Turf Talk Newsletter – 7 July, 2026

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July produces a thrilling finish in the first renewal with a new 10kg long handicap weight structure (Picture: Race Coast)

The Holywoodbets Durban July’s new 10kg weight spread has generally been well received, but the topweight having to carry 62kg has opinions divided.

The consequence of the topweight being 62kg was seen in that three of the country’s top weight for age horses, The Real Prince, See It Again and Eight On Eighteen, avoided the race and will line up instead in the Gr 1 wfa Champions Cup, while other highly rated horses Atticus Finch and Fire Attack were also pulled out. This was despite the lure of the R10 million stake.

There are arguments for the 62kg topweight staying intact with one of the chief ones being that it throws the race open to all comers and brings small yards and small owners into it. If some of the top horses are going to stay out it will give some lowly rated horses a chance and with that comes more chance of an inexpensive  horse with small-time owners winning the race. It might also lead to a humdinger of a Gr 1 Champions Cup every year with the top horses preferring that race to the July.

Furthermore, the supporters of the current system pointed to Saturday and said it had not detracted from the intrigue and the excitement of the build up and the race itself had been as exciting as usual, even if the quality of the field was not high by usual July standards.

However, there is one real concern if the 62kg topweight benchmark stays intact.

It has to be questioned whether the eventual topweight for this year’s renewal, Legal Counsel, would take his place with hindsight. He ran a shorthead second in the Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and followed it by being beaten 12,10 lengths into 12th in the July. As he had already proved himself a weight for age horse by finishing second in the WSB Met he would have been better served going straight  into the Champions Cup than running in the July with that big weight.

So had he, for argument’s sake, not taken his place in the July, who would the next 62kg incumbent have been and would the connections also have decided to be kind to him or her by pulling the horse out?

Dominoes could happen with each successive 62kg incumbent being scratched until eventually the top three-year-old is set to carry 62kg and is then also pulled out.

So the big question is whether a weight spread of 60kg to 50kg is feasible, thus keeping the 10kg spread but lessening the amount the topweight has to carry?

Some would argue that it is not the big weight of 62kg that is the problem, but the amount of weight that has to be conceded i.e. 10kg.

However, it should be worth giving the 60kg to 50kg spread a chance as it does sound like a much more reasonable weight to carry and might lead to less scratchings in the early stages.

The benefit of this spread would be the quality of the field potentially being better. as most fans would like to see the best horses running and it would also enable the race to keep its Gr 1 status.

Of the 63 initial entries this year the initial topweight was See It Again on 130 and there were 24 horses who had a nett merit rating of 114 or higher, which would have meant a weight spread of 8kg had the horses all stood their ground.

The reason for the above sentence is because under the rules a handicap must have a bottom weight of a minimum of 52kg.

If the bottom weight is made 50kg it would likely have to be called a handicap with conditions to get around the rules.

The other danger of making bottom weight 50kg is the question of whether there would be enough riders who can ride to 50kg in the case of there being a number of bottom weights, which could  happen if a very highly rated horse stands his ground.

A quick survey done shows there should be enough jockeys, although the quality of jockey might be compromised.

Looking at this year’s race it would have only needed three jockeys to carry 50kg and six to carry less than 52kg if the weight spread had been 60kg to 50kg and that was despite the plethora of scratchings as well as two reserves coming in.

With a 60kg topweight there are likely to be less scratchings and the weight spread could feasibly be smaller than 10kg.

The first year of the 10kg spread saw an exciting build up and race alongside the many on course improvements Hollywoodbets have brought in.

However, the 62kg question was the one most spoken about by the racing purists on the day, some of whom wanted the old system brought back with its weight restrictions per age group and gender.

There were some who recommended a straight handicap with a 60kg to 52kg spread, while others were happy with the 62kg to 52kg spread.

However, considering the popularity if the 10kg spread, there were plenty who thought the 60kg to 50kg spread would be a good option and would lead to a higher quality race than this year’s.

One idea brought up which should also be mentioned before ending this article was to make the consolation race, known this year as the Magical Zulu Kingdom Campanajo 2200, a very lucrative handicap race in order to ostensibly have a very lucrative and very long handicap. i.e. two lucrative handicaps, each with a 60kg to 52kg spread.

The weight structure of the Hollywoodbets Durban July is an intriguing subject and there is sure to be plenty of further discussion on it.

Green With Envy is one of the sires whose services can be bid for (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Sarah Whitelaw

Auction marks last chance to acquire services to top stallions!

