The Millard magic continues! Dominique Millard, daughter of former champion trainer Tony Millard, looks like she has just seen the next superstar at the TBA Complex earlier this week. Mat de Kock, the son of another former champion trainer in Mike de Kock, is in the foreground. Image courtesy of Julia Marnewick, the daughter of a champion photographer in Candiese Lenferna!
Issue: 15/2026
A
NEEDN’T COST THE EARTH!
The quality for which the champion-making National Yearling Sale is renowned is best illustrated by the success of its graduates.
The quality for which the championmaking National Yearling Sale is renowned is best illustrated by the success of its graduates.
Results show that over the past twelve months, no less than 28 have scored at graded stakes level, amongst which a fine haul of seven Gr1 winners.
Even more impressive, 20 of those cost less than last year’s average price of just over R560 000, which should boost buyers’ confidence ahead of what is widely accepted as the holy grail of the local sales programme.
Let’s take a look at some notable names on the list.
Take the Futura filly Curious Girl for instance. Trained by the father-and-son team of Mike and Matthew de Kock, she broke a 109-year drought to become the first female winner of the SA Derby since 1917.
Hollywood Racing’s filly cost just R160 000 at the 2024 sale, which now looks cheap, considering that the classic victory took her lifetime earnings past the million Rand mark, with the promise of plenty more to come.
At the 2022 sale, fellow Gr1 winner Mia Moo fetched slightly less, R300 000 to be exact, but that’s proven to be money well spent, given that over the past twelve months the daughter of Vercingetorix completed a fine stakes treble, the highlight of which her shorthead defeat of Asiye Phambili in the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint.
At that same meeting, juvenile Good For You headed a game Charming Cheetah in a humdinger finish to the Gr1 Gold Medallion. Trainer Glen Kotzen spent R300 000 in 2024 for the son of Legislate, who subsequently went on to claim this season’s Gr2 Cape Punters Cup.
Two other Gr1 winners cost their owners no more than R400 000 each and both are by champion Vercingetorix.
Trainer Dennis Drier snapped up Gladatorian at the 2021 sale and by the time the gelding scored a career high in last season’s Gr1 Hong Kong Jockey Club Champions Cup, he was saddled by Stuart Ferrie, Drier’s longtime assistant who took over the stable when the boss retired. Also successful in the Gr2 Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, Gladatorian walked away with Champion Older Male honours last season.
Paternal half-brother Grand Empire won this season’s Gr1 SA Classic, having fetched a similar amount at the 2024 sale, that’s a trifling, given that Vercingetorix averaged over R1,1-million!
Trainer Gareth van Zyl went to R475 000 to secure Drakenstein Stud’s King Pelles at the 2022 sale.
By Duke Of Marmalade out of a Galileo mare, this half-brother to SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour was destined to go over ground and so it proved. He duly reeled off a remarkable Gr3 treble of the Durban Gold Vase, Tote Derby and World Pool Gold Cup, good enough to clinch the Equus award as the season’s Champion Stayer.
Justin Snaith’s Gr1 winning duo of Eight On Eighteen and Wish List each came with a substantial price tag of R700 000, but who’s counting, given that both are elite Gr1 winners.
Astute buyers – Mike de Kock and Dean Kannemeyer will have their shortlists come Thursday at 10h00
Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The former was knocked down to bloodstock agent John Freeman at the 2023 sale and walked away with Horse of the Year and Champion 3YO honours, to go along with his Gr1 Cape Met/ Derby/Daily News 2000 treble. Consider this as well, with career earnings just shy of R7-million, he has virtually increased his purchase price tenfold.
Stable companion Wish List, a graduate of the 2024 sale, was the toast of the 2026 Cape Summer season when she became the first female winner of the millennium to claim the Gr1 Cape Derby. Prior to that she had landed the Cartier Gr1 Paddock Stakes. As a dual Gr1 winner, she is now worth a small fortune.
The same would apply to another graduate of the 2024 sale, the admirable Gqeberha galloper Anotherdanceforme, who sold for R650 000. Nigh invincible, she has carried Peter Moor’s silks to victory in nine of ten starts, the most recent of which last week’s East Cape Oaks, which also made her racing’s newest millionaire.
Trainer Alec Laird snared arguably the biggest bargain of the 2021 sale with the purchase of the Master Of My Fate colt Atticus Finch for R150 000, an amount which has paled into insignificance, as his bankroll now stands at over R5-million and his CV that includes a win in the 2024 Betway Gr1 Summer Cup as well as this season’s Allied Steelrode-Onamission Gr2 Charity Mile.
Other reasonably-priced graduates to have bolstered the sale’s profile in the past twelve months include Ahead Of The Facts (R100 000, Gr3 Western Cape Stayers), Choisaanada (R180 000, Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes), Chasing Happiness (R200 000, Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes), Perfect Miracle (R250 000, Gr3 Sycamore Sprint), Rodeo Drive (R300 000, Gr2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge) and Outlaw King (R300 000, Gr2 Cape Merchants).
The sale starts at 10h00 on Thursday.
Please read more in our supplement on page 33.
LITTLEMISSMILLION
Justin Vermaak and Johan Janse van Vuuren at Nationals this week | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
RESULTS SPEAK AS VERMAAK RETURNS TO THE RING
Justin Vermaak’s 20-year journey through the many layers of South African racing has brought him full circle to the auction ring, where he is now firmly established as a respected and in-demand bloodstock agent.
As a teenager, Vermaak made a nuisance of himself at racing stables, hanging around long enough for people to either chase him away or give in and teach him something.
Today – judged by the time it takes him to return phone calls in the week of the Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale – it’s very much the other way around.
More than a decade ago, Vermaak was described as a “dynamic spark of intellect” in a Sporting Post profile, an assessment that has proved well founded. That intellectual edge has been central to his progression, attracting high-profile clients such as Laurence Wernars and Andreas Jacobs, and translating into a growing list of notable successes.
Vermaak Equine was responsible for the purchase of Turn It Up, World Series, Red Spice and Erik du Bois, the first four past the post in last Saturday’s R3-million Race Coast Sales Slipper at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
This admirable result came in a season that has already produced big wins by Vermaak’s 2024 National Two-Year-Old Sales purchase Tin Pan Alley (Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes) and Red Spice (JC Le Roux Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes and the Ridgemont Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery).
He also bought WSB Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Quickstepgal and top-level performer Questioning as purchases in training for new owners, and secured the sale of Grade 1-placed Garrix to a Hong Kong buyer.
Vermaak Equine was the top buyer at the recent Race Coast Premier Yearling Sale – 29 lots at an average of R767 241, followed by a working trip to Argentina alongside Mike de Kock, where they reported exceptional potential for local clients.
All the major buyers will be out at the TBA complex this week, but Vermaak is again expected to be among the big hitters when the results are published.
Vermaak attributes his success to a process of constant learning from some of the game’s top horsemen. He credits Gavin van Zyl and Glen Kotzen with teaching him the fundamentals, while the influence of Sean Tarry and Vaughan Marshall has added further depth to his armoury in more recent years.
In selecting bloodstock, Vermaak seeks the balance between pedigree and conformation, without being rigid. He does not dismiss a horse purely on physical imperfections.
He explained: “I was over-critical when I started. I learnt – particularly from Sean Tarry – to be more forgiving of conformational faults. I’m also less obsessed with stallions now and try to take a more all-round view. Those changes have contributed to better results.”
Global View (USA) - Touche Bred by Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd
2025
Hollywoodbets Durban July G1
The Real Prince
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) - Real Princess Bred by Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
2025
Bred by Messrs RJ Trotter, RE Alexander and BB Campbell
2026
WSB Cape Town Met G1
See It Again
Twice Over (GB) - Supreme Vision
Bred by Drakenstein Stud Farm 2026
Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes G1
Double Grand Slam
Double Grand Slam
TBA GR1 AWARDS
TBA Grade 1
Breeders’ Awards 2026
2025
Daily News 2000 G1
Eight On Eighteen
Lancaster Bomber (USA) - Sempre Libre Bred by Drakenstein Stud Farm
2025
The Witness SA Fillies Sprint G1
Mia Moo
Vercingetorix - Leeward Bred by Klawervlei Stud
2025
Gold Medallion G1
Good For You
Legislate - Slightly Blonde Bred by Oldlands Stud
2025
Allan Robertson Championship G1
Direct Hit
Canford Clifffs (IRE) - Wrecking Ball Bred by Ridgemont Highlands
2025
Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge G1
Dave The King
Global View (USA) - Touche Bred by Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd
2025
Hollywoodbets Durban July G1
The Real Prince
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) - Real Princess Bred by Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
2025
Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes G1
Double Grand Slam
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach Bred by Varsfontein Stud
2025
HKJC Champions Cup G1
Gladatorian
Vercingetorix - Harvard Crimson Bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC
2025
Mercury Sprint G1
Buffalo Storm Cody
Buffalo Bill Cody (IRE) - Musical Romance Bred by Narrow Creek Stud
2025
World Pool Moment of the Day Premiers
Champion Stakes G1
Jan van Goyen
Master of My Fate - Daydream Believer Bred by Messrs RJ Trotter, RE Alexander and BB Campbell
Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes G1
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach Bred by Varsfontein Stud
2025
HKJC Champions Cup G1
Gladatorian
Vercingetorix - Harvard Crimson Bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC
2025
Mercury Sprint G1
Buffalo Storm Cody
Buffalo Bill Cody (IRE) - Musical Romance Bred by Narrow Creek Stud
2025
World Pool Moment of the Day Premiers
Champion Stakes G1
Jan van Goyen
Master of My Fate - Daydream Believer
2025
Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes G1
2025
Golden Palm
Bred by Messrs RJ Trotter, RE Alexander and BB Campbell 1
Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes G1
Golden Palm
Master of My Fate - Croisette Bred by Varsfontein Stud
Master of My Fate - Croisette Bred by Varsfontein Stud
2025
2025
Betway Summer Cup G1 Mocha Blend
Betway Summer Cup G1
Mocha Blend
Ideal World (USA) - Mocha Special Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein
Ideal World (USA) - Mocha Special Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein
2025
WSB Cape Fillies Guineas G1
2025
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach
Bred by Varsfontein Stud
2026
Cartier Paddock Stakes G1
Wish List
Legislate - Wind Chill Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
2026
L’Ormarins King’s Plate G1 The Real Prince
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) - Real Princess Bred by Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
2026
World Pool Cape Flying Championship G1 Kingdundee
The United States (IRE) - Miss Marmalade Bred by CP Murphy
2026
Lucky Fish Cape Derby G1
Wish List
Legislate - Wind Chill
Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd 2026
Wilgerbosdrift Mary Slack SA Fillies Classic G1 Hazy Dazy
Act of War - Rabbedoe
Bred by Breedon Stud Close Corporation
2026
HKJC World Pool SA Classic G1
Grand Empire
Vercingetorix - Palace of Dreams
Bred by Al Adiyaat (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum) 2026
WSB Cape Fillies Guineas G1
Quickstepgal
Quickstepgal
Vercingetorix - Victoriana Bred by Greenacres Trust (Nom: Mr N M Shirtliff)
Vercingetorix - Victoriana
Bred by Greenacres Trust (Nom: Mr N M Shirtliff)
2025
Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas G1
2025
Jan van Goyen
Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas G1
Jan van Goyen
Master of My Fate - Daydream Believer Bred by Messrs RJ Trotter, RE Alexander and BB Campbell
Master of My Fate - Daydream Believer Bred by Messrs RJ Trotter, RE Alexander and BB Campbell
The United States (IRE) - The Entertainer Moutonshoek Stud 2026
TAB Empress Club Stakes G1
Double Grand Slam
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach
Bred by Varsfontein Stud 2026
TAB Computaform Sprint G1
Buffalo Storm Cody
Buffalo Bill Cody (IRE) - Musical Romance
Twice Over (GB) - Supreme Vision Bred by Drakenstein Stud Farm
Twice Over (GB) - Supreme Vision Bred by Drakenstein Stud Farm 2026
Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes G1
2026
Double Grand Slam
Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes G1
Double Grand Slam
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach Bred by Varsfontein Stud
Vercingetorix - Princess Peach Bred by Varsfontein Stud
2026
Cartier Paddock Stakes G1
2026
Wish List
Cartier Paddock Stakes G1
Wish List
Legislate - Wind Chill Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
Legislate - Wind Chill Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
2026
Bred by Narrow Creek Stud 2026
HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge G1
See It Again
Twice Over (GB) - Supreme Vision Bred by Drakenstein Stud Farm
L’Ormarins King’s Plate G1
2026
The Real Prince
L’Ormarins King’s Plate G1
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) - Real Princess Bred by Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
The Real Prince Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) - Real Princess Bred by Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
2026
2026
World Pool Cape Flying Championship G1 Kingdundee
World Pool Cape Flying Championship G1 Kingdundee
The United States (IRE) - Miss Marmalade Bred by CP Murphy
The United States (IRE) - Miss Marmalade Bred by CP Murphy
2026
2026
Lucky Fish Cape Derby G1 Wish List
Lucky Fish Cape Derby G1
Wish List
Legislate - Wind Chill Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
Legislate - Wind Chill Bred by Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd 2026
2026
Wilgerbosdrift Mary Slack SA Fillies Classic G1 Hazy Dazy
Wilgerbosdrift Mary Slack SA Fillies Classic G1 Hazy Dazy Act of War - Rabbedoe
by
A delighted Corne Spies in conversation with Steve Davis | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Steve Davis chats to Jessica Jell | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
TBA Chairman Brad Ralph addresses the guests
Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Dean Kannemeyer has enjoyed a top season and chats to Steve Davis | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Varsfontein’s Susan Rowett | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
MASTER MTOTO LOOKS HARD TO STOP
Ridgemont’s promising young Snitzel stallion
Real Gone Kid has registered four first-crop winners in short time and his undefeated son Master Mtoto looks tough to beat in Friday’s R175 000 Listed East Cape Nursery at Fairview, where he could give his lightning-fast Dad a maiden stakes winner.
