Turf Talk Newsletter – 27 July, 2026

Turf Talk-sponsored jockey Chad Little described winning the Gold Cup on Saturday as the biggest win of his career (Candiese Lenferna Photography)  

Last Tuesday at Summerveld trainer Glen Kotzen had ended an interview by saying,  “I don’t think Hollywoodbets Greyville suits Holding Thumbs, but we’ve got a plan.

It was easy to work out that with no obvious pace in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m and Holding Thumbs being a big galloping type the plan would be for Turf Talk-sponsored jockey Chad Little to take last year’s runner up to the front in South Africa’s most prestigious staying race.

Kotzen had also said in the interview that the Champions Season hadn’t been great for the big Vercingetorix gelding and he had added, “But I think we have now turned him for the Gold Cup.”

It was revealed after the race on Sunday they had made some changes to his work program and in particular he was given more short, sharp work as opposed to long work.

Kotzen said it could be seen when Holding Thumbs walked into the ring that the new program had made all the difference.

Holding Thumbs jumped from draw 13 of 13, which at least allowed him a clear passage to the front.

The big bay pinged the gates and was far enough clear when reaching the turn to slot in front of Shoot The Rapids.

Little had got his trigonometry just about perfect with Holding Thumbs having gone on virtually a straight line from starting stall to the inside at the end of the first straight.

That ensured he would have expended as little energy as possible in the first 450m and it also meant he had the rail for the rest of the journey i.e. the shortest way home.

That was the first prerequisite for a perfect ride ticked off.

He then ensured no more than a steady pace from then onward.

Hot favourite King Pelles was in midfield sitting in a one wide position with cover when he suddenly came off the bit and began backpedalling as they approached the 1000m mark. Lyle Hewitson had no option but to ease him out of the race. He had run a fantastic third in the Hollywodbets Durban July, but it had been tough race for him and the Gold Cup might have proved a bridge too far.

Meanwhile, the second favourite Ahead Of The Facts was travelling well, but his supporters’ concerns were  mounting, because he was closer to the back than the front in a relatively slow run race.

Richard Fourie had the room to switch Ahead Of The Facts out at the 800m mark and he began inching closer as they came up the hill.

The exceptional turn of foot Ahead Of The Facts had displayed in his impressive Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase victory over 3000m was evident in the straight as he had soon mastered the chasing vanguard.

However, Little had meanwhile fulfilled more criteria for a perfect ride by giving his horse some rein as they approached the straight and he then extracted a telling kick from his charge at the top of the straight.

Those two moves were vital aboard a resolute galloping type, who lacks the acceleration of Ahead Of The Facts, and he had soon opened up a four length gap on the rest of the field.

It was apparent the long-striding horse was going to be hard to haul in and even after Ahead Of The Facts had easily passed the others it was clear he was not closing on Holding Thumbs quickly enough.

Little showed perfect timing in drawing the stick as late as the 250m mark.

He later executed a deft change of whip hand which saw Holding Thumbs changing legs and finding another gear.

He pulled off another late whip hand change when Holding Thumbs hung in on to the rail.

However, he can only be given 99% for the ride because in his understandable excitement he stood up and saluted  a stride or two before the line.

Ahead Of The Facts stayed on well for a two length second, leaving Justin Snaith still chasing a first Gold Cup.

The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained filly Jazz Cafe enjoyed a third successive step up in trip and stayed on well from fifth place in the running for a 2,90 length third. She is a stayer worth following, although she was officially 5,5kg under sufferance with the winner, so is likely to be given a sizeable merit rating raise.

Future Pearl was not aided by the slow pace, but stayed on well from the back of the field for a 6,10 length fourth.

Native Ruler galloped all the way to the line from the back of the field for a 8,20 length fifth and would also have appreciated a faster pace.

Some would say Shoot The Rapids ran disappointingly, beaten 8,25 lengths into sixth, considering he sat in the box seat throughout, but that would not take into account that Chill In The Air stuck close to his outside throughout and it appeared that Shoot The Rapids could never find a perfectly relaxed rhythm.

The Gold Cup used to be the second biggest race in Durban, if not the country, and Glen Kotzen has now done the career double of two iconic races, albeit 17 years apart with Big City Life having won the July for him in 2009.

Jockey Chad Little is old enough to recall that great racing era when the 3200m long Gold Cup was a huge event accompanied by razzmatazz that almost matched July day.

After executing one of the rides of the season he likened winning Sunday’s big World Pool-sponsored race to winning the Hollywoodbets Durban July, even though it has been downgraded in recent years to a Gr 3.

Fittingly, Holding Thumbs was bred by the Oppenheimer family’s Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein stud operation.

