Richard Fourie drives former Equus Champion Sprinter Rio Querari to his first win for exactly two years at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth recently and he rides the six-year-old gelding from draw 13 out of 16 in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint on Saturday (Picture: Wayne Marks). 

HWB Scottsville Draws Should Hold No Fear For Fourie

Draw bias was at one stage a big problem at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and although it is much better these days it is perceived once again that the highest draw is not where one wants to be down the straight. The runners have started shifting towards the inside again.

Trip Of Fortune has gone to the top of the Equus Horse Of The Year points table after winning the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes (Candiese Lenferna Photography). 

Trip Of Fortune Regains Lead in Search of 2023 Horse of The Year Honours

Equus Awards

In winning the Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes in early May, Trip Of Fortune completed a sweep of the only two Super Grade 2’s in the season and reclaimed the lead at the top of the Horse of The Year Table. This adds to his Grade 2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes and Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes wins. He now also occupies what appears an unassailable lead at the top of the Champion Miler Table.

Charles Dickens added to his points tally when winning the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas. His contest with stable companion Trip Of Fortune in the upcoming Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge in June will likely have a strong bearing on the final Horse of The Year Table at season end.

Gimme A Prince moved from sixth spot on the table to joint fourth with his second in the Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes behind Trip of Fortune, while current “July” Favourite See It Again moved onto the table for the first time with a fluent win in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

At end May, Trip Of Fortune leads with 111 points followed by Puerto Manzano (98), Charles Dickens (96), Gimme A Prince (78), Desert Miracle (78), See It Again (72), and retired Jet Dark (70).

There are three Super Grade 1 events in June and July and the outcome of those events will have a strong bearing on the final points composition come season end.

Champion Three-Year-Old Colt

See It Again became the first sophomore colt to complete a Grade 1 double when winning the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 on Saturday. This however was not enough to wrest leadership in the division away from Charles Dickens who had earlier in the month won the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas. Each will be taking on older competition in Super Grade 1’s in June and July.

Of the remainder only Cousin Casey added to his April points tally in May. Charles Dickens leads the table on 96 points, followed by See It Again (72), Anfields Rocket (52), Cousin Casey (40), Billy Bowlegs (38), and Son of Raj (32).

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly

There was no change to the category in May with none of the first five from April adding to their points tallies in May. The top-four were not seen in May, while None Other did not place in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

Make It Snappy remains firmly in control of the table on 64 points, followed by Feather Boa (48), Bless My Stars (42), and Ciao Bella and None Other on 32 points.

Champion Older Male and Female

The result of the Super Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes provided for all the points movements in the month in the Champion Older Male category, with Trip Of Fortune moving back to the top and Al Muthana re-entering the table in fifth spot. Trip Of Fortune leads on 111 points, followed by Puerto Manzano (98), Gimme A Prince (78), Jet Dark (70) and Al Muthana (54).

Rain In Holland added to her points tally in the Champion Older Female category with her easy win in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 but remains 14 points adrift of Desert Miracle. The latter leads the table on 78 points, followed by Rain In Holland (64), Princess Calla (62), Under Your Spell (38), and Captain’s Ransom (36).

Distance Categories

There was no change to the Champion Sprinter category in May.  Gimme A Prince leads on 66 points followed by Princess Calla (62), Isivunguvungu (50), Rio Querari (28), and Bereave (26). The outcome of the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint this coming Saturday should have a strong influence on the table in June.

Despite Charles Dickens having won two sophomore mile events this season, The Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas, neither of these age-restricted events carry points towards the Champion Miler category. Trip Of Fortune therefore appears to have an unassailable lead at the head of this table heading into the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, although a win for Charles Dickens in that race may well swing the public and expert vote in his favour in the final award.

Victories for both Desert Miracle, a likely runner in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes, and Al Muthana, seeking a double in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, will close the gap at the top of the table in the coming two months and potentially swing the public and expert vote in their favour come season end.

