Turf Talk Newsletter – 25 August, 2026

Carl de Vos (behind left) and his assistant stud manager Jaco Erasmus (behind right) with the rest of the Varsfontein team at the Sales (picture from varsfontein.co.za)

Stud manager Carl de Vos has been part of the fabric of Varsfontein Stud for 38 years (since 1988) and he will bow out at the end of this year with the farm’s profitability and racecourse success fittingly at an all time high.

The stud farm only just failed to win the Breeders Championship last season; they had their best two Sales in their history this year and broke a South African Sales aggregate record in the process; And to cap it all the final yearling sold by the stud under Carl’s management fetched the highest ever price for a Varsfontein vendored lot … R6 million.

Varsfontein owner Susan Rowett said, “We were all so emotional that Carl achieved this highlight with the last yearling to sell before his retirement at the end of the year.

“It is the highest price we have ever sold a horse for, I think the next best was Ghaalla (a Var filly) for R5 milliion.

“Our top two highest ever Sales gross’ for any Sale are the National Yearling Sale 2026 and the August Two-year-old Sale 2026.

“It is fantastic to have 16 sell in a year for a million and up … and of course we keep no shares in any of them.

“So it has been a very good year!”

Varsfontein topped both the BSA National Yearling Sale and BSA August Two-year-old Sale on aggregate and established a new South African record for aggregate sales in one season by one stud farm.

Their aggregate for the National Yearling Sale was R32,150,000 with an average of R1,071,667 and their aggregate for the August Two-year-old Sale was R21,000,000 with an average of R807,692.

They also had an aggregate of R8,355,000 at an average of R309,444 for the BSA Cape Yearling Sale.

It is not the first record Varsfontein Stud have broken at the Sales.

In 1998 they splashed out R750,000 to buy Secret Pact, which at the time was a new South African record price for a broodmare.

Susan and her twin brother John Kalmonson had learnt the hard way, because shortly after taking over the stud farm from their late father Anthony, who passed away in 1979, they, to their everlasting regret, sold a filly called Enchanting, although they did make a point of buying and breeding with some of her descendants.

Enchanting was by the champion sire Jungle Cove and not only became a Gr 1 winner, but also a matriarch whose family included the like of brilliant sprinters Harry’s Charm and National Currency.

However, their decision to splash out for Secret Pact has more than compensated for that early mistake.

There is a saying in racing, “It takes just one horse.”

For Varsfontein that horse would likely be Secret Pact, although their magnificent three-times champion stallion Gimmethegreenlight has also made a big impact.

Interestingly, Secret Pact was by Jungle Cove’s son Bush Telegraph and she was a full-sister to the dual Horse Of The Year London News.

Varsfontein stand two stallions who descend from Secret Pact, Master Of My Fate and Erik The Red, and the exciting young Ridgemont-based stallion Malmoos is another successful sire who descends from her.

Both Erik The Red and Malmoos landed the Freshman Champion Stallion title and Master Of My Fate finished second on the freshman log in his  year.

Master Of My Fate has become a perennial top five stallion and finished third two seasons ago.

He has had six Gr 1 winners, while Erik The Red has already had one Gr 1 winner with just two crops to have raced. while Malmoos would already have had one Gr 1 winner in his freshman season had the Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes not been downgraded to a Gr 2 this year.

The success of Secret Pact’s descendants on World Pool Gold Cup day speaks for itself.

Malmoos’ progeny:
Marchland 1st Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes Gr2.

Master of My Fate’s progeny:
Major Master 2nd Darley Arabian Listed;
Doesyourmotherknow 2nd Thekwini Stakes Gr2;
Alice B Toklas 4th Thekwini Stakes Gr2;
Jet Force 2nd Mercury Sprint Gr1;

Erik The Red’s progeny:
Erik Dubois: 1st World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes Gr1;
Red Spice: 3rd Premiers Champion Stakes Gr1.

Varsfontein’s magnificent season on the racecourse included 17 stakes winners of 21 races.

Of those stakes winners, six were by Master Of My Fate and two of them were by Erik The Red, while one of them was by Malmoos.

One of the Erik The Red stakes winners, Viking Leader, has Secret Pact as a bottom line female too.

