Turf Talk Newsletter – 7 May, 2026

Eight On Eighteen won last year’s Daily News 2000 easily and went close in the Hollywoodbets Durban July carrying 57kg, a weight which would have been unheard of for a three-year-old to carry back in the day (Candiese Lenferna Photography)  

The official weight for age allowance for three-year-olds over a distance of 2200m at the time of the Hollywoodbets Durban July is 2kg and yet in bygone eras not many three-year-olds managed to qualify for the race and if they did they carried featherweights and battled to win.

The greats did win it, for example Bush Telegraph who arrived at the July unbeaten in eight starts, including the SA 2000 (Daily News 2000) … and yet he carried just 49kg in the July.

The greats Mazarin (1971) and In Full Flight (1972) carried 49kg and 52,5kg respectively to victory, while Yataghan (1973), one of only seven horses to win both the July and the Met, carried 49kg to victory.

The great Politician failed as a three-year-old in 1977 carrying just 51.5kg.

Even the dominant July trainer Terrance Millard’s three-year-old July winners carried featherweights, with Royal Chalice (1988) carrying 50.5kg, Right Prerogative (1989) 49kg and Illustrador (1990) carrying 51,5kg.

Later, the great London News, another one of the seven to win both the July and the Met, carried just 52kg to victory in the July (1996).

Yet today recently See It Again and Eight On Eighteen have  carried 56,5kg and 57kg respectively in the July and failed narrowly to win, while Legislate carried 56kg to victory (albeit via the boardroom), Bold Silvano carried 55,5kg and Igugu, Pomodoro and Do It Again all carried 55kg to victory as three-year-olds.

One obvious reason is the topweight has increased from being 57kg through the 1970s and 80s until it increased to 58kg in 1990 and then to the current 60kg in 2010.

That might not seem significant, but in fact In Full Flight’s weight carrying feat (52,5kg) was actually the equivalent of Bold Silvano’s feat in relative terms.

However, possibly the chief reason for a lack of three-year-olds in the July back in the day was the handicapper used to simply choose the 18 or 20 top weighted horses for the final field.

This made it very difficult for three-year-olds to qualify because, if not mistaken, the old Race Figure system was largely based on number of wins.

The three-year-olds battled to quailfy in the 1970s and 1980s and even 1990s and it has to be said they were often left out at the expense of old timers who had no chance.

A look at the number of three-year-olds in the race in the 1970s compared to the number of three-year-olds in the last ten renewals tells a story:

1970 – 1 3yo, 1971 -1 3yo, 1972 – 1 3yo, 1973 – 3 3yos, 1974 – 2 3yos, 1975 – 3 3yos, 1976 – 2 3yos, 1977 – 3 3yos, 1978 – 4 3yos, 1979 – 1 3yo.

2016 – 9 3yos, 2017 – 6 3yos, 2018 – 7 3yos, 2019 – 3 3yos, 2020 – 4 3yos, 2021 – 4 3yos, 2022 – 5 3yos, 2023 – 6 3yos, 2024 – 6 3yos, 2025 – 7 3yos.

It all came to a head in 1980 when the July ante-post second favourite, the Mike Bass-trained four-year-old Cracker Lily, did not get into the July field because he was not one of the top 18 in the weights. Only one 3yo got into the race that year too.

Cracker Lily later proved a point by winning the Clairwood Winter Handicap on the last Saturday of July, beating some of the horses who had been put in the July ahead of him.

After the Cracker Lily debacle a rule change allowed the handicappers, or the final field panelists, to choose the field at their own discretion.

However, it was still hard for three-year-olds to get into the July through the 1980s and 1990s.

And one of the chief reasons for this was that there used to be a far lesser drain of top horses out of the country than there is today.

This means the class among the older horses that the three-year-olds face today is thinned out. For example there is no One Stripe among this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July entries.

The lack of exports from South Africa in the old days was tied to African Horse Sickness the export protocols.

The issue was longstanding, meaning our racing in the late 1950s, through the 1960s, 70s and 80s and the early 90s was often full strength through a number of crops.

