Turf Talk Newsletter – 30 June, 2025

Lerena The One To Follow On HDJ Day

Gavin Lerena, seen afer winning at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday on the Yogas Govender-trained Soho Star (What A Winter) has inched ahead in the intriguing race for the national jockeys title and has a fine book of rides on Hollywoodbets Durban July day too. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Gavin Lerena and Richard Fourie, who are two of the three protagonists in the thrilling chase for the national jockeys title, cut contrasting figures towards the end of Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Scottsville meeting as the former spoke confidently about his Hollywoodbets Durban July rides, while the latter confirmed he was “feeling terrible” after being booked off his last few mounts.

Lerena’s one winner on Sunday followed a five-timer on Saturday and with Fourie and Zackey also each having one winner on Sunday the situation is now Lerena on 243 wins achieved at a strike rate of 25.26%, Fourie on 239 at 25.16% and Zackey on 236 at 17.57%.

Lerena said about the championship race and whether he would travel to all centres, including the East Cape, from now onward, “It’s not easy to get rides. Durban hasn’t been very kind to me the last couple of weeks either, but we’ll ride wherever we can. There’s still a long month to go, but I’m just enjoying the racing and enjoying the competitiveness of it and may the best man win.”

Lerena has some fine feature race rides on Hollywoodbets Durban July day.

In the big one he rides the Frank Robinson-trained Madison Valley.

Gavin said, “His gallop was very good. He’s sound, he feels very well and he’s very fit, so I am looking forward to riding him with 54kg.”

The Clifton Stud-bred Mambo In Seattle gelding has some good formlines as his Betway Summer Cup run puts him ahead of Royal Victory, See It Again and Atticus Finch at the weights in the July.

However, Gavin was asked whether he felt the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2200m was too tight for the rangy Madison Valley and whether the straight was too short and he replied, “Not really, I mean he’s won most of his races at Hollywoodbets Greyville. He’s got the stamina, he ran very well in the Gold Cup last year and obviously he’s coming off a win in the Cup Trial (1800m) at Hollywoodbets Greyville. It’s always nice to be coming off a win.”

In the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, his mount Rascova meets her arch rival Double Grand Slam with the tally currently at Double Grand Slam seven and Rascova five.

Gavin first of all revealed that, despite Rascova having only had the one run since joining the Sean Tarry yard after her win in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes on WSB Met day, she had never been out of work. She will therefore be fit enough.

He said, “It was a good run last time at Hollywoodbets Scottsville (SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m). It got a bit tight that last 100m, so she didn’t really round her race off. But she’s doing nicely. It’s a competitive field. It’s always her and Double Grand Slam and now you’ve got the three-year-olds coming through. So, it’s going to be an exciting race.

In the Gr 2 Splashout Golden Slipper, he rides the Tarry-trained Gr 2 TAB SA Nursery and Gr 3 TAB Protea Stakes winner Green Diamond, albeit from a tricky draw of ten in the 1400m contest.

He said, “Not the greatest of draws, but a very good filly. She’s an exciting ride for the day. I think she will enjoy the step up in trip, it’s all about getting her in a good rhythm and she’s got a great finish on her.”

In the Gr 2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe over 1400m he rides the Gr 2 Corne Spies-trained filly Elegantrix, who was runner up in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m last time to the unbeaten Direct Hit, and he said, “She’s well drawn and beat the boys in her penultimate start (in the Gr 3 TAB Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m). It was a great run last time just in behind Direct Hit. The boys are getting bigger and stronger, but she’s very game and I think she’ll enjoy the 1400m.”

In the Gr 3 Post Merchants over 1200m, Gavin rides the Tony Peter-trained Buffalo Storm Cody from draw nine and he said, “He’s jumping from an awkward gate. His last two wins were down the straight, but I think he’s a much better horse around the turn, so I think he’s going to be a big runner.”

In the Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase he rides the crack Frank Robinson-trained stayer Shoot The Rapids, who has to carry joint topweight of 60kg from draw five.

He said, “It’s never easy to carry 60kg over those types of trips, but he’s always stayed well and obviously he was up alongside Madison Valley in the Gallops, so I’m hoping it all goes well.”