The six strong field contests the only feature on the SA programme this weekend and the Dean Smith-trained Master Mtoto, unbeaten from two starts on this course, looks a worthy favourite under Calvin Habib.
He showed pace over this distance last time and kept finding all the way to the line. He looks to have ability and should take a power of beating.
Alan Greeff saddles 3 of the 6 runners in the 1200m contest and the stable elect looks to be U S Ranger who finished a length behind Master Mtoto last time. Richard Fourie takes the ride.
Kyle Strydom takes the reins on Greeff’s First Officer who finished 2,25 lengths behind undefeated Dean Smith flagbearer last time. The pair meet on the same weight terms and he may have to settle for the same result. The son of Querari would have come on from the run and should strip much fitter.
Kelly Mitchley has enjoyed a great run of form and saddles Into Red Space, an easy winner on debut over 1100m on this course. He showed good speed and won with a ton in hand.
The son of Erik The Red takes on stronger, but he could be anything and may be up to the task at hand.
The Fairview eight-race card starts at 12h35.
Master Mtoto (Craig Zackey) beats Fyfield Legend (Andrew Fortune) on debut in January | Credit: Pauline Herman
JP van der Merwe steers Roland Garros to a big payday
A handsome grey colt with classic aspirations early on, the Varsfontein Stud-bred Roland Garros put it all together on his biggest payday to date when he ran out a comfortable winner of the R5 million Race Coast Sales Big Cap at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Trained by multiple SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith for Greg and Gina Bortz, and Hong Kong-based JP Cuvelier, the R1 million RCS Premier Yearling Sale buy Roland Garros was never far off the pace set by Highveld raider Just Be Lekker in the Non Black-Type 1400m contest.
Storming down the centre of the track in the run for home, Roland Garros (7-2) was always in command under Winx-sponsored JP van der Merwe and stayed on to clock 82,44 secs and beat the 18-10 Talk To The Master by 1,80 lengths.
The last berth sold in the 2026 RCS Big Cap slots book, Bass Racing’s What A Fortune (10-1) paid his way, a neck back in third.
Hollywood Racing’s Isivivane (16-1) ran a decent fourth over a distance probably short of his best, with the Snaith pair of fifth-placed Randolph Hearst (20-1) and sixth finisher Malmesbury Missile (10-1) picking up the tail end of the stakes pot of R175 000 each.
The RCS Big Cap was run as a handicap with conditions, with the groom of each runner receiving R12 500 irrespective of their particular horse’s finishing position.
Roland Garros’s groom Sanele Nyaniso enjoyed an additional R17 500, thus banking R30 000 on what must be close to his happiest day in racing.
Justin Snaith said that the challenges they had faced to ready their runners for this race on the East Coast had been well worth the effort. He conceded that he had been keen to consider gelding Roland Garros, but that ‘he is Gina’s favourite horse and he’s beautifully bred!’
A son of champion Vercingetorix (Silvano), Roland Garros is out of the once winning Captain Al mare, Amy Johnson. He took his stakes earnings here to R3 381 307, with his fourth win and three places from ten starts.
Entries are now open for the Race Coast Sales April Online Sale to be held on 27 & 28 April 2026.
Justin Snaith leads Roland Garros after a big win | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Leading owner and National Horseracing Authority director Laurence Wernars and his partners celebrated a remarkable result in the R3 million Race Coast Sales Slipper at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, being the breeder of the winner and holding an interest in all of the top four finishers.
The 1200m Non Black-Type contest, restricted to eligible graduates of the 2025 Race Coast Sales, was run on the East Coast for the first time and produced a dream result for Mr Wernars and his bighitting partners, fellow NHA Director Rikesh Sewgoolam and Mauritius-based, Mukund Gujadhur, who between them own the first three home.
The Wernars family own fourth-placed Erik Dubois.
The result will be a feather in the cap for former Race Coast Executive Justin Vermaak, who does the legwork and selection at the various sales.
Despite being unloaded and checked by the Vet at the start, Turn It Up came through the test with flying colours.
After Cherryblossompink had led Preacher Man and Erik Dubois early, with Turn It Up loping along at the rear, the complexion changed in the dash for home.
On the podium – trainer Sean Tarry and Race Coast’s Vicky Minott | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Keagan de Melo switched the Sean Tarry galloper out wide, and he swept past his opposition.
Starting at 11-10, Turn It Up won easing up in a time of 70,87 secs for the 1200m, beating the Vaughan Marshall-trained World Series (14-1) by 2,20 lengths.
The Piet and Elbert Steyn-trained Cape Nursery winner Red Spice (10-1) was o,30 lengths back in third, with Louis Goosen’s recent debut winner Erik Dubois (33-1) in fourth.
Stakes were paid down to sixth finisher, with the winner’s stablemate Secretary Bird (17-2) collecting R105 000 in fifth, and Mike Miller’s Japura (100-1) also banking the same cheque in sixth.
A delighted Wernars Family retained rider
Keagan de Melo said he always felt he was on the best horse.
“I elected to drop him out and gave him a chance. I haven’t felt a 2yo like this in a long time,” added the former Hong Kong-based SA Champion.
The winner is raced by Mukund Gujadhur, Rikesh Sewgoolam and the Wernars Family and was bred by Laurence Wernars.
A son of Querari (Oasis Dream), Turn It Up is out of the one-time winning Captain Al mare, Xplosive Kiss, dam of Gr1 winner Proceed (Gimmethegreenlight), a former SA Champion 2yo, who ran in the same silks.
A R1 million Race Coast Sale Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Turn It Up took his earnings to R2 023 251 with his 3rd victory and a place from his four starts.
The Turn It Up connections lead their victor in | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
ANSWERS APLENTY FROM MARSHALL’S QUERARI GELDING
One of two sons of Querari to win impressively on the SA Champions Season opening day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday was Questioning, the best bet on the card for most, in the RCS Mixed Sale
7 May 2026 A Stakes over 1200m.
Confidently ridden by Richard Fourie, in what proved to be the quickest of the three races over the distance, the 13/20 favourite (op 15/10) raced sixth for most of the journey some four lengths off a good pace set by the second favourite Vihaan’s Web (10/1 into 6/1).
He only had to be pushed out, in order to take up the running 250m from home and asked to do no more than was necessary in the closing stages of the race, he won considerably more easily than the official winning margin of just half a length would suggest.
Interestingly, the fastest finisher over the final 400m in the race, and indeed, the quickest for that segment of the afternoon, was the once very highly regarded Aristocratic.
Fourth in the Omoda Gr2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at this circuit last season, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was having his first outing since being gelded here and finished particularly well to fill third position.
With a whopping R5 million in stakes, of which R3 million went to the winner, the NonBlack type Race Coast Sales Big Cap over 1400m topped the bill on the day.
Thirteen runners were set to go to post (Pretty Persuasive was injured in transit and scratched at 15h04) and not surprisingly, it proved to be by far the quickest of the afternoons four races over the distance.
Initially priced up as a joint favourite at 4/1, the hat-trick seeking Talk To The Master was heavily supported and was eventually sent off at 18/10.
He raced four lengths off them in sixth, and after holding every chance going through the 400m he was beaten fair and square by the second favourite (also opened 4/1 joint favourite) Roland Garros.
Drawn out at eleven, the 100/1 shot Just Be Lekker (hung in from 350m) made the running whilst the 3yo son of Vercingetorix raced just three and a half lengths away in fourth.
He quickened well early in the straight and after striking the front 200m from home, he went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
Owned by Greg & Gina Bortz, in partnership with J P Cuvelier, Roland Garros has now won four of his ten starts to date and has amassed stake earnings of over R3,38 million.
Track Conditions:
Going: Good to Soft
Penetrometer: 25
Rain:
Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 days 40mm
Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 days 10mm
False Rail: 2m
Wind: 10-15km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 0,85s fast
The Non-Black Type Race Coast Sales Slipper (2yo’s) over 1200m had been the first of the two multimillion Rand stakes races to be run and here we saw an impressive performance from the Sean Tarry trained Turn It Up.
Sent off a well-supported favourite at 11/10 (op 2/1), the son of Querari raced thirteenth of the fourteen early on.
Seven lengths off the pace, in what was quite a tightly bunched field at that stage, he began to take closer order in the latter part of the bend and quickened well at the top of the straight.
He was still being ridden with just hands and heels on striking the front 250m out and went on to score in the style of a very good horse by two and a quarter.
As well as being troublesome on route to the start, Turn It Up was restless in the pens and returned cut into on the left hind.
When interviewed after the race former champion trainer Sean Tarry said that they had always considered Turn It Up to be a top, top horse.
The Welcome To HWB Greyville Maiden Juvenile Plate (f) over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the Gauteng raider No Drama.
Initially priced up as the 9/4 favourite, Paul Matchett’s charge was allowed to ease right out to 4/1 under the weight of money for both the runner up Smart Choice (3/1 into 2/1 favourite) and the third placed finisher Asgardian Queen (4/1 into 28/10).
Soon nicely positioned in second just a length and a half off the pace set by the newly installed favourite, the daughter of Erik The Red was always poised to strike.
She did so going through the 100m and won going away by three quarters.
The winner and Asgardian Queen had both been stubborn loading whilst Smart Choice was restless in the pens and was reported as blowing by the vet after the race.
On the cover Flashback to last year at Nationals – A Clifton Stud-bred son of Declarationofpeace and his passionate Groom. Image kind courtesy of Candiese Lenferna.
‘Hopefully,
you can catch that lightning in a bottle again. 4400 registered foals, and only 16 or 18 of them make it to the Derby’
— John Sosby, manager
of Claiborne Farm.
Set to take place at the TBA Complex from April 16th to 17th, the 50th BSA 2026 National Yearling Sale has attracted the cream of the crop from many of our top breeders.
The first 230 of the 376 lots on South Africa’s oldest premier yearling sale will be sold on Thursday April16th, where trading commences at 10h00, with the remaining yearlings to sell on the following day, where the sale will, once again, begin at the same time.
Alumni of past National Yearling Sale graduates have, once again, been dominant in feature races around the country with recent Gr1 winners purchased off the National Sale including Cosmic Speed (Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes), Fire Attack (HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge), Legend Of Arthur (TAB SA Derby), Mia Moo (South African Fillies Sprint), October Morn (South African Fillies Sprint), Oriental Charm (Hollywoodbets Durban July), and Wish List (Cartier Paddock Stakes, Lucky Fish Cape Derby).
South Africa’s reigning Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen is another National Sale star, with the son of Lancaster Bomber knocked down for R700 000 at the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
Top stallions represented at the National Sale in 2026 include Gimmethegreenlight, Legislate, Master Of My Fate, One World, Querari, Rafeef, Vercingetorix and What A Winter, while exciting Australian based stallions Tassort and Wild Ruler, and sensational Darley sire Blue Point, are also represented at the auction.
A number of exciting young stallions will be represented by their first National Sale yearlings, with this number headed by Digital Age, Eden Roc, Got The Greenlight, Jet Dark, Kommetdieding and Master Archie.
Enjoy our lot-by-lot snapshot by clicking here!
A busy time for South African racing’s stakeholders | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
FROM KLAWERVLEI HOMEBRED STARS
Multiple champion breeders, Klawervlei Stud, bred a pair of sire stars in the form of One World and Vercingetorix.
The farm will be offering some exceptionally well-bred yearlings sired by these Equus Champions at the 2026 National Yearling Sale. South Africa’s reigning champion Vercingetorix, whose yearlings have made up to R9 000 000, has four yearlings on offer.
Vercingetorix’s quartet includes a colt (Lot 133) bred on the same cross as Gr1 winners Double Grand Slam, Mia Moo and Vernichey, as well as a filly (Lot 290) out of a winning half-sister to champion, and G1r Cape Fillies Guineas winner, Just Sensual.
Met winner and Equus Champion One World has made an excellent start to his stud career, with his remarkable first crop headed by globetrotting champion One Stripe.
The son of Klawervlei’s late, great sire Captain Al has three well-bred yearlings on offer.
One World’s trio are headed by a colt (Lot 23) whose Gr3 placed dam is a sister in blood to Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas winner Front And Centre, and a colt (Lot 235) out of a four time winning daughter of Silvano. This colt is bred on the same cross as multiple G1 winner, and Equus Champion, One Stripe.
Other attractive prospects to be found in this draft include the Gimmethegreenlight colt (Lot 53) , whose dam is a winning half-sister to Vercingetorix, and the Gimmethegreenlight colt (Lot 334) , whose Gr3 placed dam, Cashel Palace, is a half-sister to multiple Equus Champion Celtic Sea.
