Off The Record

Road To The CrownsA Century of History Behind South Africa’s Championship Paths Above: Horse Chestnut storms to victory at Turffontein (image: JC Photographics) With the 2026 Highveld Feature Season just a week away,…

Legends of the Cape Town Met:Stories Through the Ages A race that has been run for 164 years is bound to become more than just a list of winners. The Cape Metropolitan Stakes, now…

Andrew Fortune: A Comeback Measured in Kilograms and Grit Above: Andrew Fortune salutes on Gimme What I Want after the 2026 Cartier Sceptre Stakes (image: Chase Liebenberg) Andrew Fortune’s extraordinary career is well documented,…

Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You!Bizarre Predictions for SA Racing in 2026 No crystal balls were consulted in the making of this forecast, only experience, institutional memory, and a healthy disregard for probability. Here…

A Year in Review This year’s Off The Record columns covered a wide range of ground, but a common thread ran through them: voices worth listening to and moments worth preserving. This wrap reflects…

When a Name Becomes a StoryInside Racing’s Most Creative Tradition Long before a thoroughbred carries a saddlecloth, it carries a name, often borrowed from a memory, a loved one, a celebrity, a private joke,…

Dedication, Devotion and a Quiet Hand Inside the life and philosophy of trainer Frank Robinson Above: Frank receives his Summer Cup trophy from Betway’s Jonathan Blumberg (image: JC Photographics) In racing, fairy tales rarely arrive…

Big Fields, Big Money, Big Decisions!Media Mavericks Unpack Cup Day’s Pick 6 Minefield Welcome to the 100th edition of 4Racing’s Off The Record, where today’s column is dedicated to offering a few valuable pointers…

Youth, talent, and tradition Dean Smith takes the reins at legendary stable Above: Dean Smith (image: JC Photographics) At just 25, Dean Smith has stepped into one of the most demanding roles in South…

Never Late for the GateHow New Turf Carriers Keep Racing’s Show On The Road Above: The New Turf fleet (image: supplied) We’ve seen the race day ambulance occasionally arrive late to scheduled meetings, delaying…

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