In the Gr 3 Magical Zulu Kingdom 2200 he rides the Tarry-trained Litigation and he said, “It was a great fourth last time in the Cup Trial (1800m). He has a lot of weight to shoulder, but in saying that it was a very good last run from him and he’s come on from that run. The only thing that doesn’t really suit is there’s a lot of speed in the race and he almost wants to dictate, so we’re going to have to play the race by ear and hope it works out for him.”

In the Listed Premier Gateway International Handicap over 1600m, Gavin rides the Justin Snaith-trained Underworld from pole position and he said, “I think he is a big runner over the mile, he’s probably better suited to the mile. The only thing is it’s a handicap and he’s got to give away quite a bit of weight.”

Plattner Could Join The Ladies Success Party At July

The Andre Nel-trained Sabine Plattner-homebred Selukwe (Pomodoro) is fancied by Dave Mollett to finish in the frame for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Dave Mollett

To say the ladies have dominated the 2024/25 season is an understatement. Mesdames Gaynor Rupert and Mary Slack have not only enjoyed racecourse success with their horses but their two studs are miles clear of the opposition in the Breeders Championship.

Perhaps next weekend another well-known lady owner/breeder, Sabine Plattner, could join the party at the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

According to the latest statistics I have unearthed, Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud looks almost certain to win the Breeders Championship. The stud has amassed R36,5 m in stakes this term while Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein operation has the healthy figure of R30,9 m.

(*Editor – the above figures are if restricted stakes are included, but without restricted staks Drakenstein are only R1,587,923 ahead, meaning Wilgerbosdrift nd Mauritzfontein are still in it.).

Interestingly, both ladies have enjoyed success overseas in recent months with winners in the UK and America.

Both ladies have talented experts to guide them. With Gaynor Rupert it’s Kevin Sommerville and with Mary Slack it’s Jehan Malherbe.

In an interview, Mary Slack said “Jehan taught me the importance of statistics and pedigrees and tries his best to temper my sentimentality about my horses.”

So on to Saturday and the big one, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, and my thanks to Race Coast (formerly Gold Circle) for their invitation for me to attend.

Eight On Eighteen is obviously a worthy favourite but makes little appeal at 17-10 and – as has proved the case in previous years – the quartet is the bet to play.

This is where Mrs Plattner’s runner comes in as I believe – from a favourable draw – five year-old Selukwe can finish in the first four.

To be honest, the Greyville 1900 hasn’t been a great July trial in recent years, but Selukwe overcame the second worst draw (13 out of 14) to win by two lengths. It showed the gelding is at his peak for the most important race of his career.

So here’s the suggested quartet bet: double float 6 and 11 (Selukwe and Eight On Eighteen) with 1,2,3,4,5,10,13,14,15,17. The cost is R216 for 20%.
Then I have another recommended quartet bet: double float 11 and 2 (Eight On Eighteen and Madison Valley) with 1,3,4,5,6,10,13,14,15,17. Again the cost will be R216 for 20%.

Frank Robinson has done well to secure the services of Gavin Lerena for Madison Valley and I’m still hopeful of collecting on my 6-1 bet for the popular Highveld rider to win the championship. The big plus about Gavin’s mount is that he’s got no stamina limitations and will be staying on when some of his rivals have hoisted the white flag.

In a way, I feel sorry for both Gavin and Craig Zackey in their title bids. This duo have to take on Premier League opposition riding in Gauteng, the Cape and KZN while Richard Fourie simply jets to Fairview every Friday and picks up three or four winners.

In football terms, Fourie is in a situation that can be likened to Liverpool playing a club where I was apprenticed in my youth, Halifax Town, every week. The result would always be the same.

It’s going to be interesting to see whether Hollywoodbets and other layers push out Eight On Eighteen’s price as “off-time” approaches. It is a possibility.

Whatever the fate of Selukwe in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, it is another Plattner-owned runner, Zeitz, who I consider the best bet at the meeting. The three year-old, who boasts a win over Garrix, runs in the 10th race, the Premier Gateway International.

The colt’s latest unplaced run can be forgiven – it brought back memories of my early days in UK racing. If a journo felt a horse had been given a tender ride he/she would comment “Never Placed To Challenge.”