Trip Of Fortune leads on 106 points, followed by Desert Miracle (72), Al Muthana (54), Under Your Spell (38), Charles Dickens (24), and MK’s Pride (24).

Puerto Manzano remains well clear of the Champion Middle Distance table on 90 points. Rain In Holland is the main mover in this category after Saturday’s Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 win and moves into second place on 64 points. Jet Dark (48), Make It Snappy (32) and Nexus (32), neither of which were seen in action in May, make up the table.

There were two events in the Champion Stayers category in May but neither event produced point movers to dislodge Salvator Mundi from the top of the table, despite this horse tailing off last in Saturday’s Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup. Earlier in the month Future Pearl entered the table with an easy win in the Grade 3 World Sports Betting Gold Bowl. Salvator Mundi remains in the lead on 23 points, followed by Nebraas (20), Arumugam (20), Future Pearl (10), and Chrome Yellow (10).

Champion Two-Year-Old Colt

There was no change in this category in May and Lucky Lad leads on 24 points from Cliff Hanger and Jerusalema Rain, both on 8 points, and Gimmeanotherchance and Outlaw King, both on 2 points.

Champion Two-Year-Old Filly

Only Distant Winter added to her points tally this month after her win in the Grade 3 Winter Nursery. She moves onto the table for the first time and into third position. Unbeaten Grade 2 World Sports Betting SA Fillies Nursery winner Mrs Geriatrix shares the top of the Two-Year-Old filly table with dual Grade 3 winner Winter Cloud on 16 points. They lead from Distant Winter (12), Leaving Las Vegas (8) and Red Hot Rose (8).

Equus Awards 2023 – Points Tables to 28 May 2023

Sheela (JC Photos)

Before Scottsville raid, Azzies hope Sheela can notch sixth win

S’manga Khumalo has ridden Sheela in her past four starts

See It Again is top of the second and final Hollywoodbets Durban July log (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Final Log For The Hollywoodbets Durban July

Gold Circle issued the second and final Log for the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ) earlier today.

There has been very little movement since the initial log went out some two weeks ago.

Hollywood Syndicate-owned Anfields Rocket has been scratched from the race following his disappointing effort in the Daily News 2000 over the weekend and his place in the top twenty on the log has been taken by the Hollywood Syndicate-owned Dynasty filly Time Flies, who finished second behind Rain In Holland, beating Winter Darling into third, in Saturday’s  Woolavington 2000 (Gr 1).

The final supplementary entry stage is on Tuesday 13 June, three days after the running of the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on Saturday 10 June.

The final field and Barrier Draw announcement takes place on Tuesday 20 June.

The HDJ gallops will take place from 07:00 on Thursday 22 June.

The top twenty on the latest HDJ Log are listed below in order of preference, noting that the top five are all guaranteed a run having won races that automatically qualify them:-

Hollywoodbets DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)

Final Field and Draw Announcement: Tuesday 20 June 2023

Lot 161, a Normandy Stud-bred Potala Palace weanling filly.

Oscar’s Insights On Normandy Weanlings For CRS Cape Winter Mixed Sale

Normandy Stud’s Oscar Foulkes made some interesting observations and gave us a brief on their pair of weanlings on offer at the CRS Cape Winter Mixed Sale. He noted: “The first thing to say about the two weanlings is that both their dams are siblings to Grade One winners, and they would both be Premier Sale candidates.

“We would also regard them as continuing our contribution to the development of a proper weanling market in South Africa. This kind of thing will always be something of a chicken and egg situation, but if breeders don’t offer select sale weanlings, there will never be a premium market for them. I should add that this is a big feature of the industry elsewhere in the world.

“So, we would regard them both as an opportunity for pinhookers, or for studs wanting to add specific elements to their consignments. Of course, it’s also an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with a potential champion. Let us not forget that Jet Master and Vercingetorix were both weanling purchases.

