#Russian Rock

It may be more than a coincidence that both these crack 3yo's chose to challenge themselves in open company, before taking on the best of their own year. Tony Mincione writes that anyone wondering if Brett Crawford's young filly, the rated 85, was being over-faced in the Summer Bowl (a stepped handicap for Fillies and Mares which capped horses 110…

As good as Sea Cottage and Horse Chestnut? That is hallowed turf that pundits are venturing onto in their assessment of a young horse called Charles Dickens. These are not racetrack BS artists, but respected people who know the game inside out - like Charles Faull, who described Charles Dickens's victory in a strong Allowance Plate at Kenilworth on…

The Spring season proper gets underway at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, 1 October with the Hollywoodbets Matchem and Diana Stakes being run over 1400m. Both are Grade 3 events. Cosmic Highway (speed score 112) impressed in the Diadem Stakes and is a high-quality sprinter miler. He has not run for 17 weeks and is drawn widest of all at 10,…

The ante-post betting market for this year's Durban July is risk-averse, as they say in the financial pages. Jittery might be a better word, or perhaps poep -scared. Only one horse is quoted in single figures on the bookmakers' boards and remarkable value is for the taking among the 50-plus entries still in the race. The current favourite, at 8-1,…

The Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville on Saturday officially launches KwaZulu-Natal's winter season - nowadays officially called the Champions Season and making it indistinguishable from all the other Champions Whatevers. Thankfully it's still the Drill Hall Stakes, a time-honoured 1400m Grade 2 race named after the elegant military building in the…

There could be a sense of déjà vu at Greyville on Saturday. Nebraas and Jet Dark are poised to repeat memorable victories of 2021 - in the Gold Cup and Champions Cup respectively. These are just two of a host of important races on the card of the super fixture that rounds off the season. Nebraas is the reigning king of stayers and is heavily…