The three-year-olds had to face not only the best of their own crop, but the best of one, two or three other crops.

In 1958, following an AHS outbreak in the Middle East, an embargo was placed on African horse exports to the EU, making direct trade nearly impossible.

The protocol for direct flights to the USA remained open and has been open since 1958.

Therefore the like of Colorado King, Hawaii and Bold Tropic did all leave to race in the USA, but those that took that route were few and far between.

There are no scheduled cargo flights from South Africa on that route and this was exacerbated by a new restriction after 911 i.e. co-loading of freight and passengers to the USA has not been allowed.

Therefore, a plane had to be chartered and enough horses, together with other freight if feasible, had to be gathered to make the flight financially viable. The “Flying Springboks” horse flight to the USA in March 2024 was the first to achieve it for a long time.

However, in 1997 the EU ratified a protocol allowing direct exports from the Western Cape’s “AHS Free Zone,” leading to 1996 July winner London News (1997 Queen Elizabeth Cup winner) traveling directly to Hong Kong.

Direct exports to the EU were banned again in about 2011 until being opened at last in 2024.

However, the export floodgates really started with London News.

It reached its height the following decade with Mike de Kock and others campaigning with South African-breds in Dubai and other countries.

London News was the only three-year-old in the 1996 July and he won it, so it was somewhat ironic that he became the catalyst for our horses to travel overseas, which had the knock on effect of making the July easier for three-year-olds.

So the original statement of this article, “July puzzle – why do three-year-olds perform better nowadays?” is actually an incorrect assessment.

Three-yeaar-olds probably just have it easier these days for all of the reasons pointed out in the article.

However, in the July three-year-olds have still never quite reached the level the weight for age scale says they should have reached.

So right up until this year there was a clause which placed a restriction on the weight a three-year-old could carry i.e. 57kg.

The only scenario in which they could have carried more was in the case where a three-year-old was the highest nett merit-rated horse.

Furthermore, if a topweight was scratched a three-year-old could have carried more than 57kg after the weights were dragged up and this happened in 2016 with Abashiri carrying 59kg.

However, the dominant three-year-old of last year, Eight On Eighteen, was actually 2kg better off than he would have been in a handicap and 1kg better off than weight for age because of that aforementioned ceiling put on the weight a three-year-old male could carry … and yet he still failed to win, although he was admittedly beaten by a well handicapped horse.

The Hollywoodbets Durban July is now back to what it originally was, a true handicap with a 10kg spread in the weights.

The weight structure will be an advantage for most three-year-olds, especially the lower rated ones, because there will be no clause saying three-year-old males can not carry less than 53kg.

It could be a disadvantage for a superstar among the three-year-olds as they cold end up carrying a weight closer than 3kg to topweight and with the topweight this year o 62kg, a three-year-old could feasibly end up with a welter burden e.g if Tin Pan Alley were to run in the July he would have to carry 59kg as things stand.

Some females might also be at a disadvantage with no clause saying 56kg is a maximum weight for a female and 53kg is a minimum weight for an older female and 52kg a minimum weight for three-year-old females.

The restriction causes have all fallen away and it is now just a straight handicap.

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July field probably is going to contain great strength in depth with the R10 million prize money being something many would like a share of.

There are not going to be any horses left out at the expense of older horses who are past it, as could have happened pre- 1980.

On the other hand, races like the Daily News 2000 were full of class, tension and intrigue back in the day and were true three-year-old championship events.

The Daily News 2000 was a vital race for three-year-olds to win as it qualified the winner to get into the July final field. Those who didn’t win races like that often could not get in.

Thought should be put into how best to revive the Daily News 2000 as an important championship race to win, rather than a race to avoid for the July aspirants.

Nevertheless, little is going to detract from the Hollywoodbets Durban July this season as a build up that will be second to none in terms of intrigue and the race itself is going to be a furious contest and full of excitement.

