A ROYAL GAZE
BECKONS APRIL
14
Country Allure
Dressed for success on 4 July?
23 A Shoe-In?
Binda’s astute gin strike 35
Lammerskraal’s Land Of Legends
Magic mares in action 57 Life Begins At 400!
Making momentous millions 90
Seemar’s Road To Success
Dubai World Cup turns 30
On the cover Dean Kannemeyer’s 2025 Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July winner
The Real Prince looks in the pink of health in this photograph taken by Candiese Lenferna at Summerveld last week. After an unsuccessful raid on the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein earlier this month, the son of Gimmethegreenlight is being readied for the SA Champions Season, with the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge and a title defence in the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July his likely chief targets.
Issue: 12/2026
DUBAI WORLD CUP
A HIT SHOW AGAIN?
One of the pinnacle events of the global horseracing calendar, the Dubai World Cup will be held on Saturday at Meydan. Launched in 1996, the event is back for its 30th year.
Hit Show returns under Florent Geroux after winning the 2025 Dubai World Cup | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
With $30,5 million in prize money across nine races, the Dubai World Cup will once again attract the finest horses, trainers and jockeys from across the globe for an unforgettable showcase of world-class racing.
A special edition of the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge will be held and the entire card will be broadcast by GallopTV!
Hit Show shocked plenty of fans and racing professionals 12 months ago when weaving his way between runners under an inspired Florent Geroux to scoop the Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates, but owners Wathnan Racing were not among those to be taken by surprise.
Turning for home the grey son of Candy Ride only had the 2023 winner Ushba Tesoro behind him but patience paid off as Hit Show surged late to run down Mixto and a rallying Forever Young.
Wathnan’s US racing and bloodstock manager Case Clay recalls the thrill of that extraordinary stretch drive all too well.
“It was very exciting,” says Clay. “The remit for Wathnan Racing has been to try and win races that the Emir [of Qatar] and his family would be proud of, and that was a proud night for all of us. Hopefully we can repeat it but it was a special night.”
Hit Show comes into his title defence off an excellent Grade 3 victory at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, where he broke far better than was the case at Meydan last April, before Geroux let him drift back to a spot he was comfortable in.
He also landed the Grade 2 Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland for the second straight year in October, the highlight of a North American
campaign through which trainer Brad Cox kept him busy after his trip to Dubai.
“After the Dubai World Cup last year we shipped him back to Kentucky thinking let’s just see how he goes,” recalls Clay.
“Brad said he is really continuing to do well and as long as he is, he’ll just keep training him.
“He’s a very good traveller and we’ll take the same approach this year after the race. If he needs a break, he’ll get a break.
“But he does seem to thrive on activity. He had five starts last year upon his return and now one in February.”
Geroux is again booked to take the ride on Saturday and is likely to be given a free rein aboard Hit Show, though a decent early pace would clearly be a benefit.
Clays says: “He is a versatile horse and Florent knows him well, so he’ll be able to navigate depending on how the race unfolds. I’d say there won’t be a lot in the way of instructions.
“Florent’s going to see how the race unfolds and the horse can get through spots, like he did in the Fayette last October [under Irad Ortiz]. He loves to train and he just continues to do very well.”
Forever Young bids to reverse the form of last year’s Dubai World Cup, while Clay and Cox will also have a close eye on the Steve Asmussen-trained Magntitude, who edged a thrilling three-way fight ahead of Hit Show and Chunk Of Gold in the Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs last November.
Hit Show at Meydan on Monday | Credit: Dubai Racing Club/Liesl King
“Forever Young at the moment is the best horse in the world,” says Clay. “He’s travelled all over the world and won the big races. And Magnitude is a bit of a freak in himself.
“But Hit Show goes in there and doesn’t have anything to fear. He was able to navigate this race last year and he obviously likes the track. All you can ask is to be in with a chance.”
Clay is also well-acquainted with Wathnan’s other runner in the feature, given Tumbarumba ran fourth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for trainer Brian Lynch before shipping to join Hamad Al Jehani in the Middle East, where he has enjoyed a fruitful campaign.
“Tumbarumba is a horse that loves a fight,” says Clay. “We brought him over for the
carnival and when he goes back to America after the race, he’ll go back to Brian Lynch.
“We were very proud of him in the Saudi Cup, running third, and he ran a very good second in the Al Maktoum Challenge.”
Wathnan’s retained jockey in Europe, James Doyle, will take the ride on Tumbarumba and Clay adds of the Oscar Performance gelding: “He’s a great horse to be around and speaking to Hamad, Tumbarumba seems to have taken a step forward in his recent work since returning from Saudi Arabia.
“I think he’s worthy to be in the race and James knows him well. I think there are a lot of very tough horses in the race but I wouldn’t sleep on him.”
GATEWAY TO THE BIG SEASON
One gets the feeling that the SA Champions Season is just around the corner! Friday’s twilight meeting double feature at Hollywoodbets Greyville speaks loudly of that.
Dean Kannemeyer’s promising Green Gateway – gelded and rested | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
50% of the runners engaged in the sophomore features are raiders, and this mix of quality and national competition certainly lifts the show from the general bread-and-butter fare of recent months on the East Coast.
Interestingly, it will be first time under the lights for the majority of the 3yo’s.
While both races are sadly not sponsored, they host quality fields with the R300 000 Gr3 Byerley Turk looking a ready-made return platform for Dean Kannemeyer’s promising 2025 Listed Sophomore Sprint winner Green Gateway.
A horse held in high regard- he was a Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas entry – Green Gateway stormed home late to win the early summer season feature and was then gelded and rested for 18 weeks.
“Green Gateway hails from a top-class female line, and has plenty of ability. He has a mind of his own, but this was a good performance,” added Dean Kannemeyer after the Sophomore.
The R2 million ticket son of Gimmethegreenlight should relish the step up to 1400m and with a handy galloping mass of 54kgs, could follow up under national logleader, Craig Zackey.
Justin Snaith’s Malmesbury Missile did not fire at his two summer starts down South and, much in the same profile as the Kannemeyer flagbearer, returns from a 15-week break, during which time he was gelded. He has won once and finished second once from as many starts over Friday’s course-and-distance.
The only Grade 1 winner in the field of eight, Glen Kotzen’s Good For You lost form at his last two outings but is distance suited and the class horse in this race.
Hollywood Racing’s I’m A Fireball won the Non-Black Type March Stakes easier than the official margin suggests. Gavin Lerena makes the trip to the coast to ride him. The son of Vercingetorix is another progressive type who has class about him and if getting his own way in front, he can go close in this, his biggest test to date.
Ten fillies line up in the R250 000 Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes.
Justin Snaith’s Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Gimme What I Want lost a length leaving the start in the Maine Chance Farms Gr1 Majorca Stakes last time, but the manner in which she stayed on at the finish was encouraging.
Tienie Prinsloo’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas queen Quickstepgal showed speed in the Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes before getting caught late by Gimme What I Want.
She has won twice and finished second once from as many starts over this track-and-trip and is a definite danger on best form.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Keukenhof has been on the fringes often, with some bad luck along the way. The daughter of The United States was not disgraced in the Majorca Stakes last time. She is likely to be settled near the rear of the field from the widest draw and will be running at them late.
The Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting gets underway at 16h25 on Friday afternoon.
CHAMPIONS DAY FIELDS TODAY
4Racing channelled the spirit of Power, Grace and Speed at a barrier draw event for Day 3 of The Championships which will be run at Turffontein on 4 April, at the Centenary Room on Monday 23 March.
The barrier draws were conducted for the HKJC Premier’s Champions Challenge, TAB Empress Club Stakes and TAB Computaform Sprint.
R1 million TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint
The event kicked off with the draw for the Computaform Sprint and saw defending champion, William Robertson, represented by Xander Spies, draw stall gate 10.
Naqeeb Munshi did the honours for Dean Smith’s East Cape challenger, Kingdundee and drew 4.
Neil Walters stood in for Gareth van Zyl and pulled gate 6 for KZN entry, Luhamba Phambili.
Candice and Tammy Dawson charge Truth drew gate 13.
Last Saturday’s Pinnacle Stakes winner Buffalo Storm Cody drew 8 for the Tony Peter stable.
R1 million TAB Gr1 Empress Club Stakes
Cape representative Rainbow Lorikeet from the Candice Bass stable drew 2, Craig Zackey did the
R2 million HKJC World Pool Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge
There are currently 13 entries for the HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge and Justin Snaith charge Okavango secured pole position, while his WSB Met winning stable companion See It Again drew gate 6.
Tony Peter’s enigmatic Betway Victory Moon Stakes winner The Ultimate King drew stall gate 5, while Sean Tarry’s HKJC World Pool SA Classic winner Grand Empire drew 8.
The field includes two former Betway Summer Cup winners in Atticus Finch (Alec Laird) who drew 12 and Royal Victory (now in the care of Weichong Marwing) who drew gate 11. Gerald Sadlier drew 4 for 2025 Betway Summer Cup runner up, Olivia’s Way.
Unfortunately, the timing of this feature day declaration was not in our favour and final fields were published as we went to publication today.
But you can get all the latest on www.sportingpost.co.za .
honours for Justin Snaith’s Double Grand Slam and drew gate 8, while the Eastern Cape’s Golden Palm got an 11 draw, courtesy of Naqeeb Munshi.
TO 4 JULY! COUNTDOWN
Tickets for the 130th renewal for the R10 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July will go on sale on 8 April, as the build-up to Africa’s greatest horseracing event on 4 July, continues.
At a special event late last week, Hollywoodbets, hosts and title sponsors of the Durban July , revealed ‘Country Allure’ as the theme for this year’s edition.
It’s an invitation to designers, fashionistas and racegoers to draw inspiration from our country’s dramatic, rural landscapes and the elegance of our equestrian culture. It’s an opportunity to give imaginations free rein.
Last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July welcomed 40192 attendees. They were treated to a thriller as the 14-1 The Real Prince, ridden by Craig Zackey and trained by Dean Kannemeyer, beat favourite Eight On Eighteen by a neck.
The big turnout served as a strong indicator of the resurgent appeal of the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
An assessment of the 2025 race confirmed it created about 4500 jobs across a host of sectors, contributing an estimated R840-million to the city’s GDP.
Consider too, the R50-million it generated in national and provincial tax revenue and the hotel occupancy rates of 80% achieved in Durban during race week.
Please watch this space for more information on where to get your tickets!
Key Hollywoodbets Durban July dates
• Entries: Due by 11h00 on 20 April
• First declarations: Due by 11h00 on 11 May
• First supplementary entries: Due by 11h00 on 12 May
• Second declaration: Due by 11h00 on 8 June
• Final supplementary entries: Due by 11h00 on 15 June
• Weights published: Monday 15 June
• Final declaration: Due by 11h00 on 22 June
• Final field and draw: Tuesday 23 June
FINDS HER FORM IN STYLE KLAWERVLEI STUD-BRED 3YO
Just a week after his son Diogenes provided him with a first stakes winner in the Listed Derby Trial renamed in his honour, Silvano’s son Hawwaam opened his graded stakes account when his Klawervlei-bred daughter Perfect Miracle scored a smart victory in the R225 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Sycamore Sprint.