The victory falls 67 years after Chad Little’s grandfather Benny Little gave Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer of Mauritfontein Stud their first July win in 1959 in his first July ride on the homebred Tiger Fish.

The Gold Cup win ensured the Breeders Championship had been regained by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, who pulled away on the final big day of the season from this season’s nearest rival Varsfontein Stud to win it by over R2 million.

The sire phenomenon Vercingetorix took his number of stakes wins for the season to 34, which was one more than last season, but despite winning three stakes races on the day with Zeitz, Palace Of Avernia and Holding Thumbs respectively, the Maine Chance Farms-based stallion’s tally of individual stakes winners in a season remained on 21, two short of the SA record he had set last season.

Nevertheless, Vercingetorix has run away with his second Sires Championship, finishing close to R11.5 million clear of the three times Champion Sire Gimmthegreenlight.

For owners Messrs P Bamford, D D MacLean & Gary Player Stud Farm (Pty) Ltd, Mrs J Doyle & Mr L S & Mrs Rayna Govender it was also a huge moment.

Gary Player also part-owned last year’s winner King Pelles and this was his third Gold Cup win in all.

It would have been a race of mixed emotions for Player with King Pelles, who started as hot 13/10 favourite, being pulled out of the race. Thankfully the horse was okay, although he did have to be subjected to veterinarian checks.

Eight On Eighteen crosses the line by a diminishing 1.05 lengths from stable companion See It Again (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

The Justin Snaith-trained Eight On Eighteen won the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m from his stablemate See It Again at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday, ensuring another big race exacta for prolific Durban-based owner Nick Jonsson.

Eight On Eighteen enhanced his already glittering CV by adding a career fourth Gr 1 and with a magnificent pedigree behind him his stallion value has now reached rare heights.

Eight On Eighteen is by Lancaster Bomber, who has been proven to be a huge loss, and he is from one of the best family’s in the stud book.

His dam Sempre Libre is not only out of the champion broodmare and iconic matriarch Mystic Spring, but she is also by the influential champion sire and leading broodmare sire Captain Al.

Eight On Eighteen is part-owned by Johann Rupert, whose wife Gaynor owns the Drakenstein Stud who bred both Eight On Eighteen and See It Again.

Eight In Eighteen is sure to stand at Drakenstein one day.

There has not been any announcement of his retirement though, so he will hopefully be racing again next season, which will be much to the joy of his devoted groom Philip Sengeza.

Meanwhile, See It Again, who was out to achieve the rare feat of landing a wfa Gr 1 victory in three different provinces in the same season, did enough to be a certainty for the Equus Horse Of The Year award.

Eight On Eighteen was Horse Of The Year last year and Jonsson also won the Horse Of The Year award with Do It Again in 2018/2019.

However, the Snaiths have now won it seven times with Legislate in 2013/2014, Futura in 2014/2015, Oh Susanna in 2017/2018, Do It Again in 2018/2019, Captain’s Ransom in 2021/2022, Eight On Eighteen in 2024/2025 and See It Again looking a shoe-in this year.

Incidentally, many feel Jonsson’s Snaith-trained Jet Dark should have got Horse Of The Year ahead of stablemate Captain’s Ransom in 2021/2022.

Nevertheless, Jonsson will feel like he has the world at the feet with Eight On Eighteen having a stud career ahead of him, with some more racing still possible, and with See It Again being a sound-as-a-bell gelding.

See It Again looks to have another season in him at least, despite the fact he will be seven next term.

Illness had seen Eight On Eighteen having an interrupted Summer Season and it took him a while to find his feet after fully recovering.

However, Richard Fourie had confirmed he was back to his high class best when putting in a superb gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the day of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops.

The confidence increased as the Champions Cup approached and he shortened right into 2/1 at one stage.

He drifted out to 9/2 on the day as See It Again and The Real Prince were supported, starting 28/10 and 5/2 favourite respectively.

However, that did not stop Fourie riding Eight On Eighteen as if he was a good thing.

Fourie sat on him from the off after jumping from draw three in the eight horse field and had him one from last.

However, he did ensure he was one off the rail, because there was no false rail on the day and one had to switch outward at the top of the straight to ensure a clear run.

Fourie got him going early in the straight as the pace set by Dave The King had not been fast and Eight In Eighteen gave a superb burst of speed to soon hit the front.

He lugged inward away from the lights and might have inconvenienced See It Again a bit by carrying him towards eventual third-placed Main Defender.

Jonsson and Snaith might not have been as happy afterwards had their sole horse in the race been See It Again, although Fourie was probably correct in saying Eight and Eighteen had put the race to bed by the time of that incident anyway.