Elusive Fort mare Elusive Heart was sold with a Sandringham Summit foal at foot for R1,15 million

Two Black Swan Stud broodmares fetched seven figures at the Race Coast Sales Mixed Sale Featuring The Black Swan Dispersal.

The Dupont mare Sylvie (Lot 8), dam of Gr 2 winner Celtic Rumours (Vercingetorix) , dual Listed winner Almond Sea (Canford Cliffs) and Listed winner Sarah among six winners from seven runners, went for R1.4 million purchased by Lammerskraal Stud. She is in foal to Rafeef.

The Elusive Fort mare Elusive Heart (Lot 7), a seven-time winner including a Gr 3 and two Listed races and dam of a dual winner from three foals, sold with a Sandringham Summit foal at foot, was sold for R1,15 million to Hemel N Aarde Stud.

The highest price for a horse in training was for unraced Gimmethegreenlight colt Cairn William (Lot 57), vendored by Cape Racing Equine (as agent), and bought by Terence Andres for R800,000. He is out of the Western Winter mare Wintersweet and is thus a half-brother to Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth (Captain Al) and a half-brother also to Gr 3 winners Strathdon (Silvano) and Black Knap (Dynasty).

The highest price for a weanling was Lot 30, a Klawervlei Stud-bred Vercingetorix filly out of Gr 3 winner Mana Mou (Captain Al), who went for R600,000 sold to Hopes And Dreams Stud. This filly is a half-sister to Listed winner Flying Myth (Trippi).

The highest price for a yearling was for Lot 50, a Normany Stud-bred Jet Dark filly, who went for R400,000 sold to Hopes And Dreams Stud.

Black Swan Stud’s dispersed stock fetched R 6,245,000 for 29 lots.

Anthony Beck was the leading buyer, buying three foals for an aggregate of

Click here to see all the Sales statistics

PRESS RELEASE

UPDATE – INQUIRY JOCKEY LUYOLO MXOTHWA

The Inquiry into Jockey Luyolo Mxothwa reconvened before an appointed Inquiry Board on 7 May 2026.

Mr Mxothwa entered a plea of guilty of contravening of Rule 72.1.26 read together with Rules 72.1.12 and 72.1.19, in that:-

1. During or about December 2025 or early January 2026, he transmitted a voice note recorded by him to an unknown person, alternatively Noor Iqbal, alternatively Zaheer Ali, (“the voice note”) in which it was stated by the Respondent as follows:-

Mr L Mxothwa: “The thing is I don’t know the horse, if it was a horse I knew, then I would confirm easy. You know, and it’s a new horse, it’s a bad field but I spoke to the trainer of the other horse, they said Zackey will win the race. So let’s have a go, let’s see what happens. Ja, so let’s do it. Chat later.”

2.    The voice note relates to Race 1 on 2 January 2026 at Fairview Racecourse.

3.    His conduct in sending the voice note constitutes behaviour:-

3.1   which undermines public confidence and creates an appearance of impropriety; and

3.2   which he ought to have reported to the NHA.

4.    The WhatsApp voice note reflects:

4.1   discussion of race outcome expectations; and/or

4.2   reliance on information obtained from a trainer or about a horse; and/or

4.3   a proposal to “have a go”, which in context denotes participation in a betting or outcome-linked arrangement; and/or

4.4   the impugned WhatsApp voice note was not part of legitimate race preparation, but constituted improper race-related communication.

5.    The WhatsApp voice note was made in furtherance of, or in connection with:

5.1   the sharing of race-sensitive information for a strategic advantage; and/or

5.2   created the appearance of an arrangement inconsistent with the obligations of a licensed jockey; and/or

5.3   inciting or conspiring with an unknown person alternatively Noor Iqbal alternatively Zahir Ali to commit a prohibited practice in relation to racing.

The Inquiry Board accepted Jockey Mxothwa’s plea of guilty and found him guilty.

Arguments were made in respect of penalty, and the Inquiry Board reserved its judgment on sentencing, and the matter has been adjourned and will resume on 14 May 2026.

Mr Mxothwa’s interim suspension remains in place pending the finalisation of the Inquiry.