After riding an enterprisingly confident race to win the last at Fairview 24 hours earlier, Marco van Rensburg rode a double on the afternoon, including another well-judged race to grab the ascendancy at the right moment as the Suzette Viljoen-owned Perfect Miracle (9-2) surged ahead to beat the year older Frozen Fantasy (7-1) by a half-length in a time of 67,59 secs for the 1160m to also give trainer Tony Peter a double on the afternoon.
The winner’s stablemate Rachel Wall (15-2) ran a cracker after a 16 week break to run third, a further lengthy back.
The Gqeberha visitor Song Of Myself (6-1) jumped a weak tote favourite, but after looming dangerously late down the inside, failed to go on with her run on the sticky ground.
A R425 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Perfect Miracle was bred by Klawervlei Stud and is, as we have already noted, a first-crop daughter of Hawwaam out of the four-time winning Tiger Ridge mare, Freddy’s Sister.
Perfect Miracle is now a winner of 3 races with 3 places from 8 starts and stakes of R282 962.
Sean Tarry saddled three winners to walk away with the trainer accolade. Keagan de Melo shared the riding honours with Marco van Rensburg.
Marco van Rensburg drives Perfect Miracle clear
AND HIS ASTUTE GIN STRIKE ‘KAALVOET CLINT’
Clint Binda looks to have a live runner in the TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint after his ‘gin strike’ Ziyasha caught the eye to win a 1160m Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
Hollywoodbets-sponsored trainer Clinton Binda – astute move | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
After shortening marginally from an opening call of 14-1 into 25-2, Ziyasha showed his last outing to be wrong, when he stormed home in a time of 67,93 secs to beat the fast-finishing Karate Kid (8-1) by 1,40 lengths, under replacement rider Calvin Habib – carded rider Gavin Lerena was medically indisposed and stood down after the first.
The veteran trainer only runs his horses in alumites if he feels they need them, and told the Sporting Post that he had last run a horse in a full set of shoes ‘some while ago’.
The move to declare alumites on the Hollywood Racing-owned Ziyasha at 06h57 on Friday morning came about after the Nooitgedacht-based conditioner had watched the replays of Ziyasha’s last run in the TAB Gr3 JJ The Jet Plane Stakes ‘a million times’.
Jockey Raymond Danielson had reported that he felt something amiss with the gelding in running.
“His run was too ordinary to be his form. I noticed that Ziyasha wasn’t using his stride – he seemed to be slipping. Like when you get out of the shower on wet tiles – you aren’t going to be as sure-footed or quick as you would be on a carpet. So I thought, let’s try the alumites – that after checking the weather which showed that we would be racing on sticky ground on Saturday,” added Binda.
The move proved a masterstroke and now Ziyasha looks to take his place in the premier sprint on 4 April.
Ziyasha, last wore alumites in November 2024 when he won the Banty Bay Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Ziyasha powers home under SplashOut-sponsored Calvin Habib | Credit: JC Photos
He has now won 7 races with 10 places from his 27 starts. The 3yo Chapbook is the other Binda Computaform Sprint entry.
While the betting suggests that not many of us were not awake to the ‘gin strike’, there are a host of punters who believe in the concept. But when we see a Binda horse carded, we automatically think, ‘barefeet’.
Take it as a lesson learnt – it pays to check the card changes!
Reportedly, aluminium shoes provide better traction on turf and can weigh up to 60% less than the steel equivalent, which is important, because the combined weight of all four shoes on a racehorse, may not exceed 850g, as dictated by NHA rules
While Ziyasha is a Ridgemont bred son of Rafeef, it was another Rafeef gelding from the same top farm that started a 5-2 favourite in the race.
Corne Spies’ ‘iron horse’ William Robertson, who won the TAB JJ The Jet Plane Stakes for his 17th career win at his previous start, never really got into the race and was beaten 2,10 into fourth under his 62 kgs top weight.
The Stipes reported ‘William Robertson abnormal respiratory noise; blowing postrace; fatigued’.
Xander Spies told the Sporting Post that their champion seemingly just needed the run.
“We’ve had a bit of an interrupted training schedule in March with all the rain. This run was basically a prep to get him 100% for the Computaform. He was blowing afterwards, but this will bring him on substantially for the sprint on 4 April. No need for concern. We thought he would go much closer on Saturday, but our assessment was right that the run was needed,” said Xander.
MAKING BIG STRIDES ‘YOUNG STRIKER’
With Jeff Lloyd’s good son Zac Lloyd setting the world alight Down Under when winning the world’s richest 2yo race on Saturday, it’s good to see another young son of a former professional jockey – this time a female rider –stepping up.
Fortune, Domeyer, Habib, Lerena are just some of the other names where the new generation have continued the legacy left by those that went before them.
Now we have the 20-year-old Blaine MarxJacobson, son of former SAJA Apprentice Candice Jacobson and her partner Mark Marx, who hit the headlines last week at Turffontein when riding out his 4kg claim and winning the second jackpot in a remarkable display of confidence and balanced horsemanship.
It has been over 15 years since the then apprentice Athandiwe Mgudlwa became the first trainee to win all four legs of the Jackpot after the legend Michael Roberts did the same, almost 40 years prior to that.
While the modern exotic bet structure on our cards often sees more than one Jackpot offered these days, the lad from the South of Joburg won the final four races on the Turffontein card to record his biggest day ever.
The proud purple patch started in the sixth on Paul Revere and the seventh on Kambati, both for trainer Corrie Lensley. He then won the eighth on Unsolved Riddle for trainer Grant Maroun, and the ninth on Carnelo for trainer Shaylen Naidoo. The Jackpot paid R956!
Blaine Marx-Jacobson’s career has taken off
Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Talking to the Sporting Post on Monday, the eloquent and extremely polite Blaine said that, while he has ridden only 21 winners to date, doing the job for the smaller yards had given him infinitely more pleasure.
“I am not undermining the importance of powerful yards, who are often the launch pads of champion jockeys, but it’s just so special to ride winner for the ‘smaller’ yards, the likes of which made up my jackpot,” he adds.
Other than being a good sportsman and Mom having ridden professionally for a few years, Blaine had no equestrian background – in fact, on the other side of the spectrum his Dad builds racing cars for a living!
But a chance meeting with James Maree on the 2022 Summer Cup Day at Turffontein, when Puerto Manzano was victorious, led to Blaine joining the Eikenhof- based HQ of Gauteng’s Programme for Work Riders.
In January 2023 after attending a SAJA camp, he joined the Summerveld academy and his first ride under rules on 17 October 2024 was a winner, when Blaine made it look so easy, booting home Coming In Hot for Fanie Bronkhorst and Dr Melandie Taljaard.
However, by the end of the 2024/2025 season he had added just one more win in 63 more rides, so was rolling slowly at a strike rate of just 3,12%.
Besides good support from Louis Goosen, Blaine was battling to find his feet in KZN but a move with Jaycee Botes to the Randjesfontein satellite of the academy under veteran Robert Moore, has been a career life changer.
At the beginning of February Blaine had ridden just 3 winners for the season from 97 rides for a strike rate of a paltry 3,09% but has suddenly clicked and from the beginning of February to date has had 70 rides for 21 wins and a strike rate of over 23%. His winning run has included five doubles and the four-timer.
Blaine coyly admits that he has tried to style his riding on the legend Piere Strydom, whose inimitable straight back, while driving with the arms, approach delivered over 5000 winners.
Besides his maturity and uncomplicated style, Blaine has shown solid tactical acumen and demonstrated that in the last leg of his jackpot last week. Caught wide, he didn’t panic and managed to keep his mount, the seven-year-old Shaylen Naidoo-trained Carnelo relaxed.
The gelding duly found extra down the outside to run out a comfortable 2,90 length winner.
As far as racecourses go, Blaine, who stands in his boots at 50kgs, says that he enjoys the tactical tracks with long straights, like Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Turffontein and the Vaal.
Blaine now has a shout at the SA Champion Apprentice title – something that was far-fetched a matter of months ago.
Asked to name the people who have encouraged and motivated him, he says that his parents have been behind him from day 1.
“The turnaround in my fortunes is aligned to trainer support and the inspiration of our SAJA Riding Mr Robert Moore. He’s a Dad, a friend, a counsellor, a coach. And Randjesfontein is a great place to ride work and meet trainers. On Thursdays, if we are racing at Turffontein, we ride there early morning, and Mr Tony Peter and Fabian Habib have been of great support to me. Things are really going well!”
In closing he said that his sponsor Chase Liebenberg, whose sister Genevieve Michel rode for many years, had also been a source of great support.
“I am truly appreciative of all the kindness and support shown to me in my career so far. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else!”
KYLE STRYDOM
- READY TO MAKE A BIG GO OF IT!
Former SA Champion Apprentice Kyle Strydom has returned home with his fiancé Emily Cunha after a 30-month stint in the UK, and will be based in Johannesburg, with plans to travel to the other centres.
The 24-year-old son of East Cape veteran conditioner Jacques Strydom, and nephew of multiple champion jockey Piere ‘Striker’ Strydom, takes his first ride back at Turffontein today.
Our 2020/21 South African Champion Apprentice, and one of Gqeberha’s favourite sons of the saddle, Kyle left for the UK in October 2023 and rode 29 winners.
He returns richer for the experience and a more polished product than the prodigious young talent that left our shores.
“I could never have bought the experience gained of riding in the UK, amongst some of the best jockeys in the world. It’s a tough and competitive environment, on a wide variety of racetracks. Rides are not easy to come by and the racing entails extensive travel. Emily still works for her Dad, and we decided that at this stage of our young lives, it would be opportune to return home and build ourselves up,” added Kyle as chatted to us while moving into their new home on Wednesday.
Kyle said that as he rode heavier in the UK, he stands in his boots at 57,5kgs today, but will get his weight down in the next few weeks.
“I plan to travel as much as possible and am really looking forward to making a big go of it. I am in the process of appointing an agent. So it’s all systems go!”
In reaction to his son’s return home, Jacques Strydom, aka ‘Oupa’, told the Sporting Post that the family were thrilled to have Kyle and Emily back on home turf and would be giving them all the support they needed.
While he has one ride respectively at Fairview on Friday, and Turffontein on Saturday, Kyle said he would expect to pick up the momentum soon.
MASTER OF MY FATE FILLY REMAINS UNBEATEN IN THE EASTERN CAPE
On a frustrating day for the top combination of Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie, Peter Moor’s top-class Anotherdanceforme proved a bright ray of light as she ran right away from her field to win the R250 000 Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas at Fairview on Friday.
It’s not often that the combination eke out just a single winner on a Friday, but things just didn’t pan out early on, and thankfully the Varsfontein Stud-bred daughter of Master Of My Fate maintained her unbeaten record in seven East Cape starts (and a Gr2 success in KZN as a 2yo) as she strolled clear at 3-10 to beat stablemate Augusta Rosso (33-1) by 5,25 lengths in a time of 99,25 secs for the mile.
The Cape raider In A Timely Manner (28-10) was beaten a further quarter length back in third.
While this was hardly a vintage renewal of the East Cape Guineas, Anotherdanceforme could not have done more than win in the manner in which she did.
Now a winner of 8 of her 9 starts for stakes of R919 469, the only blemish on her copybook
was her unplaced run behind Princess Of Gaul in the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship in early November last year, when she was clearly off colour.
Anotherdanceforme, who is out of the What A Winter mare Destiny Dancer, was a R650 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.
A full-sister to Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes winner Princess Izzy, Anotherdanceforme has now won five black type races, including last season’s Gr2 SplashOut Golden Slipper at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Her sire Master Of My Fate (Jet Master) is enjoying another fine season, with the son of Jet Master also responsible for the likes of Atticus Finch (Gr2 Allied Steelrode -Onamission Charity Mile), Okavango and Anotherdanceforme, Listed Play ‘N Go Jet Master Stakes winner Jet Force and Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic runnerup, Golden Palm.
Master Of My Fate, whose yearlings made up to R2.2 million at the recent Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale, has 16 lots on offer at the National Yearling Sale
Richard Fourie steers Anotherdanceforme to victory | Credit: Pauline Herman
FEATURE SUCCESS FOR LAMMERSKRAAL MATRONS
The late Mike Rattray’s policy of buying well-performed fillies had a huge impact on the success of one of the most renowned studs in South Africa, Lammerskraal Stud.
For many years Rattray purchased every good race filly he could and on that solid foundation, reaped the rewards with an enviable broodmare band whose descendants continue to excel to this day.
Just this past weekend, two stakes winners added to the sterling reputations of mares which had such a vital impact on the success of Lammerskraal in its pomp.
The first to strike was Master Of My Fate filly Anotherdanceforme.
Trained by Alan Greeff for Peter Moor, she has put together an enviable record of eight wins from nine starts , the latest of which a
five-length romp in the Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas on Friday.
A perfect juvenile campaign of five wins from as many starts included a sortie to Durban for the Gr2 Golden Slipper, where she had the measure of subsequent Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Quickstepgal. The sole blip on her otherwise unblemished record is an off-the-board finish in the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.
The three-year-old has since regained the winning thread in two starts since and prior to Friday’s success, also landed the Listed Breeders Guineas in late February.
Anotherdanceforme is the second stakes winner out of the What A Winter mare Destiny Dancer and was preceded by older full sister Princess Izzy, winner of the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes.
Mike and Norma Rattray |
Lammerskraal-bred Destiny Dancer never raced due to injury, but packed a powerful pedigree as a three-part sister to Champion Miler and triple Gr1 winner Capetown Noir and his Gr3 winning own brother Across The Ice. Their dam Akinfeet was by Fort Wood out of one of Lammerskraal’s earliest purchases, the classic winner Dance Every Dance.
Trained by Mike Airey, this daughter of Northern Guest had won both the Cape Fillies Guineas and Golden Slipper. Former Lammerskraal manager Sally Bruss, who oversaw the expansion of the farm, the development of the broodmare band and the stallion phenomenon that was Western Winter, recalls: “She was one of many wellperformed fillies Mr Rattray bought. She was a deep-bodied mare but a flippin handful, same as Akinfeet.”
After cracking her maiden, Akinfeet was sent to Dubai where she finished third in the UAE 1000 Guineas.
“We were offered quite a lot of money for her but we brought her home,” Sally recalls.
“That was the start of something special.”
Indeed, for she became a Broodmare of the Year and produced not just Capetown Noir and Across The Ice, but also stakes-placed fillies Maxixe, In The Dance and Premier Dance.
Remarkably, her lesser daughters have to date out-performed their more accomplished half-sisters, notably Destiny Dancer and her unplaced Parade Leader half-sister Dance Domain, the dam of Champion Juvenile Filly Anything Goes and the Gr1-placed, Gr3 winner Green Laser. The second stakes winner to descend from one of the original Lammerskraal matrons is Suzette Viljoen’s filly Perfect Miracle.
A daughter of promising young stallion Hawwaam, she opened her stakes account in the Gr3 World Sports Betting Sycamore Sprint at Turffontein, barely a week after paternal half-brother Diogenes had won the Listed Derby Trial renamed in their young sire’s honour. The champion son of Silvano continues to grow in stature as a stallion and sired no less than five winners across the country on Friday and Saturday.
Perfect Miracle was bred at Klawervlei Stud from the Tiger Ridge mare Freddy’s Sister, whose female line entered the Lammerskraal fold with the purchase of Irish-bred Welsh Woman in the late eighties.
“We bought Welsh Woman at the Pietermaritzburg sale as one of our foundation mares,” Sally said.
A small, close-coupled individual this daughter of the sprinter Welsh Saint ran third in the Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and was rated the second top-rated juvenile filly in Ireland. Sent to South Africa, she built on that fine form with five more wins, whilst her string of stakes places were topped by a third in the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Welsh Woman enjoyed a long and prolific broodmare career at Lammerskraal and reserved her place in history as the dam of Horse of the Year and champion 3yo Celtic Grove, a “big block of a horse”, according to Sally.
Welsh Woman foaled the son of Fort Wood when she was 16, at which stage she had already bred the stakes winner Lion Prince, as well as his Elliodor full-sister Welsh Damsel. Her dam’s second foal, she raced as she had suffered a broken hindleg as a foal.
Retained for broodmare duties, the diminutive Welsh Damsel became a broodmare success. Sent to Sportsworld, she produced Gay Regina, whose prowess on the racetrack was all too evident. A Gr2 winner as a juvenile, she won at Gr3 level at three before chasing home future Lammerskraal broodmare Donatella in the (then) Gr1 SA Fillies Guineas.
Purchased at the end of her career by the Oppenheimers, Gay Regina joined the Mauritzfontein broodmare band where she has established her own little dynasty.
A mating to Silvano resulted in the Gr3 winner Bulsara. Unlucky never to score a Gr1 win, he was runner-up in all of the Premier’s Champion Stakes, SA Classic and Champions Cup and ran third in the Gold Challenge.
To Fort Wood, Gay Regina produced the filly Gay Fortuna, who returned to Mauritzfontein
as a stakes-placed winner of two. She likewise clicked with Silvano, producing the champion and Durban July winner Marinaresco and his Gr2 winning, Gr1-placed sister Marina. To Ideal World, she bred Kenilworth Cup winner Mercurana.
Sent to Tiger Ridge, Gay Regina foaled the filly Freddy’s Sister. She won four races, but more importantly, became the dam of Perfect Miracle. Interesting too, that it was a mating with Silvano’s son Hawwaam which has made her a stakes producer.
Mike Rattray passed away in early April 2022, by which time Lammerskraal had passed into new hands. Yet his pursuit of excellence ensured that the impact of its storied female families continues to resonate across the South African racing industry.
We believe he would be immensely proud.
Lammerskraal – home of champions | Credit: Supplied
- AND A STABLE EXACTA! KELLY MITCHLEY AGAIN
An R80 000 National Yearling Sale bargain buy, the Riverton-bred Anuschka’s World took his stakes earnings to over R600 000 when he scored his first stakes success to win the R175 000 Hollywoodbets Supports ECHCU Listed East Cape Sprint Cup at Fairview on the Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit raceday on Friday.
Just a week earlier, Kelly Mitchley saddled a career first stakes winner when Marchmount won the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery.
On Friday she did it again – this time saddling an exacta in the speed feature with the uber consistent Anuschka’s World (2-1) clocking 69,77 secs under the Stone Stamcorsponsored Muzi Yeni for the 1200m, when holding off his grey stablemate Roman Agent (7-1) by a quarter length.
The 18-10 tote favourite Fairy Knight was a further 3,75 lengths back in third.
The winner is raced by Etienne and Cameron Braun & Sean Meadows and has now won 5 races with 17 places from 28 starts and stakes of R607 237.
Bred by the Barry’s Riverton Stud in the beautiful Robertson Valley, the winner is by One
World (Captain Al) out of the thrice-winning Kahal mare, Brigtnumberfour.
The victory was sweetly timed as Anuschka’s World has an Erik The Red half-brother (#326) on the BSA National Yearling Sale on 16 & 17 April!
Fairview hosted Friday’s special charity raceday in honour of the Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit (ECHCU) to support the Unit’s tireless work in rehoming and providing veterinary care for retired and rescued racehorses, donkeys and other equines –giving these special animals the second chances they deserve.
Under the leadership of Carla Hazel, the unit services all the Gqeberha Metro townships, i.e. Gqeberha, Uitenhage and Despatch, as well as Clinics in Humansdorp and Grahamstown, and have a good working relationship with the NMMM Cowboys and SA Police Services.
Anuschka’s World (Muzi Yeni) draws clear to beat stablemate Roman Agent (Wayne Agrella) in the support feature | Credit: Pauline Herman
NATIONAL SALE PROSPECTS BOOST FOR RIVERTON’S
When the Riverton Stud bred Anuschka’s World (One World) won Friday’s Listed Hollywoodbets Supports ECHCU East Cape Sprint Cup he made amends for his third place finish in the same race last year.
And in an exciting twist of fortuitous timing for Duncan Barry and his team, Friday’s winner has an Erik The Red three-parts sister (Lot 326) on offer at the National Yearling Sale.
Anuschka’s World is the latest stakes winner for Equus Champion and 2020 Gr1 Sun Met winner One World.
The son of Captain Al was South Africa’s Leading First and Second Season Sire in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 respectively.
Anuschka’s World is the fifth stakes winner to have emerged from One World’s stellar first crop, headed by globetrotting Equus Champion One Stripe.
Winner of both the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas and L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate, One Stripe made a big impression when finishing a close second in this year’s Pegasus Gr1 World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes.
One World’s second crop was headed by the graded stakes winners Dreamworld and She’s My World, while his third crop includes unbeaten Listed TAB Storm Bird Stakes winner World Attraction, with a plethora of well-bred two-year-olds yet to race.
Anuschka’s World is out of the useful Kahal mare Brigtnumberfour, who won three times and ran second in the Listed Banyana Handicap. She is a full-sister to Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Noble Heir, the dam of Gr3 MRC Quezette Stakes winner Crown Witness.
It’s worth noting that Noble Heir is not the only daughter of Kahal to produce an Australian group winner, with Kahal’s Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winning daughter Chocolicious the dam of this year’s Gr3 VRC Francis Tressady Stakes winner Paradise City (Deep Field).
Kahal has enjoyed notable success as a broodmare sire, with his daughters having also produced champions of the ilk of Mrs Geriatrix (Vercingetorix) and Royal Victory (Pathfork), as well as promising sire, and Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Chimichuri Run (Trippi).
Brigtnumberfour and Noble Heir were produced by the four-time winning Irish
Honour (Kilconnel), a half-sister to the smart performers Sacred Honour (Harry Hotspur) and Arabian Honour (Al Mufti), as well as to the dam of Gr3 Umzimkhulu Handicap winner Honour And Glory (Hermitage).
Anuschka’s World is the latest in a long line of stakes winners descended in female line from arguably South Africa’s most famous broodmare, Drohsky. The latter is the eighth dam of Anuschka’s World.
Drohsky’s remarkable granddaughter Maritime (Merchant Navy) ranks as the sixth dam of Friday’s Listed winner.
Maritime will be forever remembered as the dam of legendary South African star Sea Cottage (Fairthorn), but she also produced SA Guineas/Cape Derby winner Top Gallant (White Horses), and July winner Naval Escort (Escort II).
Anuschka’s World is not, however, the only recent South African stakes winner descended in female line from Drohsky.
The top-class Questioning (Querari), runnerup in this season’s L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate and winner of both the Khaya Stables Gr2 Diadem Stakes and Race Coast Gr3 Matchem Stakes, is another descended in female line from Drohsky, with Questioning tracing back directly to Drohsky’s daughter Lindro.
• The BSA National Yearling Sale will be held on 16 & 17 April at the TBA Complex in Johannesburg.
RACEDAY EVER! ECHCU’S BEST
The charity race day in honour of the Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit (ECHCU) hosted at Fairview on 20 March was a massive success, with new records set and plans already underway to make the 2027 event even bigger.
The raceday is an opportunity for stakeholders to support the Unit’s tireless work in rehoming and providing veterinary care for retired and rescued racehorses, donkeys and other equines, giving these special animals the second chances they deserve.
Under the leadership of Carla Hazel, the unit services all the Gqeberha Metro townships, i.e. Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch, as well as Clinics in Humansdorp and Grahamstown, and have a good working relationship with the NMMM Cowboys and SA Police Services.
The charity drive has been staged successfully for several years with the support of lifelong horse lovers Dorrie and Mark Sham, who also spearheaded the Highveld Horse Care Unit (HHCU) charity day at Turffontein last September.
Credit: Pauline Herman
A record R420 000 was raised at last year’s Fairview function, boosted by a large surprise contribution from an anonymous donor. “There are always a handful of kind, anonymous givers,” Dorrie Sham said. “Every donation helps. Whether they are large or small, they make the end result more meaningful.”
This year, the ‘bricks’ on the charity’s custommade, fibreboard ‘Wall of Welfare’ were sold for R500 apiece.
Together with contributions from generous donors, which include a framed photograph of the 2023 Springbok Rugby World Cup winners by renowned sports photographer Kevin James; signed photos of Frankie Dettori, donated by Liesl King; a horse head made from artistic 1969 Murano Glass, two horse statues and a gift voucher from leading Gqeberha pet photographers, Jan Elliot and Joanne Alberts
The ECHCU is further assisted by Tracy Schoeman, who runs the ‘ECHCU Auction Room’ on Facebook.
The ECHCU’s Carla Hazel reported that last Friday was a fantastic race day.
“A huge thank you to Dorrie Sham and Mark for organising the amazing event. Hollywoodbets, Jan and Linda Stekhoven from Bryanston Auctioneers, Mining Pressure Systems, Wilgersbosdrift , Ridgemont, New Turf Carriers, Mauritzfontein, Narrow Creek Stud and World Sports Betting for sponsoring the races for the day. Thank you to 4 Racing and the Racehorse Owners Association for the facilities for the day. To Pauline Herman - thank you for all the bricks you brought in and the lovely pics on the day. And of course a huge thank you to each and everyone who bought a brick in support of the day. We are truly grateful to have so much support going forward, it really makes the utmost difference in our day to day challenges. Thank you to all the sponsors of the auction items, there were some wonderful pieces. We are currently sitting on in excess of R450 000. The best Race Day yet!”
– BUT 500 UP FOR
In a two-day festival of milestones after Justin Snaith hit the R400 million stakesearnings mark at Fairview 24 hours earlier, top KZN jockey Tristan Godden enjoyed the honour of booting home longstanding Cape owner Etienne Braun’s memorable 500th winner at a sunny Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
Cape owner Etienne Braun celebrates the memorable 500th winner | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Godden rode a finely judged race as he steered the Royal Mo colt From The Island to victory in the opener.
While Ossie Noach almost crashed the party when he produced the grey Hero’s Journey with a flying late dash, Godden had timed things perfectly and got the Justin Snaith galloper out of the maidens by a whisker.
Besides being crowned SA champion trainer six times, Justin Snaith makes his own luck and commented afterwards that he was happy that the Braun milestone didn’t arrive at Fairview – “Otherwise I’d have to listen to his Gqeberha trainer!”
The winner is owned in partnership by Jonathan Bloch, Etienne Braun and his son Cameron Braun, together with Jonathan Snaith & Leonard and Rene Feinstein.
From The Island is the Feinstein’s first horse!
“It’s been a long haul – thanks to the trainers, the jockeys, the breeders and the partners There have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows,” added an emotional Etienne Braun who named his best as international star and leading SA stakes earner Jay Peg, who during the 2006/7 season completed the unique feat of a Cape season clean sweep of the 3yo features – the Cape Classic, the Selangor Cup, the Cape Guineas and the Cape Derby, before going on to achieve international success.
He also gave his Met winner One World an honourable mention.
Etienne Braun will be pleased with the empirical evidence that he took all of 28 odd years to reach his 400th winner – that was the Tara Laing-trained Aranjuez who won at Fairview on 21 May 2021 under Chase Maujean – yet only just under five years to add another 100!
Tristan Godden does the honours on From The Island | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
We reported during the bleak Covid-19 years that a chance conversation at a tote near the famous Southern Suburbs canine-shaped roundhouse the Spotty Dog in Tokai in the early 1990’s provided Etienne Braun with a relatively inauspicious start to horseracing ownership.
Etienne’s first horse Captured Donn was bred by Doc van Rooyen’s parents. The son of Capture Him was also probably one of the slowest he has ever raced.
But it’s really not a bad idea to have started with a slowcoach, as he picked up the tempo and raced some bombs over the years.
And while Captured Donn, after a few uninspiring double-digit distances off the winners, only survived three runs or so, Noordhoek-based Mike Stewart was to provide Etienne with his icebreaker on 30 October 1993. Justin Snaith was only 17 years old!
The late Alan Levy rode the Centenary filly Mooning to victory in a modest R16 000 Fillies Maiden Plate to get the Braun streak under way.
Etienne suggested in an interview in 2021 that owning horses is not a hobby to pursue with one’s eyes closed.
“If you write off your capital outlay upfront and accept that it’s going to provide you with thrills, disappointments and an opportunity to meet some wonderful people along the way, then you won’t be let down – and you are bound to have a great experience,” he added.
Sporting Post-sponsored Tristan Godden got the golden opportunity to boot home a double on the day for Snaith Racing – Justin lauding the Natalian for putting in the hard yards while the locals ‘were sleeping’.
Tristan Godden salutes as Zac Bloch, together with Etienne Braun and his son Cameron lead the milestone winner in, with Justin Snaith following | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
BASS IN HOT FORM
In terms of stake money and average merit ratings, the Lucky Fish Fire Strike Middle Stakes over 1250m topped the Hollywoodbets
Durbanville bill on Saturday and here the Candice Bass trained What A Fortune registered his fourth career victory.
Run in a time over a second faster than the quicker of the other two races over the distance, his stable companion Masterofthedesert made the running and the pace was a good one. The What A Winter gelding meanwhile sat just a length and a half away in second.
He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and although his stablemate found extra when headed, he finished the better to score by a half. Running on from three and a half lengths behind the winner, third placed Oliver quickened well late and recorded the fastest 400m to finish time in the race.
They also ran three races over 1600m and somewhat surprisingly they were all open maiden events.
In the fastest of these, the Centenary Club Open Maiden (fillies), the Hawwaam filly LADY ORBIT (troublesome loading, hooded) caused a major upset. Freely available at 40/1 on the off, Michelle Rix’s charge raced sixth of the nine some four lengths off the pace for most of the journey.
The aptly named Giddy Up Grace was the first to make a move and ran on strongly after taking up the running 400m out.
Lady Orbit fairly flew in the closing stages of the race though, and in a classic finish she got up 20m from home.
Jockey Gareth Wright rode Lady Orbit. Trainer Michelle Rix was fined R1000 for booking jockey Corne Orffer without his prior consent.
Track Conditions
Going: Good
Penetrometer: 21
Rain:
Irrigation:
Last 24 hours 1mm –
Last 7 days 1mm
Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 60mm
False Rail: 1m on back straight with 3m spur at 450m mark
Wind: 15-30km/h Southerly cross wind
Course Variant: 1,22s fast
The opening HWB Durbanville Welcomes You Maiden Juvenile Plate won by FROM THE ISLAND was the quicker of the two 1400m events.
Taken straight to the front by Tristan Godden, the son of Royal Mo led throughout. He was two lengths clear going through the 400m and at that stage it looked as if he would go on to score comfortably.
Running on from three lengths off the pace though, the lesser fancied of Vaughan Marshall’s two runners Hero’s Journey began to close in quickly over the final 200m and in
what proved to be a real thriller, he only lost out on the nod.
In a time 0,21 seconds slower than the aforementioned maiden juvenile plate, nobody wanted to take up the running in the early stages of the Bet With Tote www.tote.co.za Class 4 event over 1400m .
The well-supported favourite KING’S QUEST gained a very soft lead shortly after entering the turn and the tempo did then pick up a little.
Even so, they were 2 seconds slower than the maiden juvenile event going through the 600m.
Candice Bass’ charge was always around a length and a half clear and went on to score
by that margin with plenty in hand. The fastest 400m to finish time in this false run race, and indeed, the fastest time for that segment of the afternoon, was recorded by fifth placed Clark Griswold.
At the back going through the 400m, and then having to switch out 250m from home, the 3yo son of Horizon finished strongly.
Clark Griswold had been restless in the pens and difficult to settle. He also clipped heels at 1200m. He can only improve.
Fastest Times:
1250m (3) What A Fortune 74,08 1400m (2) From The Island 84,72 1600m (3) Lady Orbit 97,31 400-finish Clark Griswold 22,10
NHA CALENDAR
20 MARCH 2026
The Sporting Post presents the National Horseracing Authority Calendar per 20 March 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:
– AND GALLOPING STRONGLY! R400 MILLION
Six-times SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith reached a landmark of stakes earnings on African soil at Fairview on Friday when he surpassed the R400 million marker as the Legislate filly La Landonne scored a second career victory in the Greg & Gina Bortz silks under JP van der Merwe, in the fifth race, an MR 84 Handicap (F&M).
This was the second leg of a winning double on the afternoon for the Cape raiders, after the Wilgerbosdrift owned Homing Pigeon – yet another winner for Hawwaam – shed her maiden certificate in the third race under Craig Zackey.
Justin Snaith, who is R8 million rand ahead
of his nearest rival Sean Tarry just three weeks past the halfway marker of the current season, told the Sporting Post that he was incredibly proud to have reached this milestone.
“But more importantly, I’m grateful to have realised these stakes on behalf of the owners who have supported me throughout my career. This game simply doesn’t exist without them – owners are the lifeblood of our sport, and their passion is what keeps it alive and thriving,” added the horseman who has achieved the milestone at the relatively young age of 50.
Snaith reflected that it’s been ‘a journey filled with highs and lows’.
“But working with these incredible animals, alongside such wonderful people, has been a true privilege.
A big thank you as well to Hollywoodbets, Greg Bortz and 4Racing for their ongoing support and commitment to growing the sport. With the positive changes and increased stakes, hopefully the next R400 million comes around a lot quicker.”
“
With an emotional lilt in his voice, Justin paid tribute to his team.
“Past and present, this achievement belongs to all of you. Every single person has played a part, and I’ve merely been one cog in a much bigger wheel. And to the real stars, the horses, thank you for your heart, your courage, and for carrying our dreams every step of the way.
In conclusion, Justin said that he hoped that along the way they had we’ve managed to put a few rand into the punters’ pockets too.
Ed – Hear, hear!
Snaith Racing is a family business established in 1974. Succeeding the legacy and reputation of Chris Snaith, brothers Justin and Jonathan were raised in the yard, learning the ropes, riding work and taught how to run a successful stable from the ground up.
When they took over the reins in 2000, the brothers added youthful energy, innovation and enthusiasm, but the founding principles of team work, hard work and the belief that the more time you spend with your horses the better they get remain evident at the heart of Snaith Racing and clearly continue to deliver results.
JP van der Merwe salutes on the milestone winner La Landonne as his delighted ‘Oupa’ Solomon Rheeder and Mrs Rheeder enjoy the occasion with the Snaith Racing Team | Credit: Pauline Herman
SERIOUS CONDUCT ALLEGATIONS
- INTERIM SUSPENSION FOR KHUMALO
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (NHA) confirms that it has imposed an interim suspension on licensed jockey Smanga Khumalo, with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a formal Inquiry.
This decision follows the emergence of serious allegations concerning the jockey’s conduct, which are currently under investigation and will form the subject of an Inquiry scheduled for 7 and 8 April 2026.
Smanga Khumalo
The allegations relate, inter alia, to:
• communications and financial dealings linked to race activity;
• exchange-betting and related conduct; and
• actions allegedly inconsistent with the integrity of horseracing and the obligations of a licensed jockey.
These matters potentially constitute contraventions of multiple Rules of the NHA, including provisions relating to:
• corrupt or dishonest practices;
• prohibited betting activities;
• conduct affecting the performance of a horse; and
• conduct bringing the sport into disrepute.
Interim Suspension
In terms of Rule 91.2 of the NHA Rules, the Chief Executive has determined that the continued participation of the jockey poses an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the sport.
Accordingly, during the period of suspension, the jockey is:
• prohibited from riding in any race under NHA jurisdiction;
• prohibited from participating in race meetings in any capacity as a licensed jockey; and
• required to comply with all directives issued by the NHA.
Basis For Decision
The NHA emphasises that this action is taken in the interests of:
• safeguarding the integrity of horseracing;
• maintaining public and industry
confidence in race outcomes; and
• preventing any potential continuation or repetition of the alleged conduct.
• The Authority further notes that the interim suspension is a precautionary measure and does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Inquiry Process
A formal Inquiry will be convened on 7 and 8 April 2026, where the jockey will be afforded full procedural rights, including:
• legal representation;
• the opportunity to present and challenge evidence; and
• a fair hearing before an Inquiry Board constituted in terms of the NHA Constitution.
• The interim suspension will remain in place pending the outcome of this process, subject to any further lawful determination.
Commitment To Integrity
The NHA reiterates its zero-tolerance approach to conduct that undermines the integrity of horseracing. The Authority remains steadfast in its mandate to ensure that the sport is conducted fairly, transparently, and in a manner that upholds public confidence.
Further investigations in respect of other licensees are currently on-going.
• Media release by NHA on Monday 23 March 2026
SERIOUS CONDUCT ALLEGATIONS -
INTERIM SUSPENSION FOR MXOTHWA
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (NHA) confirms that it has imposed an interim suspension on licensed jockey Luyolo Mxothwa, with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a formal Inquiry.
This decision follows the emergence of serious allegations concerning the jockey’s conduct, which are currently under investigation and will form the subject of an Inquiry scheduled for 7 and 8 April 2026.
The allegations relate, inter alia, to:
• communications and financial dealings linked to race activity;
• exchange-betting and related conduct; and
• actions allegedly inconsistent with the integrity of horseracing and the obligations of a licensed jockey.
These matters potentially constitute contraventions of multiple Rules of the NHA, including provisions relating to:
• corrupt or dishonest practices;
• prohibited betting activities;
• conduct affecting the performance of a horse; and
• conduct bringing the sport into disrepute.
Interim Suspension
In terms of Rule 91.2 of the NHA Rules, the Chief Executive has determined that the continued participation of the jockey poses an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the sport.
Accordingly, during the period of suspension, the jockey is:
• prohibited from riding in any race under NHA jurisdiction;
Louis Mxothwa – suspended
Credit: Chase Liebenberg
• prohibited from participating in race meetings in any capacity as a licensed jockey; and
• required to comply with all directives issued by the NHA.
Basis For Decision
The NHA emphasises that this action is taken in the interests of:
• safeguarding the integrity of horseracing;
• maintaining public and industry confidence in race outcomes; and
• preventing any potential continuation or repetition of the alleged conduct.
• The Authority further notes that the interim suspension is a precautionary measure and does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Inquiry Process
A formal Inquiry will be convened on 7 and 8 April 2026, where the jockey will be afforded full procedural rights, including:
• legal representation;
• the opportunity to present and challenge evidence; and
• a fair hearing before an Inquiry Board constituted in terms of the NHA Constitution.
• The interim suspension will remain in place pending the outcome of this process, subject to any further lawful determination.
Commitment To Integrity
The NHA reiterates its zero-tolerance approach to conduct that undermines the integrity of horseracing. The Authority remains steadfast in its mandate to ensure that the sport is conducted fairly, transparently, and in a manner that upholds public confidence.
Further investigations in respect of other licensees are currently on-going.
• Media release by NHA on Monday 23 March 2026
HORSES,POWER
WHO SHAPED HISTORY AND THE FIGURES
Long before modern warfare was conducted through social media, motorcades and ballistic missiles, one animal carried leaders, explorers and statesmen with great dignity.
Throughout history the horse has symbolised nobility, power and even salvation – an image that may offer a measure of escape as we struggle to see lasting solutions to the carnage unfolding around the world. It carries darker undertones too, thundering through prophecy and myth – most famously in the biblical vision of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. For some, this ancient image of the Four Horsemen may feel unsettlingly relevant to the world we see today.
Perhaps it is better to dwell on the horse’s more noble symbolism through history rather than allow darker imagery to draw us into fear and foreboding. Horses are no longer central to warfare or political power, but in politically volatile times such as these the mind may drift to the timeless image of a powerful figure on horseback.
Many of history’s most influential leaders were accomplished horsemen, and few figures better connect the modern world with the age of horse-borne leadership than Britain’s wartime Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965).
Young Churchill was a cavalry officer who rode with the 21st Lancers at Omdurman in 1898 and fought the Mahdist regime in Sudan. Horses were an integral part of military life in that era, and Churchill’s early experiences in the saddle helped shape the character of the statesman who would later guide Britain through its darkest hour.
Churchill considered horseracing to be an integral part of British tradition and culture, and frequently attended race meetings at Ascot and Epsom. The cigar-smoking Prime Minister was an enthusiastic owner himself and, fittingly, his best horse was the 13-time winner, Colonist II.
Ronald Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II
Commons
Churchill’s modern-day successor wouldn’t be expected to or capable of mounting a horse with resolve, let alone ride towards danger at the head of their troops, but there are many other horse-loving leaders who earned their place in history.
Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022) had a lifelong passion for horses. An avid breeder and racehorse owner, she racked up 1600 winners and was a patron of the British Horse Society, the Fell Pony Society, and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. The Queen won 24 races at Royal Ascot and among her best was 1954 European Champion Aureole; the 1977 Oaks winner Dunfermline and 2013 Ascot Gold Cup winner, Estimate.
The first US President George Washington (1732-1799) was known as an exceptional horseman. He was in command when
the US defeated Great Britain in the Revolutionary War. Washington was famous for his prowess in the saddle during battle, often on his favourite horse, Nelson.
Another American Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson (1743 –1826) was said to be a bold and fearless horse rider who rode almost every day during his presidency. He had a keen interest in Arabian stallions and breeding, kept a detailed journal on horse care and attended race meetings at a racecourse near the White House.
Ulysses S. Grant (1822 -1885), the 18th US President, led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War in 1865 as commanding general. A legendary rider known for his ‘sensitive hands’, he rode his favourite horse, Cincinnati, during the American Civil War.
Wolraad Woltemade statue at Old Mutual Building in Cape Town | Credit: Supplied
Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919), suffered from asthma and took up horseback riding to boost his overall strength. He commanded the 1St US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed ‘The Rough Riders’, during the Spanish-American War in Cuba in 1898. In the early years of automobiles, Roosevelt declined an offer to own one and famously declared, “The Roosevelts are horse people”.
More recently Ronald Reagan (1911 - 2004), was an active horse lover and rider whose out-of-office routine included daily riding and grooming at his farm, Rancho del Cielo. During his presidency, in 1982, Reagan once rode out at Windsor Castle with Queen Elizabeth II.
The current US President Donald J. Trump (1946- ), briefly flirted with racehorse ownership in 1988, when he spent a whopping $500,000 on a colt by Raise A Native. He named it ‘DJ Trump’ and was hoping to win the Kentucky Derby, but the young horse suffered leg problems and never made it to the track.
South African history – from whichever political perspective it is told – is rich in equine heritage. It begins, perhaps inevitably, with the much-loved or muchmaligned Jan van Riebeeck (1619–1677), the first Commander of the Cape, who sailed into Table Bay from the Netherlands in 1652.
Soon after he settled in, Van Riebeeck requested horses to be sent to his new base for transport and expansion purposes. He is credited with introducing the first domestic horses to the Cape. The first to land were Javanese Ponies, who were used to the advantage of the Dutch ‘Kommando’s’ in skirmishes with the indigenous Khoikhoi people.
In later years, the ponies were mated with horses from Arabian and Persian origin and formed the foundation for uniquely South African breeds like the ‘Boerperd’.
• Read more by clicking on the image below:
AN EXPRESS PERFORMANCE
Comfortably the quicker of the two races over ground at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday was the Join Race Coast Turf Club Today! Class 4 over 2000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Dean Kannemeyer trained Continentalexpress.
The second favourite High Queue made the running and the pace was a good one. Initially priced up as a joint favourite (3/1 out to 6/1), the easy to back son of Vercingetorix was always travelling well meanwhile and positioned just two lengths away in third, he was always poised to strike.