Two of the other stakes winners they bred in the season had Secret Pact as a bottom line female, inlcuding the winner of the Gr 1 R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July, the Futura gelding Note To Self.

Varsfontein also bred the winner of Zimbabwe’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Castle Tankard i.e. Pocket Watch, who is by Master Of My Fate.

Their success on the racecourse and with their stallions no doubt contributed to their record-breaking year at the Sales as buyers scrambled to buy both the good blood emanating from the stud, while also taking into account the fine environment in which their progeny are born and raised.

At the Nationals eight of their 30 lots sold were by Master Of My Fate and three of those went for seven figure amounts.

Three were by Erik The Red and all were sold.

At the August Two-year-old Sale they consigned nine Erik The Reds, all of them were sold and one of them went for over R1 million (R1.1 million).

They sold six Master Of My Fates at the latter Sale and all of them were sold, with a high of R825,000.

They also sold one Malmoos at the August Two-year-old Sale.

Varsfontein’s 16 seven figure lots this year included the Sales Topper at the August Two-year-old Sale, a Vercingetorix colt out of the Gimmethegreenlight mare Ciao Bella, who went for R6 million.

Secret Pact is not in her female line, but she was a bottom line female in the pedigree of Ghaalla, the stud farm’s previous highest price Sales lot.

Susan always names the Varsfontein progeny well.

She explained the naming of the Sales topper, “Ciao Bella is an Italian phrase for a greeting or a farewell to a beautiful girl i.e ‘Hello Beautiful or Goodbye Beautiful.’  So I looked up the Italian word for a young boy/teenager and hence the name Ragazzino.”

Secret Pact, on top of the sires that descend from her, would likely have featured in a lot of the female lines of the progeny that contributed so well to Varsfontein’s record-breaking year at the Sales and to their fine season on the racecourse.

She could well be the most valuable horse to have ever graced the paddocks of the high-flying Boland-based stud farm.

However, as the old racing adage goes, many would say, “The best horse at Varsfontein is Carl de Vos.”

Carl will be a hard act to follow when he does retire.

Windsor ruled out for Constitution Hill, with all roads now leading to Kempton

Nicky Henderson makes early call on weekend participation of his superstar nine-year-old.

At The Races

Constitution Hill will not make an eagerly-awaited appearance at Windsor on Saturday, with Nicky Henderson delaying the late-summer return of his former hurdling king to Kempton Park the following week.

Windsor’s Listed Weatherbys August Stakes had been identified as the preferred option for the nine-year-old to take the next step in his fledgling Flat career, but the Seven Barrows handler had issued his concerns given the dry summer.

Although, there is the possibility of thunderstorms later in the week that would possibly turn conditions favourable at the Berkshire track, Henderson has decided to make an early call on Constitution Hill’s participation, stating he will instead run in the Group Three September Stakes the following weekend.

In a statement on X, Henderson said: “We all very much appreciate all the interest let alone the speculation as to Constitution Hill’s next race, but, between Michael (Buckley, owner) and I and all the team, we have decided, in order to avoid further uncertainty and any possibility of a late withdrawal, to wait for the September Stakes at Kempton a week on Saturday, as opposed to Windsor this weekend.

“There are, in fact, several factors apart from the ground that have influenced our decision. Having spoken to jockeys who rode at Windsor last night, and Charlie Rees (clerk of the course), who I know is doing everything to combat this dry spell, the chances of the ground being suitable on Saturday are highly unlikely.

“Kempton is obviously going to be a highly competitive Group Three, but we have got to start somewhere in order to find out where he belongs and establish an autumn campaign.”

Constitution Hill has been ridden by Oisin Murphy and Ryan Moore in his two Flat appearances to date and while they would both be otherwise engaged this Saturday, Henderson is hoping they could prove available for Kempton, the scene of a memorable second Flat outing for the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner in March.

“We are hoping that one of the two jockeys who know him could be available for the September Stakes, which they are unlikely to be this weekend,” continued Henderson.

“We all think he is in excellent shape and although he will undoubtedly benefit from this run he is ready to do himself justice.”

El Romiachi after scoring a remarkable hattrick in his 102nd start (Pauline Herman Photography)

The stalwart Elusive Fort ten-year-old gelding El Romiachi had his worst run for about a year-and-a-half when finishing 8,55 lengths back on Friday in his 123rd start and he has been retired.