The Cape Breeders Club’s annual stallion services auction remains the final opportunity for interested breeders to acquire services to some of South Africa’s top sires.

The majority of these star stallions are already booked full for 2026, and this auction should not be missed.

Stallions with services for sale on the live auction are Buffalo Bill Cody, Charles Dickens, Danon Scorpion, Digital Age, Erik The Red, Fire Away Green With Envy, Hawwaam, Jet Dark, Legislate, Lucky Lad, Master Of My Fate, One World, Point Lonsdale, Querari, Rafeef, Sandringham Summit, Snow Pilot, The United States, Vercingetorix and The United States.

The following list outlines the stallions, to whom services can be purchased via a silent bid.

Below is a list of stallions to whom services can be purchased via silent bids:
A Case Of You
Canford Cliffs
Cousin Casey
Danon Platina
Elusive Fort
Erupt
Expert Eye
Flower Alley
Frantastic
Futura
Global View
Hit The Road
Kikkuli
Kommetdieding
Malmoos
Master Archie
Oriental Charm
Pathfork
Real Gone Kid
Sharp Frank
Soqrat
Thunderstruck
Twice Over
William Longsword

This year’s auction forms part of the BSA July Online Auction, with the bidding process having commenced on Tuesday.

Would-be bidders are reminded to please send your silent bid forms to secretary@capebreeders.co.za before 13h00 on the 8th July 2026. The Stallion Services Auction will end on Wednesday July 8th.

Click here to link to the Online Auction

Note To Self still has plenty of maturing to do and has an exciting future ahead of him (Picture: Race Coast) 

Varsfontein Stud are becoming an increasing force in South African breeding and had their first official Hollywoodbets Durban July success this year as the breeders of Futura gelding Note To Self, while they also bred Gr 3 Post Merchants winner Jet Force and Listed Thukela winner Talk To The Master on the day.

However, the stud magement team of Carl de Vos and his assistant Jaco Erasmus deserve accolades, because Note To Self was in fact the third July winner this decade to have been born and raised at Varsfontein Stud.

The 2020 winner, the Dynasty gelding Belgarion, was a homebred of Alec and the Honourable Gillian Foster’s, but the Fosters board their mares at Varsfontein Stud and Belgarion was thus born and raised at Varsfontein Stud.

Last year’s winner, the Gimmethegreenlight gelding The Real Prince, was a Khaya Stables homebred.

Lady Christine Laidlaw of Khaya Stables also boards her mares at Varsfontein Stud, so The Real Prince was another July winner this decade born and raised at Varsfontein.

That is some feat by Carl de Vos and Jaco Erasmus and their team.

Ahead Of The Facts is a cosy winner of the Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase (Picture: Race Coast) 

The Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase on Hollywoodbets Durban July day has always been a pointer to the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup and this year’s winner of the former race, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts, will have a fine chance of landing a treble of staying events in the latter race as he also won the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers.

An interesting fact about the Syrilla Stud-bred Futura gelding is that he is the first horse to be running in the colours of Garth Musikanth, whose brother Dean is also a part-owner along with Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith and J Murcia.

Ahead Of The Facts, ridden by the peerless Richard Fourie, was backed as if he couldn’t be beaten and the flood of money saw him starting at 15/10.

Fourie dropped the 110-rated gelding out from a wide draw of nine.

He was content to sit near the back before improving position around the final bend.

Fourie went for a run down the inside and Ahead Of The Facts showed a turn of foot that was reminiscent of last year’s Equus Champion Stayer King Pelles.

He made up the ground in a matter of strides and went on to win by half-a-length from Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids, who were the winner and runner up in the Gold Cup two years ago.

The winning margins of 0,50 lengths and 1,30 lengths flattered Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids as Fourie was easing Ahead Of The Facts up at the line.

However, Ahead Of The Facts was receiving 1,5kg from both of them and there willl be a weight reversal in the Gold Cup considering Ahead Of The Facts was raised seven points to 117, while Master Redoute was raised three points to 115 and Shoot The Rapids remains on 117.

Fifth-placed Holding Thumbs, beaten 3,40 lengths, was lowered one point to 117.

The Gold Cup weights are subjected to the Operator’s Condition 2.1.2.10 which states:

Handicap Races of 2800m and further (including Graded, Listed and other Feature races): Weights may be compressed at the discretion of the Handicapper i.e. the Handicapper may depart from allocating 0,5 kg for each merit rating point.

