Turf Talk Newsletter – 25 March, 2026

The Hollywood Racing-owned Curious Girl has SA Derby winner written all over her, despite there not having been a filly winner of this race for 108 years (JC Photos) 

Mike de Kock is already part of SA Derby history having won the big race six times, which is reportedly a record, and he and his son Mathew can make more history on April 4 by becoming the first trainers to win this classic with a filly for 108 years.

Their charge Curious Girl is among the entries and if she does do it this season will be remembered as the year of the Derby girls, because the Justin Snaith-trained Wish List became only the ninth filly in history to win the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby.

The SA Derby had its inaugural race at Fairview in 1885 before being moved to Turffontein in 1907.

It used to be regularly won by a filly.

Among the filly winners was the great Peerless, who won it in 1902 and went on to win the Durban July in the same season on 25 July 1903.

Peerless later became the dam of a July winner, the 1911 winner Nobleman, who is the only two-year-old to have ever won the July.

Nobleman, who was by the great many-times champion stallion Greatorex,  failed to win the SA Derby later in the year when he was a three-year-old, finishing second.

However, six years later on Boxing Day in 1917 his full-sister  Noble Lady became the ninth filly in history to win the SA Derby.

However, the trend of fillies winning regularly then ended.

She was the last filly to win the SA Derby.

One of the reasons for this could be that the SA Oaks is today held on the same day as the SA Derby.

Noble Lady had the luxury of running in both races and in fact she won the SA Oaks three days after winning the SA Derby.

So, the De Kock-trained filly Curious Girl will be attempting to end a winless streak for fillies in the SA Derby that stretches all the way back to Noble Lady, a 108-season drought.

One irony is that she is vying for favouritism in the SA Derby with Texas Missile, who is trained by Alec Laird.

Alec’s grandfather and namesake Alec Laird rode Noble Lady’s full-brother Nobleman to victory in the July 115 years ago.

Curious Girl has a fine chance.

In fact she has SA Derby winner written all over her.

In her last start in the Non-Black Type Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial she romped home by 5,75 lengths under Gavin Lerena.

Her time was 1,63 seconds quicker than the time for the Listed Hawwaam Stakes on the same day over the same 2000m distance and she was carrying 6kg more than the winner of that race.

The Hawwaam Stakes is the name these days of the traditional Derby Trial and Curious Girl will be meeting eight of the contestants from that race.

On the time factor she has their measure and, furthermore, she will be receiving a 2,5kg gender allowance from them.

On pedigree Curious Girl will relish this course and distance.

In fact there are a number of lines in her pedigree that are already steeped in SA Derby history.

Her sire Futura is by July winner and champion racehorse Dynasty and Futura himself won the Gr 1 Champions  Cup over 1800m twice and also did the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate/Met double.

Futura is a stamina influence who produces tall, rangy, backward types, so she is very much in the mould of a typical Futura.

Futura’s grandsire Fort Wood, the sire of Dynasty, has a fine record in the SA Derby.

He produced the greatest SA Derby winner of all time, Horse Chestnut, who was trained by Mike de Kock, and he also produced SA Derby winner Elusive Fort.

Dynasty has produced the De Kock-trained SA Derby winner Irish Flame, who won the race by 9,5 lengths.

Elusive Fort has produced the SA Derby winner Out Of Your League.

Curious Girl hails from the same female line that the SA Oaks winner of two years ago, Frances Ethel, had and they share this female line with a former De Kock-trained SA Derby winner Bouquet-Garni (Strike Smartly)..

Frances Ethel’s third dam was the imported Roberto mare You’re My Lady, while You’re My Lady is Curious Girl’s fourth dam.

You’re My Lady is one of the best bred females to ever be imported here as she was out of the Buckpasser mare Spring Adieu, who was a half-sister to the mighty Northern Dancer.

Frances Ethel’s second dam by Golden Thatch out of You’re My Lady was the Golden Thatch mare Daphne Donnelly.

Daphne Donnelly is Curious Girl’s third dam and she was Bouquet-Garni’s second dam..

Interestingly, Frances Ethel was out of a Fort Wood mare and so was Bouquet-Garni, while Curious Girl is out of an Ideal World mare, who was out of a Fort Wood mare.

De Kock’s last SA Derby winner Malmoos, is also out of a Fort Wood mare.

Ideal World, who is very much a stamina influence, brings another copy of Spring Adieu to Curious’ Girl’s pedigree, because he is out of a Danehill mare and the mighty Danehill was out of a daughter of Spring Adieu.

