Turf Talk Newsletter – 28 May, 2026

Hazy Dazy powers home in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (JC Photos) 

The Corne Spies-trained Highveld heroine Hazy Dazy is the best weighted runner in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 according to the official merit ratings, because she runs off a 117 and gets a 2,5kg gender allowance.

The Act Of War filly only just failed to win the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, winning the first two legs and then failing by two lengths to land the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks, with the rest of the field well beaten.

Xander Spies was asked whether he believed Hazy Dazy would be suited to Hoillywoodbets Greyville considering her flat spot?

He pointed out that she did not actually have a flat spot.

It just appeared that way because rider Trent Mayhew waits for a long time, knowing how much she still has in the tank and knowing what a fine turn of foot she possesses.

He added, “She’s got a great burst of speed when you ask her. Trent was so confident in the Oaks and I think it might have cost us. He could not see Littlemissmillion traveling from the side and so he asked her relatively late and then just could not make up the ground. She stays on well and the third and fourth horses are well beaten. So had Trent moved a bit earlier,  I am not saying she would have won, but I think we could have got closer. So I don’t think the tactic this time will be allowing the opposition to gain momentum. With the draw of three being in our favour we’ll have a good position without much trying in the beginning. And then we have the 2.5kg advantage that worked for Wish List in the Lucky Fish Cape Derby.”

Xander said Hazy Dazy had been freshened up since the Oaks.

He said, “We gave her a breather for a little while, and then slowly, but surely worked her up again. She’s full of life, so it doesn’t look like it’s taken anything out of her. In actual fact she seems to have improved from where she was previously. Looking at her work and her substance, she is strengthening with age, as you would expect all three-year-olds to do. They tend to improve with time. That’s why three-year-olds are so competitive in the July itself. So, we are very much looking forward to the Daily News. I think we’ve got a very big chance.”

He added, “Her work has been brilliant over the past month and she’s the best weighted horse. Obviously she is taking on colts for the first time and we all know that it is an exceptionally difficult task for a filly to take on colts at this level, but its not impossible. This will be her first time at Hollywoodbets Greyville and this is also a preparation for the July, but that does not mean we will not be trying, we are going to to be trying to win the race.”

Hazy Dazy has won over 2000m before, but her best win was in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m.

However, Xander pointed out the Hollywodbets Greyville track was an easier one than Turffontein Standside and the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2000m as a stamina test would likely equate to an 1800m race at Turffontein Standside.

Corne Spies is likely the most traveled trainer in the country as far as raiding out of province venues goes. He has vast experience in this regard and plenty of anecdotal evidence to work with.

Hazy Dazy traveled down from Randjesfontein on Thursday morning and had been due to arrive at Summerveld in the afrternoon.

The Spies policy when raiding KZN from the Highveld is to ship the horse back out straight after the race. So she will return to Randjesfonteion after the race to be prepared for the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Only three females have ever won the Daily News 2000 and funnily enough they did it in successive years with Roland’s Song winning it in 1989, St. Just scoring in 1990 and Star Effort doing it in 1991.

Star Major has been selected to win the Daily News 2000 (Picture: Race Coast)

Race Coast

The James Crawford-trained STAR MAJOR has been in then out like most of his opposition in the Daily News 2000 Gr 1 that heads the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, but he put up a commanding performance in the WSB Guineas Gr 2 where he came from last to first and beating the smart TIN PAN ALLEY. He does stay the trip and a wide draw should not be a factor, and he may well stamp himself as the best of his generation.

However, the Justin Snaith-trained NOTE TO SELF looks to be the pick of the Snaith trio and likely bookmakers’ choice. He ran an excellent race behind older stable companion and more than useful OKAVANGO last time out and he has not been out of the money in seven starts. He gets the services of the super confident Andrew Fortune and could be a worthy favourite.

Mathew de Kock celebrated his Gr 1 success in partnership with his father Mike with HAUTE COUTURE last Saturday and they will be pinning their hopes on JAN VAN GOYEN.  A double Gr 1 winner, he does look to be peaking at the right time and will be a big runner.

Out to spoil the party will be Snaith’s possible third string, MALMESBURY MISSILE. He is well exposed but has done well on this course. He goes this trip for the first time and is one to watch. Corne Spies has shunned the Lucky Fish WoolavingtonGr 2 with the filly HAZY DAZY  to take on the males. She fell at the last hurdle of the Triple Tiara, behind LITTLEMISSMILLION but has exceptional form against her own sex and it will be interesting to see how she fares.

WISH LIST is likely to be in short order for the Lucky Fish Woolavington 2000 Gr 2 although she does take on older runners. Snaith’s three-year-old filly was most impressive when winning the WSB Fillies Guineas Gr 1 at Hollywoodbets Greyvilleafter winning the Lucky Fish Cape Derby Gr 1 against males at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. She is bidding for a fourth straight win and looks to have the class to pull it off.

