SP Sprint - 18 March 2026

EASTERN CAPE HORSE CARE UNIT RACEDAY

Bjorn Nielsen The quiet perfectionist

Cape Derby Boost Exciting things for 2027

Premier Power Big results!

SA Flag Flies At Cheltenham ‘Iron Horse’ triumphs

On the cover

SA-owned Il Etait Temps made history at Cheltenham last Wednesday when he won the BetMGM Queen Mother Chase under Paul Townend. Read more on page 100. Pic by Cheltenham Racecourse.

THE

QUIET

PERFECTIONIST BEHIND BJORN NIELSEN: KIKKULI

Bjorn Nielsen is a genuinely rare figure in modern thoroughbred ownership: a self-made financier of the highest order whose passion for the sport is rooted not in trophy collecting but in a lifelong intellectual pursuit of producing the perfect racehorse.

His South African origins, his formative years at Epsom, and his analytical trading mind have all converged to make him one of the most thoughtful and respected ownerbreeders in the world today.

Robin Bruss writes that the quest for that elusive Derby winner continues — but his homebred, the great stayer Stradivarius, winner of 20 races - including 7 Group 1 races in England, has already secured his global legacy.

By a Danish father from a South African mother, Bjorn Nielsen was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where he attended junior school before his family relocated to England.

He grew up in South Africa for the first 11 years of his life and as a

youngster his passion for racing was ignited by a legendary local horse. As a child in the mid-1960s, he used to listen to thoroughbred races on the radio, as there was no television in South Africa at the time. He would listen on the radio to the commentary of the races of legendary Sea Cottage — the great horse who won 20 out of 24 starts in South Africa. It sparked an interest and an ambition in racing which has been his passion all of his life.

When his family moved to England, Nielsen lived close to the Epsom Downs Racecourse, where he would frequently visit before the great race and watch the contenders go through their final spins, including the likes of iconic trainers Vincent O’Brien and Noel Murless, and jockey Lester Piggott.

Financial Career

Nielsen’s professional trajectory is a remarkable story of self-made success.

At 22 years old in 1979 Nielsen became interested in the gold market, and starting trading for his own account. It became a way of life for him – and he was remarkably good at it.

He joined Drexel Burnham Lambert on the London Metals Exchange and subsequently became a trader for them on the Commodities Exchange in New York.

In 1988 he joined the Connecticutt based Tudor Investment Corporation as a trader and soon became partner. He rose to become Managing Director at one of America’s nascent macro global hedge fund operators, and what started out as a smallish firm mushroomed in size to some US$10 billion under assets. It gave Nielsen a reputation of exceptional financial acumen.

Splitting his time between homes in the USA and England, Bjorn is a frequent visitor to his birthplace, Cape Town.

The Thoroughbred Breeder — Philosophy and Approach

He is redolent of the new social order that has swept through the ranks of owner-breeders over the last 50 years — a man forged entirely in the modern era who espouses old values of the Turf. The difference between him and prominent ownerbreeders of yore is that his wealth is self-made.

His analytical mind, honed over decades of trading, translated seamlessly into result driven pedigree research and execution. “The research and reading you need to do to breed horses is the same as trading,” he has said. “I spent years and years studying the pedigrees of stakes winners, trying to understand combinations of blood that worked.”

The verdict is delivered at the winning post – not only financially, but satisfying long term strategies.

Around the turn of the millennium, he started to focus more on breeding rather than buying his thoroughbreds.

His overriding ambition has always been to breed the winner of the Epsom Derby. “There’s more history and more talk about the Derby than any other race, so that’s why I’ve always been focused on it. The whole Pattern system is really built around the Epsom Derby. There are plenty of other great races to win, but in England, that is the defining race to win.”

Four Group 1 Winners

Nielsen’s most successful racehorses have been Assessor, Masked Marvel, Tante Rose, and Stradivarius.

All four have been Group I winners, with Masked Marvel having provided Nielsen with his one Classic success in the 2011 St. Leger. The first two were bought as yearlings, the others were part of his breeding programme.

Assessor (by Niniski-Pingle Bay) was one of his earliest acquisitions, winning the Prix Royal-Oak Gr1 (3100m) in France and the Yorkshire and Doncaster Cups Gr2 before landing the Prix du Cadran Gr1 (4000m), and was 2nd in the Gr1 Royal Ascot Gold Cup.

Masked Marvel (by Montjeu – Waldmark GER) was bred for long distances, and became the Champion Stayer in England 2011 for Bjorn, winning the Classic English St Leger, 3rd leg of the Triple Crown, a historical achievement. Because of his stoutness, he became a successful National Hunt sire and has produced several Gr1 winners over the jumps.

Bjorn’s foray into breeding is the long route, but it is also the most compelling, absorbing and satisfying, testing analytical study, long term strategic planning and execution in every detail – for the odds are against the owner/breeder, the probability of breeding a Gr1 winner is less than 1%.

Bjorn began with the acquisition of his foundation mare My Branch (GB) (Distant Relative – Pay the Bank) at the Tattersalls December Sales 2002 for 420,000 Guineas. She had won 4 races, two of them Listed Stakes, and was placed in the Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes and the Irish 1000 Guineas Gr1. She neatly fitted into the top 3% of the breed in class and quality.

At the time, she had a 2 year old filly called Tante Rose (by Barathea) in training who had run twice and won a promising maiden race at Newmarket. Tante Rose progressed well at 3 years to win the Fred Darling Stakes Gr3 and at season’s end, she also went to the Tattersalls December Sales. Bjorn endorsed his judgement and acquired her for 350 000 Guineas. It was an astute buy. As a 4 years old, racing in his distinctive silks,

black body with yellow cap, with a new trainer Roger Charlton, Tante Rose was a revelation, winning amongst other races, the Haydock Sprint Cup Gr1, against the colts and earning Britain’s Champion Older Sprint Title with an impressive Timeform Rating of 126.

Mother and daughter formed the foundation of Bjorn’s select band of broodmares, which at its peak numbers 14, and ensured a steady stream of stakes winners. They are boarded at the Watership Downs farm of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Great breeders, whether big or small in numbers, are those that have bred great horses, those that leave an indelible mark on the history of the turf.

The

Horse of a Lifetime

For Bjorn, that horse was Stradivarius, who was by English Derby winner Sea The Stars from a mare by the French Derby winner Bering from Poughkeepsie, who was the product of two champions in Sadlers Wells and the King George VI & QE Stakes winner Pawneese .

It was a pedigree construct centred entirely around the English Derby distance of 2400m.

Foaled in 2014, Stradivarius raced 35 times, he won 20, amongst them seven Gr1 wins, and he remained supreme at long distances for four years in Great Britain and Europe, earning at last seven championship titles including heading the 2018 World Rankings.

He holds the European record for the number of Group race wins at an astonishing 18. The champion earned more than £3,4 million in prize money, but the exhilaration and success he gave his owner/breeder was far more memorable and immeasurable. His 16 wins in the QIPCO British Champions Series races is the most in Series history, far clear of next best Frankel’s nine wins.

He won the Gr1 Royal Ascot Gold Cup three times – the third one by 10 lengths - and made himself a household word in British racing, and for Bjorn, a celebrity owner/ breeder.

His attachment to ‘The Strad’ is deeply personal.

“Stradivarius has got to be my horse of a lifetime,” he has said. “Even if I was incredibly lucky and had a Derby winner, it’s hard to see how that horse could be as consistent as Stradivarius has been, never mind achieve what he did.”

Nielsen was also vocal about the injustice facing outstanding stayers at stud.

“It’s crazy. What more does a horse have to do to show he could be a great stallion? He’s got a turn of foot, all these things people look for,

but he’s never really going to get a proper chance in the commercial market.”

In his first season at England’s National Stud, Stradivarius covered 120 mares, the majority of which were flat mares, standing at a modest fee of £10,000. His story as a stallion that can impart his own traits of toughness, soundness, great cardiovascular system, durability, consistency and Group 1 first class ability is just beginning.

South African investment

Bjorn has maintained a tangible connection to his country of birth. He enjoyed his first South African winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville when Justin Snaith-trained Trickster, a R700 000 purchase won a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1100m in 2020.

His best runner so far has been the filly Gimme Dat (Gimmethegreenlight -Mizzen Mast) who won the 2022 Sceptre Stakes (Gr2) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Now at stud, Bjorn sold her first foal, a Vercingetorix colt at last week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale 2026 for R2,6 million, the fourth highest price of the sale.

In 2025, Bjorn took a leap of faith in South African breeding.

He acquired Frankel’s half-brother KIKKULI (GB), a four year old by the European Champion Miler Kingman out of the Broodmare of the Year KIND, the stellar mare that was the world’s best broodmare at the time of Kikkuli’s birth, her last foal.

The target was to acquire him for stud in South Africa, and in Paardeberg Stud, coowned and run by Sally Bruss, who had foaled and bred Gimme Dat in her years at

Lammerskraal Stud, he found the willing partner to stand the horse alongside another Juddmonte bred stallion, Expert Eye.

“I followed Kikkuli for a considerable time” says Bjorn, “the horse was in the Charlton family stables and I knew first hand that his regular rider British champion jockey Oisin Murphy had great faith in his ability”.

Please click here to read more about Kikkuli

Bjorn points out that apart from being a half brother to the legendary 10 time Gr1 Winner Frankel, as well as to Champion older horse Noble Mission, who won three Gr1 races, Kikkuli’s record may not have yielded those heights, but that he had demonstrated Group 1 ability in the horses he beat in the Jersey

Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“It should be like the brothers Fairway and Pharos in British breeding” he points out ,“each brother demonstrating the ability to transmit their illustrious genes into future generations of champions”.

To add fuel to the genetic fire, in the time period when the Kikkuli deal was done, 3 year old filly Minnie Hauk, by Frankel out of Kingman’s sister – the same cross as Kikkuli, but in reverse order – won three Group 1 races including the English and Irish Oaks, to establish herself as the Queen of European fillies.

“Blood will always out” says Bjorn.

“It’s with great confidence in Kikkuli’s future stud career that he will stand his first season this year,” he asserts.