The Zietsman Oosthuizen-trained and part-owned horse must certainly be the only horse in world flat racing history to win all of his 100th, 101st and 102nd starts.

His other part-owner George Chrisochos said on the African Betting Clan website, “Our Legend El Romiachi injured his left front tendon and we retired him.

It happened in his 123rd start for us and he was a ten-year-old.

His stats were 11 wins and 70 runs in the money.

We have found a good home and are sad to see him go, but are extremely grateful to have owned this top athlete.

Zietsman, who partnered me, did an amazing job judging and choosing when and if the horse should run.

Many horses are not able to run as often.

From my side this horse set a remarkable record that will be remembered and it will be a tough one to break.

I am grateful to all of his supporters and will remember flying down to PE with Scotia (Dave Scott) for his 100th start and him winning it.

Scotia, Ziets and myself experienced a moment that was breathtaking and never to be forgotten.

For myself this is why it is called a game for Kings.

I salute you Champion and Legend and may your retirement be enjoyed lazing and grazing in your new environment.

A big thanks to Zietsman for getting me involved with this Legend.”

Zietsman Oosthuizen said, “EL ROMIACHI gave us the ride no money can buy and is the only horse in the world to ever achieve a hattrick of wins on his 100th , 101st and 102nd starts. You can’t buy that!

To George my partner, the most loyal and best owner I ever had the privilege to train for, you, my friend, deserved a horse like El Romiachi.

Thank you our Russian Mafia horse, to me you are the greatest horse and made the impossible possible.”

Ian Carnaby’s final sponsored race at Brighton ends in a dead-heat between the John & Rhys Flint-trained Crimson Road, ridden by William Carson, and the Jim & Suzi Best-trained Liberate ridden by George Wood

Racing Post (Matt Rennie)

Ian Carnaby’s final sponsorship at Brighton could not have ended more dramatically when Liberate and Crimson Road dead-heated in the 1m2f handicap.

Carnaby had written an entertaining piece on the day of the race entitled, “The end of a glorious 30-year sponsorship celebrating all that is slow in the British racehorse” the previous day. (Click here for a must read entertaining piece that gives an inkling of why horseracing is so popular in Britain i.e. they don’t take it too seriously and appreciate all horses)

The former Racing Post writer told Monday’s Front Runner that he was ending sponsoring races on the card after 30 years, and had to hand out winning prizes to two connections.

Nothing could separate the Jim and Suzi Best-trained Liberate and John and Rhys Flint-trained Crimson Road after a lengthy photo-finish adjudication, and the teams behind both runners were relieved to share the spoils.

Liberate’s owner John Joseph Smith told Sky Sports Racing: “I thought we were beat; we’ve only just got her, so this was a pleasant surprise. People said to me it favours the far side and I was thinking that’s my luck if we’re beat! We’ll settle for a dead-heat.”

Rhys Flint said: “It’s hard to win one race a year, let alone the three in a row that he’s done, so we’ll definitely take a dead-heat. We’re chuffed to bits with him and we’ve got to enjoy days like this.”

Ashvendra was backed on debut and won in eyecatching style (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Cape Breeders

Ridgemont’s top stallion Rafeef enjoyed a good weekend this past week.

Responsible for two winners at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, the son of Redoute’s Choice had two additional winners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville the following day. Rafeef had also enjoyed success at Fairview on Friday when his daughter Lotus Silk won the seventh race.

Rafeef filly Ashvendra made the perfect start to her career when making a winning debut on Sunday.

The Sean Tarry trained three-year-old kicked on strongly in the closing stages of Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Scottsville Welcomes You Maiden Plate (1000m) to score by nearly half a length.

Bred by Winterbach Stud, Ashvendra is owned by the ASSM Racing Syndicate.

Sunday’s winner, who is out of the Trippi mare Kilauea, is bred on the same cross as graded stakes winners William Robertson and Leaving Las Vegas.

Remarkably, Rafeef struck again in the very next race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville with his daughter Sistership landing the Gallop TV Maiden Plate (F and m) (1000m).

Under Calvin Habib, the Alec Laird trained four-year-old, who was making just her third career start, powered home to break her maiden by over two and three quarter lengths.

Bred by the Baitz family, Sistership is owned by Grant Cornwall, Gary Basel and Lance Clark.

