The fields for Champions Day, Day 3 of the 2025 4Racing’s The Championships, which will be run at Turffontein on 29 March, have been unveiled and includes a bumper programme of four Grade 1 races.
The day, featuring eleven races, will once again be a World Pool event, with four Grade 1 races and four Grade 2’s in the mix.
“Our partnerships with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the World Tote Association reflect our commitment to globalising South African horseracing and positioning it as a premier player on the international calendar,” said Fundi Sithebe, CEO of 4Racing, earlier this year.
It is good to see Gqeberha visiting trainers Gavin Smith (Cruise Control runs in Computaform Sprint) and Alan Greeff (Golden Palm runs in SA Nursery) travelling North, while Gareth van Zyl (Imilenzeyokududuma) and Nathan Kotzen (Royal Victory) are the only other visitors for the big day and both line up in the HKJC World Pool Gr1 Premiers Champions Challenge.
White Pearl and Piere Strydom – Grade 1 bid in Empress Club Stakes (Pic – JC Photos)
1st R625000, 2nd R200000, 3rd R100000, 4th R50000, 5th R25000
TAB EMPRESS CLUB STAKES (Grade 1)
For Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age
WFA: 3yrs-3kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Beating Wings | 60 | 116 | A | Richard Fourie | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 2 | 2 | White Pearl | 60 | 114 | A | Piere Strydom | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 3 | 6 | Let’s Go Now | 60 | 113 | T A | Craig Zackey | Sean Tarry | |
| 4 | 3 | Lady Fallon | 60 | 102 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Lucky Houdalakis | |
| 5 | 5 | Spumante Dolce | 57 | 119 | A | Raymond Danielson | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 6 | 4 | Vj’s Angel | 57 | 119 | A | Calvin Habib | Tony Peter | |
| 7 | 7 | Fatal Flaw | 57 | 115 | A | Gavin Lerena | BJ Crawford/JI Crawford | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (2,5) | ||||||||
Rafeef’s soldier son William Robertson runs in the Computaform Sprint (Pic – JC Photos)
1st R625000, 2nd R200000, 3rd R100000, 4th R50000, 5th R25000
TAB COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1)
For all horses at Weight for Age
WFA: 3yrs-2.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 9 | William Robertson | 60 | 128 | JA | Ryan Munger | Corne Spies | |
| 2 | 2 | Lucky Lad | 60 | 125 | TBA | Richard Fourie | Sean Tarry | |
| 3 | 5 | Melech | 60 | 119 | T A | Muzi Yeni | Roy Magner | |
| 4 | 10 | Cruise Control | 60 | 118 | HA | Craig Zackey | Gavin Smith | |
| 5 | 11 | Mover And Shaker | 60 | 112 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Fabian Habib | |
| 6 | 6 | Golden Sickle | 57.5 | 121 | A | Gavin Lerena | Tony Peter | |
| 7 | 12 | Chocolate Soldier | 57.5 | 115 | HA | Kabelo Matsunyane | Corne Spies | |
| 8 | 4 | Pistol Pete | 57.5 | 115 | A | Calvin Habib | Tony Peter | |
| 9 | 1 | Taxi To The Moon | 57.5 | 110 | A | Andrew Fortune | Tony Peter | |
| 10 | 3 | Time Fo Orchids | 57.5 | 107 | BAe | Serino Moodley | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 11 | 8 | Winds Of Change | 57.5 | 107 | T A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 12 | 7 | No Filter | 57.5 | 103 | A | Diego De Gouveia | Tienie Prinsloo | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (1,7) (6,8,9) | ||||||||
Royal Victory storms to Betway Summer Cup history in 2023 – should be primed to fire on 29 March (Pic – JC Photos)
1st R1200000, 2nd R400000, 3rd R200000, 4th R100000, 5th R50000, 6th R25000, 7th R15000, 8th R10000
HKJC WORLD POOL PREMIER’S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)
For all horses at Weight for Age
WFA: 3yrs-4.5kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 10 | Royal Victory | 60 | 124 | A | Muzi Yeni | Nathan Kotzen | |
| 2 | 8 | Purple Pitcher | 60 | 123 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Robyn Klaasen | |
| 3 | 9 | Atticus Finch | 60 | 121 | T A | Calvin Habib | Alec Laird | |
| 4 | 7 | Son Of Raj | 60 | 119 | BA | Gavin Lerena | Tony Peter | |
| 5 | 5 | Imilenzeyokududuma | 60 | 114 | TBA | Ryan Munger | Gareth van Zyl | |
| 6 | 6 | Hotarubi | 60 | 112 | TCA | Piere Strydom | Sean Tarry | |
| 7 | 1 | Navajo Nation | 60 | 102 | T A | *Kobeli Lihaba | Weiho Marwing | |
| 8 | 3 | Silver Sanctuary | 57.5 | 117 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 9 | 2 | None Other | 57.5 | 115 | A | Craig Zackey | Lucky Houdalakis | |
| 10 | 11 | Fire Attack | 55.5 | 116 | A | Richard Fourie | Alec Laird | |
| 11 | 4 | Chestnut Bomber | 55.5 | 104 | A | S’manga Khumalo | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (3,10) | ||||||||
Parisian Walkway runs in SA Derby – should enjoy the test (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
1st R781250, 2nd R250000, 3rd R125000, 4th R62500, 5th R31250
TAB SA DERBY (Grade 1)
3 year olds (3rd Leg SA Triple Crown)
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 4 | Parisian Walkway | 60 | 121 | A | Calvin Habib | Alec Laird | |
| 2 | 12 | Legend Of Arthur | 60 | 109 | A | Richard Fourie | Sean Tarry | |
| 3 | 6 | Grey Jet | 60 | 108 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Weichong Marwing | |
| 4 | 3 | Bacchus | 60 | 101 | HAe | Craig Zackey | Fabian Habib | |
| 5 | 2 | Don’t Cry For Me | 60 | 101 | A | Piere Strydom | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | 9 | Wild Intent | 60 | 99 | A | Gavin Lerena | Lucky Houdalakis | |
| 7 | 8 | Immediate Edge | 60 | 94 | A | Ryan Munger | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 8 | 7 | Towers Of Gold | 60 | 93 | A | Philasande Mxoli | Paul Matchett | |
| 9 | 13 | Zip Code | 60 | 89 | THA | Chase Maujean | David Nieuwenhuizen | |
| 10 | 11 | Solar Sail | 60 | 86 | A | Jarryd Penny | Mark Khan | |
| 11 | 10 | Casus Belli | 60 | 83 | A | Raymond Danielson | Paul Matchett | |
| 12 | 5 | Count Huhtikuu | 60 | 79 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | BJ Crawford/JI Crawford | |
| 13 | 1 | Olivia’s Way | 57.5 | 112 | A | Muzi Yeni | Roy Magner | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (2,5) (8,11) | ||||||||
Fiery Pegasus (Richard Fourie) wins the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara – she can follow up (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
1st R468750, 2nd R150000, 3rd R75000, 4th R37500, 5th R18750
WILGERBOSDRIFT BRIDGET OPPENHEIMER SA OAKS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-old Fillies (3rd Leg of SA Triple Tiara)
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 5 | Fiery Pegasus | 60 | 119 | A | Richard Fourie | Joe Soma | |
| 2 | 4 | World Of Alice | 60 | 108 | BA | Craig Zackey | Sean Tarry | |
| 3 | 3 | Gerbera | 60 | 99 | HA | Ryan Munger | Sean Tarry | |
| 4 | 8 | Care Forgot | 60 | 98 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Barend Botes | |
| 5 | 7 | Hat’s Queen | 60 | 96 | A | Calvin Habib | Tony Peter | |
| 6 | 9 | Todoque | 60 | 92 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Paul Matchett | |
| 7 | 1 | Cocomelon | 60 | 90 | CA | Gavin Lerena | Sean Tarry | |
| 8 | 10 | Ancient Wisdom | 60 | 88 | BA | Kabelo Matsunyane | Tony Peter | |
| 9 | 11 | Fetching Flyer | 60 | 88 | A | Philasande Mxoli | Paul Matchett | |
| 10 | 2 | The Mightiest | 60 | 78 | A | *Kobeli Lihaba | Weiho Marwing | |
| 11 | 6 | Party Punch | 60 | 77 | A | Raymond Danielson | Phillip Labuschagne | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (2,3,7) (5,8) (6,9) | ||||||||
