to follow, because the well-bred Frikkie Greyling-trained Vercingetorix filly Amelia’s Legacy was also fancied on debut and not only looked the part but caught the eye running on and yet she was beaten 5,20 into third by Showgirl. The rest of the field were beaten 8,60 lengths and more and were strung out like the washing. The Gareth van Zyl-trained What A Winter filly What A Passion wore first-time blinkers and ran a 2,20 length second in the 1200m event. A race with such spread out margins usually indicates good form. The time of 69,36 seconds was the second fastest of four races over that distance on the day and the only horse who bettered it, the promising Gareth van Zyl-trained Wild Justice, carried 3kg less than Showgirl (Who was pictured (above) by Anneke Akal Kitching).

Cape Breeders

Sandown Stud’s triple G1 winning sire Soqrat has been in tremendous form of late.
The Equus Champion was at it again on Sunday, when Soqrat runners won the first two races at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

Soqrat’s lightly raced daughter Showgirl got off the mark when she won Sunday’s Welcome To Hollywoodbets Scottsville Maiden Plate (F and M) (1200m).

Under a well judged ride from Richard Fourie, the Peter Muscutt trained four-year-old kept finding to win by nearly two and a quarter lengths. It was a smashing effort from Showgirl, who was having her first start in 575 days!

The winning rider said after the win, “She is a quality filly, a lovely filly.” Peter Muscutt was determined to by Showgirl, with the latter reminding Peter strongly of none other than the mighty Winx as a yearling. Hopes are high for Showgirl’s future!

Making just the third start of her career, and having her first outing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, Showgirl was bred by Shadwell Stud.
Owned by Messrs G C Cornwall, E C Abraham , B W Hamilton, R Rotham, G Piha, T Herdon, SMB Insurance Brokers CC (Nom: Mr M A Brackett) & Mrs Roslyn Coetzee, Showgirl is out of the Captain Al mare Captain’s Song.

Soqrat looks to have an exciting prospect to his name in the form of three-year-old Chicarito. The latter made a winning debut when he won the second race on Sunday.

Trained by Nathan Kotzen, Chicarito stormed home to win the Bet With Tote Maiden Plate (1200m) by nearly three-parts of a length.

Owned by Sid Moodley, Chicarito, who is out of the Bernardini mare Firdoas, was bred by Shadwell Stud.

A champion at two, and dual G1 winner at three, Soqrat continues to impress despite having had limited opportunities. His first crop is headed by Listed World Sports Betting Sledgehammer/Listed Michel Nairac Appreciation Darley Arabian hero I Salute You as well as the classy Sohot Sowhat, with the latter holding an entry for the G3 Diana Stakes.

From the same female line as rising star stallion St Mark’s Basilica, as well as the likes of Hyperion, Linamix and Sir Tristram, Soqrat has three lots on offer at the upcoming Two Year Old Sale.

Baie Mooi can make it three runs unbeaten on the Fairview poly on Tuesday (Pauline Herman Photography)

Fairview Poly Tuesday Formguides and Selections

R1 2 BANDMASTER has been knocking on the door and is distance suited with the in-form Chad Little aboard, but he will have to overcome a tricky draw. 1 JET QUERARI has been in useful form on the Highveld, but will have to bounce back from a poor last run. 4 CLIFFIE CLAVIN is in good form and has a plum draw over a ideal distance. 7 AM STILL WINNING ran a cracker last time over 1300m and will be cherry ripe for this race, but does have to overcome a tricky draw. (2-1-4-7)

R2 6 BLACKBERRY BREEZE had useful KZN form and made a good East Cape debut and over an ideal trip has pole position. 2 DYNALLEY is always thereabouts and will appreciate the step back down in trip and has a fair draw. 5 WINTER EMERALDS has been a bit under pressure off this merit rating, but is capable and Richard Fourie is up from a tricky draw. 4 CORAL CREEK had a tough task in his last two starts and back in this company could have a chance. (6-2-5-4)

R3 3 BAIE MOOI has won both of his starts in fine style and can make it a hat-trick from pole position. 2 TINTAMARRE has won his last three starts and will attempt to remain unbeaten in the East Cape over this suitable trip from a fair draw. 1 IMAGINABLE has done well since being relocated to the East Cape and on form should be thereabouts from draw 5 out of 6. 5 TRAVEL MASTERhas been thereabouts in all of his last three starts, but does have a tricky draw here. (3-2-1-5)

R4 4 GOLDEN PAVILION is in fine form and over this suitable trip will make another bold bid. 6 KINGS AGAIN has been in good form in two starts since being relocated to the East Cape and with Richard Fourie up here should go close. 5 CROWNED HORNBILL is capable of a lot better than his last few starts and with the blinkers off again he could make his presence felt from pole position.7 AADEHYA is 1,5kg better off with Kings Again for a 1.25 length beating and has a chance. (4-6-5-7)

R5 2 JAMBO SANA has bounced back to form recently and over this ideal trip has pole position so should go close. 5 ALEX MILLER has a plum draw and is 0,5kg better off with Jumbo Sano for a head beating so he should be right there. 7 GREENLIGHT DANCER had his best recent start over this trip so from a good draw back over this trip he should be in the shake-up. 8 AUGUSTA ROSSO has Richard Fourie up and has an easier task than he had last time when running in a Listed race, so he is an interesting runner here. (2-5-7-8)

R6 4 EXQUISITE had some decent Cape Town form and should go close on his East Cape debut. 2 FIRST WISH is drawn in pole over a trip that appears to be too sharp, but he did do well over this trip earlier in his career so could cause a surprise. 6 BOSNAY ran a cracker last time over 1600m and with a repeat of that effort he could be right there from a good draw with the same 4kg claimer up. 7 UMZOLOZOLO steps back down to her best trip and from a good draw should be in the shake-up. (4-2-6-7)

R7 3 RED WILLIAM has won his last two starts easily over 1600m, but is also effective over this trip and has a plum draw with Richard Fourie up. 9 FLASH LIGHTNING is 1kg under sufferance, but does have a 2.5kg claimer up and if repeating his last start he could be in the shake-up. 2 MAKHACHEV is knocking hard and will be a big runner over a suitable trip if able to overcome a wide draw. 1 GEORGE HANDEL goes for a hattrick from pole position and 4 kg claimer Dookhit stays aboard so he has a chance. (3-9-2-1)

R8 7 OLIVE OYL won her maiden in good style when stepped up to 1600m and looks capable of improving again over this trip. 3 COSMIC CLIFFS is in hard-knocking form and gets the trip, so should be thereabouts with a 2.5 kg claimer up from a fair draw. 8 TAKE YOUR TIME is always thereabouts and now has a 4kg claimer up from pole position so could go close. 9 PRESERVE FOREVER went close last time from pole position but now has a wide draw. (7-3-8-9)

Kaidan Brewer wins on the Simon Dunderdale-trained Pantong (Pic – Supplied)

What is the horse Gay Future’s claim to fame in racing?

The picture gives a clue to the answer