“He is a beautiful quality horse, has the finest pedigree available, all centred around milers, but with the genetic capacity to breed sprinters and stayers as both Frankel and Kingman have done.”

Always a trader at heart, Bjorn decided to syndicate Kikkuli so that local breeders would have access, and he incentivised the shareholders by offering double nominations in each of the first four years at stud, plus two more bonus services that can be taken up by the shareholder in any of the first four seasons as they would choose : the type of trade that galvanises more than 100% return on investment for the shareholder. Financial acumen applied to thoroughbred breeding.

As a SAF-bred himself who has straddled continents and global markets, Bjorn’s ambition is for Kikkuli to do the same and add his mark to internationalising the growing trend of South African bloodstock.

Knowing Bjorn’s own track record of success, we should not expect anything less.

CHAMPIONS DAY ENTRIES ARE IN

Justin Snaith has nominated the talented trio of See It Again, Okavango and Double Grand Slam for his raiding party to the Highveld for Champions Day on 4 April.

4Racing report that topping the 12-race card is the R2-million World Pool Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and the respective first and second in last year’s race – Fire Attack and Royal Victory (who won in 2024) – are among the early entries.

However, Snaith has entered See It Again and Okavango, who finished first and fourth in the WSB Cape Town Met.

See It Again made his comeback in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes on 7 March, finish second, while Okavango made his return with a hard-fought victory over King Pelles in the Listed King’s Cup at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

Royal Victory has a good record over 2000m at Turffontein and has now moved from KwaZulu-Natal to Weichong Marwing’s yard on the Highveld

However, while he is delighted to have received the horse, Marwing is concerned that the race could come too soon for the six-year-old Pathfork gelding.

“He started having behaviour issues at the gates in Durban and he arrived with an embargo that he had to be passed through past from the pens again. That’s been done and he is sound and well, but that race might just come a bit too soon,” said Marwing yesterday.

“He’s a nice horse to have in the stable and so far I have had no problems with him, he’s doing everything correctly, but I can’t do much in four weeks. But I remain positive and will assess the situation closer to the time, and if I’m happy, we will proceed and go for it.”

Double Grand Slam, arguably the country’s best-performed mare in the country, has been nominated for the TAB Gr1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m.

The five-year-old daughter of Vercingetorix has won 10 of her 21 starts, three of them Grade 1s, and comes of a victory in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes over 1600m.

However, Candice Bass has entered a couple of runners for the meeting and one of them is Rainbow Lorikeet for the Empress Club Stakes. She was beaten just 0.30 lengths by Double Grand Slam so that is likely to set up an intriguing rematch.

Alan Greeff’s Grade 1 winning filly, threeyear-old Golden Palm, is also entered, along with Gareth van Zyl-trained Past Is Prologue, a lightly raced four-year-old who was an impressive winner at Scottsville on Sunday.

Of course, most eyes will be on the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks over 2450m where Hazy Dazy will be

attempting to claim the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara. The Corne Spies-trained runner has already won the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and the yard are confident the three-yearold daughter of Act Of War will see out the distance.

The entries include a few fillies who she has beaten in the first two legs in Golden Palm, Charge It and Daisy Jones.

Also among the entries is Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Curious Girl, a runaway winner of the Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Buffalo Storm Cody, the highest rated runner in the country, heads up the field for the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m.

He might have failed in Cape Town but he showed his true ability when retuning to the Highveld last time.

However, it is also worth noting that Dean Smith has entered Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee in an attempt to grab a Grade 1 double.

Bass has nominated Future Variety who three runs back contested the Gauteng Merchants and finished fifth behind Buffalo Storm Cody.

Please click here to see all the entries.

• Supplementary Entries close at 09h00 on Monday 23 March 2026.

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• Declarations are due by 1100 on Wednesday 25 March 2026.

ONLY SIX WILL LINE UP IN GUINEAS

The R250 000 Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas to be run over 1600m at Fairview on Friday 20 March has attracted a rather disappointing field of just six runners.

Alan Greeff will saddle four of the runners, with Juan Nel and Western Cape raider Justin Snaith each having a single string on their bows.

4racing reports that when declarations closed at 10h00 on Monday 16 March, a total of ten runners had been scratched from the 15 original entries.

However, Snaith’s runner In A Timely Manner was not considered timed out and found himself ‘unscratched’ at around 10h30, to bring the final field to six runners.

Tara Laing’s stable star Buffalo Bill injured himself recently and was a disappointing withdrawal for the veteran trainer.

The East Cape Guineas is also the second leg of the East Cape Sophomore Challenge.

The Hollywoodbets Supports Echcu Listed East Cape Sprint Cup is the supporting feature on the day.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT ON FRIDAY ECHCU

A special charity race day in honour of the Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit (ECHCU) will be hosted at Fairview on Friday, 20 March – an opportunity 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.

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’ have sold for R500 apiece, with almost 200 taken up so far. Every brick carries the name of the donor, giving it real meaning and identity.

Already the names of many trainers, jockeys and racing personalities appear on the wall. “If we fill up the existing wall, we can easily extend it,” Dorrie noted.

Together with contributions from generous donors, the 2026 tally has already reached R380,000.

The Shams are confident they can surpass last year’s total when several donated items are auctioned on race day.

The items 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 that can be purchased individually or as a pair and a gift voucher from leading Gqeberha pet photographers, Jan Elliot and Joanne Alberts

Hollywoodbets will be one of the race sponsors, alongside Bryanston Auctioneers, Fred Crabbia’s Mining Pressure Systems, New Turf Carriers, World Sports Betting, Ridgemont Stud , Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

The ECHCU is further assisted by Tracy

Schoeman, who runs the ‘ECHCU Auction Room’ on Facebook, where items as trivial as beer glasses are sold for as little as R10, but which adds up to help horses in need, somewhere, every year. “Tracy raised over R50,000 last year by selling literally anything on her auction page,” Dorrie said.

She noted that more jockeys are getting involved, but that there is room for more.

“We have guys like Callan Murray and Ryan Munger sending donations every year, Richard Fourie, Muzi Yeni and Calvin Habib, Wayne Agrella, Smanga Khumalo and Craig Zackey have also bought bricks, and MK Katjedi is the latest name on the wall.

“I had a heartwarming call from young Katjedi. He told me he couldn’t buy a brick for R2,000 at Turffontein last year and thanked us for making it R500 so he could be a part of the fund-raising drive at Fairview.”

Dorrie said that racing media members

Pauline Herman, Nadine Low Ah Kee and Neil Pretorius have been instrumental in raising awareness and thanked them for efforts. Individuals or companies interested in buying

some of the auction items before Friday’s auction are welcome to phone Dorrie on 082 572 0505.

Extra items for the auction are also welcomed.

Curious Girl charges away under Gavin Lerena for a facile win

ON THE MARK DE KOCK RACING

The Futura filly Curious Girl may have caused a few nervous ripples in the Corne Spies camp at Turffontein on Saturday ahead of Hazy Dazy’s SA Triple Tiara bid in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Oaks on 4 April.

While the Spies team’s Hazy Dazy has been a sensation and will relish the step up to the 2450m of the Triple Tiara third leg, the De Kock charge Curious Girl’s runaway victory in the R150 000 Non Black-Type Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial over 2000m on Saturday, stamped her as a genuinely progressive staying type.

Allowed to bowl along in midfield by Hollywood Racing-retained jockey Gavin Lerena, Curious Girl (5-2), lumbering joint top weight, lengthened her stride and accelerated 300m out to beat the wellsupported Into Dancing (15-10) by 5,75 lengths in a time of 123,78 secs for the 2000m.

The Heavenly Blue filly Ethical (33-1) was beaten a further two lengths back in third, in a strung-out finish.

Bred by Riyo Stud, Curious Girl is a daughter of Futura (Dynasty), out of the Ideal World (USA) mare Idaho. She has the blood to stay all day!

Purchased for R160 000 by Hollywood Racing at the 2024 BSA National Yearling Sale, she is now a winner of 4 races (including her penultimate jump over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville) with a place from 6 starts. In the process, Curious Girl took her stakes bank to R295 451.

This was Gavin Lerena’s third winner of the afternoon, and the Lucky Fish-sponsored De Kock Racing’s second victory after Richard Fourie booted home the Vercingetorix debutante Good Day Sunshine for Ridgemont Racing & Devin Heffer in the opener.

A champion on the racetrack, Futura has put together a more than respectable stud record and is one of a handful of stallions capable of siring classic stock, as underlined last weekend when three-year-old daughter Curious Girl made light work of the Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial at Turffontein.

CLASSIC FUTURA!

The De Kock-trained filly came from mid-field and when she surged into the lead, it was race over, as she cruised home by the best part of six lengths in what was a third win on the bounce and fourth overall. Sadly, the race no longer carries black type status

Bred in the Eastern Cape at Riyo Stud, the progressive filly is classically-bred, being out of the Fort Wood mare Idaho, whose Global View half-brother Tabebuia was runner-up in the Derby Trial (now Hawwaam Stakes) some years back.

Idaho never saw a racetrack, but has come good as a stakes-producer, for in addition to Curious Girl, she is also the dam of Global View’s son Ideal View, who positively blossomed in Zimbabwe, notching up nine wins including the Castle Tankard over 2400m.

Incidentally, Curious Girl is Futura’s second Oaks Trial winner, his Drakenstein-bred daughter Light Of The Moon captured the race in 2022, before going down by three-parts of a length in the Oaks proper to fellow Drakenstein homebred champion Rain In Holland, the pair finishing over six lengths clear of third-placed Evening Primrose. She subsequently chased home another Drakenstein homebred Silver Darling in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000.

The Gr2 Track And Ball Oaks came next and proved a triumph for Futura, with Light The Moon running second to paternal half-sister Pink Tourmaline, who likewise carried the blue and white Drakenstein silks.

Arguably the best advert for Futura’s ability to impart stamina must surely be Future Pearl. Trained by Sean Tarry for Anthony Beck, he put together a grand treble as a three-year-old when he claimed all of the Gold Bowl, Gold Vase and Gold Cup, an achievement which earned him the accolade of Champion Stayer.