Michael Shackleton
Legal Executive

Hazy Dazy is a nominee for two awards (JC Photos)

Johannesburg, South Africa — With another exciting Highveld Feature Season in the books, our judges and auditors have been hard at work weighing the results in preparation for this year’s Highveld Feature Season Racing Awards.

The event is scheduled to take place at Turffontein Racecourse’s Aquanaut Suite on Saturday, 16 May 2026. 4Racing looks forward to celebrating everyone who contributed to making it a memorable season.

The Highveld Feature Season Awards are judged on a points system and a panel comprising Clyde Basel, Darryl Maree and Gabriel Soma.

The nominees are below:-

Champion 2yo Filly
Get Up
Good Day Sunshine

Champion 2yo Colt/Gelding
Better Never Ends
Time Is Precious

Champion 3yo Filly
Curious Girl
Hazy Dazy
Littlemissmillion

Champion 3yo Colt/Gelding
Grand Empire
Tin Pan Alley

Champion Older Filly/Mare
Callmegetrix
Double Grand Slam
Mocha Blend

Champion Older Horse
Buffalo Storm Cody
See It Again

Champion Sprinter
Buffalo Storm Cody

Champion Miler (1400-1600)
Double Grand Slam
Tin Pan Alley

Champion Middle Distance Horse (1800-2000)
Grand Empire
Hazy Dazy
Mocha Blend
See It Again

Champion Stayer (2400+)
Curious Girl
Enflame
Littlemissmillion

Horse Of The Season will be announced on the evening

All equine winners are eligible for the Horse of the Season Award.

The evening will also recognise human excellence in the following categories:

· Champion Work Rider
· Champion Apprentice
· Champion Breeder
· Champion Owner
· Champion Jockey
· Champion Trainer

Jan Brueghel wins the Ormonde Stakes impressively (Picture: Sky Sports Racing)

Classic-winning colt looks the part on reappearance.

At The Races

Jan Brueghel defied a lengthy absence to run out an impressive winner of the Ladbrokes Ormonde Stakes at Chester on Thursday.

Early last June the 2024 St Leger winner looked set for a special summer after beating Calandagan in the Coronation Cup at Epsom, but front-running tactics did not work in the King George at Ascot and he did not run again.

Briefly trapped on the rails when the pace quickened, it looked like Sons And Lovers had got first run but once in the clear Jan Brueghel (4-7 favourite) quickened impressively for Ryan Moore to beat Mount Atlas by two and a half lengths.

A return to Epsom for the Coolmore-sponsored Coronation Cup now beckons for the impressive winner.

O’Brien was not on the Roodee, but told the Press Association: “We were very happy, obviously he hadn’t run for a long time and the plan was to go back to Epsom with him after this.

“He enjoyed Epsom last year in the Coronation, he was very good there last year so it makes sense to go back there.

“Obviously Coolmore sponsor it now as well so that’s nice.”

Paul Smith for the Coolmore partners said: “Ryan was delighted with him. He’s talented and I loved the way he grabbed the bridle there about two out and quicken through the horses. It was good to see him back. The Coronation will be next for him.

“You had the little hiccup you heard about from Aidan, but he’s come back fine now and he was in good shape there today.

“He’s a great horse to have around, he’s a character as you can see there. A beautiful individual, he’s very talented.”

Moore said: “He has a good record. He’s obviously a Leger winner, he won a Coronation.

“Things went wrong for him in the King George and it was nice to get him back today in good form.”

Stablemate Illinois was third and could now revert to a longer trip.

Smith added: “There’s an option for Illinois to go for the staying races, a mile and a half upwards.”

Instigator, winner of the 2026 Grand Annual at Warrnambool, ridden by Braidon Small, trained by Aaron Purcell (Picture: Warrnambool Racing Club)

Small seals fairytale Grand Annual win after tumour battle

By Brad Waters (racenet.au)

The last 200m of the Grand Annual Steeplechase was a doddle compared to jockey Braidon Small’s road to triumph.

