WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 30 OCT – 1 NOV

48 HOURS OF HIGH-OCTANE RACING!

A blockbuster weekend of high-octane racing on four continents with a R1-million Pick 6 carryover adding to the excitement. The show starts Friday when racing in the Eastern Cape returns to the turf track at TAB Fairview, followed by a twilight meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville and day one of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships in the USA.

Early on Saturday morning the 2026 Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival starts with Victoria Derby Day at Flemington and later in the day at TAB Turffontein, the Alrode Steel-Onamission Charity Mile meeting comprises a bumper 10-race card. Day two of Breeders’ Cup starts late afternoon and continues into the early hours of Sunday morning with a former SA Equus champion bidding for glory in the Grade 1 Makers Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over 1900m. A Sunday afternoon meeting at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth wraps up 48 hours of electrifying racing and countless chances to win big with TAB.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

TAB FAIRVIEW: RETURN TO TURF WILL SUIT SILVAN MISTRESS

Trainer Alan Greeff has booked 4kg claimer Varun Jodhee for useful filly Silvan Mistress, who returns from a break in Race 6 over 2000m. Greeff has deliberately kept the four-year-old off the Polytrack in recent weeks waiting for a return to the turf. She is comfortably the best-weighted filly in the race with good form to boot.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: REIGN MAN TO HANDLE RISE IN CLASS

Assistant-trainer Tim Woodruff expects a good run from Lucinda Woodruff’s recent impressive maiden winner Reign Man, who lines up in Race 6 over 1600m. He said: “Reign Man looks a promising sort and this is his next step up. He has to confirm his promise. We’ve had rain in Durban and at Summerveld, and he missed two days of work, but he is fit and won’t be affected. Being by Danon Platina out of a Galileo mare, he should have no trouble with soft underfoot conditions.”

NEWMARKET: AEGEAN PRINCE STEPS UP A LEVEL

Listed-placed and winner of three of his six starts, Charlie Appleby’s Aegean Prince is just below the best of his generation and looks talented enough to land the Group 3 St Simon Stakes over 2400m. “He looks to be on an upward curve at the moment and should hopefully be very competitive at this level,” said Appleby.

KEENELAND: O’BRIEN FAMILY HOLDS STRONG HAND

The opening day of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup features five Grade 1 events for two-year-olds, including the Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf over 1600m, in which the O’Brien family is set to dominate. Joseph O’Brien saddles ante-post favourite Folsom Blues, who claimed a Group 1 success in September’s Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes. His dad Aidan, who has won the last four renewals of this race, launches another strong challenge with four runners including Great Barrier Reef, winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Stable jockey Ryan Moore rides. The meeting starts at 17:55 and TAB will operate a combination of commingled and local bets.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FLEMINGTON: TRUE REBEL SET FOR VICTORIA DERBY TEST

Victoria Derby Day launches the 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington, with a huge day of racing headlined by the 2500m Howden Victoria Derby for three-year-olds. True Rebel looks a good-value bet. He arrives off a game victory in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase over 2040m on 24 October, and trainer Danny O’Brien is confident his charge will handle the step up in distance despite a sprinting pedigree. “He’s a very relaxed customer and all of his races say he wants further,” he said. The meeting starts at 03:20. Win, Place, Quinella and Swinger bets will be commingled into the HKJC World Pool, while Exacta, Quartet, Rolling Double and Jackpot bets go into Tabcorp pools.

CHAMP DE MARS: SUPERIOR FORCE HAS THE CLASS

The feature is Race 6 over 1850m, in which Carl Hewitson’s Superior Force has the class to win despite top weight of 62kg. He has a favourable inside draw and will be partnered by in-form Manoel Nunes. The meeting starts at 10:30.

TAB TURFFONTEIN: SPLITTHEEIGHTS HAS RIGHT WEIGHT IN CHARITY MILE

A terrific 10-race programme with raiders from the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. And there’s big bucks to be won on the Pick 6, which could total some R5 million as a result of a carryover. The day’s feature is Race 7, the R1-million Grade 2 Allied Steelrode – Onamission Charity Mile backed by an undercard including two Grade 3 races and three Listed events.