Add to that Durbanville Cup winner Thefutureisbright, this season’s Gr3 Western Cape Stayers winner Ahead Of The Facts and Gr1 Cape Derby runner-up Note To Self and one might be forgiven to judge Futura as purely a source of stamina.

Nothing could be further from the truth, given that he sired stakes winning juveniles Nourbese and champion Zimbabwe juvenile Dindingwe from his first crop, not to mention the talented sprinter Sweet Future and tip top miler Warrior.

Pedigree pundits will point out that this comes as no surprise, given that Futura’s dam Scribblin’ The Cat is inbred to the full-brothers Thatching and Golden Thatch, both influences for speed and precocity. To that end, Nourbese has as his grandam a daughter of Golden Thatch, who is also sire of Curious Girl’s third dam Daphne Donnelly.

Curious Girl has been entered for the Oaks proper and should she run, will aim to become the female line’s second Oaks winner in recent years. Two years ago, the Brett Crawford-trained Frances Ethel claimed the Oaks Trial before scoring a fluent victory in the Oaks proper. By Rafeef, she is out of Daphne Garland, an own sister to Laurel Tree, the grandam of Curious Girl. Their full sister Bay Tree was the first to produce a classic winner, her Strike Smartly son Bouquet-Garni carrying the Oppenheimer silks to victory in the 2008 SA Derby.

Like Curious Girl, he was trained by De Kock. The female line has fired on all cylinders in recent years, for Bouquet-Garni’s unraced own sister Tagine features as the grandam of the Crawford-trained Oriental Charm, whose finest hour came in the 2024 Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

As for Futura, the value of his stock may have dropped in recent years, yet there are those shrewd enough to recognise his credentials.

At last weekend’s Race Coast Premier Yearling Sale, Hollywood Racing outlayed an even million to secure Drakenstein-consigned Futura colt Farinthedistance, a half-brother to Gr1-placed Gr3 winner Distant Winter.

That came after trainer Herman Brown paid R500 000 at the Cape Yearling Sale for Lammerkraal’s Futura half-brother to multiple Gr2-placed sprinter Time Fo Orchids.

DE KOCK FILLIES SET TO TAKE ON HAZY DAZY IN SA OAKS

Racing fans will be hoping that Mike and Mathew de Kock’s up-and-coming staying fillies, Curious Girl and Councillor, can provide Hazy Dazy with meaningful opposition when she launches her SA Triple Tiara bid in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Oaks over 2450m on 4 April.

However, while Curious Girl posted a runaway victory in Saturday’s Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial and Councillor finished strongly against the colts in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes – both over 2000m – neither is certain to line up in the Oaks. Mathew de Kock said on Saturday that both fillies will be entered for the Oaks, but their participation will be

carefully considered in consultation with their respective owners – Hollywood Racing (Curious Girl) and Devin Heffer and Craig Kieswetter (Councillor).

“Both fillies risk significant penalties from the handicapper even for minor placings in the Oaks. Curious Girl is likely to move into the MR90s after her win today, while Councillor is rated 84 – massive increases after the Oaks could carry potentially career-limiting consequences.”

As for the Oaks Trial, Curious Girl was impressive in the way she disposed of 13 rivals. Jockey Gavin Lerena said: “I thought

she had it all to do, coming from Durban and carrying top weight. But Sean Veale told me she’d run a big race for me.”

Curious Girl won by 5,75 lengths in a time that was almost 2s faster than the time posted by Diogenes in the Hawwaam Stakes, which carries the kind of merit her connections will be mulling over when they make their Oaks decision.

Mathew pointed out that the Hawwaam Stakes was run at a significantly slower pace than the Oaks Trial. “Our filly Councillor dropped too far back early.

She got going when the race was almost over and gained good ground over the last 200m.”

Heffer and Kieswetter can look forward, with

more certainty, to a Gr2 SA Nursery run on 4 April for their two-year-old filly, Good Day Sunshine (Vercingetorix).

This half-sister to Miami Mountain raced sensibly on her 1000m debut, showed earlier pace than was expected and drew away nicely to win.

“Good Day Sunshine moved really well to post. She was a bit green and looking around –slightly slow off but recovered quickly and got onto the heels of the leader. She can run.”

The winners were saddled on behalf of the Lucky Fish ambassadors by assistant trainer, David Lhamine.

WILLIAM NOTHINGJOINS CYNICAL ABOUT DIOGENES

An astute maiden-winning BSA Online Sale purchase by Weichong Marwing booked his berth in the SA Derby with a fluent victory in Saturday’s R225 000 World Sports Betting Listed Hawwaam Stakes.

In a race named after his Wilgerbosdrift Studbased champion Dad Hawwaam (Silvano), the gelded Diogenes proved the wisdom of the decision to side-step the SA Classic and rather take Saturday’s ‘softer’ confidenceboosting route into the SA Derby on 4 April.

Professionally piloted by Stone-Stamcorsponsored Muzi Yeni, Diogenes (8-1) powered past pacesetter Texas Missile (4-1) and went on strongly to win by

1,50 lengths in a time of 125,41 secs for the 2000m. Master Spy (5-1) was a further 1,60 lengths back in third, with the De Kock-trained Rafeef filly Councillor (9-2) not disgraced back in fourth.

The winner was bred by Riethuiskraal Stud out of the well performed Captainofmysoul (Captain Al), a three-parts sister to triple Gr1 winner Captain America, and the stakes placed dam of Kommetdieding.

Originally raced under the Snaith Racing banner by Nick Jonsson, who purchased him for R300 000 off the BSA National Yearling Sale, Diogenes won a Hollywoodbets Durbanville maiden at his sixth start, but failed to show at his post-maiden. He was then placed on the market and purchased by Weichong Marwing for R281 000 off the BSA December 2025 Online Sale.

Saturday was Diogenes’ second consecutive victory in three starts for the Marwing yard and new owner, Mr M. Havenga.

FIRST STAKES SUCCESS FOR HAWWAAM

A first stakes winner is a significant landmark in the career of every stallion and for Silvano’s son Hawwaam, that moment came at Turffontein last Saturday when first-crop son Diogenes powered to a facile victory in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes.

Formerly known as the Listed Derby Trial, the 2000m race was renamed two years ago to honour his young sire.

Remarkably, Diogenes is the third grandson of Silvano to claim the race. The inaugural running went the way of Marauding Horde, who was sired by Vercingetorix, as was last year’s winner

Immediate Edge. The Champion Three-year-old Colt of his generation, Hawwaam returned to birthplace Wilgerbosdrift following a stellar career which yielded ten wins, eight of which at Graded stakes level, including the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge (twice), Gr1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and Gr1 SA Classic.

He is the youngest of three Gr1 winners out of Jet Master’s remarkable daughter Halfway To Heaven, the only mare in history to be named Broodmare of the Year three years in succession. From rather humble beginnings, the female line has continued

The top-class Hawwaam (Anton Marcus) wins at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth

to grow and excel, for this season alone, it has also yielded a new Gr1 winner in Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee, as well as his Gr2 winning half-sister Princess Of Gaul, both of which are out of Halfway To Heaven’s half-sister Miss Marmalade.

The latest win by Diogenes was also a momentous occasion for former jockey Weichong Marwing, as this was his first stakes success as a trainer.

Weichong had fortuitously plucked Diogenes off an on-line sale in December for R281 000. The gelding was a one-time winner at the time, having scored for the Snaith stable over a mile at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

They say a change is as good as a holiday and Diogenes has clearly thrived since his relocation to the Highveld. In fact, he has not looked back since his 1600m pipe opener in early February, winning both subsequent starts whilst recouping a sizeable chunk of his purchase price.

It’s on to the Gr1 SA Derby, a race Hawwaam himself side-stepped after winning the Gr1 SA Classic by the best part of six lengths.

Diogenes is out of Captainofmysoul, a Gr2/3 placed daughter of Captain Al, whilst the immediate female line is that of Durban July and Met hero Kommetdieding, as well as the triple Gr1 winner Captain America.

Now that Hawwaam has broken through with a first stakes winner, there are surely other potential black type performers waiting in the wings.

The filly Perfect Miracle won her first two starts and missed out on black type when fourth in the Listed Swallow Stakes, Touched By Angels has also won twice this season for Peter Muscutt, whilst Pivotal Role, a half-brother to Princess Calla, justified his even-money odds to score for the second time in four starts in the Wernars silks.

Hawwaam’s juveniles too, are starting to make their presence felt and include the winners Just Carter, Durban Diamond and Grande Hawaii, who cracked her maiden by an impressive three lengths second time out and has been entered for the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery.

Silvano sired no less than three winners of the Gr1 SA Derby and it would be a feather in his cap if Diogenes becomes his first grandson to claim the coveted classic.

LAIRD STAYER OUTGUNS THEM

When in a galloping mood, Alec Laird’s Vercingetorix gelding Daimyo doesn’t stop and he put his best hoof forward at Turffontein on Saturday for a convincing victory in the R225 000 World Sports Betting Listed Aquanaut Handicap.

A very capable stayer on his day, the 5yo went all the way under a confidently judged ride by SplashOut-sponsored Calvin Habib and had enough in reserve to win with ears pricked.

Starting at 10-1, Daimyo ran the 2400m in 152,69 secs for his third stakes win, beating Aladdin’s Lamp (9-4) by 2,30 lengths,

with the consistent Enflame (9-4) a further length back in third.

A winner of 5 races with 6 places from 19 starts, Daimyo took his stakes bank in the process to R668 026.

A R600 000 November 2yo Sale graduate, Daimyo is raced by Messrs K P Nagendran & R V Norton & Mrs C Nagendran and was bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds & Syrilla Stud.

A son of Vercingetorix (Silvano), Daimyo is out of the Gr1 SA Oaks winner Juxtapose (Judpot).

INFORMATION OVERKILL PROBABLY ALWAYS THE SAFEST OPTION

A move of the starting stalls at Turffontein on Saturday at the request of the jockeys was met with some ire from punters who were disappointed at the absence of an announcement to that effect.

Following the running of the third race, a number of jockeys raised concerns regarding a patch at approximately the 100m in close proximity to the outside running rail.