Klawervlei’s draft for the National Sale can be found in Block H at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
NATIONAL EXCELLENCE VARSFONTEIN’S
Even by their high standards, Varsfontein Stud will be offering a top-class consignment at this year’s National Yearling Sale.
Their draft includes yearlings by their own top-class resident stallions Erik The Red, Gimmethegreenlight and Master Of My Fate, and also by such standout sires as Digital Age, Fire Away, Jet Dark, Rafeef, The United States and champion sire Vercingetorix.
Another impressive feature of this string is the quality of broodmare and racemare represented, with many of South Africa’s top thoroughbred families having representatives in Varsfontein’s National draft.
The farm’s multiple champion sire Gimmethegreenlight has some exceptionally wellbred yearlings on offer.
They include Three Green Lights (Lot 114), a full-brother to Listed Sophomore Sprint winner Green Gateway and three-parts brother to Listed Schweppes Cape Fillies Classic winner Give Me Everything, Its A Me Mario (Lot 150), a halfbrother to Equus Champion and multiple Gr1 winner Double Grand Slam, Cryptogram (Lot 191), a full-brother to this season’s Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes winner Gimme What I Want, and Mary Of Modena (Lot 206), a filly out of Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silvano’s Pride.
Champion sire Vercingetorix looks set to be crowned South Africa’s sire yet again this season, and he has three lots on offer. The champion’s trio includes Sent Flying (Lot 195), a
filly, closely related to champion Double Grand Slam, out of Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes winner Sentbydestiny, and a half-brother (Lot 123) to Listed Irridescence Stakes runner up Electromagnetism from the same family as Northern Dancer.
Varsfontein’s resident sires, and close relatives, Erik The Red and Master Of My Fate, are two other prominent sires with well-bred yearlings to be found here.
Erik The Red, whose first two crops have both yielded at least one graded stakes winner, is responsible for several well-bred yearlings, including Officerofthewatch (Lot 97), a half-brother to Gr3 HSH Princess Charlene Stakes winner One Night In Paris, and Jux Be Good To Me (Lot 71).
The latter, a half-sister to dual Listed winner Daimyo, is out of Gr1 SA Fillies Classic/Gr2 SA Oaks winner Juxtapose, a half-sister to the dam of champion Golden Palm.
The latter was sired by Varsfontein’s hugely successful sire Master Of My Fate, who has some choice lots on offer at this year’s National Sale. They include Postmaster General (Lot 44), a halfbrother to the stakes winners My Best Shot and Questor, Masterofthedance (Lot 138), a colt out of Gr3 Cape Racing Champagne Stakes winner Phil’s Dancer, and Show Master (Lot 268), a colt out of a three time winning half-sister to champion sprinter Russet Air.
Varsfontein’s draft can be found in Blocks A, B and C at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
BUYING A FAB FIRST FOAL?
It is no secret that there are those who shy away from buying first foals - yet history shows that many have gone on to great success on the racetrack!
What do Gr1 winners Kingdundee, Tin Pan Alley and Golden Palm have in common besides class and talent? Easy, all three are the first foals of their dams.
This year’s National Yearling Sales is almost upon us and an analysis of the catalogue shows up 51 mares who will be represented by their first foals!
In fact, the sale kicks off with a first foal, an Act Of War colt out of Gr2-placed Electric Surge.
It is no secret that there are those who shy away from buying first foals - yet history shows that many have gone on to great success on the racetrack.
In addition to the Gr1-winning trio mentioned above, there are such notables as Horse of the Year recipients Rainbow Bridge and Futura, champions Nother Russia and Gimme A Prince, Dunford (Durban July), Past Master (J&B Met) and Snow Pilot (Gr1 Cape Guineas), to mention but a few.
This year’s bunch of first-time mums also features a number of stakes-winning mares, with pride of place going to Dynasty’s accomplished daughter Desert Miracle.
Trained by Mike de Kock for her breeder Mary Slack, she scored at Gr1 level not once, but twice. In the Majorca Stakes, she spoilt the party of no
less than Horse of the Year Captain’s Ransom, who was hotly favoured to make it a third consecutive Majorca success.
The Wilgerbosdrift homebred registered her second Gr1 success in spectacular fashion, coming from stone last to claim the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes from now American-based Feather Boa.
It was a case of ‘breeding the best to the best’ when Wilgerbosdrift sent Desert Miracle to the court of champion Vercingetorix first time round, and on offer in Johannesburg will be the result of that mating, the colt Sahara King (Lot 365), who is guaranteed to draw plenty of admirers.
Mauritzfontein selected Gimmethegreenlight as the first mate for their accomplished Gr2 winner, the Silvano mare Marina, the resultant foal being the colt Starboard Glow, which has been catalogued as Lot 94.
An own sister to champion and Durban July winner Marinaresco, Marina likewise raced from the Bass stable and retired to the paddocks a millionaire and winner of ten races, five of which at stakes level. Her finest hour came in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet at Hollywoodbets Greyville at four, where she scored by over two lengths. Twice victorious in the Gr3 Victress Stakes, she missed out on a Gr1 success when second in the Garden Province Stakes.
Gimmethegreenlight also features as the sire of Drakenstein colt Valleyofdesolation (Lot 141), the first foal of Gr2 winner Pink Tourmaline. As befits a daughter of Futura, she showed plenty of stamina, winning both the Gr2 Track & Ball Oaks and Listed Jamaica Handicap in the familiar Drakenstein silks.
Third to Pink Tourmaline in the Gr2 Track & Ball Oaks was Silvano’s blue-blooded daughter Silver Maria, who likewise visited Gimmethegreenlight in her first season at stud, the result of which a filly with tremendous paddock value. Named Gimme Maria, she will be offered by Lammerskraal Stud as Lot 208.
Bred on the proven Silvano x Jet Master cross, Silver Maria is out of Gr1 winner Viva Maria, whose half-brother Warrior’s Rest won the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint and was runner-up in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint.
Another Gr2 winner set to be represented by her first foal is the Flower Alley mare Bold Fortune. She came into her own at four and after winning the Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap, made the step up to Gr2 level by denying paternal half-sister Perfect Witness in the Ipi Tombe Challenge, the pair finishing well clear of champion Rain In Holland. Her first foal, a grey filly by Danon Platina, is catalogued as Lot 323.
Gimmethegreenlight’s barnmate Master Of My Fate counted amongst his 2023 mates the maiden mare Phil’s Dancer, a daughter of Philanthropist and Ruffian Stakes winner Velvet Hue. Like her dam, Phil’s Dancer was an accomplished sprinter, her signature victory coming in the Gr3 Champagne Stakes. Now a member of the Varsfontein broodmare band, her first foal, aptly named Masterofthedance (Lot 138), is a member of yet another high-class draft offered by the prominent Cape stud.
Buyers will have to look sharp, for Lot 8 will be the very first yearling by champion Jet Dark to step into the sales ring at the National Sale. The
son of Trippi made a spectacular debut at last month’s Race Coast Cape Premier Yearling Sale, where he was by far the leading first-season sire, returning a whopping average of R877 500.
His Beaumont Stud-consigned son is also the first foal out of Epsom Girl, who landed the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery as a juvenileremarkable, given that she is by SA Derby winner Pomodoro, while her dam Epsom Downs won the Oaks Trial!
An October-foaled bay, the Epsom Girl colt also boasts an intriguing pedigree, given that he is inbred to the great Jet Master, who features as the broodmare sire of Jet Dark and as the sire of Pomodoro.
Lammerskraal Stud’s first Lot of the sale is Lot 22, a colt by Rafeef. Named Star Reef, he is the first foal out of Listed Stakes winner Follow The Star. Trained by Glen Kotzen, she was a typical, late-maturing daughter of Silvano, winning the Listed Glenlair Trophy at age five before chasing home Marina in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet.
It would be remiss not to make mention of two first foals whose pedigrees are beyond reproach, albeit that their dams lacked racing form.
Wilgerbosdrift consigns the well-named colt Godsend (Lot 31). He is by first-season sire Digital Age, out of the Querari mare Gift From Heaven, a placed half-sister to abovementioned Rainbow Bridge and his Gr1 winning half-brothers Golden Ducat and Hawwaam.
Hawwaam features as the sire of Mauritzfontein’s Sargent Cherry (Lot 33), whose dam Gimmethecherry is an unraced half-sister to none other than Horse of the Year in Summer Pudding.
PAARDEBERG POWER!
Paardeberg Stud recently announced that they had acquired the exceptionally bred Kikkuli for stud duties.
One of the best-bred stallions standing at stud anywhere in the world, Kikkuli looks to be an exciting addition to the South African stallion band. By the once beaten Kingman, and a half-brother to the unbeaten champion and champion sire Frankel, Kikkuli showed smart form, running second in both the Gr3 Jersey Stakes and Listed Chasemore Farm Stud Staff Heron Stakes.
Paardeberg also stand the 2018 Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Expert Eye, and will be offering eight classy yearlings at this year’s National Yearling Sale. Their consignment consists of lots sired by the likes of Jet Dark, Malmoos, Master Of My Fate, Rafeef, The United States and What A Winter, making it a must-see!
Champion and five time G1 winner Jet Dark has two members of his first crop on offer,
including Blanche Louise (Lot 124), a halfsister to G3 Byerley Turk winner Strawberry Bear. Symbol Of Fate (Lot 307) is another attractive prospect -she is a Master Of My Fate filly out of the smart Silvano mare Arissa.
Master Of My Fate’s close relative Malmoos is represented here by Radium Girl (Lot 92), a filly from the family of such top-class fillies as Little Miss Magic, Tara’s Touch and VJ’s Angel.
Other appealing lots include Hornung (Lot 110), a Rafeef half-brother to the stakes placed Priscilla Maisey, and Fine Emerald (Lot 5), a What A Winter filly from the family of legendary stallions Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev.
This draft can be viewed from Blocks D and E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
THE MRS’ HALF-SISTER SHOULD BE A HIT!
There is no doubt that the brilliant Mrs Geriatrix was one of the finest two-year-old fillies seen in South Africa for many a year
The daughter of Vercingetorix out of the mare Velvet Glove won all of her five starts at two, with Mrs Geriatrix’s winning streak including wins in all of the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship, Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, Gr2 World Sports Betting SA Fillies Nursery and Listed Ruffian Stakes.
Clifton Stud, the breeders of this wonderful filly, will be offering a Danon Platina half-sister (Lot 263) to Mrs Geriatrix at the 2026 National Yearling Sale.
Named Silk And Satin, the filly in question is out of the Kahal mare Velvet Glove, a full-sister to Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Prince Of Kahal and half-sister to fellow graded stakes winners Fort Vogue and Whatalady.
Clifton Stud will also be offering yearlings by such popular sires as Eden Roc, Fire Away, Hawwaam and Malmoos at this year’s National Sale.
Potential standouts include Hawker Hotspur (Lot 47), a Malmoos filly whose stakes-placed dam is a full-sister to dual stakes winner Matador Man, Search For Gold (Lot 96), a Fire Away colt out of Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift S A Fillies Classic runner-up Marygold, and Snow Fire (Lot 354), a Fire Away half-sister to Gr3 New Turf Carriers Merchants winner Mount Pilatus.
This draft can be found in Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
INTERNATIONAL QUARTET BOOST NATIONALS
There will be an international flavour to this year’s National Yearling Sale. A quartet of stallions standing outside of South Africa have yearlings catalogued.
Darley stallion Blue Point – sire of Nationals Lot 72, a filly out of a dual stakes-winning daughter of high-class US sire Munnings
Credit: Darley
Star sprinter Blue Point is responsible for a filly (Lot 72) out of a dual stakes winning daughter of high-class US sire Munnings (Speightstown).
A son of outstanding sire Shamardal, Blue Point was an exceptional sprinter, whose 11 wins, from 20 starts, including two runnings of the Gr1 King’s Stand Stakes, the 2019 Gr1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, and 2019 Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint.
Blue Point made an immediate impression at stud, with his first crop headed by the Gr1 winners Big Evs, Kind Of Blue and Rosallion, with Big Evs and Rosallion both now standing at stud. To date, Blue Point has been responsible for 30 stakes winners with his offspring having earned more than $40 000 000 in stakes.
The lightly raced Tassort is represented by a filly (Lot 308) out of a Choisir half-sister to multiple Australian Gr1 winner Danleigh.
A grandson of multiple Australian Champion Sire I Am Invincible, Tassort won his first start, the ATC Golden Gift by over five lengths, before finishing second, on his only other start, in the Gr2 ATC Silver Slipper.
A half-brother to Gr1 winners Astern and Alizee, Tassort made his mark with his first crop producing Gr1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Manaal and Gr2 ATC Silver Shadow Stakes winner Ameena. Tassort ended the 2023-2024 season as the second leading 1st Season Sire.
The dual Gr1 winning sprinter Twilight Son is another overseas based sire represented at the 2026 National Sale. The son of Kyllachy
is the sire of a filly (Lot 203), whose dam is a half-sister to Italian classic winner Poeta Diletto.
From the same female line as top-class South African sire What A Winter, among others, Twilight Son won six of ten starts, including the 2015 Gr1 Haydock Sprint Cup and 2016 Gr1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
Twilight Son, who currently stands in Ireland, has sired 11 stakes winners, with his progeny having won black type races in all of Australia, Britain, Ireland, Italy and France. His best horses thus far include Gr2 MRC Herbert Power Stakes winner Brayden Star and Irish champion Twilight Jet.
