Hot start to the KZN winter season

Jack Milner

There have been a few feature races taking place in KwaZulu-Natal already but they are just the aperitif to what is coming up at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday – the official curtain raiser to the 2026 Champion Season.

With the core of the season being the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2200m at Greyville on 4 July, the race is now on for runners to book their places in an event that now carries a record purse of R10 million.

And that all starts on Saturday with the running of three highly relevant Grade 2 races. The Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m sees some of the top runners in the country start their preparations for bigger events in the season, and last year it was used as the platform for The Real Prince, who went on to win the Durban July and trainer Dean Kannemeyer appears to be taking the same route this time with the now five-year-old son of Gimmethegreenlight one of the fancied runners.

He came from last to run fourth last year, but finishing just 1.35 lengths behind the winner. Craig Zackey is back aboard and while he jumped from draw No 11 of the 12 runners last year, this time he is slightly better off in gate No 8.

While he did disappoint in the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein The Real Prince spread a shoe in running and that performance is best forgotten.

Last year’s victor was Gladatorian, and he went on to win the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m on the final day of the season. Stuart Ferrie’s charge did not have the best of fortune in the Cape but he is better than that and we could witness a resurgence.

However, the horse coming into this race in sparkling form is Vaughan Marshall-trained Questioning. He won over 1200m at this course last time beating Jerusalema Rain who franked form when winning the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes at Turffontein last Tuesday, beaten Buffalo Storm Cody in a tight finish.

Jumping from No 1 draw with Richard Fourie up the five-year-old Querari gelding is a worthy favourite and remains the runner to beat.

But it is worth noting Justin Snaith has ducked the Guineas to run Roland Garros against his elders in this event. With JP van der Merwe up and jumping from draw No 4, this Vercingetorix three-year-old colt comes off claiming the R3-million first prize in the R5-million Race Coast Sales Big Cap over this course and distance.

With just 55kg on his back he deserves respect.

Of course, three-year-olds often take centre stage during the season because they regularly dominate the Durban July betting. This is also the centre where the top runners in that age group from all around the country meet up for the first time.

The Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas and Fillies Guineas give racegoers an iota of incite into the quality of these runners and this year two very highly regarded youngsters top the betting for each race.

Snaith-trained Wish List became the first filly in over 100 years to win the Cape Derby and now will be racing against her own sex at level weights.

Close to peak fitness with Andrew Fortune back up, this daughter of Legislate could well be a banker on the day but she is coming back in trip and could be in need of the run so it could be worth backing her up with Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas champion Quickstepgal in the carryover Pick 6 which is likely to produce a R3-million pool.

As far as the Guineas is concerned, if the merit ratings prove accurate, Sean Tarry-trained Tin Pan Alley is impossible to oppose. He showed real class when winning the Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes by 3.75 lengths at weight for age beating See It Again and comes into this race as the best weighted runner by at least 6kg.

Keagan de Melo takes the ride again and from No 3 draw he should take a power of beating.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 6 Mosaic World, 2 Me And You, 4 Tax Free, 11 Iceberg Rose

Race 2: 4 Send Me, 1 Gorgeous Dude, 2 Saudi Sweep, 10 Kimball O’Hara

Race 3: 4 Lightinthewoods, 8 Red Hot Guy, 2 Kudikaran, 1 Scots Wae Hae

Race 4: 10 Kaz From Alcatraz, 8 Black Platina, 7 Good Omen, 4 Princess Trippi

Race 5: 1 Questioning, 8 The Real Prince, 4 Roland Garros, 3 Legal Counsel

Race 6: 8 Wish List, 5 Quickstepgal, 2 Princess Of Gaul, 7 Keukenhof

Race 7: 3 Tin Pan Alley, 9 Aristocratic, 10 Happy Verse, 6 One Eye On Vegas

Race 8: 4 Ladyofdistinction, 5 Gerbera, 6 Bakwena, 8 Rahhabba

Race 9: 6 Taxi To The Moon, 3 King Of The Gauls, 10 O’Tenikwa, 11 I Am Giant

Race 10: 6 Luhamba Phambili, 3 Chocolate Soldier, 4 Arverni Princess, 7 Inafix

 

BEST BET

Race 7: 3 Tin Pan Alley

 

VALUE BET

Race 8: 4 Ladyofdistinction

 

BEST SWINGER

Race 6 5×8

 

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 10

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 8

Leg 3: 7, 8, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 8

Leg 5: 5, 8

Leg 6: 3

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 2, 4, 8

Leg 2: 8, 10

Leg 3: 1, 4, 8

Leg 4: 8

Leg 5: 3

Leg 6: 4, 5, 6

Leg 7: 3, 6, 10

 

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 3, 4, 7, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 4, 8

Leg 3: 5, 8

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12

Leg 6: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11

 

JACKPOT 1

R36

Leg 1: 1, 4, 8

Leg 2: 5, 8

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12

 

JACKPOT 2

R150

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12

Leg 3: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11

Leg 4: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8