Punters will be hoping for a good start to “the season” at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday and the pressure will all be on WSB Guineas favourite Sandringham Summit if IOS Drill Hall favourite Main Defender and WSB Fillies Guineas favourite Double Grand Slam win the previous two races. (JC Photos)  

Bookmakers will be nervous tonight ahead of the Champions Season’s opening day at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow (Saturday).

There looks to be a ready made Gr 2 treble for punters that will work out to about 37/10 with Hollywoodbets.

The Gr 2 ISO Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m gets the Champions Season feature season rolling and it is hard tio look past the Tony Peter-trained Main Defender.

This Pathfork gelding is ideally distance suited and has a plum draw of three.

He comes off an impressive win in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and is unbeaten in three starts over this distance category including a Gr 2 and two Gr 3s. He beat the crack colt Sandringham Summit in one of those Gr 3s and he won the Gr 2 by 6,50 lengths.

He is the joint best weight according to official merit ratings together with Al Muthana.

He does have to carry a Gr 1 penalty of 3kg though, so it is not going to be plain sailing.

Al Muthana comes in fresh like he did last year when running a 0,90 length third. He jumped from a similar draw last year, but that was 9 out of 14 and it is now 8 out of 9, so it might be tougher this time.

Nevertheless, Al Muthana is one of two horses in the field who has the class to upset the applecart.

The other one is Cousin Casey, who represents the flying Sean Tarry yard. However, he appears to need gelding and last time in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge he had to be pulled up in the straight when finding nothing. However, it did not pan out well from a wide draw in that race and he now has a good draw over a shorter trip.

Royal Aussie could also prove himself up to that class over this trip.

He displayed a devastating turn of foot in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate when coming from way back to finish third and he is now drawn in pole over a trip he should relish.

Humdinger is ideally distance suited and could give some cheek, although she has a tricky draw of six.

Gimmeanotherchance also has plenty of class and is distance suited, but he has a tricky draw of seven.

Waterberry Lane has produced a couple of stunning displays over this course and distance , which is no doubt his favourite course and distance. Furthermore, he showed he is still capable by finishing just 2,20 lengths behind Thunderstruck in the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m.

Gladatorian is in fine form and showed in his penultimate start he enjoys this trip.

So, perhaps Main Defender is not such a good thing after all, considering the above analysis of all the other runners.

However, Double Grand Slam will be very hard to beat in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas. She is at cramped odds of 3/10 with Hollywoodbets.

Rascova should enjoy he course and distance and could give some cheek and White Pearl should give another good account of herself.

Sandringham Summit has proved his liking for the WSB Guineas course and distance with a facile win in the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes last season, where he easily beat Main Defender. However, the latter has improved since then. Sandringham Summit jumps from a plum draw of two.

Green With Envy will prefer further, but is a highly progressive sort, so he could upset the applecart.

Mid Winter Wind is improving all the time too and represents the flying Tarry yard, although he does have a tricky draw of 6 out of 7.

Snow Pilot is the Gr 1 Holywoodbets Cape Guiness winner and will have come on from his Champions Season pipe opener. He will be dangerous in a small field as he can kick well from handy positions.

Hluhluwe is highly regarded and has been gelded so could be dangerous from pole position.

Navajo Nation has a wide draw and looks to have it all to do.

It should be as intriguing a day as the opening day of Champions Season is every year and having analysed all the fields, perhaps it was wrong to say the bookmakers will be nervous.

Even with just three months of the season to go, new stars can suddenly emerge and turn the pecking order on its head.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to read veteran Gold Circle scribe Andrew Harrison’s take on the meeting later in today’s newsletter.

Punters will be eyeing the preliminaries keenly at Saturday’s Champions Season opening meeting featuring three Gr 2 events (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Richard Fourie took a few steps closer towards his ultimate goal of breaking the record number of wins for a season when scoring a four-timer on the Fairview Poly today, the last of them being Masked Vigilante (Vercingetorix) (Pauline Herman Photography)

Richard Fourie looks to be cruising to a record number of wins this season and an accompanying R1 million bonus for breaking that 334 mark, but if he has to take a two week suspension just handed down to him for a whipping offense it will make the record chase a bit harder and more nerve-wracking.

Fourie is likely to appeal against the penalty imposed.

He was only one strike above the allowed number.

Penalties for  crop misuse by other jockeys recently have varied from a R10,000 fine to 21 days suspension, although 14 days seems to be the most common penalty.

Any jockey who breaks Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 wins in a season will receive a R1 million bonus, an incentive sponsored by Hollywoodbets.