It was agreed that as it was a small field the starting stalls would be positioned as close to the inside as possible in an attempt to alleviate this issue.

While the Bipot had already started and the Place Accumulator first leg had just been run, the fourth race was the first leg of the Pick 6 and some serious punters take cognizance of the positioning of the starting stalls – probably more so that the first four races were all run over 1000m and a trend may have been evident from early.

While the positioning of the starting stalls is not part of the disseminated information on raceday, the racing operator probably should have ideally communicated any changes on-course, and to the broadcast studios.

The Sporting Post’s efforts to contact the 4Racing Raceday Duty Officer Msizi Kubeka were unsuccessful.

MAJOR NEW HIGHLIGHT ON THE CAPE RACING CALENDAR

Race Coast have reported that Saturday 27 February 2027 will mark a historic moment for horse racing in South Africa with the inaugural Swiss Derby Day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in Cape Town.

The landmark race day will offer total prize money of R10 million, making it one of the richest race meetings ever staged in Cape Town.

he programme will feature seven races, headlined by the prestigious Swiss Derby (Grade 1) for threeyear-old horses over 2000 metres, with prize money of R3 million.

To encourage large and competitive fields, prize money will be paid to the first eight finishers in every race.

Adding further excitement to the meeting is a unique R1 million jackpot, which will be shared among all trainers, jockeys, owners and breeders who win at least three races on Swiss Derby Day.

SWISS DERBY DAY RACE PROGRAMME

The Swiss Derby Day has been initiated by Swiss entrepreneur Rolf Theiler and his Cape Town born wife Gloria Arendz Theiler.

Rolf Theiler has longstanding ties to South Africa and the Cape Town region spanning more than 35 years. Horses have played a central role in Theiler’s life.

A former successful show jumper, he founded the CSI (Concours de Saut International) Zurich in 1988, which went on to become the world’s most successful indoor show jumping tournament, an event he chaired for 30 years.

In recent years, Theiler has also become actively involved in South African horse racing, owning several racehorses in the country. Through his engagement with the local racing industry and many discussions with stakeholders, the concept for Swiss Derby Day emerged.

Theiler is convinced that the race day will attract Swiss companies and individuals as partners and sponsors, bringing a distinct Swiss flavour to the

event. The national colours red and white will feature prominently, while racegoers will be able to enjoy Swiss culinary specialities and traditional Swiss folk music as part of the festivities.

“We are highly motivated to further develop horse racing in the Cape region with new ideas, inspire new partners for the sport and present the perfect conclusion to the Cape Summer Festival of Racing with Swiss Derby Day,” said Rolf Theiler.

“The Swiss Derby Day is a fantastic example of how international collaboration can help strengthen the future of racing in South Africa,” said Race Coast Chairman, Greg Bortz. “The scale of the prize money and the international flavour of the event will add a new dimension to the Cape Summer Festival of Racing and help showcase the quality of South African racing to a global audience.”

The Swiss Derby Day is expected to become a major new highlight on the Cape racing calendar, combining world-class racing with international flair.

THE KUHNS’ RACING JOURNEY

LOW PROFILE, HIGH STRIKE RATE

The black silks with a white cross and red cap carried by the runners of Heinrich and Hester Kuhn are quietly becoming a familiar sight in South African racing.

The relatively young owners describe themselves as ‘average Joes’ who prefer to stay out of the limelight, but their growing involvement in the sport reflects a thoughtful approach shaped by the same principles that guide their business interests.

Their latest success story is Grand Empire, a colt by Vercingetorix out of an unproven Potala Palace mare, bought for R400,000 – the second-lowest price paid for any of the 35 yearlings by the champion sire at the 2024 Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Heinrich commented: “Jan Mantel raised Grand Empire at Millstream Farm. Whenever we see Jan, he quips, ‘You stole that one!’ but of course it was a fair deal. Our good friend and trainer Eric Sands liked Grand

Empire as a young horse when he visited the farm and told us that he was a lovely specimen – on the small side but with lots of scope.

“When Grand Empire got to the sales ring, Eric already had his eye on him and, due to his size, we secured him without much competition from other buyers. Eric did the groundwork, told us that Grand Empire would take time to mature. When he was almost ready to race, we moved him to Sean Tarry so we could have easier access to the Gauteng features and KZN season coming up this year.”

Tarry believes the Kuhns are ‘lucky’ owners, with a knack for acquiring quality horses. Aside from Grand Empire, they currently also race the Grade 1 winner Cosmic Speed (Querari), the ultra-promising Speedman (Vercingetorix) and the Graded-placed Hierarchy (Erupt), stabled along with a couple of promising, unraced two-year-olds in training at his Randjesfontein yard.

Heinrich noted that all their runners are selected by their trainers and that many are owned in partnership with others, although he concedes they may also have enjoyed a measure of good fortune in racing.

From available statistics (as close as could be determined), the Kuhns have raced about 70 horses between 2013 and 2026, alone or in various partnerships, yielding 40 individual winners of at least one race or more. That represents a remarkable winning strike rate of near 60% from horses raced.

This record is even more impressive considering that two of their early purchases produced Graded winners and a runner in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, and that they’ve had Grade 1 winners in the last two racing seasons. Heinrich recalled: “My late brother, Werner Kuhn, was the first

in our family to get involved in racing. He pulled us into a share of a cheapie called Captain Rock (Seventh Rock), trained by Chris Erasmus. She won first time out over 800m at the Vaal in November 2013 and the bug bit right there. She was a bleeder and struggled in a few runs after that before we retired her, but she gave us enough inspiration to dip our toes a little deeper into the water.”

Their first Graded winner came from their very first auction purchase. Cosmic Light, a filly selected by Cathy Rymill, was bought at the 2014 Bloodstock SA National Yearling

Sale for R200,000 – the lowest price among the eight yearlings by Querari offered, and R130,000 below the sale’s average price.

Cosmic Light won her first three starts for Duncan Howells, including the Grade 2 Debutante Stakes, and later finished second in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

“We retired her after nine runs and sold her back to her breeder, Maine Chance Farms,” Heinrich said. “She has since produced the multiple-winning sprinters Cosmic Star and Chyavana, both performers at Graded level.” Heinrich had Ten Gun Salute (Henrythenavigator, AUS), an imported half-brother to ten winners, on his shortlist for the 2014 Ready To Run Sale, but the

bidding rose beyond his budget to R1.15million. Shortly afterwards the buyer withdrew, and Heinrich recalled: “Nicola Coppez of Balmoral Stud phoned to say the horse had become available and asked if I, as the underbidder, was still interested. We bought him for R650,000.”

Ten Gun Salute developed into a high-class performer for Duncan Howells, winning both the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap and the Grade 2 Betting World 1900. He carried the Kuhns’ colours in the Hollywoodbets Durban July in 2016 and 2017 and also travelled to Gauteng for the Summer Cup.

Please click on the image below to read the full story:

Vercingetorix

Credit: Chase Liebenberg

2026 PREMIER SALE RAISES THE BAR

The curtain came down on the 2026 Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday with the buzz and the statistics collectively signalling a game changing renewal and what history will probably show was a quantum step forward for the event on the South African thoroughbred sales calendar.

A total of 225 of the 251 lots through the ring found buyers and produced a new record aggregate of R145 390 000, at an average of R646 178 and a median of R400 000.

After the Hong Kong Jockey Club set the bar at R4 million in session 1 on Friday with the purchase of the Narrow Creek consigned Rafeef colt (#94),

Adam Marcus Racing signed the chit for the Vercingetorix colt Caesar’svastghost (#197) at R4,5 million to carry the accolade of overall sales-topper.

The athletic individual was consigned by Winterbach Stud as agent and is out of the Jet Master mare Come Fly With Me.

He is thus a half-brother to four winners, notably dual Gr1 winning sire, Double Superlative.

“He was purchased for existing patrons, Walesbased Mr and Mrs Harris,” confirmed a delighted Adam Marcus, who was also pleased with the Klawervleiconsigned Digital Age filly (#105) purchased for his P3 Racing Syndicate.

“She is a lovely filly and she sold for well below the sale average. She is the first purchase this year for our fastgrowing syndicate. Well done to all involved. It was a superb sale,” added the Milnerton conditioner.

depth across the catalogue with plenty of athletic, well-presented individuals. It’s encouraging to see breeders supporting the sale with quality stock and buyers backing it with confidence,” he added.

Snaith suggested that sales such as this are vital for the continued growth of the South African breeding industry and horse population.

“Race Coast Sales created a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere that was enjoyed by all buyers, contributing to a thoroughly successful and enjoyable sale. Please allow me to extend a sincere thank you to the entire Race Coast Sales team, as well as the owners and buyers whose support makes this sale possible. They make the magic happen.”

Race Coast Sales created a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere that was enjoyed by all buyers, contributing to a thoroughly successful and enjoyable sale.

Winterbach Stud as agent also coincidentally consigned the top filly, lot 262, a daughter of the ever-popular Rafeef out of a well-related What A Winter mare, who sold to Bass Racing for R1,8 million.

Jonathan Snaith was the leading buyer on aggregate, his 25 strong purchase aggregating R 26 075 000 at an average of R1 043 000.

The Futura Park horseman echoed Adam Marcus’ sentiments, indicating to the Sporting Post that the quality of yearlings on offer was ‘exceptional and buyers responded accordingly’, which fact he said is handsomely reflected in the strong aggregate and an impressive average of R648 259.

“The median of R400 000 is an important figure, and was up 23% on last year. There was great

While proven big-hitters

Vercingetorix (Silvano) and Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) expectedly dominated the sires charts with respective aggregates of R 32 975 000 (22 lots at an average of R 1 498 864) and R 26 850 000 (21 lots at an average of R1 278 571), Drakenstein Stud’s new man Jet Dark (Trippi) was in great demand, his 20 offspring selling for R 17 550 000 at an impressive average of R 877 500.

The wide-awake Jet Dark team immediately announced a 2026 service fee of R30 000, suggesting breeders ‘back the numbers’.

The big draft farms dominated the vendor numbers, with Klawervlei Stud (as agent) turning over R25 800 000 (44 @ an average of R586 364), marginally shading Maine Chance Farms aggregate of R25 400 000 (28 @ an average of R907 143), with Drakenstein Stud on R22 750 000 (15 @ an impressive average of R 1 516 667).

Please click here for all the statistics.

Premier

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT!

SCENE AT THE SALES

THE 2026 RACE COAST SALES PREMIER YEARLING SALE CELEBRATED TWO DAYS OF HIGH-POWERED ACTION AT HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. IN SCENE AT THE SALES, WE CELEBRATE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.

SCENE AT THE SALES

FRIDAY’S PREMIER TOPSELLER

A DREAM BORN 50 YEARS AGO

Lot 94: the Rafeef – Singforafa session 1 topseller | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Danny Rolston signed the R4 million chit on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for lot 94, Rafa’s Tune, a handsome colt by Rafeef and a first foal out of the top-class racemare Singforafa (Potala Palace), a winner of six races, including most notably the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint.

While it was a highest ever price tag for a horse bred on the beautiful Narrow Creek Stud in Wolseley, the back story of the mare is worth a sentimental recap.

The story starts a half century ago with the late Nico Johann Swart, a longstanding breeder and owner who lived for his horses and angling.

His first winner was Mexico 11’s daughter Inca Princess, ridden by Mike Riley and trained by his favourite trainer, the late Pat O’Neill.

“My Dad kept all his broodmares at Broadlands and really enjoyed Mrs O’Neil. I was there to lead his first winner in all those years ago. It was a day that he cherished and was the start of a lifetime of love and passion for horseracing and breeding,” Denise Swart told the Sporting Post.

In his latter years, Mr Swart kept his last mare, First Whistle, a daughter of Whistling Wood, at Terry and Annabel Andrews’ Sorrento Stud. She is the Granddam of Friday evening’s topseller.

Racing has a knack of producing wonderful stories and none less so than Friday evening’s Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale session 1 topseller.

Denise and Nico Swart lead their first winner Inca Princess (Mike Riley) in all those years ago | Credit: Supplied

“My Dad made me promise to keep the breeding dream, alive and aim for a champion. Singforafa, who was leased to Corne Spies, won the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint in 2021, barely six months after Dad passed away in September 2020. And now her first foal fetches R4 million. We were happy when bidding reached R1 million!” added Denise emotionally.

Denise recalled affectionately how the Bellvilleborn entrepreneur, a former Director and Owner of Titanium Paints, was a low-key man, who lived very simply but loved his horses and breeding.

“He always stressed the double ‘n’ in his second name, Johann, and often enjoyed pleading poverty.

It was just his conservative style. But he lived a full life between horses, and as a Western Province Deep Sea Angler. I know he was watching down on us on Friday evening,” she concluded.

RCS Director of Sales Pippa Mickleburgh said that the sale was active throughout the evening with an average of R598 334 and a clearance rate of 91%.

“The highlight was lot 94, sold for R4 million to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, represented by Danny Rolston. The middle market was solid and bidding was active throughout. We look forward to Session 2 of the Premier Yearling Sale, starting at 12h00 today,” she concluded.

WINTERBACH RIDING CREST OF WAVE

Winterbach Stud pulled off a notable feat at last weekend’s RCS Premier Yearling Sale. Not only did the top farm, as agent, consign the R4,5 million sales topping colt (Lot 197), but they also sold the joint top priced filly (Lot 262).

It is safe to say that Caesar’svastghost, the top lot sold at the Premier Sale this year, is a colt with a stallion’s pedigree.

By South Africa’s reigning champion sire, Caesar’svastghost is a half-brother to dual G1 winner Double Superlative, who is now standing

at stud. The colt was sired by Vercingetorix, South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2024-2025, and once again heading the premiership this season.

Currently the dominant force in the South African sales ring, Vercingetorix was also sire of Wreath Of Snow, the R9 000 000 sales topper at the 2025 Premier Sale.

This year, Vercingetorix was responsible for three of the top four lots sold at the Premier Yearling Sale, with Vercingetorix supplying no fewer than 15 yearlings which made R1 000 000 or more at the

2026 Premier Sale.In total, Vercingetorix had 22 lots gross R32,975 million at the sale, where the son of Silvano’s yearlings averaged an impressive R1 498 864.

Caesar’svastghost, bred on the same Vercingetorix/ Jet Master cross as graded stakes winners African Warrior, Rascallion, Greaterix, and this season’s World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Quickstepgal, is a half-brother to four winners, notably Gr1 Cape Guineas/Gr1 Cape Town Met winner Double Superlative.

His dam Come Fly With Me won five times, from 1000m to 1600m, and she was also runner-up in both the Gr3 Diana Stakes and Gr3 Champagne

Stakes. A full-sister to Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night, Come Fly With Me is directly descended in female line from the imported mare Mistress Gwyn.

The latter is ancestress of numerous top-class performers including champion filly Star Effort, highclass galloper The Eliminator, and G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship winner Be My Love.

Understandably, Hendrik Winterbach remembers this colt with pride.

“He had it all. Pedigree, looks, great legs, and a smart walk. He also has a lot of character. He got really bored at the end of the week and started

playing with the groom when he had to be shown. So it frustrated me because he did not walk properly when people viewed him. We got through it in the end! He is an intelligent horse.”

Winterbach also consigned an unnamed Rafeef filly (Lot 262), who made R1 800 000 to make her the joint top-priced filly sold at this year’s Premier Sale.

Ridgemont’s star stallion Rafeef enjoyed some excellent results at the 2026 Premier Sale.

Responsible for the R4 000 000 colt out of Singaforafa, Rafeef was the second Leading Sire, by Aggregate, with his 21 lots to sell fetching R26,85 million. Rafeef yearlings averaged a fine R1 278 571.

His daughter out of the twice winning What A Winter mare I Like It Hot is certainly bred to be good.

Her dam is a half-sister to South African champion Via Africa, whose ten career wins included the 2014 Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and two runnings of the Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint.

Via Africa has, if anything, proved to be an even better broodmare than racemare, with her progeny including a pair of Australian Gr1 winners. She is the dam of Gr1 ATC Golden Rose winner and popular young sire In The Congo, and also produced current Australian sensation Autumn Glow. The latter has won her first ten starts (she has already amassed more than AUS$7.5 million in prize money), including the Gr1 ATC Verry Elleegant Stakes and Gr1 ATC Epsom Handicap.

Both In The Congo (Snitzel) and Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) were sired by sons of Redoute’s Choice, with the latter also the sire of Rafeef.

Hendrik raves about this classy filly.

“She has a great temperament. She took everything in her stride. She has lots of scope with a great walk. What a family she has!”

Via Africa’s half-sister Swift Dancer had a The United States filly make R1 600 000 at last weekend’s sale.

WAS ACCURATE FAST TIME

The Hollywoodbets Scottsville straight course was again running fast on Sunday. Indeed, the Lucky Fish Horseshoe Heat B Stakes over 1000m won by CIRCUMBENDIBUS was run in a time just 1/10th of a second outside the course record.

In a race run much quicker than the other three races over the distance early on, the 4yo son of Vercingetorix put his head in front going through the 700m. He was soon a length and a half to the good and then extending over the final 250m, he went on to score in very good style by three.

In what was comfortably the slowest of the four races over 1000m, the Online Form Guide www.gallop.co.za Maiden Plate, the New Predator filly FLEUR DE LING (blinkers first time) ran out a much easier winner than the official margin would suggest.

At the head of affairs throughout, Michael Roberts’ charge drew clear with ease under just hands and heels and at one stage was four lengths clear.

She was then eased right down after jockey Rachel Venniker had had a good look around, and clearly flattering the runner up, she won by a rapidly diminishing length and a half.

Hollywoodbets Scottsville 15 March

Track Condition

Going: Good (both tracks)

Penetrometer: 23 (both tracks)

Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 2,5mm

Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 4mm

False Rail: 9m

Wind: 10-15km/h South Easterly head wind

Course Variant: 1,29s fast (straight) –0,94s fast (bend)

The Listed Kings Cup over 1600m topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a gutsy performance from the top weight Okavango.

Fourth in the Cape Town Met last time out, the 4yo son of Master Of My Fate broke well from the widest draw and taken straight to the front by Tristan Godden led throughout.

Off a fair pace he led by a length turning for home, but was soon challenged by the lightweight J P’s Palace (51,5kg). He got the better of that one approaching the 200m marker before then having to find extra again to fend off a determined late challenge from the 18/10 favourite King Pelles by a half.

Positioned seventh of the nine some five and a half lengths behind the winner, King Pelles ran on very well in the closing stages, but did look held below the distance.

In terms of stake money the Centenary Club Middle Stakes over 1950m was the supporting act and here victory went to the lightly raced 3yo SWORD SPEED.

Now a winner of two from four, the son of William Longsword sat fourth for most of the trip. The pace wasn’t a fast one and rounding the home turn he was only three lengths off the pace.

The always handy favourite Go Grayson Go was the first to make a move and after striking the front at the top of the straight, he kept on strongly all the way to the wire.

Alyson Wright’s charge moved up to challenge 250m out and got the better of a good battle below the distance to score by three quarters.

Easily eight lengths off the pace in ninth position at the halfway mark, the handsome chestnut Actor ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and marginally recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon. Jockey Richard Fourie reported that Actor was not striding out. He was then reported by the vet to be lame on the right fore and suspended indefinitely pending a veterinary certificate.

Two 1200m events had opened up proceedings and in the faster of these, the Bet With Tote Maiden Plate (f) , the Hawwaam filly LUTHANDO got off the mark at just the third time of asking.

The field was tightly grouped for most of the journey and although racing sixth, Nathan Kotzen’s charge was never more than two and a half lengths off the pace.

She became one of five in a line when taking up the running 250m from home and went on to win fair and square from the Dean Kannemeyer trained newcomer Flying Fate (raced green) by just over a length.

Fastest Times:

1000m (4) Circumbendibus 55,51 1200m (2) Luthando 69,53

1600m (2) Okavango 95,73

400-finish Actor 22,41

OKAVANGO IS

Justin Snaith opened his 2026 East Coast feature account in good style at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday when the classy Okavango made his first start in the KZN Capital City a winning one with an end-to-end victory in the R165 000 Listed Kings Cup.