Snitzel horse Wild Ruler is another high-class Gr1 winner represented at the National Sale.
Currently one of the leading Australian first season sires in 2025-2026, Wild Ruler is the sire of a filly (Lot 293), out of a Fastnet Rock 3/4 sister to G2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Admiralofthefleet, and this is the family of legendary stallions Danehill and Northern Dancer, among others.
One of 26 Gr1 winners (at the time of writing) for his outstanding sire Snitzel, Wild Ruler earned more than AUS2.6 million during his career, which included a triumph in the 2021 Gr1 MVRC A J Moir Stakes.
From the family of South African Gr1 winners Liege (Dynasty) and Lyrical Linda (Jallad) , Wild Ruler made a smart start with his first two-year-olds this season, including Gr2 ATC Silver Slipper Stakes winner Stretan Ruler.
FIVE NATIONAL TRUMP CARDS!
When exciting two-year-old Better Never Ends won the recent TAB Gr2 SA Nursery, he became the first stakes winner and graded stakes winner for his blue-blooded sire Declarationofpeace.
A son of War Front, whose sons Fire Away and the late Lancaster Bomber have both enjoyed notable success in South Africa, Declarationofpeace showed smart form at two when winning three times, notably claiming the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
One of more than 120 stakes winners for his sire, Declarationofpeace is a half-brother to US champion, and dual Gr1 winner, Honor Code, and Gr2 American Turf Stakes winner Noble Tune.
War Front stallion Declarationofpeace Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Honor Code enjoyed plenty of success at stud, with his offspring headed by Gr1 winners such as Max Player (Jockey Club Gold Cup), Maracuja (Coaching Club American Oaks), and Honor A.P. (Santa Anita Derby). The latter is now a successful young sire.
Declarationofpeace, one of four stakes horses produced by his dam, is out of the stakeswinning Storm Cat mare Serena’s Cat.
A three-parts sister to Gr1 Coronation Stakes winner Sophisticat, Serena’s Cat, in turn, is out of a stakes winning daughter of Mr Prospector, while Serena’s Cat’s granddam is none other than legendary racemare Serena’s Song. The latter, who recently died at the age of 34, won no fewer than 18 races, of which 11 were Gr1 contests. This is also the family of star miler, and Irish classic winner Field Of Gold.
Declarationofpeace had just a handful of runners in his first crop, with the aforementioned Better Never Ends a member of his second crop to race.
This well-bred young sire will be represented by just five yearlings at this year’s National Yearling Sale – and all five deserve close attention.
Macrath Farm will be bringing four Declarationofpeace yearlings to the sale, with Blue Sky Thoroughbreds also offering a well related Declarationofpeace colt.
Macrath’s quartet includes a filly (Lot 35) out of a winning Global View half-sister to four stakes winners led by Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes winner Storm Destiny, the dam of current smart performer Stormwatch. Closely inbred to Storm Cat, this filly also hails from the same female line as top sprinter William Robertson and top three-year-old, Splittheeights.
One lot from Macrath’s foursome bound to attract attention is the Declarationofpeace half-sister (Lot 347) to this season’s Gr2 Betway Joburg Spring F and M Challenge winner Callmegetrix, while the colt (Lot 174) out of Ruby Dancer is a half-brother to 3 winners, including the useful Reece’s Wish.
Macrath will also be offering a beautifully bred filly (Lot 373), whose dam is a full-sister to Gr3 Diana Stakes third Marmalisa and half-sister to Gr1 winning champion Trip Of Fortune. Her granddam was a Gr2 winner of ten and this the family of G1 winners Sand And Sea, Wainui and Winchester Mansion.
Blue Sky Thoroughbreds are offering a Declarationofpeace half-brother (Lot 310) to the promising two-year-old Prayersandpromises.
The latter won at just the second time of asking before going on to finish second over 1400m. This colt hails from the same family as lightning fast champion Forward Filly, amongst others.
The Raceform Buyers’ Guide and sales toolkit is a detailed summary, amongst other things, of the dam and siblings of the BSA 2026 National Yearling Sale yearlings.
It gives insight as to what to expect of the youngsters in terms of class, stamina, sale price.
It’s essential reading for the prospective buyer!
Please click here to read more .
Well-informed Nationals regulars – Mark and Callum Dixon | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
IF HORSES WERE WISHES…!
Two years ago, Maine Chance Farms sold a Legislate filly for R700 000 at the National Yearling Sale.
Subsequently named Wish List, the star filly recently made history when she won the Lucky Fish Gr1 Cape Derby at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. In the process, Wish List became the first filly this century to win the Cape Derby.
Maine Chance Farms will, once again, offer buyers the chance to acquire a brilliant classic winner when they bring a high-class draft to this year’s National Sale.
Their 2026 draft includes some exceptionally well-bred yearlings by their champion resident sire Vercingetorix.
This group includes Granzin (Lot 41), a colt from the immediate family of 2026 German classic hope Gostam, Vulpix (Lot 199), a colt out of Gr3 Starling Stakes winner She’s A Giver, Snow Legend (Lot 214), a colt out of the high-class racemare Slalom Queen, and Sommerzauber (Lot 221). The latter, from one of the best families in the stud book, is a filly out of Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Sommerlied.
Another champion sire represented in this draft is Gimmethegreenlight. That multiple champion sire has two blue-blooded yearlings on offer, namely Silver Heart (Lot 209), a filly out of the Silvano sired Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain, and Cosmic Fire (Lot 352). The latter, a three-parts brother to multiple graded stakes winner Cosmic Highway, is a half-brother to a pair of Listed Allied Steelrode Golden Loom Handicap winners in the form of Chyavana and Cosmic Star respectively.
Other eyecatching lots on sale include Palace Of Gold (Lot 152), a Malmoos out of a stakes winning daughter of Querari, and Bavaro (Lot 317), a Querari full-brother to G1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes winner Bavarian Beauty.
This draft can be found at Blocks B, C and D at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
MOUTONSHOEK ON TOP OF THE WORLD!
Piketberg farm Moutonshoek recently had a feature race double when the Moutonshoek bred pair of Tin Pan Alley (9th joint highest-rated horse in the world per the LONGINES ratings) and Care Forgot won the Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and Listed Wilgerbosdrift Acacia Stakes.
The top-class Tin Pan Alley took his tally of graded stakes wins to three with his Horse Chestnut Stakes victory, with the gelding having also won this season’s Gr2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge and G3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes.
Excitingly, Moutonshoek will be offering a full-sister (Lot 248) to Tin Pan Alley and halfsister (Lot 90) to Care Forgot at this year’s National Sale.
Both Tin Pan Alley and Care Forgot were sired by Moutonshoek’s high-class sire The United States, who also enjoyed a Gr3 strike courtesy of Keukenhof who stormed home
from the widest draw to win the R250 000 Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville under the lights at end March.
Moutonshoek will be offering six superbly bred yearlings, headed by Tin Pan Alley’s sister Mary Pickford, by The United States, whose progeny also include this season’s Gr1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee, at this year’s National Yearling Sale.
Bear Bryant (Lot 63) , is a half-brother to Listed Dahlia Plate winner Joking, and Stick Together (Lot 117) is a colt out of a four time winning daughter of Silvano from an outstanding female line.
The United States is also responsible for Delta Air (Lot 198) , a colt out of Listed Spook Express Handicap winner She’s A Cracker, and The Hawk (Lot 321) , a colt out of Listed Oaks Trial winner Bize, whose relatives including July winner Power King and Equus Champion Wendywood.
This draft can be viewed from Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
FROM ASCOT NATIONAL ROYALTY
Ascot Stud, the breeders of top-class performers who have left their mark the world over, is home to some exceptionally well-bred mares.
The farm’s paddocks include mares who hail from many of the world’s great families as well as from some of South Africa’s top female lines. This influence can clearly be seen in the draft that Dr Ashley Parker is bringing to the 2026 National Yearling Sale.
Ascot’s draft also includes yearlings by such outstanding stallions as Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate, and Vercingetorix, while the farm will also be offering three yearlings on behalf of Riyo Stud.
Riyo’s trio is made up of a colt and filly sired by Ascot’s Gr1 winning stallion Heavenly Blue as well as well related colt by proven Gr1 sire Fire Away.
Ashley mentioned the following yearlings as especially attractive:
Lot
86: Liwa’s Song f Danon Platina
-Liwa
A powerful, big but racy filly with an exceptional girth and hindquarter. She is a half-sister to Explosive Bond from the family of Gimme A Prince and The Real Prince
Lot 157: Gimmeapopstar c Gimmethegreenlight -Queen Of Pop
A colt who is an exceptionally powerful and strong bodied individual. He is a half-brother to Pop Chart, who ran third in the recent Gr3 TAB National Currency Sprint. Queen Of Pop is a full sister to Gr1 Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm and Gr3 Sycamore Sprint winner Seattle Singer from family of champion Rock Opera
Lot 167: Light The Stars f Jet Dark -Rockie Bright
A well balanced, strong half-sister to Gr3 winner Rockie Reef and stakes winner Three Rocks from an illustrious English family including numerous champions
Lot 173: Royal Bliss f Vercingetorix -Royal Fantasy
A truly exceptional and beautiful filly. She is out of the Gr1 winning Royal Fantasy, dam of Gr3 winner Simply Royal and the stakes winning Winter Fantasy. This is the family of champions Summer Pudding, Cherry on the Top etc.
Lot 205: Silva Secret f Heavenly Blue -Silva Key
A strong, racy filly and half-sister to the stakes placed Silva City. Her dam is a six-time winner from the blue hen Soho Secret family
Lot 233: Island Storm c Heavenly Blue -Stormy Coast
A good walking, scopy colt. His dam is a Fort Wood sired stakes winning full sister to Fort Petersburg and half-sister to Storm Destiny and Stormy Eclipse. Second dam Stormy Appeal is a multiple stakes winning, 14 time winner.
Lot 264: Mister Menace c Master Of My Fate -Via Seattle
An imposing, strong-quartered and scopy colt. His dam is a Gr3 winner from the family of Mermaids Song, Arctic Song and Yorker.
Lot 284: United Lady f The United States -Yourethetops
A racy, beautiful full-sister to Gr3 winning and multiple Gr1 placed Billy Bowlegs from the family of Gr1 winning Top Seller, The Sheik and Al Nitak
This draft can be found in Blocks B and C at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
BOMBS FROM BOTHA’S BENMARNE
Benmarne Stud, whose past alumni include the likes of Querari Falcon and Monks Hood, look to have bred another smart sort in the form of Queen Leila.
The daughter of Heavenly Blue claimed a R100 000 Bloodstock South Africa bonus when she won impressively at just the second time of asking and she looks to have a bright future.
The farm will be offering two choicely bred colts at this year’s National Yearling Sale.
Arne Botha had the following to say about his pair:
Lot 21: Darksideofthemoon c Jet Dark -Fly
Rebecca Fly
By a five time Gr1 winner and multiple Equus Champion, this colt is from the immediate
family of SA Oaks winner Serena and her US Gr1 winning son Broadway Flyer. This is a scopey son of Jet Dark, and a very good mover. His five time winning dam has had three runners for three winners -her son Bellerophon is a two time winner now.
Lot 99: Bright Moon Rising c Heavenly Blue -Mirror The Moon
By the sire of the likes of Trust and Truth, this colt’s stakes winning granddam is a half-sister to dual Gr1 winner Surveyor. He is a beautiful son of Heavenly Blue. This colt’s dam has had two runners for two winners. He is a very good walker.
These two colts can be viewed from Block B at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
BUSH HILL OFFER
WELL-RELATED COLTS
Long regarded as one of the top stud farms in KwaZulu-Natal, Bush Hill Stud continues to produce top-class thoroughbreds.
From the now retired dual Gr1 winner Purple Pitcher and smart performers Cocomelon and Magic Tattoo, Bush Hill Stud bred thoroughbreds continue to perform well at the highest level.
Bush Hill will be offering two well related colts at this year’s National Yearling Sale, with their pair consisting of sons of champions Danon Platina and Hawwaam.
Warwick Render had the following to say about his two colts:
Lot 282: Alykhan c Hawwaam -Wukkin’ Up
By the same sire as recent Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes winner Diogenes, this colt
is out of Listed Off To Stud Stakes winner Wukkin’ Up and is a half-brother to the highclass sprinter Magic Tattoo. He is a big strong quartered colt, well topped with loads of substance.
Lot 335: Danon Platina -Cassie O’ Malley
This is a high quality, scopey individual, stands over ground and has a great attitude. His half-brother Dawson’s Anvil made an impressive winning debut, and Cassie O’Malley has three winners, from four runners, including the smart Shanta’s Pride.
These two colts can be found in Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
DRAKENSTEIN SETTING THE BENCHMARK
Drakenstein Stud, one of South Africa’s premier stud farms, has a superb record at the National Yearling Sale.
Past champions and Grade One winners sold by Drakenstein at the National Sale in years gone by include South Africa’s reigning Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen, as well as the likes of Future Pearl, Legend Of Arthur, King Pelles, Safe Passage and Trip Of Fortune.
This year, Drakenstein will be offering another outstanding draft at the National Yearling Sale. Their draft not only includes yearlings by their own highly popular resident sires Futura, Jet Dark, and What A Winter, but also yearlings by such top-class stallions as Gimmethegreenlight, Legislate, Rafeef, and Vercingetorix.