That looked the case with Serino Moodley with Zeitz’s latest outing in the Cup Trial in which the Durban-based jockey, who has really got his act together in the last two years, seemed to accept the fact that a shocking draw was too difficult to overcome.

The Cup Trial was won by Madison Valley so a good run by that horse in the July will frank the form.

With 53,5 kg on his back and a favourable draw in Saturday’s 10th race, I have told my bank manager, who has been badgering me for my July tip, to save his money for a maximum plunge on Zeitz.

One certainty about Saturday is that Hollywoodbets communications manager, Devin Heffer, will have his team at the top of their game to ensure the event is a rip-roaring success.

Kotzen Explains Royal Victory's Antics At HDJ Gallops

After eventually getting going Royal Victory put up a fine gallop. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Nathan Kotzen could make history on Saturday if Royal Victory wins the Hollywoodbes Durban July as he will join his brother Glen as a victor and they will beome the first set of brothers to have both won the country’s premier horse race, presuming that in the old days the like of E Murray was not a brother of Fred Murray’s and F Wade was not a brother of CE Wade’s.

Royal Victory drifted out after the official Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops as he stood stock still at the 1600m mark and refused to budge.

However, Nathan pointed out he had pulled up a hunded percent sound after eventually getting going and explained, “His refusal to move had nothing to do with the blinkers having been fitted for the gallop. He’s won with blinkers on before, the reason I put them on was when he last won (in last season’s Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge), he twitched his ears and hung in when hitting the front. The reason I took the blinkers off for his racing was because when we stepped up to 2000m we thought he might over-race in them, but he doesn’t over-race, he relaxes. So it wasn’t the blinkers. If you take him up for a gallop and once he’s moving and you stop him, he won’t go. As they got to themile point at the Gallops the guys on the radio stopped him to let the other gallop finish first before they jumped away. And once he has been stopped he won’t go. That’s Royal. Even at home, it’s the same. If you stop him, he doesn’t want to go.”

Nathan continued, “Afterwards, I checked him out with a vet. I thought maybe he’s feeling something. Obviously, that’s the first thing that enters a trainer’s mind and some punters’ and pundits’ minds. I took him out at home with the vet and told the vet there might be something wrong here and to please check it and sort it out. The vet did so and said, ‘Nathan there’s nothing we can find.'”

Nathan continued, “I was happy with the gallop and he pulled up unbelievably well. Eric Fordred had a heart-rate monitor on him and I don’t know about those offiial times, they don’t seem to be right, because I said to Eric Fordred afterwards, ‘This horse didn’t seem to gallop too well?’ and he replied, ‘What are you talking about, he was fine. He was doing a good rate per furlong and, believe me, it was a very good time. I’ve done three horses in a day and your horse was much faster than the others.'”

Nathan has done a fine job keeping this horse sound over four seasons of racing.

Looking at the horses Royal Victory competed with when finishing a narrow second in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes as a two-year-old, none of them have reached the same heights as him and yet virtually all of them are no longer racing.”

Nathan said, “He has had little niggle here and there. But more, if anything, a little bit of foot problems more than knees and fetlocks and that type of thing and his back is a little sensitive at times, but otherwise he’s been a good sound solid horse. Dean Durrant is his farrier and he does a very good job.”

Nathan’s tried and tested method of giving Royal Victory one or two minor race outings in between big target races has worked well too and enabled Royal Victory to accumulate career stakes of R5,877,900 from 26 runs, including five wins and 14 place.

Nathan said about the five-year-old Pathfork gelding’s chances, “I think he’s definitely a runner. Last year he was a bit unlucky. The wide draw could play into our favour or it could play against us. There is a lot of speed on his inside. Muzi can just jump with them and slide in in behind them. Muzi is one of the best jockeys around from a wide draw.”

Nathan confirmed Royal Victory was not a horse that pulled or over raced.

There is also an omen about the draw of 17 as it is not only the birth date of Nathan’s late daughter, but also the birth date of owner Peter Victor’s late daughter and also the birth date of part-owner Sandy Arundel.

Muzi Yeni has also finished every position in the July from second to fifth, including third more than once, and an elusive victory is beckoning.

Royal Victory is one of four KZN-trained horses in this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July.