Below is a race-by-race guide to the R1-million carryover Pick 6.

Leg 1 (13:40): Race 4 – 1400m TAB STARLING STAKES (Grade 3)

This is a high-quality renewal with several fillies holding winning chances. Back in her own age group 2 FLOWER ISLAND is undoubtedly the one to beat, having produced an exceptional performance to win the recent Grade 2 Joburg Spring FM Challenge. She defeated a powerful group of older fillies and mares, including classy contemporary 1 GET UP, who is better off at the weights but yet to prove she is effective beyond 1200m. There is not much to choose between recent close rivals 3 GOOD DAY SUNSINE and 7 GRISELDA, while 4 ALICE B TOKLAS and 8 WITHIN REACH are potential classic contenders coming off layoffs. They warrant respect on their two-year-old form. Useful 5 DOESYOURMOTHERKNOW will strip fitter after a recent pipe-opener and also comes into the reckoning. Consider well-bred 10 IN HOT WATER, an unknown quantity coming off a long break, for Quartets.

Leg 2 (14:15): Race 5 – 1400m TAB GRAHAM BECK STAKES (Grade 3)

The exceptional standard of this field belies its Grade 3 status. Several runners have shown potential feature-race ability and you may have to load up to survive in the Pick 6. With strong form lines in abundance and many with scope for improvement, it’s almost impossible to narrow down. Graded stakes winners 1 FISH TALES (rested, changed stables) and 2 TIME IS PRECIOUS (drawn wide) deserve first consideration. But dangers abound. Highly regarded 13 GIMME A FIREBALL narrowly defeated 14 WHATSDAMATTERWITHU and 3 BISOU BISOU in a strong handicap. Bisou Bisou is now 7kg better off – possibly the key to the outcome – but failed in his only previous 1400m start so can’t be relied upon. 4 SHERIFF BILL BROWN has reeled off two good wins since a maiden win, while 10 NOBLE SAINT has shown similarly progressive qualities. 11 KINGS MOUNTAIN was most impressive when winning a maiden by a wide margin and 15 WILD AND FREE finished second to a good sort in his only post-maiden outing. It’s a fascinating contest.

Leg 3 (14:50): Race 6 – 1800m 4RACING YELLOWWOOD HANDICAP (Listed)

5 INTO DANCING has had an impressive build-up to this race, which includes a good win over 3 INDIAN OCEAN (3kg better off) and 9 SCARLET O’HARA (2kg better off) in the Allez France Handicap. 10 FIRST WISH is well weighted on her meeting with Into Dancing on 10 September, while there is a 6kg swing in the weights in favour of Sean Tarry’s new acquisition 12 FUTURE GAMBLE on their 11 June encounter. Visitors 4 RAHHABBA and 7 KUBU both stay well and should be in the shake-up, while 6 TOMYRIS is in top form and more or less on a par with Rahhabba on earlier form. It gets tricky, but bottom weight Future Gamble makes most appeal and will represent good eachway value.

Leg 4 (15:30): Race 7 – 1600m ALLIED STEELRODE – ONAMISSION CHARITY MILE (Grade 2)

Another imposing line-up with chances to a number of runners. One who catches the eye first is last season’s Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas winner and bottom weight 17 SPLITTHEEIGHTS. Rested through winter, he won’t be fully wound up but is reportedly in good shape and considered to have winning claims. Having bypassed the winter classics and any merit-rating increases, he could be well ahead of the handicapper and is weighted to make his presence felt, even if a little ring-rusty. The principal danger is 8 ZEITZ, a consistent high-level performer who has come into his own in recent months and will be well suited to this course and distance. 1 COSMIC SPEED won the 2025 Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes over the track and trip and has signalled a return to his best. Imported 11 CALLA LAGOON is making steady progress through the ranks and like Splittheeights, may still have a few lengths in hand over the handicapper. 18 ISIVIVANE has a handy weight and a good draw and should be competitive, although he prefers slightly further.

