#Sparkling Water

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…

Jockey Bernard Fayd'Herbe's delight in winning Saturday's L'Ormarins King's Plate at Kenilworth was just a tad diminished when he copped a stinging R40000 fine for misusing his crop on 80-1 upset winner Al Muthana. It might be a record-high fine for a crop miscalculation and one wonders whether the stipendiary stewards were as shocked at everyone…

Sparkling Water, a daughter of five-time Durban July winning stallion Silvano, slammed the males in a dazzling display of power galloping to follow in the golden hoofprints of champion Igugu - also trained by the maestro, Mike de Kock. She was ridden by Smanga Khumalo, who last won the big race in 2013. Gold Circle Commercial Executive Patrick…

The Breeders' Cup Challenge series heads to Kenilworth racecourse in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday with two qualifying races - one of which has a new name. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the former Queen's Plate is reverting to its previous name of the King's Plate (G1). Its winner will have automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup Mile…

When Muzi Yeni retired to bed on Saturday night there would have been one thought on his mind - is this the year I win my first Durban July? The 35-year-old will have applauded S'manga Khumalo's win on Heavy Metal in 2013 and - ever since - will have been keen to follow in his footsteps. Now - as a result of Safe Passage's authoritative win in…

TAB betting has opened for Saturday's Betway Summer Cup and there are many options for betters to make big money. The R2.5-million race will be run over 2000m on the Turffontein Standside track. There are 10 races on the card which also includes the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans for three-year-olds and the Betway Ipi Tombe Stakes for fillies…

Trainer Roy Magner saddles Melech in Race 2 and he is the best bet on the card. He produced a promising debut effort over this course and distance. He showed good pace, understandably raced green but the manner in which he stayed on at the finish was encouraging. The son of William Longsword would have gained from the experience and with the…

Mike de Kock will be looking for his 10 Betway Summer Cup triumph and he certainly holds a potent hand in the R2.5-million Grade 1 race over 2000m at Turffontein Racecourse on Saturday. He has four runners in the 19-horse field, including the top three in the betting. His quartet of runners comprises Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling…

About 150 racehorses are descending on Cape Town from upcountry for the all-new Summer Festival of Racing, which kicks off on Saturday 19 November at Kenilworth. Money is a great persuader and the massive increase in "raider" numbers is down to generous financial incentives offered by Cape Racing as part of its current mega-revamp. Outside of…

The Summer Cup, one of Joburg's foremost horse racing events, is back. In 2021 it was held under Covid-19-regulations but this year's instalment will be the full-blown affair. This time about it has rebranded itself with a new sponsor, Betway, and it intends to attract different demographics when the event kicks off on November 26 at Turffontein…

4Racing CEO Fundi Sithebe, Betway SA Country Manager Phillip Superamonien, 9-time Summer Cup winning trainer Mike de Kock, world-class jockey S'manga Khumalo, Southern African Association for the Conference Industry CEO Glenton De Kock, Destination Marketing and Communication Manager at Gauteng Tourism Authority Anele Mdzikwa and fashion label…

How so? Well, there's the small matter of the Rattray-owned Golden Ducat's jaw-dropping return to action in the Gr3 Cape Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth after an injury-enforced absence of eighteen months. Now six, the dual Gr1 winner looked a picture and ran out of his skin to finish third. Let's hope he pulled up sound and that he will grace us…

Due to the vast number of'conditions' type races, together with a host of conditions attached to the Graded races (mainly on the Highveld), many of the ratings that are published do not reflect the Handicapper's final assessment of those horses affected by these conditions. This issue is especially affecting the current 3yo crop as they are…

4Racing is pleased to announce Betway as the headline sponsor of the 2022 Betway Summer Cup, which will be held at Turffontein Racecourse on November 26. Johannesburg's flagship race will have the theme of The Golden Summer. Betway's sponsorship will see the stakes for the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup increase this year to R2.5m. The Betway Summer Cup…

Some of South Africa's elite thoroughbred champions were among the 48 horses nominated to run in the R2-million Summer Cup when first entries closed on Wednesday. The Grade 1 race over 2000m is scheduled to be run on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday 26 November. World famous trainer Mike de Kock has entered six runners, including…

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we never realized how dangerous golf was until this year. First, there was that Australian pro who sliced his hand open trying to move a stake. Then Jordan Spieth nearly fell off a cliff at Pebble Beach. And now Bryson DeChambeau nearly got decapitated by a gallery rope. We always knew about the perils…

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,…

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…

The return clash of Hollywoodbets Durban July 2021 top two, Kommetdieding and Linebacker, is just one of the many exciting sub-plots in what looks to be a vintage renewal of what is the most sought-after racing prize in South African racing. Former SA champion Gavin Lerena will again be aboard Kommetdieding, while Cape Town's favourite son Grant…

The ante-post betting ahead of the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July to be contested at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, 2 July has seen some significant changes following the scratching of two favourites. The 2200m contest, billed as Africa's greatest horseracing event, has taken on a new dimension of intrigue with the news earlier this year…

Justin Snaith's Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby champion Pomp And Power has firmed into 14/1 in the ante-post betting for the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July to be contested at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, 2 July. The 2200m contest, billed as Africa's greatest horseracing event, has taken on a new dimension of intrigue with the news…