Ahead Of The Facts will thus have it harder on paper, but Jonathan Snaith stated after Saturday’s race that the Gold Vase was actually just a stepping stone race to the Gold Cup.

He said, “The Gold Cup was his main mission. He has had three runs in Durban and the Gold Vase was the one in between. Hopefully his best run will be his third run.”

The owners were all ecstatic and David Musikanth said, “He is our first stakes winner and we have won Grade 3s with him on Met day and July day. He cost just R100,000 and considering his class that was for nothing! I am over the moon, I actually don’t know where to walk, but I do know where to have a drink!”

The Capetonian group of friends were looking forward to a celebratory toast to their champion and revealed that Richard had been very confident before the race.

Garth Musikanth confirmed he had got his colours completed about two years ago especially for this horse, who made his debut as a two-year-old on August 31, 2024, although he did own a handful of horses before that.

Ahead Of The Facts in fact finished a tailed off last on debut over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, beaten 17,95 lengths and it was only when stepping up to 2000m in his fourth start that he began to show what was to come.

That is not surprising considering he is by stamina influence Futura out of a one-time-winning mare by stamina influence Silvano.

Saturday was his fifth career win.

Jonathan Snaith found Ahead Of The Facts at the 2023 National Yearling Sale and said, “We were fans of Futura. We had a good Futura in our yard at the time called Future Swing who was shaping up to be a stayer. Ahead Of The Facts was a magnificent horse, beautiful conformation and he moved like a dream. He was a bit light and immature and I think that is why no-one liked him. But he had the frame and he had the action and he had a beautiful temperament, which we noticed at the Sale. He’s been a wonderful buy and I think he’s a massive runner in the Gold Cup as well. Considering this was not his main mission it was an impressive win and it was the way he won … he went from second last to first in a matter of strides, an impressive turn of foot. Richard, more so than Justin, was very confident. He said he had been unlucky in his previous start when he ran second and he actually said in the parade ring to the owners, ‘What are you nervous about? He is going to win whether I go to the front or stay at the back. I’ve got this!’ He was extremely confident from weeks ago and I think it was reflected by the money that poured on and everybody bankered him in the Pick 6 … he was a lot of people’s Pick 6 banker, so we are delighted that the public have benefited.”

King Pelles winning the Gold Cup last year (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Summerveld trainer Gareth van Zyl was very excited by the third place finish of King Pelles in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July and added that the Equus Champion Stayer had come out of the race well, so will be defending his crown in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup on the 25th.

The result showed that the older horses were out at the weights with the three-year-olds and Gareth mentioned that before adding, “To have split the three-year-olds showed that he has improved, so it is very exciting.”

King Pelles was actually a touch unlucky as he was sitting in what was in retrospect the perfect position behind Wish List approaching the straight, but lost that position when Gladatorian switched outward off the rail.

Nevertheless, after being shuffled backwards and having to come around the horses in front he showed a fine turn of foot and became a threat to the three-year-olds Note To Self and Wish List.

He clung on to third place, beaten 1,55 lengths, just ahead of another three-year-old Viva’s Liberte.

Australian-based Chad Schofield, the son of former top Durban-born jockey Glyn Schofield, said afterwards he felt he had a chance of winning and added that he could feel that had the race been over a touch further he would have had a very good chance.

It was another heady day for chief owner Ravi Padayachee, with this being the passionate Durbanite’s first July runner, and and in the last few hundred metres he and his fellow owners would likely have just about lifted the roof off the grandstand from his private box. To win the Hollywoodbets Durban July is every owner’s dream and would be an especially auspicious achievement for a hometown owner.

Ravi’s Lucky Vest 12 CC owns King Pelles in partnership with Dave MacLean, Gary Player and N V Parmanand.

King Pelles put all of them in the spotlight last season by landing four Gr 3 staying events including the KZN Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup and walking away with the Equus Champion Stayer award.

He has taken them on another exhilarating journey this Champions Season and will put the cherry on the top if successfully defending his Gold Cup crown, although he is going to have stiff opposition from this year’s Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase winner, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts.

Importantly King Pelles has stayed on a merit rating of 122 after his fine July effort.

Note To Self and his gallant stablemate Wish List are out in front in the Hollywoodbets Durban July (Picture: Race Coast)

Note To Self has been raised from 118 to 122 after his Hollywoodbets Durban July win while runner up Wish List went up from 117 to 120.

The line horse was the 1,55 length third-placed King Pelles who remains on a merit rating of 122.