Picture: This And That has been tipped to win the last race (Pauline Herman Photography)

Wednesday Fairview Poly meeting formguides by Trevor Reid

RACE 1

RUNGSTEDLAND has been runner-up in her last three starts and is overdue a first success. This is her first taste of the Polytrack. J LORDI has improved of late and should be involved in the finish. ROCKING IN RIO has only been modest so far but returns from a break and having been gelded can make dramatic improvement. AMERICAN GEM does seem better on the grass but can earn some money in a race of this nature. AMERICAN PETAL is better than her last run and can make the frame.

RACE 2

BAI YULU makes her local debut and she would not be a surprise winner. MADE TO MEASURE is threatening a first success but does appear a difficult ride to actually win with. BURNING DESIRE showed improvement last time out and could go one place better. KIM KAY should contest the finish. RARE EARTH and CAUGHTBYSURPRISE are better than their last runs suggest and can earn some minor money. LADY MAJESTIC put in a career best performance last time out and might do even better this time.

RACE 3

HAT MONTERA does not always show her best side. She did just need the run in a better race last time out and has won for this apprentice so gets the vote to score. GINGER DELIGHT is at best on the Polytrack and is clearly better than her last run. ROYAL MISSY has not been disgraced in her last two starts and is not out of it. FLIGHT DISPLAY is better than her last run shows and can bounce back and be a threat. BABETTE’S FEAST, ROYAL KAILANI, and WAIT FOR ME try further and could improve.

RACE 4

An open looking race. SABRAGE is improving and may well complete a hat-trick but this is a tougher task. RICHARDTHEFEARLESS is a dangerous frontrunner when in the right mood and could be a threat. HOLLANDIA BAKKERIJ has some fair form and is not out of it. BLACKBERRY BREEZE is usually competitive and clearly not out of it. HOODWINKED did his best work late last time out and could be ready for a winning turn. GLOBAL DRUMBEAT and SIXTYZERO receive weight from their rivals and might be dangerous.

RACE 5

Trainer Alan Greeff and the returning Richard Fourie hold a decent hand in the last four races on this card. TRAVEL MASTER has had some solid wins of late. New frontrunning tactics were tried and he has thrived. ALWAYS SHINING has struggled of late but is capable of an upset on best form. PALANCAR showed his best side with a good win last time out and may follow up. PRINCE FLORIAN is not an easy ride but is course and distance suited and should be included in all bets. CHARLIE MALONE and HOSPICES DE BEAUNE are also capable of getting into the mix.

RACE 6

The two-year-old form from last season will be tested in this event. FIRST OFFICER was a couple of lengths behind the leading two-year-colts last season and could score. SUSURRANDO has improved this year and should be a threat once again. GIVETHATMANABELLS was a well-supported, easy winner of his latest start and must be respected for that. SMIDDYBURN, EUGENIUS and KING VISERYS have all done enough of late to suggest they can make the frame.

RACE 7

NEW DAY looked an unlucky loser last time. She had a difficult draw and although not well drawn she looks ready to recoup any losses for that defeat. ROCKIE BLUE, her stable companion, returns from a break but could earn some money. MIDNIGHT MUSIC showed improvement last time out and could go one place better. SABOTEUR is a recent maiden winner that could have more to offer. ICE CAP and COLORAMA are unreliable but do run places every now and then. LILAC SNOW makes a local debut and could shine.

RACE 8

THIS OR THAT impressed in her debut win. She did not show the same level of form trying the Polytrack but could recoup losses. MYSTICAL BUTTERFLY is well drawn this time so a better run can be expected. MOSCOW MISS needed her last run and can bounce back to be a real threat to these rivals. WALK RIGHT IN won last time out and could have more to offer. DRACHENFUTTER makes a local debut and could be a danger. WHIRLYBIRD and VOORSMAAKIE are two others to consider.

2026 BETWAY SPRING SPREE STAKES – CAN QUANTUM THEORY DO IT AGAIN?

Johannesburg, South Africa – 4Racing today launches its spring/summer season with the running of the 2026 Betway Spring Spree Stakes (Listed) at Turffontein Racecourse on Saturday, 29 August.