Multiple champion sire Gimmethegreenlight has two well bred colts on offer.
Valleyofdesolation (Lot 141) is out of Gr2 Track And Ball Oaks winner Pink Tourmaline, a half-sister to graded stakes winners King Of Gems and Green Sapphire, while Green Mosaic (Lot 276), who is bred on similar lines to Gr1 winners Lucky Lad and VJ’s Angel, is a colt out of the What A Winter sired Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery runner up Winter Mosaic.
Reigning champion sire Vercingetorix continues to dominate sales rings around South Africa, and he is represented here by Snap Out Of It (Lot 217), a colt out of multiple graded stakes winner Snapscan, with this colt bred on similar lines to the Vercingetorix sired champion and promising sire Cousin Casey.
Resident sire, and multiple Equus Champion, Jet Dark has made a blistering impression with his first yearlings this season. The champion son of Trippi has two lots on offer, including the regally bred Take Five (Lot 115). The latter, whose dam won four times including the Gr2 The Debutante, is a half-brother to five winners led by Equus Champion, and Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner, Safe Passage, and G1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silver Sanctuary.
Other eye catching lots on offer include Twickenham (Lot 82), a Rafeef half-brother to Gr2 TAB SA Nursery/Gr3 TAB Protea Stakes winner Green Diamond, Fine Winter Day (Lot 128), a What A Winter full-brother to Gr3 TAB Pretty Polly Stakes winner One Fine Winter, and Sweet Winter (Lot 239), a What A Winter colt out of Listed Bauhinia Handicap winner Sweet Future.
This draft can be viewed from Blocks A, B and D at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
ROBERTSON ROYALTY FROM RIVERTON
Riverton Stud, breeders of such stars as Astrix, Captain Of All, Domino Man and Pearl Of Asia, continue to churn out smart winners all over South Africa.
Recent Riverton flagbearers include this season’s Listed Southeaster Sprint winner The US Of A, the useful Master Josh, and feature race contender Count Of Rouen.
Duncan Barry will be offering a very classy draft at the 2026 National Yearling Sale, with Riverton’s draft comprised of yearlings sired by all of Digital Age, Erik The Red, Jet Dark, Kommetdieding and One World. The latter continues to impress as a sire, with One World’s unbeaten son World Attraction making a big impression when winning the Listed TAB Storm Bird Stakes.
Duncan had the following comments to make about his draft for the National Sale.
Lot 49: f Jet Dark - Heliane
By a five time Gr1 winning son of champion sire Trippi, this filly is from the family of such Gr1 winning fillies as Helenita and Little Ballerina. She is a scopey, leggy, well-made filly.
Lot 127: c Kommetdieding - On High
From the eagerly awaited first crop of his July/Met winning sire, this colt hails from the
immediate family of globetrotting champion Jay Peg and fellow Equus Champion Kochka.
A tall, well-balanced, good walking colt.
Lot 156: f Digital Age - Queen Of Alamo
From the first crop of a Gr1 winning son of Invincible Spirit, this filly is out of a stakes placed half-sister to the graded stakes winners Cousin Liz and Gimme One Night. Very strong, big, correct, well-balanced filly. A gem!
Lot 162: f One World - Red Eminence
By the sire of such star performers as One Stripe and World Attraction, this filly is a halfsister to Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery/ Listed Lady’s Slipper winner Chere For Me.
A big, strong, attractive, great walking filly!
Lot 326: f Erik The Red - Brigtnumberfour
A three parts sister to Listed East Cape Sprint winner Anuschka’s World, this filly is out of a stakes placed full-sister to Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Noble Heir, dam of Australian Gr3 winner Crown Witness.
This draft can be found in Block H at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
SUNSTONE OFFER AN EDEN ROC FILLY
The well performed and blue-blooded Eden Roc looks to be a very exciting stallion prospect.
A son of top sire Var, whose daughters have produced, among others, current unbeaten sensation Autumn Glow, Eden Roc was a topclass performer who won graded stakes at both two and three.
Eden Roc, who earned more than R1.4 million in stakes, won the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe at two. He trained on well to land the Gr2 Post Merchants at three, and finish second in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint at four.
Out of the Captain Al mare Townsend, winner of both the G2 Odessa Stud Fillies Championship and Gr3 Diana Stakes, Eden Roc is a half-brother to Equus Champion, and promising young sire, Sandringham Summit.
Sunstone Farming will be offering a filly (Lot 249) by this exciting young sire at the 2026 National Sale.
Courtney Soal had the following to say about this well-bred filly, “We are proud to present this remarkable filly by the explosive Gr1 winner Eden Roc out of the winning mare, The Fifth Wave. This filly represents an exciting blend of speed, precocity and structural quality. She embodies the classic, neat, athletic type, a lovely strong and wellbalanced filly, she is definitely reminding us of group winning mare, Gimme A Shot at this age.”
This filly can be found in Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.
BUY BETTER:
NO VAT ON HEVERSHAM’S FAB FOUR
Heversham Park Stud has four, beautifully bred fillies at this year’s Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale. Remarkably, they were all sired by Grade 1 winning stallions, and all four were produced by stakes-winning mares.
Heversham upgraded their broodmare band with a number of black-type mares from various auctions in recent years and their investment is starting to produce the kind of quality buyers are looking for.
Safe to say, the fillies on offer all have pedigrees that guarantees paddock value.
Triple Gr1 winner, and Equus Champion, Soqrat is the sire of a full-sister (Lot 74) to the useful Jordash, and she’s a half-sister to the smart performers Kalahari Ferrari and Karate Kid.
This well-bred filly, whose first two dams are both stakes winners, is out of dual Gr3 Sycamore Sprint winner Kinematic Countess (Count Du Bois), and she moves very well.
Invincible Spirit’s Gr1-winning son Digital Age is represented in this draft by a filly (Lot 149) who is bred to be anything.
A half-sister to Listed Michael Roberts Stakes winner Gentleman’s Wager, this filly is out of the Var-sired Gold Circle Gr2 Oaks winner Princess Of Light, a half-sister to the Oaks winners Arcola and Ash Cloud.
The four-time Gr1-winning Twice Over , whose son See It Again won this season’s World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met and the HKJC Gr1 Premiers Champion Challenge, sired Lot 155 , out of Gr3 Champagne Stakes winner Purple Orchid.
This filly hails from the same female line as the successful sire Russian Fox.
Last, but not least, is a filly (Lot 323) by Japanese champion Danon Platina out of the high-class race mare Bold Fortune.
A daughter of emerging leading broodmare sire Flower Alley, Bold Fortune won six races including the World Sports Betting Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge and Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap, while earning more than R620 000 in prize money.
There will be no VAT payable on purchases made from Heversham –another reason to visit the team and view their ‘fabulous four’ in Stable Block A at the TBA Complex.
Lot 323 by Danon Platina
MIAMI MOUNTAIN SET FOR
GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT
South Africa’s reigning champion owners Hollywood Racing enjoyed a diverse winning weekend, that included a close-call Keeneland Gr1 and two Non Black-Type feature successes, capped by a thrilling exacta finish to the Betway Mythical Flight Sprint at Turffontein on the Hennenman Memorial Raceday on Sunday.
Callan Murray and Miami Mountain are the ham on the Hollywood sandwich as the son of Canford Cliffs scythes through late | Credit: JC Photos
After Cruise Control’s success in the Fairview Flying Five and Cheerful Charlie equalling the team’s season win record of 128 in the Eastern Cape on Friday, followed by One Stripe’s superb effort for second behind the ironically named Zulu Kingdom in the Gr1 Maker’s Mark at Keeneland later the same day, Saturday’s SA Champions Season opener at Hollywoodbets Greyville produced two more winners, including Qhude Manikiniki, who set the new benchmark of 129 season winners for the yellow and purple team, with 17 weeks left of the term.
The nine-race card on the 38th anniversary of the Henneman disaster on Sunday was headlined by the R150 000 Betway Mythical Flight Sprint, an 1100m contest for 3yo’s.
Hollywood Racing’s Miami Mountain jumped a 2-1 favourite and was relaxed early by Callan Murray as Umzingeli Wenyathi and topweight Zalatoris set the pace.
At the 400m, Callan Murray was shopping for a space down the outside, but there was nothing on offer and the SplashOutsponsored jockey confidently switched Miami Mountain in for a run.
The son of Canford Cliffs showed his preference for the sprints as he took off to nab the Clint Binda-trained Kaalvoet (7-2), who also campaigns in the Hollywood silks, by a nostril. The winner clocked 64,57 secs.
Kyle Strydom, who rode two winners earlier on in the afternoon, gave Zalatoris (5-1) every chance, a further neck back in third.
Mathew de Kock conceded that he and his famous Dad had tried to get Miami Mountain to go further, but are putting up the white flag for now, with the R1 million Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint on 23 May in Pietermaritzburg, a likely target.
Bred by Ridgemont, the winner is a son of five-time Gr1 winning stallion Canford Cliffs (Tagula) out of the 2018 Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Miss Florida, a daughter of Captain Al who raced for Nic Jonsson, and was trained by Justin Snaith.
Miami Mountain is a half-brother to the exciting recent Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Nursery winner Good Day Sunshine (Vercingetorix).
Now a winner of 5 races with a place from his 9 starts, Miami Mountain took his stakes earned to R483 076.
It is worth noting that, through the passage of time, the sport may have moved on from many of the traditions and special days of yore.
But the biggest tragedy of most of our racing lifetimes has been remembered with religious sincerity by the Highveld racing operator since that terrible day in April 1988 when the game lost a part of its heart and soul.
A United Airlines charter flight crashed in an open field in Hennenman, about 25 km east of Welkom, killing all 24 aboard.
Mother Nature stepped in with lightning forcing the abandonment of the final race.
MEDALLION PROSPECTS TWO GOLD
A pair of two-year-olds stamped themselves as likely Gr1 Gold Medallion contenders this past weekend.
On Saturday, the exciting Turn It Up made it three wins from four starts when victorious in the Race Coast Sales Slipper, and the following day the unbeaten, but full of fun and games, Heath House made it three wins from three starts when he won the first race at Turffontein.
The eye catching Heath House, who has won his three starts by an aggregate of nearly 18 lengths, is the latest smart two-year-old for dual Gr1 winner Erupt.
While the latter won the Gr1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes over a mile and a half, Erupt has proved more than capable of siring useful juveniles. His past
two-year-old winners including Gr3 Protea Stakes/Listed Storm Bird Stakes winner Karangetang, Gr2 TAB SA Nursery runner-up Mount Pinatubo, and Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes runner-up Hot Pearl.
Heath House is out of the Gimmethegreenlight mare Gimmethemoney, who won twice over 1000m.
Gimmethemoney, whose three winners include the useful performer Khethiwe’s Destiny, is a half-sister to the four time winning dam of Listed Dahlia Plate runner up Turbo.
Multiple champion sire Gimmethegreenlight is another who has already enjoyed plenty of success in the Gold Medallion, with the son of More Than Ready already the sire of Medallion winners Lucky Lad and Proceed.
Heath House – gave his jockey a hard time
Turn It Up
(Keagan de Melo) returns after his eyecatching Slipper win | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Heath House traces back directly in female line to the classy two-year-old Pearl Queen, and this is also the family of the remarkable performer Camp Fire (aka Camp Fire II). The latter scored a historic win when victorious in the 1907 King’s Stand Stakes.
Turn It Up already has Gold Medallion ties, with his champion half-brother Proceed (Gimmethegreenlight) having won that HollywoodbetsScottsville feature back in 2024.
Turn It Up is a son of Querari, South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2018-2019, and, at the time of writing, second on the same premiership this season.
While Querari is yet to sire a G1 Gold Medallion winner, his son Cosmic Speed ran second (to Proceed!) in the 2024 Gold Medallion.
To date, Querari has been responsible for nearly 50 stakes winners, with the versatile stallion responsible for both a champion sprinter (Rio Querari) and a champion stayer (Master Redoute).
Turn It Up is one of eight two-year-old winners, at the time of writing, for Querari this season, with others including the likes of Master Magician and Time Is Precious. Saturday’s winner is out of the winning
Captain Al mare Xplosive Kiss, whose four winners include the aforementioned Proceed. Xplosive Kiss, whose sire has made a real impact on the Gold Medallion, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Second Base.
Her sire Captain Al not only sired the Gr1 Gold Medallion winners Always In Charge and Captain Of All, but he also ranks as the broodmare sire of Gold Medallion winners Eden Roc, Potent Power, and Proceed.
Turn It Up traces back in female line to Saturna, the dam of top sprinters Rotterdam and Harry Hotspur, with the latter also a highly successful sire. Other notable performers descended in female line from Saturna include champion filly Kiss Of Peace, Gr1 Triple Tiara 1600m winner Kournikova, and Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Kilindini.
Saturna also ranks as the fifth dam of this season’s HKJC World Pool Gr1 SA Classic winner Grand Empire.
Coincidentally, both Querari and Erupt were sired by Gr1 winning two-year-olds. Querari’s sire Oasis Dream lifted the 2002 Gr1 Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes, while Erupt’s outstanding sire Dubawi was unbeaten in three starts at two, where his wins included the 2004 Gr1 Dunnes Store National Stakes.