“We returned to the weanling market last year, so those youngsters are still some way of racing, but we should mention the story of Bond, the Durban Merchants winning son of Gallantry that we sold as a weanling for just R1000. He went on to earn R323 075!”

The Normandy pair below:

Lot 161 (See Picture above the headline to this article).

(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-161/)

“This filly by Potala Palace is well-grown, correct, scopey and a good mover. We can see her making up into a lovely yearling for the January/February sales season. Her dam is a Dynasty half-sister to the Cape Flying Championship winner Sergeant Hardy.”

Lot 162 (pictured below)

(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-162/)

“A colt by Rafeef out of Matushka, he is a well-grown, correct, scopey, high quality colt, and he’s an athletic mover. He’s sure to make an imposing yearling. Being a son of boom sire Rafeef, out of a young full-sister to Mother Russia, he’ll be on plenty of short lists for the Premier Sale.”

ENDS.

Derryl Daniels

Derryl Daniels’ Three Comeback Rides At Hollywoodbets Greyville Today

Derryl Daniels had three rides on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today and had a best fifth place finish on former Guv’nor Glen Kotzen’s King Of Seville in the third race over 1400m.

Derryl’s mount was hampered in the straight, but, after switching inward, the balance he displayed while using the stick showed why he was once the champion apprentice.

King Of Seville ran on well for a 2,50 length fifth.

The day should have been a confidence booster for Daniels.

His brave battle out of some dark holes into the “good space” he is currently in is well documented.

He last rode in a race five-and-a-half years ago on Christmas Eve, 2017.

He said to the Sporting Post yesterday in preparation for this meeting, ““It’s a very emotional moment for me. And that’s a good sign in itself, as I was never really in touch before. And the natural spectrum of thoughts have crossed my mind. I’m 46. Am I crazy? Am I pushing myself too far? But my body and my mind say go for it, boy. It’s all thanks to the reality that I have been blessed by the love and support of so many wonderful people. I have undergone a spiritual awakening and if I can inspire just one lost soul that no hole is ever too dark or deep to come back from, then it’s all been worthwhile.”

S’Manga Khumalo has ridden a total of five winners in the last two Hollywoodbets Greyville meetings, starting with the Sean Tarry-trained Kingdom Of Gold (Pomodoro) on Saturday (Candiese Lenferna).

Khumalo And Bronkhorst Score Trebles

S’Manga Khumalo rode a treble on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today, two of them for raiding Highveld trainer Fanie Bronkhorst, who also scored a treble.

Khumalo goes to 143 wins for the season at a strike rate of 16.53%.

Bronkhorst goes to 37 wins at 7.21%.

The subject of the question is pictured above in October 1973 leading in Lord Durham, with jockey Sandy Hawley, to the winner’s circle at Woodbine. – Ron Bull/Toronto Star file photo.

Today’s Question

Which business tycoon transformed Canadian racing and bred the world’s most dominant stallion of the 20th century?

Hollywoodbets Greyville Poly Fields, Wednesday

The great Northern Dancer, bred by E.P. Taylor in Canada, dominates modern pedigrees (Frank Grant/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

.

While a student at Montreal’s McGill University in 1918, Taylor was introduced to the sport of thoroughbred horse racing at Blue Bonnets Raceway. As a businessman in the 1930s he established Cosgrave Stable to race horses, which notably owned and raced the future (2000) Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame filly Mona Bell, winner of the 1938 Breeders’ Stakes and Maple Leaf Stakes.

The Taylor thoroughbred horse breeding operation produced Northern Dancer, who in 1964 became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. Northern Dancer then became arguably the greatest sire and sire of sires of the 20th century, whose impact on the breed is still felt worldwide. In 1970, Taylor was the world’s leading horse breeder measured by money won. He was voted Thoroughbred racing’s man of the year in 1973 and the following year was elected to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 1977 and 1983 he was named the winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder in North America. Taylor’s horses won 15 Queen’s Plate races and were named Canadian Horse of the Year nine times.