Small had to battle for his life from 2019 to 2025 as a brain tumour forced several surgeries and many rounds of chemotherapy before the 34-year-old could even think about riding again.

The surgeries left plates and screws embedded in Small’s skull but failed to dent his courage, leading to him always returning to the saddle after countless hours of work.

Like his mount Instigator, Small was never going to wilt in the pressure of the final battle after 5300m of racing and jumping.

Hit The Road Jack gave everything under jockey Arron Lynch but something unseen decided it was Small’s time to be repaid for years of heartache and wondering whether he would live, let alone ride again.

The title of Grand Annual-winning jockey sat well with Small after his career-defining win.

“(They’re) words I probably thought I’d never hear anyone say with my name alongside it,” Small said.

“It feels very good.

“You get up and you just keep moving forward. It’s all you keep doing.”

His father Cyril Small was a tough jockey himself, most notably riding the wonderful Queenslander Vo Rogue during his stellar career.

Small had seen it all in racing and won plenty but his son’s triumph was on another level after watching him fight for life.

“It’s what they do it for,” an emotional Small said.

“They love the horses and they work really hard.

“It’s great to see him win. I’m super proud.

“He’s been through a lot and worked so hard over the last 12 months to get his weight down.”

But Small Sr still found time for humour between the tears.

“I’ve been telling him for years the right way to do it, and he’s finally listened to me,” he joked.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Instigator bows out with Grand Annual triumph
– Gilbert Gardiner

Iron horse Instigator saved the best to last with a prized Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) triumph.

Instigator, trained by Warrnambool horseman Aaron Purcell, produced a lion-hearted effort on Thursday to win Australia’s longest race at his third and final attempt.

The 12-year-old, runner-up in the Grand Annual last year, defied Hit The Road Jack by centimetres after a marathon 5500m and 33 obstacles.

Instigator has featured in six of the past seven Warrnambool May Carnivals and placed in multiple jumps feature races without ultimate glory until Thursday.

“It’s been a long time we’ve had the horse,” Purcell said.

“This is the race we always wanted.

“This is the horse’s last start ever, it’s amazing it’s come off.”

Under Australian Rules of Racing a horse cannot race beyond 12 years of age.

“It’s forced retirement this year, it’s a shame,” Purcell said.

“Otherwise we’d bring him back next year, a massive effort for everyone involved.”

The Grand Annual breakthrough bookended a 71-start dual hemisphere career for Instigator with victories exactly nine years’ apart.

Instigator won an 1800m Cologne maiden on debut in Germany on May 7, 2017.

He waited another 30 starts – 20 in Australia – to taste success again in the 2020 Houlahan Hurdle (3200m).

Five of Instigator’s six Australian wins were over jumps, along with myriad places.

The warrior, who placed fourth in the 2019 Warrnambool Cup, has placed in the Galleywood Hurdle and Brierly Steeplechase twice apiece.

Instigator finished third in the Brierly last year before a gallant second in the Grand Annual.

He refused to be denied on Thursday despite the best efforts of Brierly runner-up Hit The Road Jack.

Favourite Duke Of Bedford led the way early on Thursday in pursuit of back-to-back Grand Annual successes but faded as Hit The Road Jack took over deep in the second lap.

Instigator enjoyed an economical ride under jumps jockey Braidon Small and went with Hit The Road Jack and Gambu, third, as the trio gapped rivals towards the last fence.

Instigator and Hit The Road Jack matched strides the entire straight to the post.

Braidon Small was thrilled to get the bob after being “disappointed” last Tuesday as Instigator finished second last in the Brierly Steeplechase behind Stern Idol.

“I went home with my head between my knees and sulked like a wet mongrel dog, but I had full faith in Aaron and the team at home,” Small said.

“Aaron wouldn’t have run him today if he didn’t think he was all right, he obviously ate up and trotted up well this morning.

“Even jumping the last when I was there (next to Hit The Road Jack), it’s a long way up the straight.

“I was waiting for something to come flying, thank God it didn’t, he’s earned retirement now.”

Click here to watch a replay of the 2026 Grand Annual