They will all be attempting to be the first KZN horse to win the race since the Ricky Maingard Space Walk won the race on objection in 1994 or, put another way, they will all be out to become the first KZN horse to cross the line first in the July since the Dennis Drier-trained Spanish Galliard did so in 1992.

When they turn for home on Saturday one horse who will certainly find extra and be running on will be the reliable Royal Victory.

Princess Of Gaul Comes Strolling Home

Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)

It has been many a year since the race for the Jockey Championship has resulted in a three-way contest but with a month to go it is still tight at the top with Gavin Lerena, champion Richard Fourie and Craig Zackey all in contention.

Lerena hit a purple patch at Turffontein on Saturday, pulling four winners clear of the reining champion Fourie with Zackey sudden finding himself seven winners adrift to the log leaders going into yesterday’s Hollywoodbets Scottsville meeting.

But with the first three races done, the numbers stayed the same as all three leading riders were on the board.

Zackey had the easiest ride as Dean Kannemeyer’s filly Princess Of Gaul made short work of her opposition in the first. Sent out favourite, Zackey tracked the pace as young Jacey Botes tried to run them off their feet on Perfume Power but once Zackey released the break a furlong out, it was just a matter of how far as the quickened away to win as she liked.

Fourie was in the winner’s circle in the second but had to work hard for his victory on Clinton Binda’s colt Chapbook. Still green, Fourie had to nurse him through the latter exchanges but once finding his feet, the son of Rafeef finally got the message to go through for a comfortable victory.

Lerena kept the status quo as far as the championship numbers were concerned as he deputized for an indisposed Andrew Fortune on the Yogas Govender-trained Soho Star. Narrowly beaten at his last two over the Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1200m, Lerena extracted the best out of the gelding to get home ahead of stable companions Vihaan’s Web and Quandray.

Apprentice Brevan Plaatjies is currently leading in the apprentice championship ahead of Trent Mayhew. Plaatjies rode his 40^th winner last Wednesday losing his 2.5kg claim, but he was still competitive off his 1.5kg claim as he rode an excellent race on the Bo Ngcobo-trained Ralph The Rascal.

Caught up a blind alley, Plaatjies hunted a gap, shifting in before it opened and sent Ralph The Rascal through to a smart win.

Ngcobo has a small string but has shown that he knows how to train a racehorse in the short time that he has had his trainer’s brief and given better support he will not let his patrons down.

Some apprentices never get to ride out their claim but Plaatjies and Jacey Botes are likely to leave their apprenticeship having ridden over 60 winners and into the ‘big’ world when they are not so popular anymore.

So it is imperative for an apprentice to make a name for themselves as early into their careers as possible and Botes is going the right way. Still claiming 4kg he has a keen judge of pace and some tactical ‘nous’ as he showed aboard Paul Lafferty’s runner Forward Motion.

Although only shouldering 48.5kg, Botes had his mount in front early but was no tearaway, judging the pace nicely and then keeping his mount running strongly to the line.

He has still got a long way to go and raceriding can be a fickle profession but Botes is going about it the right way.

Lerena In Devastating Form At The Big T

Lerena completed his five-timer on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Ensuing (William Longsword).

Gavin Lerena has ridden eight winners in the last two meetings on the Highveld, a treble at Turffontein Inside last Thursday and a five-timer on Saturday at the Standside track, to pull four clear of Richard Fourie and seven clear of Craig Zackey in the thrilling three way battle for the title.

Craig Zackey had responded to Lerena’s treble on Thursday by riding a four-timer at Fairview on Friday, while Richard Fourie’s double at the latter meeting had seen him reclaim the lead by one at the close of play on Friday.

Zackey went within three of the lead when winning the third race on the smart Tony Peter-trained William Longsword first-timer Titan Of The Turf on Saturday.

However, Lerena then rattled off five wins in the last six races to roar into the lead.

All three protagonists had a single winner each on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville to keep the gaps the same with Fourie four behind Lerena and three ahead of Zackey.

Lerena’s run on Saturday began in the first leg of the Pick 6 when the big Clinton Binda-trained Season’s Greeting built on his good third place finish in his previous start, a race which had already seen the second-placed and fourth-placed horses coming out and winning. It was clear a long way out Season’s Greeting’s pace had left the Zackey-ridden favourite Wise Counsel with too much to do and so it proved as Season’s Greeting ran out a 2,10 length winner with the 33/1 chance first-timer, the Mark Khan-trained Queensland (Querari), running second and Wise Counsel, who should win when going over further, third.