At present Fourie’s projected number of wins for the season based on his rides per calendar day rate and his present strike rate for the season is  370, so he is well ahead of schedule.

Assuming he is given a two week suspension his projected number will fall to 356 wins, assuming that when he comes back from the suspension he will return to his current rides per calendar day rate.

So that is still more than 20 clear of the record.

However, it would make it tighter than he would like, especially as there is always the risk of another suspension or illness or injury.

In normal circumstances there would also be the chance of a dry spell of the sort that champion Keagan de Melo experienced towards the end of last season (he at one stage mustered just one win in nine meetings).

However, that is highly unlikely in Fourie’s case as he has been in a league of his own this season.

He thoroughly deserves to get the record.

The NHA press release pertaining to Fourie’s suspension is shown below:

INQUIRY – JOCKEY R FOURIE

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that at an Inquiry held in Durban on Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Jockey R Fourie was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline M in Appendix E on the use of the crop).  The particulars being that he misused his crop by striking CELTIC BEAUTY more than twelve times (13) which was not warranted when considering the circumstances of the race, during Race 6, WORLD SPORTS BETTING SCARLET LADY (Listed), at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse on 14 April 2024.

Jockey Fourie pleaded guilty and was found guilty of the charge. 

The Inquiry Board, after considering the mitigating factors presented, Mr Fourie’s recent record pertaining to this type of contravention and the status of the race, ruled that he be suspended from riding in races for a period of fourteen (14) days, and a fine of R8 250 (eight thousand, two hundred and fifty rand) was imposed. 

Jockey Fourie was given the Right of Appeal against the penalty imposed.

KZN horseman Mark Naidoo visited Frankel in 2022 (Meta)

Sarah Whitelaw

There is a growing feeling that the mighty Frankel, as hard as it is to believe, may be an even better stallion than he was a racehorse.

This is a huge statement to make, given that Frankel, unbeaten in 14 starts and a ten time G1 winner, is the highest rated horse in Timeform history (he was rated 147 by that esteemed organisation) and was without doubt one of the greatest horses ever to set foot on a British racecourse.

From winning the 2010 G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes by ten lengths, to doddling the 2011 G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas by six and capturing the 2012 G1 Queen Anne Stakes by a staggering 11 lengths, Frankel put some of the most memorable performances ever seen on the turf.

A champion at two, three and four, Frankel was Cartier Horse Of The Year in both 2011 and 2012.

The legendary son of legendary sire Galileo and outstanding broodmare Kind is, however, compiling a stud record which more than rivals his own brilliance on the racetrack. Frankel has already been Champion Sire in GB and Ireland twice and was Champion Sire in France in 2022.

The Banstead Manor resident is having another fine year in 2024, with his sons Spirit Dancer (G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup, and Measured Time (G1 Jebel Hatta) both keeping Frankel’s name to the fore. Another son of Frankel, Zarir, was just beaten into second when runner up in the 2024 G1 Prix Ganay.

Frankel, himself one of more than 370 stakes winners for his sire, has already sired 138 stakes winners and has an impressive 34 individual Grade or Group One winners to his name. The list of G1 races won by the progeny of Frankel is an impressive one and includes the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, English Oaks (twice), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, English Derby, Grand Prix De Paris (twice), English St Leger (twice), 2000 Guineas, and Irish Derby.

Frankel, whose stud fee in 2024 is £350,000, had another phenomenal year in 2023 when the titan of the turf was represented by 11 individual G1 winners.

Frankel’s 11 top-level winners last year included British classic winners Chaldean (Qipco 2000 Guineas) and Soul Sister (Betfred Oaks), as well as the likes of Westover (Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud), Courage Mon Ami (Gold Cup), Kelina (Qatar Prix de la Foret), Mostahdaf (Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Juddmonte International), Triple Time (Queen Anne Stakes), Ylang Ylang (bet365Fillies’ Mile) and Inspiral. The latter made it G1 win number six when she ended 2023 in style for her sire with a victory in the G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The champion also made his mark as a sire of sires last year, with Frankel’s four time G1 winning son Cracksman the sire of unbeaten 2023 G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe/G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact. (2023 Arc runner up Westover and third place finisher Onesto were both sired by Frankel).

Cracksman appears set for another good year in 2024 with his flagbearers including recent stakes winner Sea Of Thieves and potential Oaks contender Danielle.

Drakenstein Stud recently announced that they would be standing a son of this immortal champion for the 2024 South African breeding season. Frankel son Sharp Frank made just one start but was held in high regard by his connections.