Biggest threat could come from fellow three-year-old KEUKENHOF. Dean Kannemeyer’s filly was doing her best work late behind WISH LIST in the Guineas. She is still improving and the extra will suit. The older brigade consists of RAINBOW LORIKEET who was not at her best in the recent Empress Club Stakes Gr 1, but has smart Cape form to her credit. She has run well on this course which it to her benefit. There should not be much between Highveld raiders CALLMEGETRIX and MINOGUE who met last time out. MINOGUE is 1kg worse off at the weights for a length beating so the form should be franked.

Snaith could well be in line for a feature-race treble as he saddles AHEAD OF THE FACTS in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup Listed over 2400m. He saddles AHEAD OF THE FACTS who was just in need of his last run in the WSB 1900 Gr 3. He gives plenty of weight to all of his rivals, but he stays well and should give a good run for your money although he does face a rising star in the filly CURIOUS GIRL. Mike and Mathew de Kock’s charge is unbeaten since going over ground and put the colts to bed in the SA Derby. She gets 8.5kg from AHEAD OF THE FACTS and as a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry one can expect another forward effort. Of the balance, CONTINENTALEXPRESS is back over his preferred trip with a light weight while DOUGLAS DRAGON has his first run for Vaughan Marshall and has some useful Highveld staying form to back his claims although he is well down in the pecking order according to handicap ratings.

Captain Selvie (Captain Of All) gives both Calvin Habib and owner Kenneth Pillay’s Kestorm Investments a double on the day (JC Photos)

Gavin Lerena, Keagan de Melo and Calvin Habib rode doubles at the Vaal on Thursday and there were also doubles for trainer Sean Tarry and owner Kenneth Pillay of Kestorm Investments.

De Melo is now on 116 wins for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 19.73%.

Habib is on 113 wins at a strike rate of 11.31%.

Lerena is on 74 wins at 19.89%.

Tarry is on 108 wins at 15.61%.

Kenneth Pillay’s Kestorm Investments have had 34 wins this season and have a phenomenal strike rate of 31.48%.

Kestorm have had three wins on the trot in the last few days, the Tony Peter-trained Taxi To The Moon (Vercingetorix) winning the Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday and the Tarry-trained War Reporter (Vecingetorix) and the Peter-trained Captain Selvie (Captain Of All) winning the next to races Kestorm contested at the Vaal today.

Fierceness stretches clear on debut (JC Photos)

Cape Breeders

Wilgerbosdrift’s homebred champion Hawwaam looks to have come up with another smart two-year-old in the form of Fierceness.

The latter made the perfect start to his career when making a winning debut at the Vaal on Tuesday.

Trained by Mike and Mathew De Kock, Fierceness defied a drift in the market prior to Tuesday’s #Youcanbetonus! Maiden Juvenile Plate (1000m).

Under Muzi Yeni, the Hawwaam colt was always travelling strongly and he hit the front and powered away to score convincingly by two and a half lengths, with another well bred first-timer, Snowblade, back in second spot.

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Fierceness races for TKP Racing, Messrs D Chinsammy , E Naicker, Y Naidoo, P M Murugasa & K M Chetty.

Out of the Soft Falling Rain mare Gin Fizz, Fierceness was a R1 300 000 buy from the 2025 National Yearling Sale.

Tuesday’s winner is the eighth two-year-old winner this season for Hawwaam, with this crop also including Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes runner up Obsidian Star and debut winner Western Mirage.

Five time G1 winner Hawwaam, whose first crop included such stakes winners as Diogenes and Perfect Miracle, has five lots on offer at the KZN Yearling Sale. His draft includes a colt (Lot 62) out of G3 winner Mill Queen and a half-sister (Lot 104) to G3 winner Saartjie.

Jockey Callan Murray earned a Grade 1 victory on Haute Couture at Scottsville last weekend. (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

Nine years ago, Callan Murray, an impossibly young-looking 20-year-old, rode three Grade 1 winners in one afternoon.

He later moved to Australia but managed just a solitary Grade 1 engagement over three whole years.

This past weekend, back in South Africa, Callan, taller and leaner but still cherubically youthful, rekindled memories as he landed a Grade 1 victory – notably on a son of one of his winners on that golden day way back when (Rafeef).

It was SA Derby Day, 6 May 2017, at Turffontein when Murray picked up the trio of Grade 1 trophies – on Mustaqueem in the SA Nursery for trainer Mike de Kock, on full brother Rafeef in the Computaform Sprint, also for De Kock, and on Deo Juvente in the SA Oaks for Geoff Woodruff.

Murray has since mentioned Rafeef as a particular favourite companion in his eventful, well-travelled career.

On Saturday, 23 May 2026, on Scottsville’s ‘Speed Day’, Murray showed the talent and pace judgement that have made him a firm favourite since his return from Down Under as he triumphed on Haute Couture in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion for the De Kock yard. Haute Couture is by Rafeef.

It might sound nepotistic, but there’s clearly something to be said for keeping things in the family.