Curious Girl could not have a better SA Derby pedigree and on top of all that she has landed a plum draw of two.

She is going to take a power of beating under Gavin Lerena and will become the first SA Derby winner to be by a great grandson of the SA Derby king, Fort Wood.

The Gr 1 SA Classic one-two, Grand Empire and Trust, have both been declared to run in the Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge (JC Photos) 

Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)

Racing fans are in for a real treat after the final fields for Champions Day at Turffontein on 4 April were released.

There are three Grade 1 races and five Grade 2 events on the 12-race card and there will be Hong Kong World Pool betting on four races which will allow TAB punters to bet into massive pools.

There are 11 runners geared up to run in the HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and a really exciting field has been revealed. They are headed up by Justin Snaith-trained See It Again and Okavango, as well as last year’s winner and runner-up Alec Laird’s Fire Attack and Royal Victory who is now trained by Weichong Marwing.

Interestingly, log-leading jockey Craig Zackey will be riding the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met winner See It Again this time while Richard Fourie will be aboard Okavango.

Laird also has 2024 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch in the field.

Trainer Tony Peter also two runners in the field, The Ultimate King and UK import The Equator.

Of particular interest are the two three-year-olds in the field, Sean Tarry-trained Grand Empire and Candice and Tammy Dawson’s Trust, first and second respectively in the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m at this course. There was just a short head separating the pair and both give the impression they will handle the additional 200m.

The Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes over 1600m sees Snaith-trained three-time Grade 1 winner Double Grand Slam make her debut on the Highveld.

Another Western Cape raider is Candice Bass-trained Rainbow Lorikeet who was narrowly beaten by Double Grand Slam in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 31 January.

Again, Zackey has picked up the ride for the Snaith yard on Double Grand Slam while Aldo Domeyer will be back on Rainbow Lorikeet.

Alan Greeff had entered Golden Palm for both the Empress Club Stakes and the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks over 2450m but he has opted for the 1600m race and Fourie will be on board.

It comes as no surprise that Ryan Munger will be riding Corne Spies’s charge, William Robertson, in the Computaform Sprint. The 17-time winner is the defending champion but he will have to face Peter-trained Buffalo Storm Cody, the highest rated horse in the country, this time.

Richard Fourie will be aboard Buffalo Storm Cody this time.

Of course, much interest on the day will be on Spies-trained Hazy Dazy in the Grade 2 SA Oaks as she will be attempting to close out the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara. She has drawn wide at No 13 but will have apprentice Trent Mayhew up again.

It is interesting that Mike and Mathew de Kock have opted to run Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial winner Curious Girl in the Grade 2 TAB SA Derby where she will take on the colts.

The three-year-old Futura filly has drawn well and will have the benefit of a 2.5kg sex allowance.

 

CHAMPIONS DAY FIELDS

 

HKJC WORLD POOL PREMIER’S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)(For all horses at Weight for Age) R2000000 2000m

1 – 3 SEE IT AGAIN (J S Snaith) C Zackey 60.0 – 130

2 – 10 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) G Lerena 60.0 – 127

3 – 11 FIRE ATTACK (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 – 124

4 – 9 ROYAL VICTORY (W C Marwing) R A Venniker 60.0 – 124

5 – 1 OKAVANGO (J S Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 – 123

6 – 7 THE EQUATOR (A P Peter) K de Melo 60.0 – 117

7 – 5 THE ULTIMATE KING (A P Peter) C Murray 60.0 – 117

8 – 2 MADISON VALLEY (N Kotzen) M Yeni 60.0 – 116

9 – 4 OLIVIA’S WAY (R R Magner) M V’Rensburg 57.5 – 114

10 – 8 GRAND EMPIRE (S G Tarry) R Munger 56.5 – 120

11 – 6 TRUST (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 56.5 – 119

Same Trainer: (1,5) (2,3) (6,7)

 

TAB EMPRESS CLUB STAKES (Grade 1)(For Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age) R1000000 1600m

1 – 7 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM (J S Snaith) C Zackey 60.0 – 122

