Latest news with #SeeItAgain
The South African
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Hollywoodbets Durban July: 29 horses remain in the running
A total of 29 entries remain after the second declaration stage on Monday, 9 June for the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July after a game-changing three days of racing action countrywide. Final supplementary entries will close on Tuesday, 17 June at 11:00, on which date the weights will also be published. A number of entries put in impressive performances this past weekend. Defending champion Oriental Charm ran second behind Dave The King in the Hollywoodbets Grade 1 Gold Challenge on Saturday. This was his return from a four month break following a half length defeat by boom three-year-old Eight On Eighteen in the Cape Town Met. Just behind him was IOS Drill Hall Stakes winner Gladatorian who finished strongly for third, with Sean Veale suggesting he was a big runner come Hollywoodbets Durban July day. Michael Roberts' See It Again finished just outside of the quartet after having some bad luck in running. Other standout performances on Saturday were also delivered by Frank Robinson's Madison Valley, who dug deep to win the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Grade 3 Cup Trial in scintillating fashion under Muzi Yeni. An eyecatcher in the same race was Glen Kotzen's On My Honour, who was some way back off a moderate pace, but turned the jets on to run a close-up third. At Turffontein on Sunday, the Mike and Mat de Kock-trained Immediate Edge put daylight between himself and the opposition to win the 4Racing Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes, and he now looks a likely runner – the only representative of the top yard in the current 29. The Jubilee Stakes topweight Atticus Finch also demonstrated his well-being with a solid third-placed effort and Calvin Habib has already been engaged. The current big race entry list only includes one other jockey engagement at this stage – that being Muzi Yeni, who will partner Royal Victory. One disappointing display was that of Legend Of Arthur, who ran last in the Egoli Mile on Sunday. The vet reported him to be uncomfortable after the race. Horses remaining in contention for Hollywoodbets Durban July Horse MR Trainer Legend Of Author 117 Sean Tarry Future Swing 117 Justin Snaith Immediate Edge 108 Mike / Mathew de Kock Purple Pitcher 122 Robyn Klaasen Rainbow Lorikeet 111 Candice Bass-Robinson Joy And Peace 110 Alan Greeff Son Of Raj 119 Tony Peter The Equator (IRE) 110 Tony Peter Atticus Finch 121 Alec Laird Madison Valley 115 Frank Robinson Eight On Eighteen 129 Justin Snaith On My Honour 116 Glen Kotzen Magic Verse 113 Justin Snaith Selukwe 111 Andre Nel Confederate 118 Fabian Habib Royal Victory 125 Nathan Kotzen Beating Wings 113 Stuart Pettigrew Okavango 120 Justin Snaith Gladatorian 127 Stuart Ferrie Litigation 113 Sean Tarry Oriental Charm 127 James Crawford Pomodoro's Jet 118 James Crawford Holding Thumbs 107 Glen Kotzen Thunee Playa 104 Mano Pandaram See It Again 127 Michael Roberts Native Ruler 119 Justin Snaith My Best Shot 116 Alan Greeff Mucho Dinero 115 Justin Snaith The Real Prince 120 Dean Kannemeyer Final supplementary entries close at 11:00 on Tuesday, 17 June, on which date the weights will be published Final declarations close at 11:00 on Monday, 23 June The final field and draw announcement will take place on Tuesday, 24 June The Hollywoodbets Durban July public gallops are scheduled for Thursday, 26 June The legendary Hollywoodbets Durban July pre-party is on Thursday, 3 July The Hollywoodbets Durban July will be run on Saturday, 5 July Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
No hanging about in Gold Challenge at Greyville
The Equator's southern appearance will be closely watched. Oriental Charm, seen here winning last year's Durban July, is in the field for the Gold Challenge on Saturday. Picture: Gerhard Duraan/Gallo Images There'll be no dawdling behind the Drill Hall at Greyville on Saturday afternoon; no ambling, loitering, strolling or sauntering. It'll be, 'Quick march! At the double!' – recalling the bad old days when the infantry base resounded with fighting energy. The 1600m starting pole next to the Drill Hall plays host to 12 horses in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and making the 2025 contest really interesting is a glut of accomplished front runners in the field. The high-quality line-up includes Equus Horse of the Year, and likely favourite, Dave The King, who always likes to make the pace in a race. Reigning Durban July champ Oriental Charm does not like to be headed at any stage – and can get a bit annoyed if it happens. The excellent Montien is seldom out of the first two in running, and See It Again performs best when travelling in a handy position. Other contenders Those are some of the best middle-distance racehorses in the country who'll be fighting it out for the early lead. But they're up against some sprinters with natural gate speed and cruising power – such as Café Culture and William Robertson. The real 'milers' in the race, such as Great Plains, Gladatorian and Royal Aussie might be outgunned at the start but will be hoping overeager speedballs cut each other's throats and leave the way clear for 'closers'. It'll be a good watch. A Grade 1 trophy and R2-million are on the finishing line, while several runners are also getting their acts together for the Hollywoodbets Durban July a month hence. The Greyville meeting will get massive international exposure with Races 7 to 10 being part of a Hong Kong World Pools Saturday extravaganza that also takes in the famous English Derby at Epsom. Turffontein meeting Sunday's meeting at Turffontein racecourse is a bit overshadowed by that glamour, but racing aficionados will watch it keenly. The Jubilee Handicap and the Egoli Mile feature a number of Durban July hopefuls – all out to do well and crack the nod for the big one. Among them are Legend Of Arthur, Confederate, Atticus Finch, Son Of Raj, Musical Score, Olivia's Way and Immediate Edge. But the most intriguing is surprise July entry The Equator, making his South African debut after being imported from the Irish stables of the world's top trainer Aiden O'Brien. Nigel Riley, new co-owner of the colt, who is a son of the great Galileo, put out a media statement on Wednesday saying: 'We have been inundated with enquiries about the well-being of The Equator and have decided to appraise the racing public of the situation, so that they can make their own decisions… He went into (trainer) Tony Peter's yard on 28 March, where he has made excellent progress and has put up some eye-catching work. 'Last Sunday, The Equator had a 1600m gallop on the inside track at Turffontein against a couple of horses, including a Grade 1 winner. He won the gallop by three lengths, going away from them, and his work rider was as impressed as onlookers. We look forward to the race. We hope this will assist punters.'
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Eight On Eighteen floating to July winning post
The colt is rated tops but will get weight from all his rivals. Eight On Eighteen winning the Cape Town Met at Kenilworth earlier this year. Picture: Peter Heeger/Gallo Images The phrase 'weighted win' is guaranteed to turn any punter's head. Well, if colt Eight On Eighteen competes in the Hollywoodbets Durban July in six weeks' time, he will be weighted to win – and easily at that. The Justin Snaith-trained prodigy has been given a two-point merit rating rise for his facile victory in the past weekend's Daily News 2000 – from 127 to 129. That's a giddily high number for a three-year-old horse but is justified by three Grade 1 wins in just 10 outings, with a Grade 1 second thrown in, too. It makes him the highest rated of the 48 remaining entries for the July, with five-year-old See It Again in second position on 127. MRs are for determining imposts in handicap races, but the July isn't a pure handicap; it's a 'conditions' race, with a bit of this and a bit of that in terms of make-up. Though the race rules set the top weight at 60kg, they also limit the maximum weight for three-year-olds to 57kg. Theoretically, See It Again will lug 60kg and Eight On Eighteen will have to carry only 57kg, despite his two-point higher MR. Knowledgeable Turf Talk puts this advantage at a nett 4kg. It's 'theoretically' as the line-up for the country's biggest race is a long way from being finalised. Uncertain for July Indeed, Eight On Eighteen's connections have maintained for weeks that their star is by no means a definite July runner. He is hot property value-wise – for racing in the near future and for stud purposes in the long term – and, as Snaith stated on Saturday, the July is always a rough affair with everyone involved hell-bent on getting their names into the history books. 'Committing to the July, we've had a lot of horses go wrong in the race,' said Snaith after Saturday's Daily News 2000 at Greyville in Durban. 'It's the most interesting race in South Africa as, when the starting stalls open, the jockeys completely lose their heads and their brains. Its importance, history … there's so much at play in a race like that and you also have to think about his wellbeing. It's a decision that will be made a little later, but when you have a horse of this ability it's very hard not to go for a race like that. We will put it all in and make the call.' Many a racing fan would lay short odds on owners Nick Jonsson and Johan Rupert going for it. The two gentlemen are in the game for the thrills and there's no bigger thrill than winning a July. Durban July odds In terms of laying odds, July sponsors Hollywoodbets have chopped Eight On Eighteen's big-race ante-post odds by half – from 5-1 last week to 5-2. July defending champion and second favourite Oriental Charm has eased from 6-1 to 7-1. In adjusting merit ratings after Saturday's Daily News 2000, the handicappers made runner-up Spumante Dolce their line horse, keeping her rating at 117. Okavango, who finished third, was pushed up sharply from 105 to 120, having finished 0.25 lengths behind Spumante Dolce while conceding 2.5kg in weight. Native Ruler, who finished 0.3 lengths behind Okavango, also got a big bump: 103 to 119. Little Suzie, winner of the Tote Woolavington 2000 – also for Snaith – had her rating raised from 106 to 108.