The Gr1 Gold Medallion will be run at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday 23 May.
RUNS A CRACKER SA CHAMP AT KEENELAND
“Not the trip that I was expecting, but I feel like I ran a good race. I was hoping to be a little closer than that. But I’m proud of him today.”
Zulu Kingdom (Flavien Pratt) and One Stripe (John Velazquez) go for gold
Credit: Supplied
The words of replacement jockey John Velazquez after a flying Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam-owned One Stripe failed by three quarters of a length to catch pacesetter Zulu Kingdom (a measure of irony in that name, given the home province of One Stripe’s owners) in the 38th running of the $650,000 Gr1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on Friday.
It was a superb effort in a race where traffic played a major part and One Stripe lost his position on occasion.
Trainer Graham Motion will be well pleased with the effort after One Stripe’s penultimate start where he ran a swashbuckling second behind stablemate Test Score in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational run over 1800m at Gulfstream Park on 25 January. He looks overdue to pick up a decent trophy this year.
Easy to back after his break, the Ireland-bred Zulu Kingdom got away to a three-length lead in mid-stretch and was able to hold off One Stripe.
Two other Grade 1 winners in the field struggled with significant traffic: even-money favorite Notable Speech, who ultimately finished fourth, and 5-2 chance Rhetorical, who had to settle for third.
But the day belonged to Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso’s Zulu Kingdom (IRE) who took the lead out of the gate, running fresh after a break.
Zulu Kingdom’s victory gave trainer Chad Brown his 3000th career win. Brown is the 41st trainer in North America to reach the milestone.
The performance also earned Dubb a Keeneland Tray for his eighth graded stakes victory.
In the Maker’s Mark Mile, jockey Flavien Prat put Zulu Kingdom on the lead and led the field of seven through fractions of :23.89, :47.71 and 1:11.58 with Aomori City (FR) in closest pursuit.
Entering the stretch, Zulu Kingdom maintained a daylight advantage as the field bunched up behind him. Rhetorical had the inside lane with Aomori City and Brilliant Berti to his outside and favoured Notable Speech (GB) in behind horses.
At mid-stretch, Rhetorical took over second with One Stripe getting a clear run along the rail and Notable Speech being checked on three occasions behind a tiring Aomori City.
One Stripe rallied past Rhetorical by a halflength to get second.
Zulu Kingdom completed the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.90 to give Brown and Prat their third victories in the race and second consecutive score following Carl Spackler (IRE) in 2025.
Brown also won with Raging Bull (FR) in 2021 and Prat with Chez Pierre (FR) in 2023.
Now a two-time Grade 1 winner, Zulu Kingdom is a 4-year-old son of Ten Sovereigns out of the Smart Strike mare Zindziswa. The victory was worth $302,250 and boosted his earnings to $1,236,637 with a record of 9-7-0-0.
The R1,4 million sales-topper at the 2023 Cape Racing Ready To Run And Unbroken Two Year Old Sale, One Stripe was bred by Drakenstein Stud and is by SA Freshman sire of his year One World (Captain Al) out of the three-time winning Silvano mare Silver Stripe, who stayed well and won up to 2450m.
MANOKO’S STORY
GATHERS MOMENTUM
There was a moment, early in the TAB Gr2 SA Nursery at Turffontein on Saturday 4 April when more than a few racegoers quietly settled on the same thought: with only four runners lining up, this might at least be a worthwhile trip for the small visiting stable of ‘Bo’ Ngcobo.
His maiden outsider, Better Never Ends, is guaranteed fourth place and will earn a cheque to help with the journey back to Summerveld. Shame, man, that’s cool!
If you were among those who entertained that sympathetic notion, you’ll no doubt be smiling now. Because racing, as it so often does, had other ideas.
Better Never Ends (DeclarationOfPeace) was not there to make up the numbers. Always travelling well, he surged forward under Muzi Yeni to capture the 1160m contest in style.
The victory yielded R296,875 in prize money, a further R100,000 BSA Juvenile winner incentive for owner Johannes Manoko’s Dladla Family Trust, and an additional R50,000 visitor’s incentive from 4Racing for Ngcobo, a result that transformed a hopeful outing into an unexpected, richly rewarding triumph.
Manoko, who suggested the fitting of blinkers to Better Never Ends and encouraged Ngcobo to take his chance on Champions Day, said: “This victory came as a relief, racing is an expensive sport. It was simply wonderful to be on course and experience the moment. We will treasure it forever.”
Better Never Ends, a graduate of Clifton Stud, was purchased at the 2025 Bloodstock SA August Two-Year-Old Sale, and Manoko recalled: “We really liked the colt and had set a limit of R200,000. But there were several others who had spotted him, and the bidding quickly went beyond the 200k mark. The adrenaline was flowing, though, and I asked Bo to stay in the hunt. He was hesitant –worried we might overspend – but we pushed on and secured him for R360,000.”
Manoko shelled out a further R450,000 at the same sale to secure Nightshine, an athletic colt by Rafeef, who was sent into training with Alson Ndzilana at Randjesfontein.
Johannes Manoko receives his SA Nursery trophy and incentive cheque from 4Racing’s Matthew Daniel Credit: Alet Pretorius
“He was a late foal, and we expected him to go for less, so once again we had to dig a little deeper. But it has proven worthwhile. Nightshine has finished second in both his starts, the latest behind Mike and Mathew de Kock’s highly regarded two-year-old, World Attraction. I believe our colt will develop into a very good horse.”
Manoko endured a nightmare start to his ownership journey, with his first dozen runners including Storm Crest, Manuriki, Platinum Hill and Beartic. But they proved to be as limited as anyone has ever owned.
All appeared to have respectable pedigrees, but on the track, they belonged to that unfortunate category of runners who habitually finish a distance behind the second-last horse.
He said: “We made mistakes with our first batch of purchases and bought poorly. We simply couldn’t believe our bad luck, but I suppose that’s how you learn in racing. Perhaps I needed to pay my school fees, as one does in business. And believe me, I did.
“We then broadened our approach and started visiting various stud farms. I came to understand how the environment in which young horses are raised can influence their performance on the track. I’m particularly fond of Macrath Farm in Mooi River, where the rolling hills and valleys allow young horses to move freely and build strength.”
Macrath bred Manoko’s two-year-old, The Name Of Dladla, who recently turned in a much-improved run at the Vaal and was narrowly beaten at Turffontein earlier this week.
“He’s a nicely bred horse who needed gelding and we think he will win soon. The other well-performing runner is our filly Vixenthevineyard, who has placed in her last seven runs. She is versatile and pays her way, and perhaps she will take off and win a few races once she has got her Maiden out of the way.”
Click on the image below to read the full story…
UNNAMED HORIZON x
Sparkled by
NATIONAL STAKES INCREASE 4RACING ANNOUNCES R9 MILLION
In a media statement published on Monday 13 April 2026, 4Racing has announced a significant increase of R9 million to its national stakes programme, reinforcing its commitment to the sustainability and growth of horse racing.
The enhancement sees R6 million allocated to the Highveld racing circuit, with a further R3 million allocated to the Eastern Cape programme.
As a result, the total stakes pot across 4Racing’s jurisdictions has increased from approximately R178 million to R187 million.
The distribution of this increase is currently underway, with a clear strategic focus on strengthening the foundation of the racing programme.
Additional funding will be directed towards Maiden Juvenile and Juvenile races, Maiden Plates, as well as non-feature races.
This targeted approach aims to bolster day-to-day racing, ensuring improved competitiveness and greater sustainability across all levels of the sport.
The 4Racing stakes increase is another positive step for the industry and complements the current owner, trainer, and raider incentive structures already in place, further enhancing the overall value proposition for participants.
This announcement serves to underscore 4Racing’s ongoing commitment and investment in the future of South African horse racing and its support of the broader breeding and racing ecosystem.
The statement concludes that 4Racing remains dedicated to building a stronger, more competitive racing environment and looks forward to the positive impact this increase will have across the industry.
THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
- MILNERTON WELCOMES ASH BACK
Seventeen years after joining former Cape champion trainer Joey Ramsden at the Milnerton Training Centre in the fairest Cape, Grade 1-winning trainer Ashley Fortune has gone full circle and is back in the shadow of Table Mountain.
Ashley Fortune with Pippa Mickleburgh at Nationals this week | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The now 44 year old mother of two announced earlier this week that she is planning to relaunch her highly successful training operation at Milnerton during the course of next month.
The lifetime horsewoman’s presence at Milnerton will boost the Cape’s fairer sex training ranks to four, as she follows in the footsteps of Candice Bass, Lucinda Woodruff and Michelle Rix.
“We chose Milnerton as it has to be family first and I was considering the other centres, as they all have their unique appeal and advantages. But we were burgled up North and we have family here - frankly we really feel safer here in the Cape, where we have also recently built a home,” explained Ashley in a chat with the Sporting Post on Monday.
Ashley already has ten youngsters on the farm and is hoping to start with 33 boxes.
“My past clients and some new folk have been fantastic! I must have done something right in the past and I’m really excited to get going again.”
Asked if she hadn’t ‘learnt a lesson’ the first time round as to how tough training racehorses can be, Ashley adds that, to the contrary, the only lesson she learnt was how much she actually missed the profession!
And the Cape is a tough and competitive environment. Didn’t that put a doubt in her mind?
“I played polocrosse at a national level for Zimbabwe. On the field men and women compete on an equal basis. It’s the same training horses. Competition can only be healthy for racing and it keeps us all on our toes!”
Ashley is shopping for stock at the National Yearling Sale this week and is looking for more of Winter Smoke and Ipso Facto – two of the many successful stakes perfomers she bought at the platform previously.
“There are some amazing horses on the catalogue. The breeders have outdone themselves and I am hoping that there will be something for every pocket,” she added.
It has been an eventful 21st century for Ashley
Fortune, who was born on the back of a horse, on a farm near Ruwa Zimbabwe.
Her Dad was a transport contractor and the facility allowed space to store the vehicles – but more importantly, horses too!
Ashley’s vast experience was embraced by the powerful Ciaron Maher Racing outfit, who enjoyed plenty of success during her tenure, including winning the world’s richest turf race, The Everest in 2024, and saddling the runner-up and third placed speedster behind champion Ka Ying Rising in the 2025 renewal.
It was while working for champion trainer Noelene Peech that Ashley met the charming South African jockey who was to change her life forever. Her and Andrew Fortune married in 2016 and opened for business at the Vaal in 2018.
After five years of exponential growth from humble beginnings, to 250 winners, including Grade 1, 2 & 3 successes, and over R26 million in stakes earnings, the Fortune family wound up their highly successful operation in 2023 and took the plunge in search of new opportunity in Australia.
Ashley’s vast experience was embraced by the powerful Ciaron Maher Racing outfit, who enjoyed plenty of success during her tenure, including winning the world’s richest turf race, The Everest in 2024, and saddling the runner-up and third placed speedster behind champion Ka Ying Rising last month in the 2025 renewal.
But her heart was in Africa, and after Andrew Fortune returned in early 2025 to resume his riding career in South Africa, Ashley returned home with the children and pets in December last year.
“I am glad we will start in winter. It means we can bring the horses on slowly in good time. By spring-time we will be set to up the ante. Thanks to all of those that have wished me well. The racing community in South Africa is tight-knit and packed with great people. I can’t wait to open our doors,” she concluded.
• Ashley can be contacted via whatsapp on 078 298 1345
HANDICAPPERS URGE RATIONALE & CONSIDERATION OF
ALL FACTS AHEAD OF
SANTA MEETING
The National Horseracing Authority reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion, transparency, and fairness across the racing industry ahead of a handicapping ‘think tank’, which was hosted for invited stakeholders by the SA National Trainers Association (SANTA) at the TBA Sales Complex at Gosforth Park today, 15 April
In a statement published late last week, the NHA Handicappers provide an update to their letter to SANTA dated 20 January 2026.
This statement was published to ensure that all stakeholders had access to current information ahead of policy discussions at the SANTA workshop.
Evidence-Based Decision Making
The NHA emphasizes that decisions must be guided by data and evidence rather than anecdotal or observational claims.
Policy changes directly affect owners, trainers, and Racing Operators, and the Handicappers’ mandate remains clear: to, by handicapping, distribute the stakes pot as equitably as possible.
Experiments such as the Assessment Plate have demonstrated that when equitable distribution is compromised, domination by a small group of participants becomes inevitable.
Governance and Oversight
Any proposed changes to the current Handicapping system – whether through policy amendments, new guidelines, and / or protocols – will require approval from the National Board of the NHA.
The Handicappers will abstain the workshop for reasons that include the avoidance of becoming persuasive to the attendees, given that all evidence suggests that the current system and its application is statistically (shown below) functioning as intended and designed.
Accountability and Responsibility
Should SANTA’s proposed Handicapping changes be implemented, the Handicapping team reserves the right to be absolved of responsibility for any resulting statistical distortions or long-term impacts.
Moreover, the Merit Rating hierarchy in Pattern races risks being undermined, as eliminations currently determined by objective merit may no longer align with the revised framework.
Such inconsistencies could generate disputes among stakeholders – issues that should not fall within the Handicappers’ purview.
Current Technical Considerations
The Handicapping team believe that the current system is functioning exactly as designed. Key indicators but not limited to of this efficacy, include: (also see data below).