2 – 2 RAINBOW LORIKEET (C Bass) A Domeyer 60.0 – 115

3 – 9 CALLMEGETRIX (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 – 113

4 – 6 RODEO DRIVE (S G Tarry) P Mxoli 60.0 – 113

5 – 5 MINOGUE (C/T Dawson) M Yeni 60.0 – 112

6 – 4 KISSHOTEN (A P Peter) C Habib 60.0 – 107

7 – 8 FAMOUS LADY (D Nieuwenhuizen) R A Venniker 60.0 – 103

8 – 3 PAST IS PROLOGUE (G van Zyl (Jnr)) N Patel 60.0 – 81

9 – 10 GOLDEN PALM (A C Greeff) R Fourie 57.5 – 115

10 – 1 SCARLETT HEART (F Bronkhorst) G Lerena 57.5 – 108

Same Trainer: (3,4)

 

TAB COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1)(For all horses at Weight for Age) R1000000 1000m

1 – 7 BUFFALO STORM CODY (A P Peter) R Fourie 60.0 – 132

2 – 3 KINGDUNDEE (D G Smith) C Habib 60.0 – 127

3 – 9 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 – 124

4 – 12 TRUTH (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 60.0 – 120

5 – 14 TAXI TO THE MOON (A P Peter) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 119

6 – 11 ZIYASHA (C Binda) G Lerena 60.0 – 118

7 – 1 FUTURE VARIETY (C Bass) A Domeyer 60.0 – 116

8 – 5 LUHAMBA PHAMBILI (G van Zyl (Jnr)) S Veale 60.0 – 112

9 – 10 ARCTIC WIZARD (G W Ennion) M Yeni 60.0 – 110

10 – 15 MOUNT PINATUBO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 60.0 – 109

11 – 4 MOVER AND SHAKER (F P Habib) M Mbuto 60.0 – 109

12 – 17 CHOCOLATE SOLDIER (C Spies) T Mayhew 60.0 – 108

13 – 6 CONSTELLATION (M/M de Kock) C Murray 58.0 – 114

14 – 2 ALMOND SEA (A P Peter) C Zackey 57.5 – 119

15 – 16 MIA MOO (S G Tarry) M K Katjedi 57.5 – 119

16 – 13 WHISTLE THE TUNE (C/T Dawson) C Little 57.5 – 116

17 – 8 GREEN DIAMOND (S G Tarry) P Mxoli 55.5 – 111

Same Trainer: (1,5,14) (3,12) (4,16) (15,17)

 

Event No:4/Race No:9

TAB SA DERBY (Grade 2)(3 year olds (3rd Leg SA Triple Crown)) R1250000 2450m

1 – 10 RADIO STAR (M G Azzie) C Zackey 60.0 – 107

2 – 7 TOMMY SHELBY (F P Habib) J Gates 60.0 – 101

3 – 12 COPPER EAGLE (R Klaasen) C Murray 60.0 – 100

4 – 11 SALANI KAHLE (G van Zyl (Jnr)) S Veale 60.0 – 97

5 – 4 TEXAS MISSILE (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 – 94

6 – 5 TITANS OF WAR (R R Magner) R Danielson 60.0 – 91

7 – 3 BELLEROPHON (F P Habib) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 89

8 – 13 MASTER SPY (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 – 88

9 – 1 SWORD SPEED (A Wright) K de Melo 60.0 – 87

10 – 8 DIOGENES (W C Marwing) M Yeni 60.0 – 86

11 – 6 CULTURATI (G J Maroun) R A Venniker 60.0 – 85

12 – 9 REIGN ON IMPACT (F Greyling) A Mgudlwa 60.0 – 74

13 – 2 CURIOUS GIRL (M/M de Kock) G Lerena 57.5 – 92

Same Trainer: (2,7)

 

WILGERBOSDRIFT BRIDGET OPPENHEIMER SA OAKS (Grade 2)(For 3 year-old Fillies (3rd Leg of SA Triple Tiara)) R750000 2450m

1 – 9 HAZY DAZY (C Spies) T Mayhew 60.0 – 117

2 – 4 CHARGE IT (A Wright) S Moodley 60.0 – 113

3 – 3 DAISY JONES (M G Azzie) K de Melo 60.0 – 108

4 – 5 LITTLEMISSMILLION (T Zackey) C Zackey 60.0 – 107

5 – 2 DRUMNADROCHIT (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 – 105

6 – 8 AMAZON QUEEN (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 – 81

7 – 7 SHADOWLINE (S T Pettigrew) C Habib 60.0 – 78

8 – 6 STAMPEDE AHEAD (A A Azzie) T Godden 60.0 – 76

9 – 1 CLOUDS CLEARING (W/W Marwing) K J Lihaba 60.0 – 74

 

TAB HAWAII STAKES (Grade 2)(Open) R500000 1400m

1 – 8 COSMIC SPEED (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 – 122

2 – 3 MAIN DEFENDER (A P Peter) C Zackey 59.0 – 130

3 – 1 CATS PAJAMAS (N Kotzen) R Fourie 58.0 – 119

4 – 7 TEXAS RED (R Klaasen) M K Katjedi 58.0 – 119

5 – 5 MONEY HEIST (A P Peter) C Habib 58.0 – 106

6 – 2 WINDS OF CHANGE (M G Azzie) M Michel 58.0 – 102

7 – 4 PRINCE OF KILDARE (B B Ruiters) P Mxoli 58.0 – 80

8 – 6 ONE EYE ON VEGAS (M/M de Kock) G Lerena 55.5 – 115

Same Trainer: (2,5)

 

TAB SA NURSERY (Grade 2)(For 2 yo R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus) R500000 1160m

1 – 6 BETTER NEVER ENDS (S S Ngcobo) M Yeni 60.0 – 83

2 – 2 GIMME A VODKA (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 – 97

3 – 7 KINGS MOUNTAIN (M/M de Kock) C Murray 60.0 – 0

4 – 1 KUDIKARAN (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 – 0

5 – 3 NIGHTSHINE (A Ndzilana) M K Katjedi 60.0 – 0

6 – 5 THE BRONX BULL (A P Peter) G Lerena 60.0 – 84

7 – 4 TWILIGHT (M G Azzie) K de Melo 57.5 – 82

 

WILGERBOSDRIFT SA FILLIES NURSERY (Grade 2)(For 2 yof R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus) R350000 1160m

1 – 6 ELUSIVE DRAGON (P F Matchett) R A Venniker 60.0 – 0

2 – 5 FATEFUL LOVE (A C Greeff) C Zackey 60.0 – 88

3 – 3 GET UP (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 – 90

4 – 2 GOOD DAY SUNSHINE (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 – 84

5 – 1 GRISELDA (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 – 90

6 – 7 KAVADY (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 – 90

7 – 8 QUEEN LEILA (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 – 88

8 – 4 VOLCANIC HEAT (R Klaasen) C Habib 60.0 – 92

Same Trainer: (1,7) (3,5)

 

WILGERBOSDRIFT CARADOC GOLD CUP (Listed)(Open) R300000 2850m

1 – 8 POETS WARRIOR (M G Azzie) G Lerena 60.0 – 114

2 – 1 ALADDIN’S LAMP (M/M de Kock) C Murray 56.0 – 106

3 – 5 DAIMYO (A G Laird) C Habib 56.0 – 105

4 – 6 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) C Zackey 54.0 – 101

5 – 4 BREEZE OVER (M G Azzie) R A Venniker 54.0 – 99

6 – 9 HOTARUBI (C I Jonker) R Munger 54.0 – 98

7 – 7 ENFLAME (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 52.0 – 98

8 – 2 TAXHAVEN (P F Matchett) M K Katjedi 52.0 – 96

9 – 3 TEO TORRIATTE (C J Lensley) M Mbuto 50.0 – 94

10 – 10 KISSING MACHINE (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 50.0 – 86

Same Trainer: (1,5) (8,10)

Constitution Hill is out on his own, making it two easy wins from two starts on the flat (Picture: Sky Sports Racing) 

Constitution Hill has followed the rare path of being a jumps race champion to a horse who is fast becoming the most popular horse in Britain on the flat.

He made it two from two in flat races at Kempton Park on Wednesday evening when easily despatching a Novice Stakes field over a mile-and-half under Ryan Moore.

A huge crowd once again turned out to watch him run and to cheer him home.

He showed an exhilarating turn of foot despite being a nine-year-old.

However, the the Melbourne Cup dream of the owner has been ruled out by trainer Nicky Henderson, who said before this race he would not go for the Mebourne Cup “in a million years”.

Henderson has also ruled him out of Royal Ascot and he will be prepared for potential races in the UK and Ireland during late summer, such as the Ebor Handicap or the Irish St Leger

Constitution Hill is incidentally not the first horse in Britain to be a winner of the Champion Hurdle before going on to become a popular flat racer.

One of the most popular horses in British history was Brown Jack, a Champion Hurdler who became a Royal Ascot legend by winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes for six years in succession and it is said that when he won his sixth the celebratory pandemonium that followed was a scene never seen at Ascot before or since.

Click here to read about Constitution Hill’s latest victory 

Kissing Machine should be involved in the finish of the sixth race ( JC Photos)

Vaal Classic Thursday March 26 Formguides And Selections

The Vaal Classic track has an eight race meeting today and Kissing Machine should be in the shake up in the highest rated race of the day, a MR 98 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m.

