Following the 128th running of the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Oriental Charm came home victorious in the historic race to join the fray of Equus nominations.
As the excitement for Equus continues to build, we await the final Grade 1 race day on 28 July at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Gimme A Nother leads SA Horse Of The Year (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
- Horse Of the Year
Gimme A Nother (104) still holds a lead on the Equus Horse of the Year log. In fact, three-year-olds hold the top 2 positions into the final month of the season.
The unbeaten Gimme A Nother added a 2nd Grade 1 win to her impressive record after winning the Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes. She had already won the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic which along with her wins in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Grade 2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge and Grade 3 Betway Fillies Mile which gives her a total of 104 points so far this season.
Green With Envy (98) failed to add to his total after a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July. His impressive wins in the Grade 1 SplashOut Derby, the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas and Grade 1 Daily News 2000m places him in a challenging position for the lead. A big showing in the Grade 1 The HKJC Champions Cup set to take place on the 28th July 2024 should see him in line for the top spot on the log.
Royal Victory (90) who won the Grade 1 World Pools Premier’s Champions Challenge and Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup winner added a creditable 3rd in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July to his points tally and now joins Thunderstruck (90) in 3rd spot.
Thunderstruck (90) shares 3rd spot, he showed great determination in winning the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint. He has accumulated points for his 2nd in the Grade 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship as well as for his win in the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes.
- Champion Three-Year-Old Male
Green With Envy (98) still holds a clear lead in the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt standings with Main Defender (84) in 2nd place, closely followed by Grade 1 TAB SA Derby and Grade 1 TAB SA Classic winner Purple Pitcher (80) in 3rd spot. Sandringham Summit (74) is in 4th place with the Grade 2 TAB Hawaii Stakes as well as the Grade 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas wins to his credit.
Oriental Charm sits just outside the top 4 with 66 points after earning 40 points for his Hollywoodbets Durban July win.
- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly
Gimme A Nother holds a clear lead in the Champion three-year-old filly category and has accumulated 104 points so far, she has won two Grade 1 races along with two Grade 2 races and a Grade 3 race. Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas winner Beach Bomb (80) is currently in second spot, she also accumulated points for her Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby runner-up finish.
Silver Sanctuary (76) was rewarded for her consistency when landing the Grade 1 Woolavington and now finds herself in 3rd place on the standings. Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship and World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas winner Rascova (64) is in joint 4th place with Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes winner Double Grand Slam (64), the latter was an unlucky 3rd place finisher in the Grade 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes in her most recent start.
- Champion Older Male
Grade 1 World Pools Premier’s Champions Challenge and Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup winner Royal Victory joins Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint winner Thunderstruck at the top of the standings for the Champion Older Male category with 90 points each.
Royal Victory earned points for his 3rd place finish in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July. Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge winner Dave The King, added 48 points to his tally for this WFA race that has been awarded Super Grade 1 status and is in 3rd spot on 78 points.
He could add some spice if he lines up at the end of the month. Cousin Casey (70) earned points for consistently placing in Graded events and continued to show his wellbeing with a creditable 2nd place finish in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July. Grade 2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes winner See It Again (66) is in 5th after his unlucky 5th in this year’s Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.
- Champion Older Female
Grade 1 City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes winner Princess Calla (60) holds a slender lead in the Champion Older Female category from Humdinger (56) who climbed into 2nd place after her recent success in the Grade 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes.
Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint runner-up and Grade 2 Camellia Stakes winner Mrs Browning (40) is in 3rd, Happy Chance (32) improves her position after her recent 2nd place finish in the Grade 1 Ridgemont Garden Province.
Distance Categories (excludes points from races restricted to 3-year-olds)
- Champion Sprinter
No changes since the last update. Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform and Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem winner Thunderstruck leads the Champion Sprinter category. He has accumulated 80 points, which is lower than his overall total due to this category being a distance specific category.
October Morn and Lucky Lad have both moved up the standings to joint 2nd with 52 points each after their Grade 1 successes in the SA Fillies Sprint and Golden Horse Sprint respectively. Grade 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Dyce is in 4th spot with 48 points. The Grade 1 Mercury Sprint could become pivotal to sway the judges’ verdicts. Lucky Lad won his prep run at Turffontein over the weekend.
- Champion Miler
No changes since the last update. Dave The King takes the lead as he did when winning the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge to head the Champion Miler category having now accumulated 72 points in total.
Main Defender (68) finds himself in 2nd place after disappointing in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, his accumulated points for this distance specific category is lower than his overall points tally due to this category excluding the points accumulated in 3-year-old only races.
The retired Charles Dickens (64) is in 3rd place on the standings followed by Grade 2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes winner See It Again (60).
- Champion Middle Distance
Multiple Grade 1 winner Royal Victory (90 points) still holds a clear lead in the Champion Middle Distance category with his two Grade 1 wins over the distance of 2000m, running 3rd in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July topped up his points tally. Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm (58) improved his points tally significantly after his recent success and jumps into 2nd spot. Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met winner Double Superlative (48) is in 3rd place ahead of Beach Bomb and Silver Sanctuary in joint 4th with 32 points each.
- Champion Stayer
Red Maple climbed to the top of the Champion Stayers standings after landing the Grade 2 Tabgold Oaks with 18 points. Grade 3 Tabgold Derby runner-up Aragosta occupies 2nd spot with 12 points, he also accumulated points for his Listed Cape Summer Stayers Handicap and is consequently ahead of Grade 3 Tabgold Derby winner Future Pearl who occupies joint 3rd place with 10 points along with Listed WSB Aquanaut and Tab Gold Bowl winner Crimson King, Grade 3 New Turf Carriers Cape Stayers Handicap winner Master Redoute and the winner of the Grade 3 Gold Vase winner Madison Valley.
- Champion Two-Year-Old Male
Grade 1 Gold Medallion winner Proceed leads the Champion Two-Year-Old standings with 48 points ahead of the impressive Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Cosmic Speed on 32 points. Multiple Graded placed Winds Of Change, Grade 3 Winter Nursery and Grade 3 Cape of Good Hope Nursery winner One Stripe, and Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery winner Fire Attack all share 3rd place with 16 points each.
- Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
Grade 1 Allan Robertson Stakes and Grade 2 Golden Slipper winner Quid Pro Quo holds a clear lead in the Champion Two-year-Old Filly log with 48 points followed by Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery winner Little Ballerina in 2nd place with 18 points, ahead of Rodeo Drive and Just Reckless who share 3rd place with 16 points each.