In the fifth race over 1000m Lerena had a low draw on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Vercingetorix gelding Chieftain and although that is perceived to be the wrong side he was content to bide his time until the halfway mark at which stage he drove his mount forward. This turned out to be perfect timing as the 99-rated three-year-old ran on strongly to win the MR102 contest by a lengths from Troppo Veloce with the favourite Rodeo Drive once again disappointing and running a 2,25 length third.

In the sixth race over 1000m the Tony Peter-trained Rafa Bay looked to be the one to side with based on some good Cape Town form and a good Highveld debut and Lerena rode him with confidence to win by 2,70 lengths at 83/100 odds from the second favourite Hemisphere with Dontshootthebarman next best.

The Fabian Habib-trained Miss Hannigan with S’Manga Khumalo up spoilt the Lerena sequence by winning the seventh race over 1400m.

However, Lerena was back in the groove for the last two races, winning the eighth over 1400m on the 13/10 shot, the Fanie Bronkhorst-trained Pomodoro mare Princess Ilaria.

He then clinched the five-timer by winning the last over 1160m on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained topweight Ensuing, who carried 63kg to a one length victory having been backed in to 9/4. That was a second win for the underrated sire William Longsword.

Earlier in the day the unfashionable Jet Master sire Skit Skizzle produced the winner of the first race, the Robbie Sage-trained Valentina Balducci, who has high profile owners Larry Nestadt, “JJ” Van der Linden and M Lieveaux. She won at odds of 25/2 under Kaidan Brewer.

The second race saw a smart performance from the Paul Matchett-trained Duke Of Marmalade colt The Last Duke, who romped in over 1160m by 4,25 lengths. He looks to be one to follow.

Meanwhile, Lerena has given high praise to his Hollywoodbets Durban July runner Madison Valley. The Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding put up a good gallop at the official Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops and Lerena said afterwards he felt he was a “massive runner”.

Madison Valley will be out to give Sid Moodley a dream win in the country’s biggest race with his first July runner.

Madison Valley shorted in from an opening final field call of 33/1 in to 20/1 after the Gallops. However, the biggest mover in the Hollywoodbets Durban July marker has been another horse who also opened at 33/1 after the final field announcement, On MY Honour, who has halved in price to 16/1.

Tributes Pour In For Hall Of Fame Trainer D. Wayne Lukas

Churchill Downs holds moment of silence in honor of D. Wayne Lukas | Coady Media

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who passed away this Saturday, leaves behind 4,953 wins and a historic 1995 Triple Crown sweep with two different horses. Tributes flooded social media for the racing legend.

Click here to read a tribute to D Wayne Lukas

Horizon Relative Tops Breeze-Up Sale

Horizon has two runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Scarlet MaCaw in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes over 1600m and the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Claw in the Listed Premier Gateway International Handicap over 1600m. (Picture: Wayne Mark).

Cape Breeders

A Starspangledbanner colt, whose relatives include Hemel ‘N Aarde’s resident sire Horizon, made headlines on Saturday when he topped the Goffs Classic Breeze-Up Sale.

Glending Stables sold the €330,000 sale-topper, a Starspangledbanner colt who achieved the fastest breeze at Naas on Monday, according to unofficial timings.

The colt, a half-brother to five winners including German 2,000 Guineas fourth String Theory out of Shebelia, a Black Sam Bellamy half-sister to German Group 1 winners Sabiango and Silvano, went the way of Goffs marketing director Joey Cullen, taking instruction from Ghislain Bozo on the phone, after seeing off the attention of Jason Kelly.

The sales topping colt’s granddam Spirit Of Eagles is not only the dam of multiple champion sire Silvano, but Spirit Of Eagles’ daughter Shina (a full-sister to Silvano) ranks as the dam of G2 KRA Fillies Guineas winner Santa Clara as well as G3 Politician Stakes winning sire Horizon.

The latter, whose progeny include G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Scarlet Macaw, has been in good form of late, with Horizon’s recent runners including the winners Mister Nibbles and Faithful Neo.