Drifting out to 7-1 on support for the top-notch local King Pelles, Okavango came in fresh off his fourth in the WSB Cape Town Met and was never headed as Tristan Godden had him balanced out front for much of the mile trip.

“He was on the wrong leg on the right-handed turn, but when he changed legs in the home run, I knew it would take something to catch him,” said Godden.

After the loss of a big owner and a number of horses from his string, veteran Frank Robinson has been looking after the Snaith attack at Summerveld, and it certainly strikes one as a shrewd move by the Capetonians to harness the vastly experienced trainer’s experience.

At the line Okavango clocked 95,73 secs and held off

a storming late effort by King Pelles by 0,60 lengths, with JP’s Palace, who was prominent for a long way, running a further 2,30 lengths back in third.

Former Frank Robinson charge Field Marshal (252) was given every chance by Richard Fourie, and was beaten 4,20 lengths into fourth. His stablemate Madison Valley failed to flatter and ran last.

The winner, who was disqualified on a flunixin positive after winning the Anthonij Rupert Gr2 Premier Trophy down in the Cape in January, was purchased for R420 000 off the BSA November 2yo Sale and was bred by Michael De Broglio.

A son of Master Of My Fate (Jet Master), Okavango is out of the outstandingly versatile champion Sportsworld mare, Sabina Park.

Okavango is now a winner of 4 races with 6 places from 14 starts and stakes of R878 009.

Rachel Venniker was the most successful rider on the afternoon with three winners, while Glen Kotzen saddled a double.

MARCHLAND LOOKS VERY SMART!

The Ridgemont-based SA Triple Crown winning sire Malmoos has made a flying start to his stud career and registered his first stakes success when his debut winning daughter Marchland scored an impressive follow-up victory in the R150 000 Listed East Cape Nursery at Fairview on Friday.

An eyecatching runaway debut winner when getting her sire off the mark at Fairview on 20 February, the Mervin Govender-owned Marchland (5-4) overcame a shaky start before making up ground gradually to run out a 3,25 length winner under Muzi Yeni and give trainer Kelly Mitchley a first stakes success, and one of three winners on a memorable day.

The Lammerskraal Stud-bred galloper beat Rungstedland (25-2) by 3,25 lengths , with Daffodil Delight (10-1) a further half length back in third.

Marchland, who is out of the Western Winter mare Marcheline, was a R450 000 buy from the 2025 Premier Yearling Sale. She is unbeaten in two starts and took her earnings to R138 304.

Her Querari half-brother went through the ring (lot 30) at the RCS Premier Yearling Sale a few hours

later on Friday evening and was knocked down to Vaughan Marshall for R500 000.

Marchland’s victory came just 24 hours after Malmoos registered a second first-crop winner at Turffontein on Thursday when his Avontuur-bred daughter Within Reach made a winning debut for Sean Tarry and owners the Wernars Family and Mukund Gujadhur.

One of the most exciting racers of the 21st century, and only the fourth horse in history to win the South African Triple Crown, Malmoos galloped his way into South African turf history on 3 April 2021 as he registered his seventh victory from his first eight career starts.

Bred on similar lines to another promising young sire in the form of Erik The Red, Malmoos’ numerous high-class relatives include current stakes performers Note To Self (runner-up Lucky Fish Gr1 Cape Derby), and Green Gateway (Listed Sophomore Sprint), as well as prominent stallion Master Of My Fate.

Kelly Mitchley shared the training honours of three winners apiece on the afternoon with Dean Smith.

TARA’S STABLE STAR -

‘TWO TO THREE MONTHS BEFORE HE CAN RESUME WORK’

Veteran East Cape lady trainer Tara Laing is well exposed to the rollercoaster of horseracing but received a knockout blow with the news that her stable star Buffalo Bill will not be taking his place in the R250 000 Listed Bryanston Auctioneers East Cape Guineas at Fairview on Friday 20 March.

Tara told the Sporting Post on Saturday that she was ‘devastated’ by the news of the injury setback to the ‘best horse I have ever trained’.

Buffalo Bill suffered the injury when he was kicking in his box at the Fairview stables.

Top Veterinary Surgeon Dr Ashleigh Parker is optimistic that Buffalo Bill will make a full recovery.

“He has a fracture of his pedal bone. They put a bar shoe on and filled it with silicone rubber.

We will assess him after four weeks to see how long he will be out of action. It will probably be two to three months before he can resume work,” he explained.

Buffalo Bill, owned by Govett Triggol of 334Stud, won the Listed Ibhayi Stakes a month ago.

It was his fifth win from nine starts, with three second places and a third.

Bred by 334 Stud, the 3yo is a son of Irish-bred Redoute’s Choice stallion Buffalo Bill Cody out of the twice-winning Western Winter mare, Nesspresso.

The Ibhayi Stakes was the first leg of the East Cape Sophomore Challenge.

Dynamite comes in small packages and when the explosive grey Il Etait Temps succeeded at his fourth attempt to win at Cheltenham last week on the 2026 renewal of the four day festival, his victory in the Gr1 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase was surely the standout performance for SA racing fans, being a maiden success for South African owners after a 166 year wait.

WELL WORTH THE 166 YEAR WAIT!

Picking himself up off the canvas after a fall at Ascot at his previous start, the 8yo Il Etait Temps, who is raced in partnership by Hollywood Racing and the Kieswetter family’s County Tipperary-based Barnane Stud, showed courage and true grit as he survived a heartstopping final-fence stumble to finally write himself into the Cheltenham Festival history books in an enthralling BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The pint-sized grey is now a seven-time Grade 1 winner and demonstrated again that the finest things in life are simply just worth waiting for!

As the curtain came down on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival on Friday, with attendances up year on year to 226 223 from 218 093 in 2025, and many millions worldwide enjoying the thrills on television, former England international cricketer Craig Kieswetter reflected on a moment that in many ways paralleled, and even outpointed, the joy of his Twenty20 World Cup win for England in 2010.

“I’d rather win at Cheltenham than win a World Cup, that’s for sure,” conceded Kieswetter, who celebrated

the passionate partnership, fuelled by a love of the sport of kings, between the two families. It’s a different feeling, and it’s great to do it with family and friends. There’s a massive South African crowd here today. It’s a lot colder than Cape Town, but we’re happy to stand in the cold with a result like that.”

While their Western stud farms at Robertson and Wellington sweltered in 40-plus degree temperatures as a heat wave suffocated the fairest tip of Africa, representatives of the Kieswetter and Heffer families savoured a remarkable victory by a French-bred jumps hero in the cold at the historic racetrack.

“He’s small but he’s mighty, and he’s given us a lot of surprises and a lot of joy. We’re delighted. A lot of stuff went in our favour today. Conditions were perfect, there were a few errors from other horses in the race, and we took advantage. We nearly didn’t at the last, mind you, but we pulled it off,” added the clearly delighted Kieswetter.

And what an honour for the South African powerhouse partnership whose names are now engraved on an honour-roll dating back to 1959, when the contest started life as the National Hunt

Two-Mile Champion Chase. It was given its present title in 1980 – the year of the Queen Mother’s 80th birthday – in recognition of her support to jump racing.

The race has now been replayed a million times!

Taking the lead on the run to the final fence, Il Etait Temps’ stumble as he touched earth after the final jump was accompanied by a horrified gasp from the stands. But the fumbled catch made no difference as he galloped to a 10-length success at odds of 5-2 over the fast-finishing Libberty Hunter, who picked up the pieces for second at 50-1, ahead of L’Eau Du Sud.

“I thought Paul was very brave on him today as obviously he couldn’t go the pace they were setting for the first mile, but I could see coming down the hill he was happy and he had his position coming to the final bend. I think the better ground maybe helped Il Etatit Temps. I was wondering whether he was a horse who didn’t like this place, but when we went through his form at Cheltenham we found excuses for every day. I had a bit of a heart attack at the last, but it looked he had plenty of horse underneath him,” added the champion trainer. A gelded son of Jukebox Jury, Il Etait Temps is

out of Une Des Source and was bred in France by Emmanuel Clayeux.

A final word from Wayne Kieswetter, as he reflected on the partnership’s deep love and admiration for their grey soldier.

“We are fortunate to race this remarkable ‘Iron Horse’. But pro’s like Willie Mullins and his team, and Paul Townend make these big moments possible. It was special to watch the Gold Cup on Friday as Gaelic Warrior crowned another extraordinary week for the duo. And I believe that Paul is now the single most successful jockey in the 102-year history of jump racing’s greatest contest, having ridden each of Willie’s five Gold Cup winners. That’s a tally that means our trainer joins the legendary record-holder Tom Dreaper as the joint-most successful trainer on the race’s stellar roll of honour. And Willie achieved this on the 40th anniversary of his Dad Paddy saddling Dawn Run to claim that epic Gold Cup success under Jonjo O’Neill. The history and achievement is enormous and something that we are honoured to be a small part of,” enthused Kieswetter.

We have already pencilled in the magic four days on Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March 2027!

SA FLAG FLIES HIGH

AT WORLD-RENOWNED FESTIVAL

Champagne as SA owners claim historic first win at Cheltenham

Mzansi’s time to shine on one of international horseracing’s biggest stages was certainly dueand that’s precisely what’s just happened. Il Etait Temps (which translates from the French as “it was time”), a grey gelding racing in partnership for two South African families, won the Queen Mother Champion Chase Group 1, at the Cheltenham Festival, in England.

In non-racing parlance that’s the equivalent of taking gold at the Olympics, as the Cheltenham Festival is regarded as the World Championships of National Hunt racing.

Il Etait Temps overcame a mistake at the final fence to power over the line on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, in the process recording his seventh Group 1 success over jumps.

South African-born England international cricketer Craig Kieswetter, who is among Il Etait Temps’ owners, was bowled over by what has been a tremendous comeback from the pint-sized horse.

Il Etait Temps had proved unsuccessful in three previous visits to Cheltenham and had fallen at Ascot on his most recent start.