He only had to be shaken up in order to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and when given a couple of smacks 200m out, he drew clear in good style
The Servotech B Stakes over 1400m topped the bill on Sunday afternoon and in what proved to be by far the quickest of the four races over the distance, the 5yo son of What A Winter, Winter Games registered his fifth career victory.
Well-supported throughout the day into 15/2 from 14/1, Mike Miller’s charge broke well and was very quickly two lengths clear.
He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although the always second Kitchakal chased hard all the way to the wire, it was only when the winner began to ease late on that he made any headway.
Third placed Johnny The Thief, and sixth placed Wiccan Warrior (carried 0,7kg over weight), both ran on very well from off the pace in the closing stages of the race.
1000m races opened and closed the meeting.
The Hollywoodbets Bright Future Class 4 was the fastest of these and here we saw a smart performance from the Vercingetorix gelding POSITION OF POWER. Together Cavalry Commander and Rainbow Reward set a brisk pace, whilst always confidently ridden by Keagan De Melo, Alyson Wright’s charge raced some five lengths off them in seventh.
He quickened well early in the straight and won going away after striking the front 50m from home. Interestingly, by just 4/100th of a second, fourth placed Mojo Man recorded the fastest 400m to finish time in the race, and that proved to be the quickest for that segment of the afternoon.
Without a win in 364 days, Mike Miller’s charge was racing off a mark 21 points below that of his earlier best here. Looks like Mike is getting his Mojo back.
Track Conditions
Going: Soft
Penetrometer: 27
Rain:
Last 24 hours 1mm –Last 7 days 12mm
Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 25mm
False Rail: 8m
Wind: 15-30km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 1,57s slow
Another to win well from off the pace on this card was SAINT BRIGID in the quicker of the two 1600m races, the Lucky Fish Mystical Fortune Class 5 (f&m) .
Golden Angel made the vast majority of the running whilst Candice Bass’ charge was content to sit some five lengths behind her in eighth. She was given rein when the field began to tighten up in the latter part of the bend and quickening well under replacement rider Sean Veale the daughter of Master Of My Fate struck the front 250m out.
She ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and won well by a length from Mississippi Spice who also finished well.
Comfortably the quicker of the two races over ground was the Join Race Coast Turf Club Today! Class 4 over 2000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Dean Kannemeyer trained CONTINENTALEXPRESS. The second favourite High Queue made the running and the pace was a good one. Initially priced up as a joint favourite (3/1 out to 6/1), the easy to back son of Vercingetorix was always travelling well meanwhile and positioned just two lengths away in third, he was always poised to strike.
He only had to be shaken up in order to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and when given a couple of smacks 200m out, he drew clear in good style.
Fastest Times:
1000m (2) Position Of Power 59,90 1400m (4) Winter Games 85,14 1600m (2) Saint Brigid 98,73 400-finish Mojo Man 22,32
SA BREEDER TO APPEAL IRISH HIGH COURT DECISION
Well known South African breeder Advocate Nigel Riley has labelled the decision of an Irish High Court ‘a miscarriage of justice’ and has indicated his intention to appeal an award of 218 000 Euros for care of animals to John Magnier’s Coolmore and to Coolagown Bloodstock.
“The matter is sub judice and we are confident of having it overturned on appeal,” Advocate Nigel Riley told the Sporting Post on Friday evening.
The Irish Times reported on Friday that the High Court case was taken by Linley Investments Ltd, trading as Coolmore Castlehyde and Associated Stud Farms and by Coolagown Blockstock Ltd against qualified lawyer Nigel Riley.
At the High Court on Thursday, Judge Peter Charleton made the awards of 148,000 Euros to Coolagown and 70,000 Euros to Coolmore for the care and stud fees owed.
The judge said the relationship with Coolagown and Riley started in 2013 and the outstanding fees sought went back to 2018 for keeping mares.
“The defence filed was more than uninformative; stating a denial of everything,” said the judge, who said a similar defence was made by Riley in the Coolmore claim.
In June 2021, Riley wrote a letter repudiating the Coolagown agreement at a time when Stack was “forcefully” seeking payment of his boarding fees, which then amounted to 148,000 Euros.
After proceedings were issued by Stack in April 2022, the plaintiff made an attempt “in good faith” to resolve some of the issue on the basis of transferring the ownership of the animals to him, which would reduce the fees sought, said the judge.
“David Stack alleges a simple agreement; he kept mares for Nigel Riley, arranged for them to be covered and for this service he was to be paid,” the judge wrote.
“That simple agreement is denied by Nigel Riley. That does not help his [Riley’s] case. As to what basis Nigel Riley’s horses were at Coolagown stud farm in the care of David Stack was not fully explained by Nigel Riley,” the judge noted.
The judge said that there had to be some kind of contract for Riley’s horses, some being in Ireland from 2013 and getting cared for. He said Stack’s evidence had been “calm and trustworthy” regarding payments by Riley in 2018 and 2019, which was proof of an underlying contract, albeit one not in writing.
Riley claimed that he had cleared fees based on a “reasonable” rate of 10 Euros a day and that from November 2019 a new agreement was put in place whereby Stack would keep his horses for free but profits from foal sales would be shared evenly and the charges written off.
Charleton described the posited 10 Euros-aday figure as an “unbelievable” low rate.
The judge said the court did not accept anything contrary to the evidence of Stack and that invoices went from Ireland to South Africa in 2018 and 2019, indicating the contract arrangement asserted by Stack.
“It is more than surprising, and is obstructive of a path towards truth, that Riley should deny that arrangement,” Charleton said.
The judge then made an order of 148,000 Euros in favour of Coolagown.
A similar denial argument was made by Riley against Coolmore, where five mares were covered when Stack was acting as Riley’s agent in November 2017.
Riley asserted that Stack was not his agent and that the housing of his mares in Coolmore was “nothing to do with him” despite evidence to the contrary.
“He [Stack] clearly was Mr Riley’s agent and the evidence of [Coolmore staff] William Mackesy and Edward FitzPatrick in that regard is accepted,” the judge said.
The court accepted Coolmore evidence that FitzPatrick first met Riley with Stack in November 2017 when Stack was acting as agent.
“What was he [Stack] doing there, if not in the capacity of agent? Certainly, they were not merely buddies. At all times the cover of mares was arranged as Mr Riley’s responsibility through his agent, in that regard, Mr Stack,” the judge said.
The judge then decreed that Riley pay Coolmore 70,000 Euros for its outstanding fees.
As told to the Sporting Post, Riley has indicated his intention to appeal the judgments.
www.irishtimes.co.za
IN MALAYSIA BREWER SCORES BIG WIN
SAJA graduate and former Sporting Post-sponsored jockey
Kaidan Brewer secured his maiden Group 1 victory in a thriller at the Perak Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
In a finish that mirrored the grit and tenacity of his namesake, Guru Fight outlasted a starstudded field to claim the Gr1 Perak Derby run over 2000m.
An elated father Andrew Brewer, who is still looking after Kaidan’s racing business and a pillar of support, said stated that the victory marked a career milestone for the 22year old.
Kaidan steered the Simon Dunderdale-trained galloper to a perfectly timed triumph.
In a tactical battle, Guru Fight carried 54.5kg—a weight Dunderdale initially found ‘less than ideal’ due to the absence of several top-rated entries. However, the four-year-old son of Kermadec proved the trainer’s instincts right regarding his stamina.
Kaidan Brewer steers Guru Fight to victory
Credit: Selangor Turf Club
The early pace was set by Gum Khor, who swept to the lead past the winning post for the first time. Brewer kept Guru Fight in a prime stalking position, shadowed closely by the odds-on favourite Banker’s Two Six and Man Of Action.
As the field turned for home, the pressure intensified and Kaidan clicked one notch on Guru Fight to level up with Gum Khor at the top of the straight, with Winning Stride looming dangerously in third. By the 300m mark, Guru Fight had poked his head in front, establishing a one-length lead.
The final 100 meters tested every ounce of the winner’s resolve and jockey’s determination.
Despite ‘running on empty’ according to Brewer, Guru Fight held off a late surge from
Winning Stride to secure the win by a half-length.
“I’ve ridden him many times and have won 4 races on him since my relocation to Malaysia and he always feels a bit lazy,” Brewer said while celebrating his first Group 1 success. “However, he was very alert today—maybe because he was in a new environment.”
Trainer Simon Dunderdale was quick to credit Brewer’s experience and maturity as a young jockey in highly pressured moments with the win.
“He (Brewer) comes from a country where the majority of races are over middle or longer distances,” Dunderdale remarked. “This sort of race is ideal for him. He rode a perfect race.”
Kaidan receives the trophy from Mrs Regina Lim | Credit: Selangor Turf Club
SEEMAR SEARCHING FOR MORE
DWC DAY SUCCESS
Bhupat Seemar’s Dubai World Cup record is an enviable one. The dual UAE Champion Trainer only took out his licence in 2022 but since then has celebrated two Dubai Golden Shaheen wins, with Switzerland and Tuz, as well as winning the $12 million Dubai World Cup itself with Laurel River two years ago.
This year Seemar has a whopping 15 runners on the card – comfortably more than any other trainer.
Two go in the Dubai World Cup itself, Group 1 winners Imperial Emperor and Walk Of Stars both have second tries at the race, having finished fourth and 11th, respectively, last year.
“Imperial Emperor is definitely doing a lot better than last year, when I think he was a little bit of a tired horse, so we’ve freshened him up,” says Seemar. “Walk of Stars actually improved with every run this year, so they’re both in good shape.”
Seemar isn’t fazed by the opposition, which is headlined by dual Saudi Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young.
“He’s the best horse in the world – you can’t take anything away from him. He’s danced every dance. It’s good to have the best horse in the world here and to run against him,” he says.”
Seemar arguably has one of the best sprinters in the world in Tuz, who will try to
regain his Dubai Golden Shaheen crown. The veteran was fourth to El Nasseeb in the Gr3 Mahab Al Shimaal last time out.
“He’s a nine-year-old now, so we didn’t want to run him as often as we did last year,” says the trainer. “He is probably the form of his life. He wasn’t that fit last time, but he’s where we want him to be now.”
Seemar also runs Drew’s Gold, unbeaten since joining him at the start of the season, and Gr3 winner Mufasa, in the 1200m contest.
“Drew’s Gold is two for two this season and he’s freshened up,” he says. “Mufasa is a tricky horse and we’re trying to figure him out.
Ryan [Moore, jockey] said last time he should have won, he got hampered a little bit. Right after the race, he said, ‘I’d like to ride him next time’. If Ryan Moore says that it must be a good thing.”
Seemar runs four in the Gr2 UAE Derby. Course winners Rammaas and Lino Padrino join Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Six Speed and Salloom, whose impressive maiden win was book-ended by two stalls infractions, when he didn’t race.
“Salloom is just so quirky,” says Seemar. “He should have had three runs by now but for his gate antics. Shane [Ryan, Starter] has done a good job with him.
Bhupat Seemar – his Dubai World Cup record is an enviable one | Credit: DRC
“He’s had plenty of gate schooling – in fact, he goes to the gate every day. So it’s just one of those things. If he behaves himself, he’s got a world of talent.”
Six Speed, who has new American partowners, already has 20 Kentucky Derby points for his Guineas win, but his owners are eying the 100 on offer on Saturday.
“He’s brilliant – he’s got tons of speed,” says Seemar. “I hope he stays, but you can only
find that out once you’re in the race. If he does stay he’s a very, very serious horse.”
He might be training the biggest string in Dubai and have the most runners on Saturday, but Seemar remains, on the face of it, an extremely cool guy.
“You do the best you can. After that, it’s up to the jockeys and the horses.”
Credit: Racing Dubai
KINGS CUP (LISTED)
Trainer: J Snaith | Owner: Mr N Jonsson | Breeder: Mr M de Broglio
For sale-related queries & entries, please contact Vicky Minott - vicky@racecoast.co.za www.racecoastsales.co.za
INVINCIBLE IBIS SETS NEW BMW HONG KONG DERBY RECORD
Crowning a phenomenal week for trainer Mark Newnham, Invincible Ibis vindicated Hugh Bowman’s faith with a recordbreaking triumph in the HK$26 million BMW Gr1 Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Clocking 1m 59,43s, the Hellbent gelding eclipsed Massive Sovereign’s mark of 1m 59.85s, set in 2024, in defeating Numbers –who tried to lead all the way – by one-and-aquarter lengths with Stormy Grove a luckless third, a further short head away.
Owned by the Ibis Syndicate, Invincible Ibis was given a perfect, ground-saving ride by
Bowman to justify the Australian’s confidence in the bay, who had finished sixth to Little Paradise in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and second to Stormy Grove in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
Celebrating his third BMW Hong Kong Derby victory after triumphs with Werther in 2016 and Furore in 2019, Bowman was elated to have teamed with Newnham, who saddled five winners at Happy Valley on Wednesday 18 March.
“The dream was always there but you have to stick with the process and after the Mile, I was very doubtful whether he (Invincible Ibis)
Hugh Bowman drives Invincible Ibis to BMW Hong Kong Derby success | Credit: HKJC
was going to be able to bring it together, but I took a lot of confidence out of the 1800m. I thought he was one of five realistic winning chances,” Bowman said.
Settling midfield behind Numbers and Seraph Gabriel after jumping smoothly from barrier three, Invincible Ibis was given the run of the race by a patient Bowman, who bided his time until the field straightened before emerging to challenge Numbers.
“As we started to come round the home turn, I thought ‘I’m in business here, I really am’,” Bowman said.
“The run was economical, so when I brought him to the outside and let him down, it was no surprise that he went the way that he did and I’m very proud of him. It means a lot to win
the race for a third time and being based here now, and it makes it a bit more special for some reason or other.
“Thank you to Mark and the team for preparing this horse in such magnificent order. He really did peak this afternoon, and the distance was a query, no doubt about it, but he came through with flying colours.
“He just gave me the sweetest ride throughout the entire trip. We were aided by a good draw, of course, but the horse won with authority and I’m so proud to have won my third BMW Hong Kong Derby.”
Denied a short head by Cap Ferrat with My Wish in last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby, Newnham was ecstatic after experiencing a wildly contrasting experience to 2025.
Mark Newnham celebrates his biggest success to date Credit: HKJC
““The complete opposite to last year, that’s for sure. It was just a really smooth race to watch. If I could have picked a position prior to the race, it would have been midfield one off in a consistent speed and Hugh got into that position early,” Newnham said.
“
“At the corner it was just going to be ‘Is he good enough?’ And probably 200m into the straight, I was pretty confident he was going to be strong late.”
Newnham will now consider a FWD Champions Day start for Invincible Ibis in either the HK$24 million Gr1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) or the HK$30 million Gr1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) on 26 April.
“We’ll be looking at that (FWD Champions Day) as long as his recovery’s good from today,” Newnham said.
“But I’m probably more inclined to run him in the Mile. I just don’t think taking on Romantic Warrior and a few of the internationals at 2000m, I don’t think he’s seasoned enough for that yet, despite his win today and the time he’s run.
“He’s beating horses of his own age group, so I don’t think we need to throw him to the wolves just yet – horses can have a long career here, so there’s no need to be testing him too much beyond his limits.”
Frankie Lor, trainer of minor place-getters Numbers and Stormy Grove, said: “You can see the time was quick, so maybe if he (Numbers) had a better draw (than 13) he could have had an easier time earlier on and set his own pace.
“He’s still run a very good race, and he kept rolling the whole way. (Stormy Grove) did
The title sponsor, BMW Concessionaires (HK) Ltd exhibits an impressive BMW model line-up for fans to snap photos | Credit: HKJC
a very quick time to finish the race, 22.71s, so he was only a little bit too far back. On another day, it could have been different.”
Little Paradise, who started favourite, overraced and finished ninth.
The undercard was dominated by exciting rising talent with four three-year-old geldings winning four of the first six races, with Too Darn Hot’s Hot Delight, Deep Field’s Mega Mastermind, Biouvac’s Absolute Heart and Ardrossan gelding Gold Patch prevailing.
Hot Delight (128lb) maintained a perfect record with a third successive win to give Francis Lui his 500th victory on Sha Tin turf with success in the Class 3 Werther Handicap (1200m) under Vincent Ho in 1m 08.19s –only marginally outside of Victor The Winner’s Class record mark of 1m 08.11s.
“He’s (Hot Delight) a nice horse, we know that. But he’s only three, so we want to excel as much as possible, but we also want to keep him for his four-year-old season, so it was a nice run,” Ho said.
Lui said: “Good horse, he’s a very good horse and honest. Even in trackwork he’s showed he’s improved.”
Lui also struck with Gold Patch (133lb) under Zac Purton in the Class 4 Sky Darci Handicap (1200m).
Jamie Richards and Brenton Avdulla combined with Mega Mastermind (125lb) to win the Class 4 Luger Handicap (1600m) before Absolute Heart (127lb) landed the Class 4 Ping Hai Star Handicap (1200m) for Cody Mo and Derek Leung.
Circuit Champion (120lb), purchased at the 2024 Hong Kong International Sale for HK$5.4 million, showcased his talent with a last-to-first success in the Class 3 Furore Handicap (1200m) for Danny Shum to improve his record to two wins and a second from three starts.
Slowly away, the Starspangledbanner gelding finished powerfully under Keith Yeung, clocking 21.81s for the final 400m to justify the patience of his connections with the fiveyear-old, who has overcome cannon bone, humeral bone and pelvis issues as well as a fever before making a belated debut.
Pierre Ng’s Aeroinvincible (135lb) continued Andrea Atzeni’s stunning March surge with victory in the Class 4 Fay Fay Handicap (1400m). Atzeni took his tally for the month to 12, a haul which includes two quartets.
Ng and Purton teamed with Aerovolanic (122lb) in the Class 3 Rapper Dragon Handicap (1400m) after David Hayes-trained Shamus Storm (116lb) clinched the Class 3 Designs On Rome Handicap (1800m) for Harry Bentley.
Tony Cruz’s Winning Ovation (113lb) clinched a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million by winning the Class 2 Golden Sixty Handicap (1400m) for Angus Chung.
Popular singer MC Cheung gives a dazzling live performance in the Parade Ring to get BMW Hong Kong Derby Day off to a stunning start | Credit: HKJC
IN WORLD’S RICHEST 2YO RACE ZAC LLOYD GRABS FIRST MAJOR
Guest House made up for the unluckiest of thirds in the Blue Diamond Stakes with a dominant win in the world’s richest juvenile race, the A$5 million Gr1 TAB Golden Slipper Stakes run over 1200m at Rosehill on Saturday.
Continuing a well-trodden path for Magic Millions sold colts, Guest House came from back in the ruck in the straight to score a brilliant victory for co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr and jockey Zac Lloyd, son of SA star rider, Jeff Lloyd.
So fast was his final furlong, Guest House had established a widening length and a half margin on the line.
For connections the Slipper win provided the highly regarded colt with a deserved elite win after three runs without luck – a win and two eye catching feature race placings.
“He’s had three runs where nothing went right,” Kent Jnr said. “With the speed on, he finally relaxed. Zac Lloyd, what can I say, he read the pattern, and the horse was so good.”
“It’s so right for Mick (Price). I’m so lucky I work with Mick. He’s had so many close calls in this race. He’s a great two-year-old trainer. Himself and Jeremy Rogers found the horse.”
Zac Lloyd salutes as Guest House wins the Gr1 Golden Slipper Stakes Credit: Bronwen Healy. The Image is Everything – Bronwen Healy Photography / Magic Millions
“I’m very excited. I’m rapt for Mick Price. He gave me a big show in this game and I’m very lucky. And credit to all our staff back at home. A lot of work goes into these good colts.”
“And what a horse. He won by a big margin, going away, so fantastic,” Kent Jnr added. “That’s very good isn’t it. What a feeling.”
Stable foreman Ben Elam was also beaming from the enclosure following the win.
“It’s incredible. It’s a Golden Slipper. It’s the pinnacle of two-year-old racing, and he has taken a bit of work.”
“Pre-Christmas, he was a bit of a lad. He went down to Melbourne, and the Melbourne staff did a terrific job with him. He came up here in tip-top shape off what was an unlucky run.”
“Since he’s been up here, he has just been an absolute gentleman,” Elam added.
For one of Sydney’s hottest riders, Zac Lloyd the win provided the biggest success in his short but feature filled career.
“It was high pressure, but my colt, he was fantastic,” Lloyd noted. “He’s obviously a very good Home Affairs colt.”
“He broke on terms. He’s been a bit tricky in his mannerisms, but today he was very tractable. I got on the back of the best jockey in the world and I thought, ‘Here we go, we’ll go from here’.”
“And I just quickened that well. I was just waiting for a run, but geez, he let down so well. So I’m very happy. I’m so pleased for the big ownership and Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr and Ben Elam, who works here in Sydney.”
“Behind the gates is the peaceful part. It’s so quiet. You come from here where you’re talking to so many owners – very up and about. You’ve got to try to stay calm, keep your horse calm. Behind the gates is the easy thing, everyone’s quiet.”
“As soon as those gates open, it’s like nothing I’ve ever ridden before. It’s so quick, so tight. I was very happy to find the fence because that allows the horses to relax. They get a bit of comfort by the fence and then you just trust you’ve got the right horse to take the runs. I certainly did.”
“It makes me quite speechless,” Lloyd said of winning the Golden Slipper. “Obviously, you see all those great people that have won it before me, and you see what it does for colts, as well as fillies.”
“How it can project them and make them worth so much money. For those people and the owners to give me the faith, I’m just happy I can get the job done.”
Bred by Love Racing, Henderson Racing and Breeding and G1G Racing and Breeding, Guest House was sold for A$270,000 to the stable, Roll the Dice Racing and Jeremy Rogers at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He adds to a wonderful roll call of colts sold by Magic Millions to win the Slipper. Magic Millions remains the only source of a colt to win the country’s most important juvenile contest this century.