The R175,000 Betway Spring Spree Stakes is a Listed 1200m handicap and offers the first opportunity of the new season for Highveld horses to earn black type. It will be supported by Betway The Lady’s Stakes, a 1200m Non Black Type event for fillies and mares, offering prize money of R150,000.

The Spring Spree Stakes evolved from the August Stakes, which was first run over 1200m on the Vaal sand on 30 August 2008. In addition to providing a bit of sparkle to the traditionally quiet month of August, the feature also acted as a useful pointer to the Emerald Cup. The inaugural running was won by Messrs W E Brits and B L Welch’s Red Mist (Elliodor – Shuttle’s Best) for Roy Magner and Marthinus Mienie.

Following the closure of the Vaal sand track, the race relocated to Turffontein, changed to turf and was renamed the Spring Spree Stakes. It was run on turf for the first time on 3 September 2016, when Mrs M J Wallace’s Kangaroo Jack (Querari – Rainbow Flag) trained by Gary Alexander and ridden by Andrew Fortune, took the honours.

Roy Magner has maintained a particularly strong affinity with the race, having saddled five winners to date. His victories include a dead-heat in 2019, when his charge Prince Of Kahal (Kahal – Vogue) shared the spoils with Angel’s Power (Miesque’s Approval – Angel Child) trained by Michael and Adam Azzie.

Magner bids for a sixth Spring Spree Stakes victory this year with Messrs P J Moor & A P Nydam’s Max The Magician (What A Winter – Cast A Spell), who will be partnered by Muzi Yeni.

Sean Tarry is next best with four victories, including last year’s winner, Quantum Theory (Querari – Control Freak), who will return to defend his title.

Quantum Theory is already a dual winner of the Spring Spree Stakes, having achieved the unusual distinction of winning the race at two different venues for two different trainers. He first won the race for Robbie Sage at Turffontein in 2023 before adding a second victory for Sean Tarry at the Vaal last year, after the renewal was moved following the fire at the Robinson Landfill site. Tarry and Quantum Theory team up with jockey Serino Moodley as they bid to defend their title on Saturday.

The final fields for Saturday’s feature races are as follows:-

Race 7 R 175,000 1200m 15:10

BETWAY SPRING SPREE STAKES (Listed)

Stake Breakdown

Total Stakes: R 175,000.00

1st: R10330.25, 2nd R33250, 3rd R16625, 4th R8312.50, 5th R4156.25

1 – 3 KARATE KID (P Matchett) B Marx-Jacobson 60.0 (-1.5) – 108

2 – 6 QUANTUM THEORY (S Tarry) S Moodley 60.0 – 108

3 – 7 BJORN IRONSIDE (J Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 58.5 – 105

4 – 4 CHARMING CHEETAH (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 58.0 – 104

5 – 9 ESPINOZA (S Naidoo) G Samo-Burthia 57.0 (-2.5) – 102

6 – 5 THE LAST DUKE (P Matchett) P Mxoli 56.0 – 100

7 – 8 SLINKY MAPIMPI (P/J Vermeulen) J Gates 55.0 – 98

8 – 2 UMZINGELI WENYATHI (C Binda) R Venniker 54 (-1.5) – 96

9 – 1 MAX THE MAGICIAN (R Magner) M Yeni 53.5 – 95

 

Race 6 R 150,000 1200m 14:35

BETWAY THE LADY’S STAKES (NBT)

Stake Breakdown

Total Stakes: R 150,000.00

1st: R89062.50, 2nd R23500, 3rd R14250, 4th R7125, 5th R3561.50

1 – 7 RIFLE QUEEN (T Peter) K Matsunyane 62.0 – 105

2 – 8 ANCHORAGE (C/T Dawson) G Lerena 59.5 – 100

3 – 5 BRIGHT AND BRAZEN (R Klaasen) C Habib 58.0 – 97

4 – 1 SEASON’S GREETINGS (C Binda) R Venniker 53.0 (-1.5) – 87

5 – 6 BLIZZARD SNOW (T Peter) K Lihaba 52.5 – 86

6 – 4 WINTER RAINFALL (T Peter) S Moodley 52.5 – 86

7 – 3 SHE’S ALL MINE (B Webber) P Mxoli 52.0 – 83

8 – 2 SIGRID SWING (H van der Westhuizen) J Penny 52.0 – 7