Leg 5 (16:10): Race 8 – 2400m 4RACING JAVA STAKES (Listed)

SA Derby winner 5 CURIOUS GIRL showed her well-being after a layoff with an eye-catching third in the Michaelmas Handicap. She would have come on several lengths from the run and looks well placed for another feature success. 2 BEST CANDIDATE is in good nick, should relish the extra and on current form rates perhaps the only danger.

Leg 6 (16:45): Race 9 – 1600m ALLIED STEELRODE – ONAMISSION CONSOLATION OPEN HANDICAP

1 IMMEDIATE EDGE returns from a lengthy, injury-enforced layoff, but over the last few weeks he has been prepared for the Charity Mile alongside stablemate Splittheeights. Indications are that he, too, is fit enough to deliver a respectable showing. A class act, this Grade 3 winner could land the spoils. 2 SUNSET RIOT (faced stronger last time), consistent 3 KING HARALD, 7 CARE FORGOT and 8 PLEASE BE TRUE warrant respect, while 9 MASTER SPY is nicely weighted for his peak run and looks like one who will win soon.

SUGGESTED R270 (5%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:40):

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15

Leg 3: 4, 5, 6, 10, 12

Leg 4: 1, 8, 11, 17

Leg 5: 2, 5

Leg 6: 1, 7, 9

NEWMARKET: RARE CHANCE FOR LEVEY ON BENGAL TIGER

In the absence of Ryan Moore, who is riding at Breeders’ Cup, Sean Levey gets a rare opportunity for Aidan O’Brien aboard Bengal Tiger in Race 5, the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes over 1400m. Bengal Tiger sprinted clear to win the recent Prospect Stakes over 1200m at Doncaster and O’Brien commented: “We’ve always felt he wants 1400m and his times have been good.”

KEENELAND: GIMME A NOTHER CARRIES SA HOPES AT BREEDERS’ CUP

Graeme Motion-trained Gimme A Nother is South Africa’s flagbearer on the second day of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Championships, a spectacular card featuring nine Grade 1 races. She has drawn pole position for her clash with the world’s best female turf horses in Race 7, the Maker’s Mark Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The $2-million race is run over 1900m around two turns on the Keeneland turf course. The headline act is Race 12, the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic over 2000m in which international star Forever Young became the first Japan-trained horse to win the race in 2025. This year the five-year-old from Yoshito Yahagi’s Ritto stable returns with an even rarer achievement in his sights: back-to-back victories in the USA’s richest race. The Grade 1 action starts at 19.10 with Gimme A Nother’s race at 21.04 and the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 00:16 Sunday.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: JOYEE GO POISED TO REGAIN WINNING WAYS

Trainer Lim Shung You’s Joyee Go, unbeaten in three starts at Class 5 level but unsuccessful in recent attempts at higher grades, drops in class in Race 3 over 1150m. He is expected to use his early pace to secure a forward position and could prove too quick for his rivals. The first race is off at 06:25.

HAPPY VALLEY: SON PAK FU TO SCORE FROM BARRIER ONE

Tony Cruz-trained Son Pak Fu can land another Class 2 win in Race 7, the Kwangtung Handicap Cup over 1200. Son Pak Fu has had a couple of good efforts from wide draws recently and now reunites with favourite jockey Jerry Chau from barrier one. Take the Swinger with Jumbo Treasure, who is third-up and returns to Happy Valley after two game runs at Sha Tin. The meeting starts at 06:45.

HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH: HOTSHOTS CLASH IN CLASSIC

Leading classic contenders Rich Man’s World and Aquae Calidae face off for the first time in a quality renewal of the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m (Race 6). Graded winners Red Spice and Vibe Check add further depth to the field. It promises to be a contest of note with preference for Vaughan Marshall’s Rich Man’s World, who beat a strong field of older horses on his seasonal return. He has long been regarded as a potential Cape Guineas winner.