The stipes report said the incident had been caused by Eight On Eighteen rolling in at the same time Legal Counsel had rolled out and brushed Main Defender, causing the latter to be pushed outward.

Nevertheless, See It Again, who did not have to break stride at all, rallied superbly to be beaten only 1.05 lengths and he gave the impression that he is still enjoying his racing.

Main Defender was ignored in the betting, despite having been very unlucky in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. He sat one out and one back in the running without cover and stayed on well top be beaten 2,95 lengths into third with The Real Prince staying on from midfield in the small field to be a neck further back and Legal Counsel was next best.

Hopefully, Eight On Eighteen and See It Again can have a third clash in the Gr 1 wfa WSB Met next year to sort out the yard’s pecking order.

Bloomhill Stud looks set to enjoy good success at this year’s August Two Year Old Sale.

This family run KZN stud farm will be offering a quality string at the August Sale, with the Bloomhill draft made up of two-year-olds sired by all of Eden Roc, Jet Dark, Last Winter, Rabada and What A Winter.

One lot sure to attract attention is the filly (Lot 104) from the first crop of multiple G1 winning champion Jet Dark. By a sire whose first National Sale yearlings made up to R4 000 000, this filly, a half-sister to the smart Flying Fate, is out of a twice winning full-sister to G1 The Mercury Sprint winner August Rush and G3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap queen Miss October. The latter is the dam of champion Tempting Fate and G1 South African Fillies Sprint winner October Morn -who, like Jet Dark, was sired by Trippi!

Jet Dark’s stablemate, and top-class sire, What A Winter is another champion represented here. What A Winter is the sire of a three-parts brother (Lot 245) to G1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship winner Bohica (whose sire was sired by Western Winter), and G1 Golden Horse Sprint runner up Bartholdi.

Another exciting prospect is the Eden Roc filly (Lot 148) out of Princess Vicky. By a promising, G1 winning son of Var, this filly’s granddam is dual Equus Champion Princess Victoria, and this is also the family of such champion fillies as Hoeberg, Petrava and Princess Calla.

Other appealing sorts to be found here include the Rabada colt (Lot 100) out of a G3 placed daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, and the Rabada filly (Lot 122) from the family of US champion Riboletta.

This draft can be viewed from Block C at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

Boland Stud, once again, will be offering a Grade One consignment at this year’s August Two Year Old Sale.

From offering the progeny of such exciting stallions as Digital Age, Jet Dark, Kommetdieding, One World, Querari and Rafeef, to presenting two-year-olds hailing from some of the best families around, Boland’s August draft has plenty to recommend it.

Below is a brief description of Boland’s consignment:

Lot 6: f Jet Dark – Elisium
From the first crop of champion Jet Dark, this filly is a half-sister to six winners including G1 Cape Racing Presents The Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock.

Lot 56: c Rafeef – Isle Of The Wings
By a top-class sire in the form of Rafeef, this colt is out of a winning half-sister to G1 Vodacom Durban July winner Belgarion and current top-class performer Regulation.

Lot 58: c Pathfork – Joshlin
From the same family as champions Captain’s Lover and Vardy, this colt is a full-brother to Listed Secretariat Stakes winner Jimmy Don.

Lot 63: c Hawwaam – Kiss And Ride
This colt shares his sire with the likes of Perfect Miracle, Diogenes and Hah Lah Lah, and is a half-brother to four winners including the stakes placed Kissing Machine.

Lot 95: c One World – Mary Lee
By the same sire as champion One Stripe among others,  this colt is out of a three time winning half-sister to Listed Dahlia Plate runner up Turbo.

Lot 143: c Hawwaam -Pomander
By five time G1 winner and Equus Champion Hawwaam, this colt is out of G2 SA Oaks runner up Pomander from the family of G1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess.

Lot 147: Hawwaam Princess f Hawwaam -Princess Sabrina
This filly hails from the family of champion fillies Hoeberg, Petrava, Princess Calla and Princess Victoria among others.

Lot 183: c Querari -Silvia Louise
By the sire of recent G1 winning males Questioning and Star Major, this colt is bred on the same cross as G1 winners Bavarian Beauty, Cosmic Speed and Star Major.

Lot 297: c Kommetdieding – California Cool
From the first crop of his July/Met winning sire, this colt is out of a winning full-sister to Listed In Full Flight Handicap winner On That Boulevard.

Lot 302: c Digital Age -Captain’s Lullaby
From the first crop of a G1 winning son of outstanding sire Invincible Spirit, this colt is out of a G3 placed daughter of champion sire and broodmare sire Captain Al.