Andrew Balding, who trained Sharp Frank, had the following to say about the son of Frankel. “Sharp Frank was a highly promising three year old. He worked to a very high level at home after his sole racecourse appearance and it is a great sadness that he was denied the opportunity to prove his class to a wider audience. He had a fantastic action and like many of the Frankel offspring, we had the feeling that he was going to improve further with age and maturity. He also had a great temperament and I would imagine he has every chance of making it as a stallion if his offspring are anything like him.”

As a half-brother to 2017-2018 South African Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna (by Street Cry) and high-class Australian galloper Signore Fox (by Exceed And Excel) , Sharp Frank lacks nothing in terms of pedigree.

Four time Equus Award winner Oh Susanna became the first three-year-old filly since 1902 to win the Met when she claimed the 2018 G1 Sun Met. Oh Susanna won four G1 races during her career while earning more than R5.547 million in stakes.

The charismatic Oh Susanna’s four G1 wins also included back to back victories in the Cartier Paddock Stakes, with the daughter of Street Cry victorious in both 2018 and 2019.

Her half-brother Signore Fox, who stands at stud in Australia, earned more than AUS$1 000 000 in prize money. A stakes winner at three, four and five, Signore Fox showed very high-class form. Not only did he win the G3 E Group Security Star Kingdom Stakes, but Signore Fox was beaten just half a length when a close up third in the 2021 G1 TAB Kingsford-Smith Cup.

Sharp Frank’s dam, Sharp Susan, won six times including the G2 Lake Placid Stakes and G3 Herecomesthebride Stakes, and finished third in the G1 Garden City Stakes. Sharp Susan, who earned nearly $500 000 in stakes, is a half-sister to both G1 Donn Handicap winning sire Spring At Last (whose progeny include Canadian champion and G1 winner Spring In The Air) and G1 Las Virgenes Stakes queen Sharp Lisa. The latter produced Irish champion Housesofparliament and G1 ATC Metropolitan Handicap winner Foundry. Both Housesofparliament and Foundry were sired by Galileo, the sire of Frankel himself.

Sharp Frank, whose granddam Winter’s Gone was sired by outstanding stallion Dynaformer, is directly descended in female line from the high-class mare Fairy Gold, whose son Fair Play was Champion Sire in the USA on three occasions with Fair Play siring none other than the immortal Man O’War.

The latter, like Frankel, was one of the true legends of the sport, and still ranks today as one of the greatest racehorses ever bred.

Drakenstein will be offering breeders rights to the blue blooded Sharp Frank, rather than shares. A limited number of free breeding rights can be earned if a breeder sends three mares over a four year period to Sharp Frank.Starting with at least one mare in first year.

The mare is only counted when tested in foal to Sharp Frank.

Alternatively, a breeding right can be purchased for R50,000 which affords the breeder one service per right for the rest of his career.

Sharp Frank will stand his first season at stud at a fee of R5,000 (special live foal).

Double Grand Slam can show just how good she is in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Andrew Harrison (Gold Circle)

The Gr2 Independent On Saturday Dill Hall Stakes, supported by the Gr1 World Sports Betting Guineas and Gr2 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas, is the traditional start to South Africa’s three-month Champions Season where most of the country’s top horses are out to round off their season on a high.

Tomorrow’s feature races are important warm-ups to the Gr1 races and all three have attracted cracking fields. Highveld sensation Main Defender was a cracking winner of the recent Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at WFA and he looks the part in the Drill Hall.

Also entries in the Drill Hall were Sandringham Summit and Green With Envy, but both drew the two outside gates and they defected to the Guineas where they had better draws and face their own age group.

Main Defender is proven in Gr1 open company and the Drill Hall is there for the taking. Justin Snaith got his winter campaign off to a cracking start but the stable has had a few hiccups of late. However, Royal Aussie is useful on his day but will need to be at his best to match Main Defender.

Mike de Kock sends out the smart mare Humdinger who has finished runner-up in her last three in feature company. She is no stranger to this course and goes well this trip. Stuart Ferrie’s runs Gladatorian who is unbeaten since returning from a break but does take on top class opposition.

Veteran trainer Ricky Maingard saddles former Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge winner Al Muthana and Waterberry Lane. Current form is not inspiring but both are capable of a big effort on their day and are worth keeping an eye on in the market.

In the Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas Double Grand Slam will be a warm favourite after demolishing a useful field in the Gr3 Umzimkulu Stakes, her first look at Hollywoodbets Greyville. The opposition is a lot stronger here but Justin Snaith filly has come into her own of late and a repeat will see her difficult to beat. Tony Rivalland’s filly Celtic Beauty has the worst of the draw but shows plenty of promise. She may prefer it a touch further but should give a good account. A possible threat to Double Grand Slam could be Mike de Kock’s charge White Pearl. She boasts consistent Highveld feature form and was only three lengths back to the crack colt Sandringham Summit in the G2 Hawaii Stakes. She has drawn well and the step up in trip could now be what she is looking for. Rascova looks well held by Double Grand Slam on their recent meetings but she does appear to be capable of improving on those efforts.

The Gr2 WSB Guineas has attracted a cracking line-up and the race should give an indication of what to expect over the next three months. The David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Sandringham Summit was a convincing winner of the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes beating Lucky Lad who has since franked that form. He is a top class galloper and the mile is right up his alley. Mid Winter Wind faces something of an acid test as Sean Tarry’s gelding comes off a string of four straight wins. His rating jumped from 96 to 114 after his most recent success and the extra furlong should suit. He could give Sandringham Summit a testing race. Green With Envy was a spectacular winner of the Gr1 SplashOut Cape Derby, coming from way off the pace to win going away. However, he faces a crack miler in Sandringham Summit and the Gr1 Daily News 2000 is a more likely target for Dean Kannemeyer’s charge. That said he

boasts plenty of class. Gr1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot was in need of his local debut effort and with that run under his girth he should strip a lot fitter tomorrow.

The World Sports Betting Dash kicks off the card and is a novelty race over 400m. Gate speed will be of prime importance and Ndaka fits the bill. He is super quick and with only 52kg to shoulder he must be a big runner. Sabatini is also a quick filly and loves this course. Maquette is no slouch in the speed department and should be involved.

Air Of Pride has been knocking on the door for some time now and should be good enough to kick off the PA. She meets a modest field and will never get a better chance barring a first time ‘springer’. Sweet Julia should be back-up. She went down narrowly over course and distance last start and now gets first time cheek pieces. She looks the biggest threat to the top selection.

The first two legs of the Pick 6 are wide open. In the first leg Sweeter Than Honey has been consistent of late and goes well over course and distance but faces strong opposition possibly headed by Long Street who has been improving steadily of late and looks primed for this while Her Royalty jumps in trip but was a smart second in a sprint at just her second start. She has the best of the draw. Flying Reign Storm is overdue but the extra furlong should suit.

The second leg is equally tricky but Basie Raakvat has finally come to hand and was a close-up second last time out. A repeat should see him go close again. Hoodwink has shown up well in both starts and was only run out of it late last time out when jumping from a wide gate. He should be at his peak now. Ibiza Night is never far back and has improved of late when switched to the turf. He has a tricky draw but should go well again.

A competitive race rounds off the Pick 6, the race having attracted a more than useful field. Royal Swan Master was tested to the full when beating Ancient World on the poly last time out, but he came from a seemingly hopeless position to get up on the line. Back on turf with and extra furlong to run he fits the bill. Flag Man shed his maiden beating the useful Shoot The Rapids the latter acquitting himself well in Highveld feature company and also comes strongly into the picture. Ancient World was only caught late by Royal Swan Master and he is tried and tested over the trip. Get Impressed won well when making his local debut and comes off some useful Cape form. He has a big

Rascallion wins the Gr 3 Variety Club Mile in comfortable fashion (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Having won the first leg of the Winter Series over 1600m last month, the Vaughan Marshall-trained Rascallion should prove difficult to beat in the second leg at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday, the R350 000 Legal Eagle Stakes (Gr 3) over 1800m. The 6yo son of Vercingetorix has taken on a new lease on life and was a narrow second in the WSB Cape Town Met back in January before taking out the Variety Club Mile at the beginning of April.

He will be much more comfortable over the added 200m of the Legal Eagle Stakes but will have to produce his best form to hold out the Justin Snaith’s charge Pacaya. Something went seriously amiss with Pacaya in the “Met” and he was pulled out of the race, but he showed signs of life on his return in the Variety Club Mile. Although finishing more than three lengths behind Rascallion, the 5yo Trippi gelding was doing his best work at the finish from off the pace and if he can reproduce the form he showed last season when beating Winchester Mansion in the WSB Greyville 1900, then he would be a serious contender here. Red-hot Richard Fourie has been booked to ride Pacaya while Morne Winnaar retains the ride on Rascallion.

The younger generation is represented by Greeting My Master and Gold Rush winner Rapidash, stable companion to Pacaya. Greeting My Master was only three lengths behind Rascallion last time and is now 2,5kgs better off, which in theory should bring them much closer together. It remains to be seen whether Greeting My Master will appreciate the extra distance whereas we know for certain that Rascallion is more at home over the extended trips. Rapidash has also shown his best form to date over slightly less ground and was never a factor in the SplashOut Cape Derby over 2000m in February. Beating the highly talented Coastal Commander in the Gold Rush was a commendable effort and Rapidash is clearly well above average, but this will be a serious test for the 3yo son of Danon Platina.