"I'm a bit speechless to be honest. We've all flown over from South Africa, we've got the whole family

here,” Kieswetter told the UK’s Press Association. "It's worth standing in the cold compared to South Africa, I'm very proud of everyone and it's quite amazing," he said.

Also cracking open the bubbly were representatives of fellow owners, South Africa’s Hollywood Racing.

Devin He er, Hollywood Group’s brand and communications manager, was delighted. “It’s hugely significant that owners from South Africa have cracked it with this superstar of a jump-horse. Winning at Cheltenham is like winning at the Olympics; it's the pinnacle.” He er said it showed that, “although South Africa is a small racing country, we can compete on the international stage”.

Il Etait Temps is Hollywood Racing’s first National Hunt jump horse, acquired in late 2022. “Wednesday’s victory puts the South African racing industry firmly back in the top tier of international racing. To have our Hollywood Racing colours shine at an event like this, with 46,000 people on-course, and millions watching from around the world is just sensational,” said He er.

“It serves to highlight the growing international footprint of South African racing partnerships. And it comes as preparations get into full swing for South Africa’s biggest feature race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.”

ELITE FOUR-YEAR-OLDS CHASING

‘ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME

GLORY’

In the latest instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, the club dials in on the make-up of the field for the city’s most prestigious race and look at how the 14 runners have come to stand on the edge of glory.

Barring any mishaps, the field for the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 22 March, is set, with all the biggest names from this season’s four-yearold crop featuring.

HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) victor Little Paradise, HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) conqueror Stormy Grove, recent Gr3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) winner Numbers and Gr1 Derby Paulista (2400m) hero Sagacious Life headline a field that also features Invincible Ibis, Patch Of Cosmo, Beauty Bolt, Emblazon, Top Dragon, Regal Gem, Juneau Pride, Dazzling Fit, Seraph Gabriel and Pope Cody. Hong Kong owners search far and wide for the horse they hope will deliver them the ultimate success and this year’s field is a true testament to that, with gallopers bred in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Great Britain and Ireland all featuring.

In the past decade, Private Purchases (previously raced gallopers) have edged unraced runners (Private Purchase Griffins and International Sale Griffins) six Derby victories to four, with success coming in streaks.

After PPs Werther (2016), Rapper Dragon (2017), Ping Hai Star (2018) and Furore (2019) prevailed, PPGs Golden Sixty (2020), Sky Darci (2021) and Voyage Bubble (2023) plus ISG Romantic Warrior (2022) came to the fore before Massive Sovereign in 2024 and Cap Ferrat last year again flew the flag for high-profile imports.

It is an even split this year with seven PPs and seven PPGs, with Numbers, Stormy Grove and Sagacious Life leading the charge for the previously raced brigade and Little Paradise and Invincible Ibis the top PPGs in the field.

Pope Cody has taken the longest road to this year’s Derby, racing five times for three wins in

Queensland, Australia, before winning once from 15 Hong Kong starts to scrape into the field as the lowest-rated runner on a mark of 76.

Numbers raced the most times overseas before being bought by Hong Kong interests, winning twice from 12 starts in Australia, while Sagacious Life experienced the most success abroad before moving to Hong Kong, winning four times from six starts and also posting two Gr1 seconds.

Beauty Bolt had the fewest pre-import starts, winning his only start in Ireland, while Seraph Gabriel is the only PP not to have saluted since landing in Hong Kong.

Among the PPGs, Little Paradise – who boasts the highest rating in the Derby on a mark of 103 – has the most wins with six, while Emblazon has reeled off five victories from just eight starts – the fewest runs of any PPG in the Derby and equal with Seraph Gabriel as the least of any runner.

Seraph Gabriel, Regal Gem, Juneau Pride and Emblazon enter the Four-Year-Old Classic Series for the time first time in the Derby, while Little Paradise, Invincible Ibis, Patch Of Cosmo, Sagacious Life and Beauty Bolt stepped out in both of the first two legs.

As far as form goes, only two runners enter the Derby off the back of victories, with Emblazon on a heater and in search of a fifth-straight victory and Stormy Grove riding high on the back of consecutive successes capped by Hong Kong Classic Cup glory.

Finally, one of the biggest talking points of each year’s Derby is the ability to stay the 2000m trip.

Only three horses have already run over 2000m –Numbers, Sagacious Life and Seraph Gabriel – and while Sagacious Life is a Gr1 winner over 2400m, Numbers is the only galloper in the Derby field to actually salute over 10 furlongs.

Last year’s winner Inothewayurthikin finished a further two lengths back in third.

The victory completed a fantastic meeting for the owners who also won the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth in their distinctive pink and green silks on the opening day of the Festival.

The blue riband event of the ‘jumps season’ also provided their champion trainer Willie Mullins and stable jockey Paul Townend with a fifth winner of the race. They had previously struck with dual winners Al Boum Photo (2019, 2020) and Galopin des Champs (2023, 2024).

Townend is also the only jockey to have won the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, and Gold Cup at the same meeting. The grey Il Etait Temps was his winning mount in the Champion Chase, also trained by the dominant Mullins.

Gaelic Warrior, the 11/4 joint favourite, appeared to race keenly in the early stages but after being passed for the lead by Welsh Grand National winner Haiti Couleurs, he settled into a great rhythm in midfield, travelled and jumped easily, and only attempted to win the race approaching two out.

Still full of running on the turn for home, he quickly asserted, cleared the final two fences in style, and stormed up the hill in splendid isolation.

Paul Townend commented: “Oh my God, I’m speechless! We were dealt a big blow with Galopin Des Champs coming out, I was lucky enough for this lad to come along. Patrick [Mullins] was convinced that he was the horse for the race. He’s done a lot of work with this horse from the last day, it’s a huge team effort, I was just the fortunate one to be on his back today.”

Leading National Hunt owners Rich and Susannah Ricci landed their first Gold Cup at Cheltenham last week, courtesy of their magnificent eight-year-old Gaelic Warrior. He came home in style, victorious by eight lengths from 11/4 joint favourite Jango Baie.

Responding to the point that Gaelic Warrior appeared to race keenly early on, Townend said: “That’s not keen for Gaelic Warrior! I was delighted I got the position I wanted. When Harry [Skelton on Grey Dawning] went on, this lad went to sleep, jumped from fence to fence, I didn’t ever envision being in front going as well turning in, but I wasn’t going to slow him down after the jump at the third last any more than I did. It was just a matter of not falling off him up the straight.”

Willie Mullins, who has joined Arkle’s trainer Tom Dreaper as the most successful trainer in the Gold Cup, said: “It was just extraordinary. I’m just delighted for the Riccis.”

“I’m delighted for Paul Townend, who gave him such a great ride. He was so cool on him. Could you imagine what was going through his head going to the last fence? I know what was going through mine! We’ve had so many last fence mishaps around here. It’s fantastic and the way he did it was just spectacular.”

The runner-up Jango Baie, last season’s Arkle winner, was no match for Gaelic Warrior in the straight but kept on to finish second, seeing the trip out well at his first attempt.

His trainer Nicky Henderson said: “They didn’t look to go that quick that to me and Sean [Bowen on Haiti Couleurs] looked like he was dictating it and controlling it. When they quickened up the other horse (Gaelic Warrior) was always just going too well for us. He is only seven, so he is a baby.”

Final word goes to the likeable American owner Rich Ricci: “I’m a wreck! I’ve been trying to win this race for 21 years. Brilliant. Magic. People are so lovely to me. And a great ride by Paul. It’s been a great week - incredible.”

ARCHIVIST SEALS SUPERB CARNIVAL FOR WATHNAN RACING

Archivist capped a very successful Carnival for owners Wathnan Racing when he took the Phi Advertising Handicap – the feature race of Friday’s finale at Meydan Racecourse.

Trained by Hamad Al Jehani, the four-year-old had a month break after finishing third in the Lord Glitters Handicap last time out. He was spring-heeled here, wearing a hood for the first time.

Positioned just off the leaders by jockey Pat Dobbs, he extended away in the straight for a two and quarter length win over Indian Springs.

“I think the hood was a big difference tonight, he never sweated before the race and got into a really good rhythm going down,” said Dobbs after riding the gelding for the first time.

“He’s very straightforward with the hood and has a nice turn of foot. Ross [Atkinson] who rides him out said he’ll get to the line strong and he did that, he picked up well.”

12-time UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea celebrated a double on the night, which may just have settled Champion Trainer honours for his boss Bhupat Seemar.

The second leg of the double came on Diamond Dealer, who put up a no-nonsense performance in the closing Binghatti Handicap. Settled just off the leaders, he was asked for his effort off the home turn and powered away, always holding off the closing Nam Phrik who crossed the line three lengths behind.

“I’m very happy for His Highness [owners Al

Athbah Racing],” said O’Shea. “That’s his [Diamond Dealer’s] fourth win of the season, two at Meydan, two at Jebel Ali, so he’s very versatile. He’s a horse on the up and he has a big pedigree, being a half-brother to [Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner] White Abarrio. “He’s always showed us a lot of talent – at one stage Bhupat thought he was a UAE Derby horse but his mind didn’t allow it. He’s numerically our winning most horse for the season now.”

“Green as an apple” was the call from commentator Pat Comerford when Raasil opened his account in the ARN Maiden, over 1400m on dirt – the first leg of the O’Shea/ Seemar double.

The three-year-old Tonalist colt weaved around in the straight but was produced in good time for a win at the seventh attempt.

“He’s like his rider; he’s a big baby!” said O’Shea. “He jumped OK and kinda put the breaks on, he got a little bit intimidated but once I got him in the clear in the straight, he ran on well. He’s a horse who will go two turns no problem – he won snug enough in the end.

“He’s learning on the job, he’s a very laid back, lazy character at home, so I’m sure there’s more to come. I think he’ll get ten furlongs [2000m] no problem and he’ll improve.”

Crisford Winning Spree Continues

A brilliant Carnival for father/son training partnership Simon and Ed Crisford concluded with the victory of Will Scarlet in the 2410m turf Autism In Racing Handicap, race seven. The well-bred five-year-old was making his fourth start at Meydan and dictated the race, kicking on from 600m out and winning by four lengths from Spanish raider Finely Tuned.