Lot 336: c Jet Dark -Duchess Of Bourbon
By a champion son of a champion sire, this colt is out of a Listed Winter Oaks winning daughter of champion and successful broodmare sire Duke Of Marmalade.

Boland’s draft can be viewed from Block C at the TBA Complex in Germiston

Bush Hill Stud be bringing a small but high-class draft of two-year-olds to this year’s August Two Year Old Sale.

The farm’s draft is made up of the progeny of such stallions as Act Of War, Eden Roc and Futura, and is bound to attract plenty of attention.

Lot 70: Bahvishnu c Futura – Lady Getorix
By the same sire as 2026 G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Note To Self, this colt is out of a mare by champion sire Vercingetorix. His granddam, by champion sire and broodmare sire Encosta De Lago, is a winning full-sister to Australian G3 winner Decircles, and this is the family of such outstanding performers as Elvstroem, Haradasun and Highland Reel.

Lot 75: Ocean Commotion f Eden Roc -Lady Tatty
From the first crop of Var’s G1 winning son Eden Roc, Ocean Commotion is a half-sister to four winners led by G3 Cape Classic runner up Captain Tatters. Her dam was a smart performer, who won three and ran third in the G3 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge.

Lot 121: Bill Bonney c Act Of War -Nitrogen
By the same sire as such G1 winners as Battle Force, Hazy Dazy and War Of Athena, Bill Bonney is out of a twice winning daughter of Tiger Ridge and G1 Woolavington 2000 winner Zirconeum. The latter is a half-sister to G1 Merchants winner Stellite.

This draft can be viewed from Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

The Cheveley Stud bred and based champion Legislate has enjoyed a magnificent season in 2025-2026.

South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2013-2014, the champion son of Dynasty has been responsible for four stakes winners who have won seven black type aces this season.

Legislate’s star performer, however, this year has been the brilliant filly Wish List, winner of all of the G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes, G1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby, G2 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas and G2 Lucky Fish Woolavington 2000.

Cheveley Stud will be offering four two-year-olds by their star resident sire at this year’s August Sale.

Perhaps the star attraction in this draft is the Legislate half-sister (Lot 119) to the brilliant Rascova, winner of a trio of graded stakes races led by the 2025 G1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes.

Amasova, a Lancaster Bomber half-sister to G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship winner Brave Mary, has a Legislate colt (Lot 267) on offer, while the well bred, four time winner Bequest has a Legislate colt (Lot 281) on the August Sale.

Cheveley will also be offering a Digital Age (Lot 197) half-brother to the smart Pioneer Square and useful Trombollines, and a Fire Away filly (Lot 208) whose four time winning dam is out of a high-class daughter of Redoute’s Choice.

This draft can be viewed from Block B at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

The lengthy list of Clifton Stud bred stakes winners received another update this season when the Clifton bred Better Never Ends proved to be one of the best two-year-olds around in South Africa during 2025-2026.

The son of Declarationofpeace and the Hussonet mare Endearment has already earned more than R600 000, with Better Never Ends having claimed the G2 TAB SA Nursery. Clifton also bred the classy Fortress Of Fire, a sparkling winner of Sunday’s Listed HKIR In December Umngeni Handicap.

The prolific Clifton Stud, who come up with high-class performers year in and year out, will be strongly represented at this year’s August Two Year Old Sale.

Clifton’s August draft includes two-year-olds sired by the likes of Act Of War, Eden Roc, Fire Away, and Jet Dark -as well as by Declarationofpeace, the sire of Better Never Ends.

Titanic Hero (Lot 46) is a colt by proven G1 sire Fire Away and he is out of G3 Acacia Handicap winner High Seas Beauty, a daughter of dual Derby winner and outstanding sire High Chaparral.

Act Of War, another proven source of G1 winners, has two lots on offer here, including Act Of Zar (Lot 117) a colt whose five time winning dam is a daughter of unbeaten champion Husson.

Promising young G1 winning sires Eden Roc and Jet Dark are both represented here. Var’s G1 Gold Medallion winning son Eden Roc is doubly represented here, with his pair including On The Rocs (Lot 229), a beautifully bred half-sister to no fewer than 11 winners including Hong Kong G3 winner Chefano and multiple graded stakes winner Madison Valley.

Trippi’s five time G1 winning son Jet Dark is the sire of Dawn To Dusk (Lot 231), a half-sister to two multiple winners whose dam is a three-parts sister to graded stakes winners August Rush and Miss October.

This draft can be viewed from Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

Jan Mantel of Millstream Stud Farm shot the lights out at Durban Country Club on day one of the Racing Masters, scoring 40 points in the stableford competition.

However, there are a number of players within striking distance with just one round to go on Tuesday, as the inverted leaderboard below shows: