Turf Talk Newsletter – 30 September, 2026

Serial winners! Interbet’s Gary Piha with Richard Fourie. (Picture: Pauline Herman).

Gary Piha, a founding member and long-time CEO of Interbet, has congratulated Turf Talk on ten years of serving South African racing. Interbet is sponsoring our birthday betting voucher giveaway this week, and Piha said the company was proud to celebrate with us.

He commented: “A milestone like this deserves recognition. For a decade, Turf Talk has championed the sport, the people who make it happen and the punters who keep it alive.”

Turf Talk pioneered the daily newsletter offering; Interbet launched its extraordinarily successful business in 2000 and is South Africa’s longest-established online bookmaker.

Piha said: “We were founded as a bookmaker-to-bookmaker betting platform, and the punting public soon noticed that the bookmakers were negotiating wholesale prices online.

“Despite strong resistance, Interbet opened its platform to the public in the mid-2000s. Our belief was simple: punters are the most important part of the racing industry, and they are entitled to the same best odds the trade enjoys. That conviction has guided us ever since.

“Sport and online casinos have grown rapidly, but horseracing remains in our DNA and at the heart of the experience we offer our customers.”

Central to the Interbet philosophy is the protection of the integrity of betting, and Piha commented: “In the Western Cape, punters could only back horses on the exchange. Offering odds like a bookmaker required a valid South African bookmaker’s licence, subject to provincial probity checks and licence conditions.

“Interbet has always considered this a sound principle. It is uncontroversial, and it serves both the racing industry and the integrity of betting.”

Betting exchanges have since been licensed in other provinces. That has brought a host of issues that are still being unravelled, but Piha believes it vindicates the caution shown in the Western Cape.

Interbet also made a deliberate commitment to sustaining the racing Tote by directing its customers’ Tote stakes straight into the official Tote pool, thereby strengthening the pools that support the industry. This was a major reason Phumelela became a 51% B-BBEE shareholder in Interbet in the mid-2010s.

When Phumelela collapsed, Interbet secured new B-BBEE partners in 2021 through a consortium headed by Larry Nestadt and respected businessman Joe Mthimunye. The partnership has helped the business grow significantly over the past five years.

Piha said: “Our commitment to horseracing and the Tote is as strong as ever. It is also costly. Interbet is one of very few operators still standing by this principle, and even some racing operators themselves lay the open bet. Given the current landscape, it is fair to ask how long such a sacrifice can be sustained.”

Piha gave a promise to punters, whatever the future holds:

“Our customers remain the reason we do this. Punters are the lifeblood of racing, and Interbet will keep fighting to give them fair odds, honest dealing and a betting experience that respects their passion for the sport.

“Here’s to the next ten years, Turf Talk!”

We’re giving away R10,000 in betting vouchers on our 10th birthday – that’s R2,500 for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!

HOW TO WIN

ANSWER THIS: Who is South Africa’s oldest and most established betting exchange?

SEND YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS TO editor@turftalk.co.za

NOTE: To stand a better chance of winning, include the names and e-mail addresses of two friends who are not Turf Talk subscribers, send them to us. (With their permission, please).

Winners will be announced as the week goes along. If you are not already registered with Interbet, you will be required to join them to use vouchers.

SO, TO SUM UP:

Answer question
Include two new subscribers for us
Add your own details
Mail to editor@turftalk.co.za

All pictures by JC Photos.

On Heritage Day 2026, the Racehorse Owners Association brought together owners, members, families, new participants and friends of horseracing for another memorable Family Fun and Braai Day at Randjesfontein Training Centre. The event provided a relaxed opportunity to celebrate South African heritage while bringing people together through a shared passion for horseracing.

It was particularly special to welcome new participants to the racing community, giving them the opportunity to meet owners, trainers and fellow racing enthusiasts and experience the environment behind the racetrack.

A highlight was a behind-the-scenes visit at the training centre, giving guests a closer look at what happens away from race day and the work that goes into preparing racehorses. The ROA thanked Alec Laird for generously allowing them to visit and experience this side of racing first-hand.

Pravina James, a first-time visitor said, “A memorable tour of the stables, seeing the majestic horses up close.  What an amazing way to celebrate Heritage Day with my family. Thank you for including us for a stunning day of fun in the sun”.

Natalie Turner, CEO of the ROA, said: “It was also an important occasion for us to share more about Equora, 4Racing’s new Ownership Proposition, and the exciting journey that lies ahead.

“We have now moved into the next phase of the Equora launch and are in the process of confirming memberships and preparing for the full launch in the coming weeks. There is a great deal happening behind the scenes, and I am incredibly excited about what Equora will bring to the ownership experience.”

Daryz seeks an ‘Arc’ double ([Picture: Aga Khan Studs).

Fillies Treve and Enable managed to win back-to-back Arcs this century but it’s a long time since a colt achieved that feat. The last to do so was Alleged with Lester Piggott in 1977 and 1978, though for most three-year-old colts who win the Arc, it’s a quick ticket to a stallion career rather than another year in training.

Arc winners Bago, Hurricane Run and Workforce were three colts who did come back to defend their Arc titles this century, though none did so successfully, so last year’s winner Daryz is attempting something no colt has done for nearly 50 years.

He looks a worthy favourite, though, and while his trial win in the Prix Foy, when readily brushing aside the Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller, isn’t his best piece of form, it served the purpose of putting his disappointing run at Royal Ascot firmly behind him while teeing him up nicely for another Arc bid.

A couple of impressive wins over shorter trips at Longchamp in the spring suggested Daryz is at least as good as he was last year, and his excellent trainer will have had this mapped out as his major target all season.

Daryz hasn’t put a foot wrong in all his starts at Longchamp, and while testing conditions would have been an unknown for him, it doesn’t look like being any worse than the good to soft ground he won on last year which is not the forecast, on the other hand, that Bay City Roller’s connections would have wanted. – extracts from Sporting Life.

Taking A Risk, could get it right at the Vaal (Picture: JC Photos).

Punting is all about taking a risk but some risks are more fallible than others. One runner that has proven costly of late is aptly named Taking A Risk, writes JACK MILNER.

That this Mike Azzie-trained daughter has some ability is without question, however, she does have a problem getting her head down when it matters most.

She is also impeccably bred, being by Fire Away out of Frankel mare Risk Taker, but so far she has only managed to notch up one victory in 17 starts. Nevertheless, she has also placed 10 times, six of them being in the runner-up position.

She has finished second in her last three starts but in fairness, she has run behind some decent performers such as Catfish and Lovable.

But Azzie could have found the perfect opportunity for his charge to finally end that frustrating run of seconds when she lines up in Race 5 at the Vaal tomorrow, a MR 7 Handicp over 1000m. She will be taking on males but she has performed well against them before and they do not look particularly fearsome.

Azzie has also engaged the services of champion jockey Craig Zackey so that is another fact in her favour. – 4Racing.

Winx and her foal by Too Darn Hot (GB). (Picture: Coolmore Australia).

Former Australian superstar, Winx (Street Cry), retired to stud in 2019, has produced her third living foal, a filly by Darley’s champion sire Too Darn Hot (GB).

Her first foal was Pierro filly Quinceanera, who famously made $10-million at Inglis Easter and was retired unraced with plans to go stud this year.

Her second is an unnamed 2YO Snitzel colt that is obviously being given time as he holds no entry for the Golden Slipper.

Winx won 37 of 43 career starts between May 2015 and her retirement in April 2019, also her last 33 races in succession, including 25 Group 1s (a world record), at distances ranging from 1300m to 2200 metres.

She is in the broodmare paddock at Coolmore Australia in Hunter Valley, NSW.

Race Coast Western Cape is looking for a Digital & Social Media Marketing Co-Ordinator to join their team!

Love social media, live events, great content and the kind of job where no two days look quite the same?

Kirsti Lyall of Race Coast said: “We’re after someone creative, organised, digitally savvy and ready to get stuck in – from racing and major events to lifestyle content, campaigns and everything happening behind the scenes.

“If you can spot a content moment, keep multiple balls in the air and know your way around the ever-changing world of social and digital, we’d love to hear from you.”

This is a full-time position, with salary dependent on experience. For the full job advert and all the details, email recruitment@racecoast.co.za with the subject line Digital & Social Media Coordinator Application.

More info, here.