• Increased Participation: Higher acceptance rates in Handicaps and Merit Rating-based races.
• Elimination Data: High demand for entry in premier events such as the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Golden Horse Casino Sprint, Betway Summer Cup and the Charity Mile confirm the system’s integrity at the pattern level.
• Program Stability: Programmers frequently rely on Handicap formats to ensure adequate field sizes.
• Open Betting Market: These races consistently produce closer finishes and a more robust betting market, which ultimately extends the racing careers of the horse population.
• Competitive Density: Data indicates that the average beaten finisher in a Handicap is 3.5 lengths behind the winner, compared to 4.8 lengths in non-handicap races. This suggests the system is achieving its primary goal of narrowing the gap between competitors.
• Systemic Balance: National Merit Ratings Update continues to ensure a balanced distribution of ratings across all age groups, preventing structural bias within the population – any skewing of the table below will result in programming difficulties.
• Merit Rating Appeals: Since the cancellation of the previous guidelines in 2019, Handicappers have assessed approximately 188,500 performances. Remarkably, during this entire review period, only 14 appeals were lodged of which 11 were dismissed.
The sample sizes above were not calculated over a single racing season; instead, approximately one and a half seasons of data were used for each sample.
This broader dataset provides a larger sample size, which is advantageous because it reduces random variation and increases the reliability of the results.
While these outcomes align with current regulatory objectives, we acknowledge that some SANTA members may desire a different philosophical approach – specifically one that allows certain horses to progress through the ranks with greater ease while accumulating more wins.
Currently, the Handicappers operate on the principle of equalising opportunity for all participants.
To move forward, SANTA must establish clear guidelines that deliver fair outcomes for stakeholders. Without such direction, Handicappers will be obliged to continue applying the system strictly in accordance with the existing rules.
Our data confirms that the current ratings spread is optimal for a balanced racing program.
We must caution that any artificial skewing of this spread could severely compromise the rating pyramid and negatively impact the race program, particularly given the constraints of our current horse population.
Furthermore, while the goal of handicapping is to distribute wins equitably, a perfect mathematical balance is unattainable given the ratio of horses to available races.
The table below highlights the impact of handicaps, where handicappers aim to distribute wins more equitably.
However, the current top five trainers in South Africa consistently achieve significantly better results in non-handicap races compared to handicap races.
Crucially, any adjustment to the existing handicapping system would disproportionately benefit trainers with access to higher-quality horses.
Given the limited number of handicap races available, such changes could severely disadvantage trainers outside the top ten on the trainers’ log, creating an uneven playing field and undermining competitive balance.
Top 5 Trainers
Below are some Statistical Breakdowns and Challenges the system faces:
1. Statistical Overview – Current Season 1 August 2025 to 30 March 2026
Races (Handicaps)
The table provides statistical evidence that Handicappers do not disadvantage three-yearolds as a group.
Any claims to the contrary are unsupported by the data and represent a distortive narrative rather than fact.
2. Mathematical Constraints
• Finite Race Opportunities
• With 746 Handicap races and 2 111 horses, the ratio is heavily skewed.
• If each race produces only one unique winner, meaning 1 365 horses cannot possibly win in the season, leaving many horses as 1-time winners. Therein lies the dilemma, there is NO system, that will cater for the 1365 horses winning.
• Given the system’s built - in constraints, no rational observer could reasonably assign blame to the Handicappers for the prevalence of one - time winners or horses that struggle to win another race. The racing fixtures and number of races have reduced drastically from 450 fixtures and 4800 races at peak to the current 340 fixtures and 2950 races, with a current horse population of just under 5000.
• This demonstrates the mathematical impossibility of ensuring universal competitiveness when “competitive” is often defined by winning only.
• Owner/Trainer Expectations
• Owners and trainers often equate competitiveness with victory, but the numbers show that most horses will inevitably fail to win irrespective of the competency level of the Handicappers or the Handicapping system.
• Handicappers are therefore judged against an unrealistic benchmark.
3. Programming Challenges – Introduction and Programming of Banded Ratings races
• Reduction of Handicap Races
• The introduction of Pinnacles, Middle, B Stakes, and C Stakes has reduced the number of true handicaps.
• These races are Merit Rating-based, not handicaps, and they favour horses at the top of each rating band.
• This creates a structural bias: many horses enter races where they have little chance of success.
• Weight Terms and Ratings
• Horses that are badly-in at the weights (Pinnacles…etc) often run to their ratings but fail to earn due to weight disadvantages.
• Handicappers cannot provide significant relief without undermining the credibility of the ratings system and is compounded by Merit Rating restrictions imposed in these Banded Ratings races.
• This results in a cycle where winning horses continue to win, while others are relegated to “field fillers.”
4. Strategic Implications
• Handicappers’ Dilemma
• They must balance fairness with mathematical impossibility.
• The system ensures that many horses will never win, regardless of adjustments.
• Programming Bias
• The reduction in handicap races and reliance on Banded Ratings has skewed competitiveness toward higher rated horses.
• This situation undermines Rule 47.3.2, which explicitly defines a handicap as “a race in which the weights to be carried by the horses are allocated by the handicapper for the purpose of equalising their chances of winning.” Given this misalignment, it raises the question of whether the rule should be amended or removed to ensure consistency with current practice.
5. Summary
• The statistics confirm that 3-year-olds dominate handicaps due to WFA allowances and natural progression.
• Older horses face diminishing strike rates, reflecting both biological and structural disadvantages.
• The imbalance between race opportunities and horse numbers ensures that many horses will never win, regardless of handicapping.
• Handicapping cannot guarantee universal success; it can only aim to balance opportunities within the constraints of race programming and horse populations.
The “Assessment Plate” Warning: The Risk of Uninformed decisions:
We do not need to guess what happens when entry conditions are manipulated to aid specific classes of horses; we have the failure of the Assessment Plate initiative as proof.
Intended to help graduate horses, it instead entrenched the advantages of a select elite while devastating the betting market.
The original idea put forward for Assessment Plates was to allow the Handicappers more time in assessing horses which break their Maidens within five starts.
Statistics:
• Decimated Field Sizes: Assessment Plates produced an average field size of just 7.87
runners (frequently dropping to 3–5 runners), compared to the 11.6 average in MR handicaps.
• Elite Monopolization: Two Trainers—who represent just 4% of the trainer base— accounted for 21% of all runners and won 17.54% of these races. One race card saw 62.5% of the field drawn from just these two yards.
As racing analyst, the late Mr Jay August noted:
“These races served a very narrow interest base while offering zero uplift to betting turnover. Punters do not wager on predictable, tiny fields.”
He further states:
‘’The Handicappers I believe have it right and, on this evidence, there is no real need, on average, to assess these ratings beyond what has already been seen, and which could not possibly be seen in any other race. If the Handicapper’s assessment of the highly rated horse ex their maiden win was wrong (too high), then the stats should show that.
They do not, which leads me to believe that Assessment Plates have little to do with assessment but more to do with helping superior animals to win a few races before their ability is penalised too much.’’
Please click here to read the full article.
Be aware of False Narratives:
It is essential to reject false and unsubstantiated claims that Handicappers are “getting it wrong”. Such assertions are based purely on opinion and ignore the factual evidence presented in this press release.
Using a single horse’s, often explainable poor performance, as supposed proof of alleged incompetence – while disregarding the overwhelming data above – often misrepresents reality and assumes horses always run to form, which is demonstrably untrue.
The facts speak for themselves: over the Easter long weekend, the top-rated and second highestrated horses in non-handicap races delivered multiple winners and second-place finishers, underscoring a functioning Handicapping system.
See below:
Fairview 3 April:
• Bad Medicine 2nd best rated and won
Hollywoodbets Greyville 3 April:
• Master Du Rouvray 2nd best rated won
• Sesame rated to win ran 2nd
• Chasing Gold rated to run 2nd and won
Turffontein 4 April:
• One Of Those Days rated to win and won
• Double Grand Slam rated to win easily and won (Grade 1) accordingly
• Buffalo Storm Cody rated to win and won (Grade 1)
• See It Again rated to win and won (Grade 1)
• Curious Girl (ran to a rating of 100 in the Oaks Trial but MR adjustment was restricted) won (Grade 2)
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 5 April:
• Lilting Song jointly rated to win and won
• Royal Invitation rated to win and won
• Plum Pudding rated to run 2nd – exacta!
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 6 April:
• Symphony In White rated to win and won
SA Pattern Status:
It is important to note that South African Horseracing falls under Part 1 of the International Cataloguing Standards Blue Book.
This places us in the highest tier or the ‘Premier League’ of world racing. Consequently, the NHA is tasked with ensuring quality control, oversight, and integrity as the representative for South Africa in the Asian Racing Federation.
Conclusion:
The Handicappers, in the execution of their duties, adopt a stakeholder- inclusive approach in which the needs, interests, and expectations of all stakeholders are considered to ensure the sustainability of the industry.
We urge that the outcome of any amendments be founded on the following criteria:
• Thorough contextual understanding
• Clear reasoning and transparency
• Accountability, coupled with objectivity and rigorous risk assessment.
KA YING RISING & ROMANTIC WARRIOR
HEADLINE
FWD CHAMPIONS DAY
Ka Ying Rising will headline FWD Champions Day alongside Romantic Warrior as the two highest-rated horses in the world seek records and glory against a strong international contingent at Hong Kong’s spring flagship meeting on Sunday, 26 April.
Competing for a record HK$78 million in prizemoney across the HK$30 million Gr1
FWD QEII Cup (2000m), HK$24 million Gr1
FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$24 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), FWD Champions Day’s top-level features include 13 individual Gr1 winners among 38 selected runners (excluding reserves).
Record breaking sprinter Ka Ying Rising will chase a second Chairman’s Sprint Prize crown when he lines up searching for his 20th consecutive win, a record previously held by Silent Witness – who won 17 successive races – for a Hong Kong-trained horse.
Ka Ying Rising has won his past 19 races
David Hayes’ Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2024/25), first in the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings ahead of Romantic Warrior, can capture a second Hong Kong Speed Series bonus (HK$5 million), if he is successful again.
Romantic Warrior holds the global earnings record (HK$254.66 million) and has the most Gr1 wins (13) by a Hong Kong-trained horse, and the brilliant Hong Kong International Sale graduate will try to become the first four-time winner of the FWD QEII Cup after previous triumphs in 2022, 2023 and 2024. He did not contest the race in 2025.
International representation is at a high in the FWD QEII Cup this year, where Danny Shum’s Romantic Warrior comes up against
some of the most in-form and imposing opposition he’s ever faced in the 10-furlong test at Sha Tin, namely, Masquerade Ball, Royal Champion, Museum Mile, Sosie, June Take, Andreas Vesalius and Giovanni.
Shadai Stallion Station’s iconic yellow and black colours placed in the past three FWD QEII Cups with Prognosis, and this year Gr1 winner Masquerade Ball carries their silks, who finished second to Calandagan in the 2025 Gr1 Japan Cup (2400m).
Royal Champion defeated quality opposition to win the 2026 Gr1 Neom Turf Cup (2100m), including Gr1 winner Facteur Cheval, and the well-travelled eight-year-old makes his way to Sha Tin in some career-best form for trainer Karl Burke.
Romantic Warrior is already a FWD Champions Day legend | Credit: HKJC
Ensued, Rubylot, Numbers, Stormy Grove and Gentlemen Legacy complete the FWD QEII Cup line-up.
Only two internationals – Maurice (2016) and Variety Club (2014) – have won the Champions Mile since 2000. Jantar Mantar, Docklands and Strauss ship to Sha Tin to face Gr1 winners Voyage Bubble, Red Lion and Lucky Sweynesse, plus recent 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Invincible Ibis.
Four-time Gr1 winner Jantar Mantar – victor of the 2023 Gr1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1600m), 2024 Gr1 NHK Mile Cup (1600m), 2025 Gr1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) and 2025 Gr1 Mile Championship (1600m) – who is also raced by Shadai Stallion Station, will try to lift his stature as one of the world’s best milers in the FWD Champions Mile.
Triple Crown winner Voyage Bubble, last year’s winner Red Lion, Galaxy Patch, My
Wish, Cap Ferrat, Sunlight Power, Chancheng Glory, Copartner Prance and Little Paradise complete the FWD Champions Mile line-up. Patch Of Theta, Beauty Joy and Stormy Grove are the standby starters.
Sha Tin’s 1200m (1m 07.12s) and 1400m (1m 19.36s) course record holder, Ka Ying Rising, is currently on a 19-race winning streak, and faces familiar foe Satono Reve once again, who is twice placed in top-level races behind the eight-time Gr1 winner.
Noriyuki Hori has excelled at Sha Tin with six Gr1 wins at the track, and Satono Reve represents him following a last-start Gr1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) score – his second in succession.
Last-start Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) winner Native Approach heads to Sha Tin following his career-high win last month for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash, who also saddles Andreas Vesaslius in the FWD QEII Cup.
Royal Champion wins the 2026 Neom Turf Cup | Credit: HKJC
Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave travels to Sha Tin, having raced in four separate jurisdictions previously. He was third last time out in the Gr2 1351 Turf Sprint (1351m) behind Reef Runner and Lazzat, respectively.
Helios Express, Fast Network, Raging Blizzard, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Beauty Waves, Lucky With You and Colourful King complete the Chairman’s Sprint Prize line-up.