The rest of the field stayed on their same merit ratings.

The Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes winner Quickstepgal has remained on a 120 merit rating of 120.

Jet Force has remained on a a 123 rating following his win in the Gr 3 Post Merchants.

Salani Kahle can win the B Stakes event over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday (Picture: Race Coast) 

With the Hollywoodbets Durban July done and dusted it’s back to bread-and-butter racing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday, where the card is headed by the Tote For The Win B Stakes over 2000m.

Gareth van Zyl thought enough of SALANI KAHLE to run him in the SA Derby Gr 2, but he came up short against the filly CURIOUS GIRL, who at the time of writing, was a runner in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gr 1.

Given the weights in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, CURIOUS GIRL was an unlikely winner being 6kg out on the official handicap but that said, SALANI KAHLE takes on a lot weaker and although he has a big weight, he shows lots of potential. This will be an acid test. Dean Kannemeyer has stepped UZWANO up in trip but the gelding is in good form over shorter. He will see this out and should go close. Stuart Ferrie saddles the smart filly HODGEPODGE, who stays well and has a handy galloping weight. She should be competitive. Of the others, QUEUE WING seldom runs a bad race. He is up in class and also in distance but has a light weight. One to watch.

Mike and Mathew de Kock can open the afternoon with PUTTHELIGHTSOUT, who was a beaten favourite on the ploy last run but faces modest company here and should go close back on turf.

In the first leg of the Bi-Pot CHRISTMAS ROSE was touched off second time out and has made steady improvement and should go close. She is the pick of the Glen Kotzen stable trio. Danger is BLENHEIM PALACE who is making steady improvement and has found market support in the past. This trip should suit. AMERICA FIRST took on older runners in an Open Maiden last start and can do better.

The opening leg of the PA has some well-bred first timers so keep an eye on the betting but LENNOX  found all sorts of traffic last time out and shows some promise. He should put in a big effort. TIGER CODY has improved in blinkers and is back to shorter and looks the biggest threat. First timers HOT BLOODED and BULLET CATCH are ones to watch in the market.

CHARLIE BUCKET can kick off the Pick 6. Paddy Kruyer’s gelding has consistent Cape form over course and distance and was a beaten favourite last two over the distance. He gets a 1.5kg allowance from the saddle and can make amends. DEONARIE has shown up well in both starts and steps up in trip but has the best of the draw while REDOUBT EXPRESS found market support when making a smart debut on the poly. The turf should not be an issue and he rates a strong winning chance.

PEEPING TOM has been knocking on the door for some time for DOUG CAMPBELL. He stays the trip and should be one of the better bets on the card. BOURBON’S BEAST tends to lack finish but is never too far back and should go well in this company. AUGRABIES was a beaten favourite last run. His best recent form has been on the poly but he is in modest company.

Ricky Maingard’s runners have won four of the six races that they have contested in Champions Season and TUNGUSKA comes off some smart recent Western Cape form. The stable has hardly missed since arriving in KZN. BLIZZARD BOY has shown up well in two starts on the poly since arriving in KZN. He shed his maiden on the turf and should run well in this field. RED CARDINAL is down in class and handicap. If he stays the trip he will be a contender.

The eighth is wide open. RED CORAL is a filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run on the poly and can make amends. LET IT ROLL was a recent maiden winner and takes on older runners. However, he has improved with each outing and has a handy galloping weight. DANCING ON A CLOUD was much improved last run after switching yards and has always shown promise while RADU has been consistent of late and now gets a 2.5kg claimer aboard.

In the last, PREACHER MAN is a two-year-old filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run. She is down in class with first time blinkers and looks the part. DIAMOND MAKER won at long odds last start in first time blinkers and is back over a sprint. He could follow up. YANNAKIS has won his last two over course and distance and his 4kg claimer retains the ride. PRINCESS GOLDIE is back on turf. Her poly form is consistent, but she can do better here.

Target Audience could follow up in the 9th at Happy Valley (Picture: HKJC)

Tim had two winners and landed the Placepot on Saturday and he returns with best bets, Placepot picks and a full analysis of Wednesday’s racing from Happy Valley.

Wednesday sees a competitive nine race card from Happy Valley getting underway at 12H30 SA Time and the feature of the meeting is race 8, the Class 2 Hat Trick Handicap, over 9 furlongs, offering prize money of more than £310,000.

Now onto this week’s selections.

Click here for a comprehensive guide to the meeting