“Ed was quite confident that if we could get in front, all this horse does is gallop and he was right, he loved it out in front and wasn’t

stopping over the line,” said winning rider Ray Dawson. “We didn’t have to be in front, so when we got there I kind of just left my lad alone and he really wanted to race.

“He’s a dude of a horse, a gentleman, and he really deserved that win.”

Lahfaty has been a reliable mare for Michael Costa this season and she collected career win number six in the Zoho Handicap, race six, over 1200m on dirt. Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, she made all the running, asserting from 400ms out and beating Billy Webster by half a length. The fiveyear-old was dropping in trip after finishing fifth over 1400m last time out.

“Last time we went a step top far but that was the only option for her,” said de Sousa. “She loves running here, she loves the deep surface. When things go her way she’s a different mare.

“She pinched a length and a half and got a bit lonely in front but when the other horse came on my inside she found another breath and went forward. She’s tough and consistent.”

Ramadan Gets His Meydan Win

There were wild scenes of delight after the ARN Handicap, race three, when trainer Kareem Ramadan, who trains just seven horses, registered his first win of the season and first ever at Meydan.

His Blue Trail still holds the course track record over 2000m from 2023 when trained by Charlie Appleby. He cut back to 1800m no problem here, picking up well in the straight and beating Tohoku by two lengths.

It was a third win of the season for Brazilian jockey Francisco Leandro Goncalves, who was delighted for connections.

“He’s a very good horse, I’m very happy,” he

said. “It’s very emotional, thanks to the team.”

“We did it, my boy did it!” added an emotional Ramadan. “I have just seven horses, only four Thoroughbreds, so this is really big for us.”

There was another first in race four, the Phi Advertising Handicap, over 1900m on dirt, when Lahresh just edged Moon Blade, giving French jockey Jules Mobian his first Meydan winner.

It was a third course win for Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s gelding, but first since 2023, and his jockey was delighted.

“I’m so happy, proud of the race and of the horse and I’d just like to thank Mr Musabbeh for giving me the chance and this horse – I’m so, so happy,” said Mobian. “I have been chasing this victory for three years.

“Bernardo [Pinheiro, on Moon Blade] and I were looking at each other on the line, but the camera was on him so I thought he had won.”

Jockey Charlie Bennett celebrated his first

Meydan winner of the season when the filly Turquoise landed the opening Arabian Triple Crown Round 2 [sponsored by Fazaa], for Purebred Arabians, over 1800m on turf.

Trained by Abdallah Al Hammadi, the fouryear-old reversed form with the well-fancied Amer Burn, who beat her in the Listed Arabian Triple Crown Round 1, at Abu Dhabi. Given a patient ride, she ground out victory by half a length over RB Al Qaaher, with Amer Burn third.

“I’m not 100% sure what happened last time, maybe she wasn’t at her best,” said Bennett.

“We usually just let her sit where she’s comfortable, but I wanted to have Tadhg [O’Shea, on Amer Burn] in my sights as I thought on paper there was only four that could win. She didn’t quite fire last time, but she did it well today, so it’s good news for the future.”

Meydan’s next scheduled meeting is the 30th Dubai World Cup on Saturday 28 March.

JAMES MCDONALD

IMPRESSED BY SNITZEL FLYER

Already an earner of over A$1 million and a fourtime stakes winner, Lazzura (A$5) was able to let her class do the talking and score a strong win over Arctic Glamour (A$13) and Vivy Air (A$26).

The brilliant daughter of Snitzel settled well off the speed and wide, but produced a brilliant sustained sprint in the straight to win.

Connections, led by trainer Chris Waller, were delighted that the stable favourite was able to notch a Gr1 victory. “Well deserved, that’s for sure,” Waller said. “She’s been running around some very good

horses without a lot of luck going her way.”

“I think we just had her a bit underdone first-up and we rode her perhaps a pair too close. Today we didn’t panic from the draw, we just went back and got cover three-wide.”

“She carried a big weight today, and she hasn’t had a lot go her way in Group Ones bouncing against some pretty handy horses throughout her career.”

“She got there so easily, I thought the last two hundred metres was going to be a long two

Top-notch mare Lazzura scored a brilliant and most deserved win at racing’s elite level on Saturday sweeping the A$1 million Gr1 Coolmore Classic run over 1500m at Rosehill.

hundred, to her determination she stuck it out really well.” “James (McDonald) said pre-race, and we all agreed, just ride her conservative today. She seems to let go a lot better when you hold her up and let her go.”

“She will probably go to the Queen Of The Turf or the Doncaster. I’ll speak to the Suraces (owners) and see what they say.”

“I’ve got a philosophy that horses don’t just win one Group One. If they’re good enough to win one, they normally win two or three.”

James McDonald made sure he paid credit to Lazzura who he said was again all heart in the big race win.

“She tries,” McDonald said. “It wasn’t me, it was her just really biting down on the mouthguard and having a really decent crack.”

“I thought she was all out with 100 metres to go, but just that will to find the line it’s something you just can’t teach them, you can’t train in them. They’ve either just got it and we’re lucky we’ve got a few mares like that.”

“The mares are so good, when the tough gets going they get going. She had to break a weight carrying record, obviously Sunline. She’s no Sunline but she tries.”

“Super proud of her, super proud for the connections. They put a lot into the game and they deserve the success they get.”

A daughter of former Arrowfield Stud based champion sire Snitzel, Lazzura was an A$500,000

Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for her owners, B2B Thoroughbreds.

The mare is one of three winners, from three to race, for the Japanese winning Heart’s Cry mare Laguna Azzurra.

Laguna Azzurra, who was successful at 1800 metres, is a half-sister to multiple Group Three winner Seewind and the stakes placed Seidig Meer. She is from the triple stakes winner Silky Lagoon (Brian’s Time).

Earlier on the Rosehill card the exciting juveniles Pembrey and Warwoven staked their claims for next Saturday’s Golden Slipper with their respective wins in the Magic Night and Pago Pago Stakes’.

Both were graduates of last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale and connections are looking at both backing up in the world’s richest juvenile race in seven days.

Winner: Lazzura

• Breeding: Snitzel-Laguna Azzurra (Heart’s Cry)

• Race: ATC Coolmore Classic Gr1 (1500m)

• Sold for: A$500,000

• Sale: 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

• Earnings: A$1,591,070

• Breeder: Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd

• Vendor: Arrowfield Stud

• Buyer: B2B Thoroughbreds

• Owners: B2B Thoroughbreds P/L (Mgr: R Surace & RCS Surace)

• Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill)

DUBAI BID COULD PAY DIVIDEND

When British trainers Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole embarked on their first Dubai Racing Carnival mission in late 2025, it was a dream, rather than a plan, that they would end up at the Dubai World Cup meeting.

Dreams can come true, however, and their four-yearold gelding Dividend has an invitation to the $5million Gr1 Dubai Turf following two wins and a strong second to Quddwah in the Gr2 Singspiel Stakes.

“We’re delighted that Dividend has been invited and it’s a credit to Lucy [Hammond], who has done all the work with them out there, and Jodie Wingrove who has ridden him since he arrived in our yard in England,” says Insole.

“It’s our first trip out to Dubai and to have two winners is a massive credit to everyone and a real achievement for the yard.”

Dividend progressed through the Carnival, finishing third on his first run in January, before two successes and that excellent Singspiel Stakes silver medal – all under jockey Rossa Ryan. Insole believes Dubai’s training environment brings out the best in the son of Kodiac.

“He was quite a playful, energetic two-year-old, but he’s been very easy to deal with,” he continues. “He loves quick ground and the step up in trip at Meydan has definitely helped. He loves the conditions out there and he’s thriving in the weather and being abroad.

He enjoys his work and he’s loved

cantering on the main track every day. He’s been training predominantly on the dirt out there and doing his fast work on the turf. He’s a pretty cool character.

“Lucy has been out there for two months with him and Witness Stand. She is our travelling head girl and it’s her first trip to Dubai. She’s really thrown herself in and enjoyed it. There are people who have been going to Dubai for ten years and haven’t had a winner, so for us to have two winners and a second in the Singspiel and now a runner on World Cup night, it’s super exciting!”

Dividend will face a strong field in the $5million race, including 2024 winner Facteur Cheval and multiple Gr1 winner Ombudsman, but Insole is hopeful he will acquit himself well.

“He’s going to have to step up again, but what many people haven’t noted is that his second in the Singspiel was off the back of an eight-day turnaround from his last win the weekend before,” he says.

“It was a very short time before running in the biggest race of his life. It’s a nice prep now into World Cup night, he’s going to have a bit more time to freshen up and to train for it.

“I think we could see him improve again and I think nine furlongs [1800metres] works really well for him, plus a bigger field and a stronger pace to aim at. If we could run in the first four or five, the whole syndicate and the team at home would be delighted.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be invited to a race like this.”

However he fares against a top-class field on 28 March, Dividend has done his team proud.

NHA RULES YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY

The National Horseracing Authority invites all stakeholders and members of the public to submit comments on proposed amendments to the Rules.

The associated proposed amendments to the Rules have been published on the NHA website and will be open for comment from 13 March 2026 until midnight South African Standard Time (SAST) on 20 March 2026.

To access the proposed amendments to the Rules and to submit comments, please visit the NHA website (www.nhra.co.za).

On the website landing page:

Step 1: Go to Rules and Penalty Guideline comments (at the bottom of the page)

Step 2: Register or if already registered go to step 3 (Log on)

Step 3: Confirm email (click the link sent to your email)

Step 4: Log On

Step 5: Complete the Comments section (to submit comments click SAVE NOW) –You may edit your submission at any time before 20 March 2026.

• No comments can be submitted after 20 March 2026.

• All comments entered on the site will be considered final on the submission date.

• The NHA may not necessarily respond to each submission directly, but all comments will be considered by the NHA National Board before the finalisation of any amendments.

NHA CALENDAR

ALL THE NEWS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA

The Sporting Post presents the National Horseracing Authority per 13 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:

TRAINERS

JOCKEYS

BREEDERS

SIRES