Interestingly the Home Affairs colt is from Flamboyant Lass, a group performed daughter of former Gold Coast sold Golden Slipper winner Stratum.
Flamboyant Lass, twice a winner at 1000 metres, was second in a Listed Reginald Allen Handicap and third in a Group Two Blue Diamond Prelude.
At stud she has produced two stakes performed from her six named foals. All six are winners.
The win of Guest House provided his exciting first season sire Home Affairs with a third first crop stakes winner and his most important to date. The Coolmore Stud Stakes and Lightning Stakes winner is a resident of the famed Coolmore Stud.
Winner: Guest House
• Breeding: Home Affairs-Flamboyant Lass (Stratum)
• Race: ATC Golden Slipper Stakes Gr1 (1200m)
• Sold for: A$270,000
• Sale: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
• Earnings: A$3,320,000
• Breeders: Love Racing Pty Ltd, Henderson Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd, G1G Racing & Breeding
• Vendor: Newgate Farm
• Buyer: Mick Price Racing/Roll the Dice Racing/Rogers Bloodstock
• Owners: RTD Racing (Mgr: R Norton), A Grant, J Molinaro, Refugee (Mgr: R Norton), D+A Racing (Mgr: D Fielke), G&C Bayview, R Bradridge, Three Amigos, Hallowsand, LMR Racing, Henderson Racing & Breeding, C Watts, AON Racing, T Clark, Mrs A Gniel, Dr B Boan, P Henley, Mrs L Perry, Z Gocturk & C Taranto
• Trainers: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr (Rosehill)
VIA AFRICA’S DAUGHTER‘SHE’S A CHAMPION!’
Unbeaten superstar Autumn Glow, a daughter of South Africa champion Via Africa, capped an incredible day for graduates of the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale when she scored an arrogant win in the Gr1 George Ryder Stakes run over 1500m at Rosehill on Saturday.
One of three former sale graduates to win black type events of the day, Autumn Glow continued on her merry way, pushing her unbeaten run to 11 and adding another elite level to her growing resume.
The Chris Waller trained champion, who carries the famous Arrowfield colours for that operation and partners Hermitage Thoroughbreds, has quickly become one of Australia’s most loved racehorses.
Waller was quick to declare the unbeaten mare a “champion” in the moments after the race when talking to reporters.
“Yeah, in my eyes she is (a champion) – I’m qualified to know what one’s like,” Waller said. “So, yeah, she’s a very talented horse. Obviously, longevity is the key now. If she keeps doing that, she’ll be a champion for sure.”
Waller indicated he would let the dust settle on the latest success before deciding where Autumn Glow might go next – the Doncaster and Queen Elizabeth are both in contention.
“We’ll give them our best opinion of what we think. Look, she just does everything so effortlessly. That’ll help her get 2000. It’d be so good to get some feedback from James.”
James McDonald steers Autumn Glow to another smashing win | Credit: Magic Millions
After capturing his third Group One for the day and rewriting the history books champion jockey James McDonald was also searching for the right superlatives.
“It was evident in the week when Chris said you’ll see something special, so when he says that, I take notice because her work’s been phenomenal. I truly believe she loves fast ground, because there’s not a horse that could come with her.”
“It doesn’t matter what is in the race. She’s just got an amazing sustained speed. It’s quite incredible what we’re witnessing. She’s the jockey’s dream – you get nervous on horses, certain horses throughout your life, and she’s one you don’t.”
McDonald wasn’t shocked to learn of Waller declaring Autumn Glow a champion.
“Did he? Yeah, well, he knows what a champion looks like. And for him to say that, he doesn’t take it lightly. I’m sure she is. And he’s a champion too.”
The record-breaking hoop wasn’t wanting to get involved in making future plans for the superstar mare.
“I’m sick of bloody pointing where she goes. I’ll let him (Waller) decide, and John will decide and we’ll go from there. Put it this way, I wouldn’t be shying away from any horse in the country.”
“She’s important. Let’s not beat around the bush, she’s 11 from 11. People are here to come out and see her, and she’s got such an amazing fanfare now – it’s growing. It’s incredible.”
“The feeling you get off these horses and it’s special to witness people pin their eyeballs on her. I thought Anamoe was a big deal. This horse has taken it to a new level.
Autumn Glow’s days in the headlines started early. At the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale she was the headline act – the sale topper – when selling for A$600,000.
She was presented by her breeder Newhaven Park and purchased by Silverdale Farm and Brian McGuire’s Shrone Bloodstock. The rest they say is history.
Completing a race to race Group One winning double at Rosehill for her superstar sire The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) after Autumn Boy’s Guineas win, Autumn Glow saw her prizemoney haul sail over A$8 million.
Autumn Glow is the second Group One winner from three runners for the former crack South African racemare Via Africa.
Her three-quarter brother is In the Congo (Snitzel), a winner of the Golden Rose Stakes and young Newgate Farm based sire whose first yearlings have been selling this season.
Via Africa, a daughter of Var, was the Champion Sprinter of South Africa in 2013-14. She was a three-time winner at the elite level among 10 lifetime successes.
Autumn Glow was one of three stakes winners on Saturday sold at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Earlier the classy filly Getta Good Feeling, a A$400,000 buy from Phoenix Broodmare Farm won the Group Three Alexandra Stakes at Caulfield, while Platinum Attack, a A$37,000 buy from Glastonbury Farms won the Listed Lightning Handicap at Trentham.
Winner: Autumn Glow
• Breeding: The Autumn Sun-Via Africa (Var)
• Race: ATC George Ryder Stakes Gr1 (1500m)
• Sold for: A$600,000
• Sale: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale
• Earnings: A$8,169,000
• Breeder: Newhaven Park Stud
• Vendor: Newhaven Park
• Buyer: Silverdale Farm & Shrone Bloodstock
• Owners: Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd (Mgr: JM Messara) & Hermitage (Mgr: Ms SM Clarke)
• Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill)
THE HEADLINER AT CHAIRMAN’S HELLBENT’S BENEDETTA
Gr1 winner Benedetta (Hellbent) – the most accomplished mare to be offered at public auction in the Southern Hemisphere this year – will be the star attraction at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
The supremely talented Benedetta has been a racetrack force ever since she debuted as a 3YO.
She won six of her first eight starts – including the A$750,000 Inglis Sprint at Flemington when defeating 11 individual Stakes winners – and didn’t finish out of the placings at her first nine starts.
Her Gr1 win came in the Goodwood at Morphettville, defeating the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Skybird, Climbing Star, I Am Me, Oscar’s Fortune, Arkansaw Kid, Johnny Rocker etc.
Benedetta is a further four times Gr1 placed –twice in the Black Caviar Lightning (including last month) as well as a William Reid and Robert
Sangster – and is also a dual Gr3 winner and has finished in the top five in 10 of her 16 starts at Gr1 level.
She is Timeform rated equal or higher than the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Kimochi, Legarto, Climbing Star, Stretan Angel, Learning To Fly etc.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Benedetta is still in incredible form, having defeated the likes of Giga Kick, Baraqiel, Marhoona, Beiwacht, War Machine, My Gladiola, Magic Time, Tropicus etc at her past three starts alone.
Benedetta will target more feature races ahead of The Chairman’s Sale with connections considering the likes of the Gr1 All Aged Stakes, Gr1 Robert Sangster Stakes and A$5m The Quokka for her in coming weeks.
Benedetta will join the likes of triple Gr1 winner Provence, millionaire mares Arabian Summer and Generosity, Stakes-winning 2YO Kiki Express
in foal to Extreme Choice – Spicy Martini, Ahha Ahha, The Playwright, Snow In May, Cosmonova, In Flight, The Black Cloud, Good Banter, Appin Girl, Miss Icelandic, Just Feelin’ Lucky, Aeliana’s sister Sunshine In Capri, Classique Legend’s halfsister I Am Famous, as well as the dams of the likes of Gr1-winning 2YO Captured By Love and the Gr1 Golden Slipper quinella in Flamboyant Lass (Guest House) and Zouper Star (Streisand) to be offered at The Chairman’s Sale.
Laurence Eales purchased Benedetta for A$75,000 from the draft of Mill Park at the Premier Yearling Sale and she has so far won eight times for more than $2.4m in prizemoney.
She will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect in Widden’s draft at The Chairman’s Sale, at Riverside on the evening of Thursday May 7.
Eales described Benedetta as “an unbelievably good-looking mare’’.
“She’s a great sort and to be perfectly honest, she has never looked better than she does today, which breeders will see when they inspect her ahead of The Chairman’s Sale,’’ Eales said.
“She’s been a fantastic mare for us, with a lot of her owners being first-time owners but we just feel the time is right to sell her and let somebody else enjoy the fruits of her talent both as a race mare and broodmare.
“She’s a well-balanced, tough mare with such a good nature and has all the attributes of a standout future broodmare – she’s by a son of I Am Invincible in the rising star Hellbent, she has an incredible turn of foot and her demeanor needs to be seen to be believed, she’s just so calm and confident within herself.’’
Eales said the decision to offer Benedetta at The Chairman’s Sale was an easy one.
“It’s a very select sale and last year’s results especially were quite incredible for the Group performing fillies and mares and the way Inglis market these mares for Chairman’s, it’s world class,’’ Eales said.
“It’s the right fit for her, she is an elite race mare and Chairman’s is a sale for quality breeding
stock, so it makes absolute sense to offer her through Inglis, who have been very good to me over the years.’’
Widden’s Antony Thompson added: “High end Gr1-winning mares like Benedetta are rare to go to market and I would be surprised if there is a more attractive mare offered in these parts this year.
“She has a progressive pedigree, being one of three Stakes performing fillies out of her Gr2 placed dam and she has a pedigree profile to be compatible with a broad cross section of the best Australian stallions.
“An attractive mare with a sprinter’s physique, Benedetta would be an important addition to any broodmare band.’’
Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager Harry Bailed said Benedetta would be “without peer as the best mare to be offered for sale in this part of the world in 2026’’.
“It’s hugely exciting to have her coming to Chairman’s,’’ Bailey said.
“She had x-factor as a race filly right from the very beginning and the reality is that she has been desperately unlucky not to win more Gr1 races.
“Even as recently as the Lightning Stakes last month, she was checked at a crucial stage when starting her run and would have given Tentyris something to worry about, before ending up in the wrong part of the track in the Newmarket.
“Mares like this rarely come on the market so we are very grateful to Laurence and Prue Eales and their partners for giving us the opportunity to celebrate the career of their fantastic mare at The Chairman’s Sale.
“The catalogue has come together very nicely and with supplementary entries to be taken for the next few weeks, we can’t wait for May 07 at Riverside to give these elite fillies and mares the sendoff they deserve.’’
Supplementary entries for The Chairman’s Sale will be taken up until Friday 24 April.
TRAINERS
JOCKEYS
BREEDERS