Calvin Habib has been aboard for all three of her career wins and she is drawn in pole, which will help her considering she set the pace last time when winning over 2000m. She was headed by Future Date in that last race but fought back well in the straight to win by 0,75 lengths. She  would probably prefer 2000m and she is also four points higher in the merit ratings for that last win, so can’t be considered a good thing. However, she has not missed a cheque this season in eight starts from 1800m up to 2400m and should make a bold bid. Warning Sound will be a big threat as she ran a cracker last time in a Listed race over 1600m. She is three points higher, but should relish the step up in trip on pedigree and her draw of five out of ten is not bad. Free In Seattle just needs to repeat her last start, in which she was second to the smart Duchess Of Palamoa over this course and distance, to have a fine chance from a good draw. Bakwena was beaten 2,20 lengths by Warning Sound last time, but is only half-a-kilogram better off and she has a tricky draw. Future Date probably hit the front to early last time over 2000m and will likely enjoy this step down to 1800m, plus she is 1kg better off for that 0,75 length defeat by Kissing Machine.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1450m The Reason looks cherry ripe to deliver. He is knocking hard and has a fair draw over a suitable trip. Furthermore, he looked the type who would need a few runs for the penny to drop and he should be ready now. Onceinabluemoon has a length to make up on The Reason and is well drawn so should be in the shake up. Lanteri beat The Reason over this trip in  her penultimate start before running a moderate place next time out and she has a tricky draw. Baby Red could earn if producing her best. Savara’s Princess could earn a cheque in this line up.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 over 1450m Night Skizzle made a good debut and can go close with improvement over the same course and distance but the wide draw is a big concern, although Keagan de Melo will likely mke a plan. Shoreybomba was a length behind Night Skizzle in that race but there is now a reversal in draw fortunes in his favour so he has a chance.Lookout Mountain has four lengths to find on Night Skizzle, but he has a good draw and Zackey is up, so with expected improvement he is not out of it. Beach Walker has run some good races but is none too consistent and has a tricky draw. Arizona Magic has the form to earn.

In the fifth race over 2400m Military Moves was second to Pomozelous three runs ago over this trip and is now 3kg better off for a 0,70 length beating, but he does have to bounce back from two below par runs over 2600m and 2000m. Pomozealous won over this trip last time and was only raised three points and now has pole position. Arlington Action stays and is usually thereabouts and he is 2kg better off the Pomozealous for a 1,50 length beating so has a chance.  Full Go is in fine form over middle distances and now tries a step up in trip. His sire Admiral Kitten won a Gr 1 over 2000m while his dam is by Captain Of All and is difficult to assess for stamina as she was a poor performer at whatever trip she tried.

In the seventh over 1800m World Of Royaltty caught the eye in his first couple of runs  and was always going to be a horse who would appreciate the Highveld with its long straights. He ran on strongly last time in his first run on the Highveld and can be dopped out from a wide ddraw here under Muzi Yeni. Sky Pillar Rock has the ability to be in the shake up. Dark Silver should have come on from his last start, which followed a short layoff and he has a form chance.

In the eighth over 1800m Pearl In Her Crown is capable of a strong finish and should be right there. She can be dropped out from her wide draw and then mow them down. Azaleas For All is usually thereabouts and can earn again, althougth she has a tricky draw. Special Star is still capable of imprrovement and faces an easier field here than she has in her last wo starts.

In the first race over1000m Red Viking is by Erik The Red out of a Var mare and he is a half-brother to three-time winner Magical Sky. Gimme Some Luck is by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Shamardal mare and he is a half-brother to seven-time winner Ululate and to five-time winner New Mexico. Expert Witness is by Hawwaam out of Albarahin mare Fakazi and he is a half-brother to the 105-rated seven-time winner Perfect Witness. Midnight Show made a fair debut and should improve .

In the second over 1000m Lanzarote has run two good races, including coming third in a Listed race and she is the one to beat. Verdandi is by Erik The Red and is a half-sister to Tenjiku, who reached a 104 rating after two wins and a close fourth in a Listed race.Lady Harlequin is by What A Winter out of Captain Al mare who won on debut. Ushouldbedancingis by Pathfork out of a Joshua Dancer mare and she is a half-sister to three-time winner Palace Dancer (Potala Palace). Spring Tide looks capable of improvemet after a moderate debut.