Snaith also saddles Sachdev and Navy Strength, either of which could spring a surprise on best efforts, but their stable companions are preferred. Future Prince is holding form well but seems held by Rascallion while the latter’s stable companion, Promettere, is as honest as the day is long and could sneak into the frame.

To summarise, Rascallion’s stated mission has been to take out the Winter Series in Cape Town, rather than head for Champions Season in KwaZulu Natal, and he could take another step forward to realising his trainer’s belief at Kenilworth on Sunday.

The second leg of the Winter Series for Fillies and Mares, the R200 000 Ladies Mile over 1600m, and here Princess Izzy will be looking to build on her victory in the first leg, the 1400m Sweet Chestnut Stakes, which was run a month ago. Her record over the mile is good but she faces stern competition here from the likes of Red Palace, Gold Poker Game and the much-improved Rainbow Lorikeet. In her favour is that Princess Izzy has cracked a nice draw whereas Red Palace and Gold Poker Game are drawn wide in a large field and will need their fair share of luck in running.

Red Palace has Grade 1 form to her credit and need only reproduce her run in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, when runner-up to Snow Pilot, to wrest the laurels here. She followed that by finishing fourth in the Paddock Stakes (Gr 1) over 1800m and then slightly disappointed when a lack-lustre fifth in the Majorca Stakes (Gr 1) back in January. Most recently she was given a pipe-opener in the Cape Merchants over 1200m last month and if anywhere near her peak will prove the one they all have to beat.

That said, Gold Poker Game is no slouch and loves to run at them late. From her wide draw, Aldo Domeyer will probably ride her for luck from well off the pace but she possesses a fine turn of acceleration and can mow them down in the latter stages. If Red Palace does not bring her “A-game”, Gold Poker Game could arrive on time to pick up the pieces. Enemy Territory was runner-up behind Princess Izzy in the Sweet Chestnut Stakes but is now 1,5kgs worse off and also has the worst of the draw to overcome. Looks a tough task!

Rainbow Lorikeet races from a handy barrier position and is still very much on an upward curve. She could certainly trouble the best of them here but preference lies with Red Palace to come ahead of Gold Poker Game.

Disappointingly, the R300 000 Winter Nursery (Gr 3) for 2yo’s over 1100m has attracted only five acceptances and Vaughan Marshall appears to hold all the aces. He sends out Lion Rampart and One Stripe, both impressive sons of leading freshman sire, One World, and Fourie will retain his partnership with Lion Rampart while Gavin Lerena has been flown in to partner One Stripe. The latter ran out a comfortable winner of the R1-million Cape Nursery on Derby Day at the end of February when Lion Rampart was a well beaten fourth, but I suspect they will finish a lot closer together this time around.

Roman Agent has been beaten by both One Stripe and Lion Rampart but the good-looking son of Vercingetorix clearly has loads of talent and plenty of scope for further improvement. He could certainly make his presence felt. Furious Queen, the only filly in the small but high quality line-up, was impressive when winning on debut and could be anything, while recent maiden winner Rama Forcesa appears to have a bit to find.

Fierceness is the favourite to win the Kentucky Derby (Picture: KentuckyDerby.com)

There are three major races around the world this weekend.

In England there is the 2000 Guineas on Saturday and the 1000 Guineas on  Sunday and in the USA there is the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

CLICK HERE FOR ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS FOR 2000 GUINEAS

CLICK HERE FOR ANALYSIS/SLECTIONS FOR 1000 GUINEAS

CLICK HERE FOR ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS FOR KENTUCKY DERBY

Cruise Control won today’s headliner, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1200m, to make it three wins in a row under Luyolo Mxothwa and he gave Gavin Smith a double in the process. The 117 merit-rated Boland Stud-bred Querari gelding is owned by Vicky Veeramootoo and it was his 11th career win from just 17 starts. (Pauline Herman Photography)   

Alan Greeff forged clear in the East Cape Trainers Championship with a five-timer on the fairview poly today, four of them ridden by Richard Fourie.

Gavin Smith stayed in touch with a double and is just three behind his perennial rival.

Greeff is on 105 wins and has achieved it at a strike rate of 16.03%.

Smith is on 102 wins at 11.81%

Fourie goes to 280 wins for the season at 22.62%.

Galopin is most famous today as the sire of St. Simon, but he was a fine racehorse and stallion in his own right.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT GALOPIN