Mr Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “FWD Champions Day is always
an outstanding day of racing, and we are delighted at the quality of the 2026 renewal.
“We have 13 visitors from overseas, including Masquerade Ball and Royal Champion, who will test the mighty Romantic Warrior in what shapes as one the FWD QEII Cup’s best renewals. Ka Ying Rising has won 19 races in a row, and his continued streak adds an increasing layer of excitement. In addition, our exciting four-year-olds will rise to the Group 1 challenge, including Invincible Ibis, Little Paradise and Stormy Grove.”
Satono Reve is a dual Gr1-winning sprinter | Credit: JRA
WITH A DOUBLE YUEN ON THE BOARD
Apprentice Nichola Yuen continued a seamless introduction into Hong Kong racing with a double at Sha Tin on Sunday, maintaining a perfect record of riding winners across each of her first three meetings in the city so far.
Yuen, 25, notched her first brace in Hong Kong with victories for her master Ricky Yiu aboard a pair of Hong Kong debutantes –Flashing Fighter (117lb) in the first section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap and Fortune Link in the Class 3 Jordan Handicap.
The double catapulted Yuen to a shared victory in the afternoon’s Jockey Challenge along with Group 1-winning senior rider Brenton Avdulla, who also rode a brace. After a trio of fixtures, she is the fastest female rider to land the Jockey Challenge.
“First of all, thank you so much to Ricky and Eric (Yiu), they give me so many opportunities and it is great to have my first double here in Sha Tin and especially for my boss,” Yuen said. “I want to thank The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Apprentices’ (Jockeys) School, Miss Amy Chan and Mr Felix Coetzee.
“They have given me great support, and I am very fortunate to be here in this on this very big stage and to have a great performance on good horses.”
Fortune Link, who raced under the same name in Australia for trainer Greg Eurell, earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million, propelling Yiu to 30 winners for the season.
Brenton Avdulla matched Yuen’s feat with a double on Douglas Whyte-trained Bling Bling Genius (133lb) in the Class 5 Gillies Handicap (1600m) and David Hayes’ My Mars (121lb), who impressed with debut victory in the Class 3 Parkes Handicap (1200m) to earn a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
Formerly known as Unbreakable Duke when trained in Ireland by Diego Dias, My Mars defeated a talented field with a performance which delighted Hayes.
“It was an amazing effort,” Hayes said. “It was a great ride by Brenton, but it really was a superb effort by this young horse. A European horse on first run in Hong Kong, they usually can’t do it (win), and when they do, they might be pretty good.
“In a couple of his races (in Ireland), he wasn’t well ridden – I just thought he went to the front too soon. He’s got the right brain for Hong Kong – he’s very calm, he’s strong, he eats, and to win in that short time of being in Hong Kong, is an incredible effort.”
Mark Newnham edged to a one-win lead in the trainers’ championship over Caspar Fownes with Crimson Flash’s (127lb) triumph in the Class 2 Pilkem Handicap (1200m) under Andrea Atzeni.
Newnham has 48 wins for the campaign to lead a congested table from Fownes (47), David Hayes (42), Danny Shum (42), Francis Lui (41) and John Size (35).
Formerly known as He’s In Like Flynn when and trained by Blake Ryan in Australia, Crimson Flash took his overall Hong Kong record to five wins and two seconds from 13 starts for prizemoney of HK$10.5 million.
“He’s a good horse and he’s still improving – you could see when he first goes under pressure he tends to lift his head a little bit and it wasn’t until the last part of the race where he really let down well,” Newnham said.
Chris So registers
250th victory on Sha Tin turf
Credit: HKJC
“He’s still learning and is building a good record. He’s shown today that he’s capable around the bend at Sha Tin; he’s pretty versatile, he’s now won round the corner, up the straight and at Happy Valley, too.”
Chris So notched his 250th win on Sha Tin turf when Elite Golf (135lb) posted a brave win in the second section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap (1200m). Conceding 21lb to Leading Dragon (114lb) under Yuen, the Frosted threeyear-old edged clear late under Harry Bentley to underline his talent.
“The horse has got ability, but he’s still very green. In the last couple of runs, just like last time in the straight, Harry just told me that he seems like he lost – he’s just waiting for somebody,” So said.
“He got a great run today and he got a good draw (barrier five). He’s pretty straightforward, the instructions are easy; we go forward, maybe first three, four. Because he’s got gate speed and we got a good draw it was easy to plan, not much strategy, just try to go in front or the first three.
“We have to give him a bit of time to grow mentally and he needs to mature.”
John Size and Alexis Badel combined with Alabama Song (117lb) to snare the Class 4
Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup Handicap (1400m) after staving off the late challenge of Forza Toro (131lb), who failed by a head after missing the start.
Lui maintained hopes of a second Hong Kong trainers’ championship with the success of Amazing Partners (123lb) under Vincent Ho in the Class 3 Humphreys Handicap (1600m).
“He’s become much more relaxed and has improved – the step up in distance has really suited him. I think he still has a bit more to offer, and I think he could step out in distance again,” Lui said.
“I hope there is more winners to come and of course, I would like to win another championship. It all depends on how the young horses perform later in the season – it’s very important.”
Zac Purton struck aboard Dennis Yip’s Frenchbred Toronado three-year-old Perfect One (126lb) in the Bowring Plate (1000m) for Griffins before He Was Me (124lb) clinched the Class 5 Gascoigne Handicap (1400m) for Tony Cruz and Karis Teetan, while Hong Kong International Sale graduate Happy Boss (135lb) scored for David Eustace and Luke Ferraris in the second section of the Class 4 Cox’s Handicap (1400m).
LEADS VINERY DRAFT IRWIN STAKES WINNER
Saturday’s brilliant Gr3 RN Irwin Stakes winner Super Smink will headline a quality packed draft from Vinery Stud for May’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast.
A seven time feature winner in her native Western Australia, Super Smink has been one of that state’s best horses over her illustrious racing career from being the Champion Two-Year-Old to her last-to-first win at Morphettville on the weekend.
The Dan Morton trained A$1.65 million earner is one of the leading contenders for this coming Saturday’s A$1 million Gr1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at the same track as her latest impressive victory.
“Super Smink was ultra impressive winning last Saturday,” Vinery’s General Manager Adam White said. “The way she rounded the field on the turn and then attacked the line is a real indication that
she is going to be a force in the Robert Sangster in a couple of weeks time.”
“Dan is an extremely talented trainer able to travel horses so he will have her peaking for that Group One target nicely. She is already a mare that will generate a lot of interest given her seven wins have all been at stakes level including the Gr2 Karrakatta Plate as a juvenile.”
At two Super Smink swept all three of WA’s feature juvenile races – the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL), the Gr2 Karrakatta Plate and Group Three WA Sires’ Produce Stakes – the only horses to have ever done so.
Super Smink has won stakes races every season on the track with subsequent successes coming in the Gr2 Lee Steere, Gr3 Asian Beau and Listed Belgravia. She was also Gr1 placed, beaten less than a length, when coming from last in a field of 16 in the Railway Stakes.
Super Smink will lead the Vinery Stud draft at May’s Magic Millions
“We have a lovely draft of mares assembled for the National Sale,” White pointed out. “It also includes Aviatress who is also on track to contest the Gr1 Robert Sangster against Super Smink.”
“Miss Celine is also a quality mare in our draft. A stakes winning two-year-old herself, she has a super pedigree being a half-sister to Gr2 winner Enbihaar, who in turn is the mother of Too Darn Lizzie and her yearling full brother who sold for A$2.2 million recently. These well performed mares off the track are always going to be well sought after.”
“Of the pregnant mares we also have a really nice line up. Amelita is a nice Group Three winning mare in foal for the first time to our Champion First Season sire Ole Kirk. Proven producer Arctic Success who is the mother of million-dollar earner Roots is also in foal to Ole Kirk.”
“Then there is dual stakes winner Bonvicini in foal to Champion sire Zoustar as well as Gr2 winner Love You Lucy in foal to freshman stallion Broadsiding. It is a really strong draft of both young mares still racing and proven producers, and we are looking forward to the sale.”
“I would say there are still a few nice racefillies out there heading for stakes company in coming weeks that may feature in the supplementary part of the sale and hopefully we can add to our strong draft with some of these,” White added.
The 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale has attracted a world class line up.
Earlier announced highlights Legarto, O’ Ole, Vibrant Sun, Captured by Love, Quintessa, Startantes, Snitzanova and Stretan Angel among a swag of stakes winning mares up for sale.
The catalogue will be online in the coming weeks.
THE LATEST
NHA CALENDAR
The Sporting Post presents the National Horseracing Authority Calendar per 10 April 2026.
The calendar is a summary of the past week’s penalties and registrations and is an easy-read snapshot of information.
Please click on the image below:
I AM MAXIMUS
SECURES SECOND GRAND NATIONAL
The JP McManus-owned I Am Maximus produced one of the best performances in modern times to secure a second Grand National victory at Aintree on Saturday.
This time, on his third visit, he carried more weight than any of his 33 rivals and became first top-weighted winner since the mighty Red Rum in 1977.
In doing so the 2024 winner landed a “whopper”, as Johnny Dineen christened it, after bookmaking firm Fitzwilliam accepted a £100,000 bet on the winner at 8/1.
On a chilly Liverpool afternoon, the remarkable Paul Townend kept I Am Maximus in mid-field and on the rails throughout most of the 6.9km marathon.
Townend was shrewdly saving the top-weights reserves for the final couple of furlongs and although his mount put in a couple of average jumps, his stamina and class prevailed, and he came home a clear winner by two and a half lengths.
Iroko provided owner JP McManus with the exacta as he stayed on well for the runner-up berth after finishing fourth last year. He came from the clouds for the Cheshire based joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.
The Irish trained Jordans was third but should have finished a lot closer. His jockey Ben Jones, having his second ride in the race, skipped eightlengths clear of the field with over three furlongs to the finish. The 28/1 outsider began to tread water in the final furlong but hung on for third.
The well fancied Johnnywho ran well into fourth a diminishing half a length further back to give McManus a 1-2-4, while the prominently ridden High Class Hero bounced back to form after two pulled up efforts with a gallant fifth at 66/1.
Winning trainer Willie Mullins is now the joint leading trainer in the history of the race with four wins, and was winning his third successive renewal, matching Vincent O’Brien who achieved that feat in the 1950’s.
With eight in the contest Mullins wouldn’t have known where to look, but I Am Maximus and his number one rider Paul Townend delivered as the well-backed 9/2 favourite.
Like the repeat winner Tiger Roll who won in 2018 and 2019, I Am Maximus is a son of Derby winner Authorised and while he will be 11 years old in a year’s time for the 2027 renewal, he could well be up for the challenge.
Red Rum remains the only triple winner of the Grand National. Here’s hoping I Am Maximus can match that incredible feat next year.
Willie Mullins is now the joint leading trainer in the history of the race
Credit: Leopardstown Racecourse
TOP CAPE HUNT JOCKEY WILL BE MISSED
The Cape Hunt and Polo Club amateur racemeetings of a half century ago were an early rite of passage for racing fanatics, some of whom have weathered the years and stood the test of time.
The Sporting Post was sad to learn recently that Mike Sydow, an accomplished rider known to many of us, passed away on Saturday 4 April after a short illness.
A former Assistant Trainer to Chris and Sue Snaith, he would have turned 67 in October.
According to his brother-in-law Rian Rix, who married Mike’s sister Marianne in 1980,
Mike suffered a burst ulcer, which was the forerunner to his health declining.
“Subsequent emergency surgery was performed, but he sadly went downhill thereafter,” confirmed Rian Rix, who fondly recalled the many good times enjoyed in an era when our common bond was a simple love of horses and racing.
“He was a top horseman, and the great trainer Fred Rickaby was very fond of him. Michael loved a horse called Charles Fortune. He was assistant to the late Michael Airey and brought Charles Fortune down in 1984 when he won the Met under the late Grant Kotzen.”
Mike Sydow was a special Uncle, according to the family. Here he is seen with his niece’s son, Rory | Credit: Supplied
Reminiscing about the ‘good old days’, Rian recalled that Mike Miller and Paul Lafferty were ‘big pals’ of his late brother-in-law.
“Long before the days of Uber, they used me as a dedicated driver when they would go out socialising. Eric Chelin also stayed with him when he came down from Gqeberha those days. He slept in the lounge. Such camaraderie and lifetime friendships were forged in the process. They were great times!” added Rian.
A man who rode alongside Mike Sydow in the hurdle races of the time, Garth Puller told the Sporting Post that it was very sad news to hear of his passing. Garth sent us the above photograph.
“Mike was a very accomplished horseman. I recall him getting the better of me by a neck on In Spain. I rode Traverse. It was March 1980 – how the years fly by! We loved the hurdle races – they weren’t for babies – the jumps were more like steeplechase height,” recalled the former champion jockey who rode 6 or 7 winners over the sticks.
Mike Sydow never married but was engaged twice.
Two of his cousins are still in the game – Dr Andre de Villiers has horses with Piet & Elbert Steyn, while Hugo de Villiers keeps his horses with Andries Steyn.
The family held a private memorial service on Saturday.
Mike Sydow and In Spain (on left) goes on to beat Garth Puller and Traverse in the Lancaster Open Hurdle in March 1980