Consider, too, Murray has in recent times won on two sons of the hugely popular filly Takingthepeace, on whom he also once landed a Grade 1 for De Kock. He won on Takingthepeace’s Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained son Take No Prisoners on the latter’s debut on May 17, 2025), and he won on her Peter Muscutt-trained son Golden Rule on October 3, 2025.

Haute Couture is hot racing property after a tremendous effort overcoming a 4-10 favourite, unbeaten in three starts, Rich Man’s World in a ding-dong battle up the stiff Scottsville stretch.

The colt, whose granddam is phenomenal grey race mare Ilha da Vitoria, had not been to the races before early May, when he trotted up by more than 10 lengths in a Joburg maiden juvenile plate.

Mathew de Kock, a new generation grasping the baton from father, the master, put the kibosh on speculation of Haute Couture strutting his stuff on the winter catwalk by declaring he’d probably be kept under wraps until the Cape Town summer.

Bad Medicine has been tipped to win the 6th (Pauline Herman Photography)

Trevor Reid’s formguides for Fairview Poly on Friday 29th May

RACE 1

ETERNAL SPIRIT was beaten by some good fillies in both her starts. She does look the right one of those that have raced. Unraced Master Of My Fate filly TRICKLE CHARGE represents the Alan Greeff-Richard Fourie team and could score on debut. MISS HONEY BEE made some late progress on her debut and could improve on that. ON THE OUTSIDE has been unreliable in her career so far but is capable of earning some money. WILD STAR has some fair form and is another to consider for the places.

RACE 2

A tricky race as a lot of them are open to improvement after changing trainers and there are some nicely bred newcomers. TURBULENT has been backed to win both his local starts and could make amends for those losses going back to the grass this time. HERE COMES JOHNNY returns from a short break but is consistent. EUGENIUS, RIP WHEELER, SCENTED PATH and SOUNDSOFSYMPHONIES are all capable of improvement on local debut. PRETTY BOY finished strongly last time out and would not be a surprise winner. ANNUSHKA’S LIGHT and RUSH GREEN make their debuts so monitor the betting on them.

RACE 3

GREEN POINT did not show his best on the Polytrack last time out. He did a lot better on his local debut on the grass and could bounce back to score. MAKAJIMA has been unreliable but is capable of getting involved with the finish. The same could also be said of SIXTYZERO. INDESTRUCTABLE is improving and should be right there at the finish. BUGLE and STRAIGHT RED are battling to get out the maiden ranks but are capable of making the frame. RED FRED is capable of improvement.

RACE 4

ALAKAZAM has run some improved races on the Polytrack of late and could score back on the turf. CHAMPAGNE BLAZE is not well drawn but would not be a surprise winner this course and distance. BLUE DAME struggled on local debut but did not enjoy the Polytrack and will do a lot better back on the grass. ONE SUMMER and WITCHING HOUR are better than their recent performances and could get into the frame. OH MANDY is a long time struggling maiden but is often competitive and has a place chance.

RACE 5

A tricky race. ONE DANCE was unlucky last week on the Polytrack. She is capable of winning a race like this but does give weight away to most of her rivals. HAZE AND SMOKE is consistent but also gives weight away to a lot of runners. TOO LATE MY MATE and CAPTAIN’S JET both make their local debuts and it would not be a surprise were either to score. Stable companions DUPONT EMERALD and ARABIAN RED. DUPONT EMERALD has the better form of late but ARABIAN RED has Richard Fourie up. UMZOLOZOLO and FARAWAY GIRL are both arriving after good recent performances and could earn some money.

RACE 6

BAD MEDICINE has won all four of his starts for trainer Kelly Mitchley and jockey Muzi Yeni and there is no reason why he should lose this either. BOURNEMOUTH seems to run for jockey Richard Fourie so will improve on a poor last performance. JUAN CARLOS, ANATOLIAN SILVER and HOME REEF were all beaten by BAD MEDICINE last time out and could earn some more money. KEY WORKER has a few lengths to find on official ratings but might like this longer distance.

RACE 7

Some big field competitive handicaps to round off this card. CAN YOU DANSE makes a local debut after a pleasing last performance and can go one place better. DETAILED FORECAST has improved for trainer Alan Greeff and should fight out the finish. ONE TOO MANY has a place chance. RHYTHM is in good shape and has claims in this line-up. DAS GUTE and STRANGER MAGIC are capable of upsets over this course and distance. BURNING MAN and VILA VICOSA are others to consider for large Pick 6 permutations.

RACE 8

INGQWELE has improved of late and beat a good yardstick last time out so can follow up under a penalty. GEORGE HANDEL is consistent but does give weight away to most rivals. ABOVE THE HORIZON returns to a handicap and could make the frame. JOHNNY DRAMA has shown some promise in two local starts but is badly drawn. STOKESY did not shape on local debut but that was the East Cape Derby so he can improve. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is unreliable but does have a place chance. WILD FIG and ACTION AMERICA are both capable of getting involved with the finish.