Note To Self (Richard Fourie) shades Wish List (Andrew Fortune) in a thrilling finish to the 2026 Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Sporting Post
Reigning SA champion trainer Justin Snaith and jockey Richard Fourie celebrated their record-breaking fourth partnership success in Africa’s greatest race, courtesy of the Varsfontein Stud-bred sophomore Note To Self.
The lightly raced campaigner stormed to victory in a thrilling 1-2 finish for the top yard and for owners Nancy Hossack and Jonathan Bloch in what was a dramatic and record-setting 130th renewal of the R10 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July on Saturday at the Theatre of Dreams.
In one of the most storied build-ups to the historic race in recent memory, the massive R10 million stake raised the bar to levels unseen previously as Hollywoodbets marked their fifth year of sponsorship.
The favourite Star Major was dramatically scratched just four days before the race, in an unprecedented lead into the African continent’s most iconic race.
There was also some debate, as their inevitably is, about the final field composition, with the two reserve runners making the cut after a further scratching of The Ultimate King in midweek.
“He’s an unassuming baby. He walks like a leopard. There were people who asked what he’d done up till now. And his Daily News run was all wrong. He had a temperature for two days after. We weren’t sure if this was a year too soon. As it turned out, it wasn’t,” added a delighted Justin Snaith, celebrating his sixth success in the July after two of his big race quintet had the 50 000 crowd on their feet, chasing for the line to lift the honours and bank the largest graded stakes winning cheque in history on African soil.
After Richard Fourie had taken the bull by the horns and bravely circled his field on Note To Self at the 800m in a bold bid for victory, veteran Andrew Fortune looked to have done enough to rewrite the history books at the age of 59, as Wish List cruised into the lead at the 350m.
But Fourie had a little bit in hand, and Note To Self (11-2) asserted himself to beat his fairer sex stablemate by a quarter length in a time of 133,48 secs.
Gareth van Zyl’s Equus champion stayer King Pelles (25-1) ran the race of his life, finishing 1,30 lengths back in third, with Candice Bass’ lightly raced 3yo Viva’s Liberte back in fourth.
Hollywood Racing will be thrilled by the performance of Isivivane (10-1) in fifth, who beat Snaith’s Native Ruler (10-1) by 0,70 lengths.
Of the balance, Erico Verdonese’ first reserve runner Choisaanada ran tenth, some 10 lengths off the winner, while Snaith’s Legal Counsel pipped second reserve runner Curious Girl for twelfth and the final stake cheque of R100 000.
Something of a talking horse in the build-up, Regulation was never in it and ran 16 lengths off, with only two finishers behind him.
A R300 000 BSA National Yearling Sale purchase, the winner is raced by Jonathan Bloch, Jonathan Snaith & Nancy Hossack and was bred by Varsfontein Stud.
A son of Futura (Dynasty), Note To Self hails from Varsfontein’s celebrated Secret Pact family, being out of the Judpot mare Guiding Light.
Note To Self’s Erik The Red half-brother Viking Leader won last month’s Ridgemont Listed Gatecrasher Stakes for Michael Roberts.
Varsfontein also astutely bought back Note To Self’s Fire Away half-sister Promise Of Fire on the 2025 BSA August Online Sale for R70 000.
Note To Self took his career earnings to R6 447 538, with his first stakes win and third victory overall, with six places from his nine starts.
Justin Snaith now has 6 Durban July winners, joining Terrance Millard and ranking second to the legendary Syd Laird on 7. Snaith must feel that further records are well within his reach!
