Saturday’s SA Champions Season action hosts two interesting 2400m races. The R500 000 Tabgold Gr2 Oaks and the R350 000 Tabgold Gr3 Derby are run at Hollywoodbets Greyville, having started life in a different format at Clairwood, before being run in the KZN Capital City at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for the past decade.
Gold Circle announced early in 2014 that a decision had been made that the KZN Derby and the KZN Oaks would be opened to all ages at weight-for-age terms, plus penalties.
It was felt that with the main focus of the 3yo’s during Champions Season on the Guineas, the Daily News 2000, the Woolavington Stakes, and obviously the Durban July, the Derby and Oaks had suffered a downgrade over the years and somehow struggled to find a consistent place in the programme.
Brown Panther wins Irish St Leger
While the move came in for flak in certain quarters, it was argued that there was international precedent, such as the Irish St Leger and the Yorkshire Oaks, to vary the terms and conditions of some of the ‘traditional’ Classics.
Gold Circle were of the firm view at the time that the quality and depth of both races would be enhanced by opening them to all ages. In addition, there were no weight-for-age races in South Africa over the distance and the overall programme for stayers was expected to benefit from the change.
There has been no official notification as to why the modified one-time classics have been moved to the inner-city Theatre Of Dreams for this renewal, but the good news is that they have attracted reasonable fields, with four Hollywoodbets Durban July entries running in the all-ages Derby.
1st R218750, 2nd R70000, 3rd R35000, 4th R17500, 5th R8750
TABGOLD DERBY (Grade 3)
For Horses at Weight For Age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-3kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Cape Eagle | 59 | 105 | A | Serino Moodley | Andre Nel | |
| 2 | 2 | One Way Traffic | 59 | 108 | A | Craig Zackey | Justin Snaith | |
| 3 | 3 | Future Pearl | 60 | 116 | T A | Richard Fourie | Sean Tarry | |
| 4 | 4 | Home Of The Brave | 59 | 95 | T A | Diego De Gouveia | Tyrone Zackey | |
| 5 | 5 | Aragosta | 59 | 118 | A | Muzi Yeni | Mike de Kock | |
| 6 | 6 | Zeus | 59 | 122 | A | Gavin Lerena | Fabian Habib | |
| 7 | 7 | Policy Of Truth | 56 | 82 | T A | S’manga Khumalo | Tienie Prinsloo | |
| 8 | 8 | Future Saint | 56 | 83 | A | Tristan Godden | Kumaran Naidoo | |
| 9 | 9 | Shoot The Rapids | 56 | 89 | A | Calvin Habib | Frank Robinson | |
| 10 | 10 | Without Question | 59 | 120 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Justin Snaith | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (2,10) | ||||||||
With final Hollywoodbets Durban July supplementary entries due on 18 June and declarations closing on 24 June, this is as about as close as one gets to a last chance saloon for big race hopefuls.
Only three 3yo’s line up in the Tabgold Derby, where Hollywoodbets Durban July entries Cape Eagle, Future Pearl, Aragosta and Without Question will be looking to impress the big-race panel.
The consistent Cape Eagle was second favourite for the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup on 28 May when scratched due to elevated TCO2 levels. That was a prep curved ball of some magnitude for trainer Andre Nel, who has found himself in a race against time for the 6 July clash.
2023 Gold Cup winner Future Pearl and pilot Richard Fourie will team up once again on Saturday for the Tabgold Derby (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Richard Fourie takes the ride on the 2023 Gold Vase and Gold Cup winner Future Pearl for Sean Tarry. The son of Futura is yet to recapture his better form of last year but should be near peak fitness and can go very close.
A former Gr1 SA Derby winner, Aragosta failed to catch the eye in the Lonsdale when beaten 6,30 lengths by Down To Business.
Rachel Venniker partners Without Question, who has had only one run since his smart third behind Double Superlative in the WSB Cape Town Met. That was a low-key 3 lengths off Future Swing in the WSB Gr2 1900, when clearly in need of the run.
1st R312500, 2nd R100000, 3rd R50000, 4th R25000, 5th R12500
TABGOLD OAKS (Grade 2)
For Fillies and Mares at Weight For Age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-3kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 1 | My Soul Mate | 57 | 113 | BA | Richard Fourie | Candice Dawson | |
| 2 | 2 | Capetown Beauty | 60 | 80 | BA | Athandiwe Mgudlwa | Garth Puller | |
| 3 | 3 | Virginia Sweet | 60 | 96 | A | Calvin Habib | Glen Kotzen | |
| 4 | 4 | Future Girl | 60 | 97 | Ae | Kabelo Matsunyane | Brett Crawford | |
| 5 | 5 | Sea Goddess | 60 | 81 | A | Diego De Gouveia | Louis Goosen | |
| 6 | 6 | Special Charm | 60 | 87 | BA | #Rachel Venniker | Paul Matchett | |
| 7 | 7 | Danse Milord | 60 | 88 | A | Serino Moodley | M J Odendaal | |
| 8 | 8 | Saartjie | 60 | 110 | A | Corne Orffer | Andre Nel | |
| 9 | 9 | Red Maple | 60 | 94 | TBA | Craig Zackey | Sean Tarry | |
| 10 | 10 | Off Limits | 57 | 82 | A | Chase Maujean | Louis Goosen | |
| 11 | 11 | Lady Of Power | 60 | 101 | T A | Muzi Yeni | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (5,10) | ||||||||
In the Oaks, the Listed East Coast Cup winner Saartjie can bounce back after a quiet run behind Silver Sanctuary in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000.
Saartjie – a decent sort and can bounce back (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
That was her second run post a break and she will likely have most to fear from Richard Fourie and My Soul Mate, one of only two 3yo’s in the field, and who finished ahead of her in the Woolavington and is now a half kilo better off.
- The Tabgold Gr3 Derby is off at 14h40.
- The Tabgold Gr2 Oaks is off at 15h15.
- The Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting starts at 11h45.
