The SA Champions Season action kicks off at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday with the running of the WSB Gr2 Guineas and WSB Gr2 Fillies Guineas, followed by the traditional season opener, the Gr2 Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, which is sponsored by Independent Newspapers.
Main Defender – East Coast campaign commences on Saturday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
A traditional season launch-pad for horses of various ages and end games, the IOS Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes has attracted a quality field of ten, headed by Tony Peter’s smashing 3yo Main Defender, who takes on a quality field over the 1400m.
The son of Pathfork comes in fresh off his eyecatching strike at Turffontein in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
The Drill Hall field includes six Highveld raiders, and Justin Snaith’s very versatile Royal Aussie, who jumps from pole position.
R500 000 1400m 14:07 Ref-635
1st R312500, 2nd R100000, 3rd R50000, 4th R25000, 5th R12500
INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2)
Horses at Weight-For-Age + Penalties
WFA: 2yrs-11kgs 3yrs-2kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | Royal Aussie | 58.5 | 124 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith |
| 2 | Cousin Casey | 58.5 | 123 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Sean Tarry |
| 3 | Main Defender | 59.5 | 131 | A | Calvin Habib | Tony Peter |
| 4 | Archimides | 58.5 | 70 | BA | *Kobeli Lihaba | Phillip Labuschagne |
| 5 | Texas Red | 58.5 | 104 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Robyn Klaasen |
| 6 | Gladatorian | 60 | 120 | T A | Sean Veale | Stuart Ferrie |
| 7 | Humdinger | 57.5 | 116 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Mike de Kock |
| 8 | Gimmeanotherchance | 56.5 | 111 | A | Craig Zackey | Mike de Kock |
| 9 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 58.5 | 125 | A | Tristan Godden | Ricky Maingard |
| 10 | Waterberry Lane | 58.5 | 112 | A | Deryl Daniels | Ricky Maingard |
The World Sports Betting Gr2 Fillies Guineas gives the fairer sex sophomores a first opportunity to step out in the 2024 SA Champions Season, and it is Justin Snaith’s recent runaway Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Double Grand Slam who looks the standout.
An interesting inclusion is Mike de Kock’s perennial feature bridesmaid White Pearl, who boasts seven feature place cheques in her last 8 starts. Her ‘prep’ third behind Mrs Browning in last Saturday’s TAB Gr3 Camellia Stakes should have her razor sharp on Saturday.
R500 000 1600m 14:47 Ref-636
1st R312500, 2nd R100000, 3rd R50000, 4th R25000, 5th R12500
WORLD SPORTS BETTING FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-old Fillies
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | Let’s Go Now | 60 | 114 | BA | S’manga Khumalo | Sean Tarry |
| 2 | White Pearl | 60 | 112 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Mike de Kock |
| 3 | Bomber Girl | 60 | 97 | A | Calvin Habib | Michael Miller |
| 4 | Rascova | 60 | 115 | T A | Craig Zackey | Glen Kotzen |
| 5 | Double Grand Slam | 60 | 118 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith |
| 6 | Minogue | 60 | 102 | A | Serino Moodley | Wendy Whitehead |
| 7 | Sovereign Grant | 60 | 98 | A | Tristan Godden | Michael Miller |
| 8 | Soldier’s Eye | 60 | 98 | A | *Kobeli Lihaba | Weiho Marwing |
| 9 | Miss Platina | 60 | 75 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Tienie Prinsloo |
| 10 | Celtic Beauty | 60 | 94 | A | Sean Veale | Tony Rivalland |
Only seven 3yo males will line up in the World Sports Betting Gr2 Guineas, but the trio of Gr1 stars in Highveld raider Sandringham Summit, and the Cape duo of SplashOut Cape Derby winner Green With Envy and Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot, make it a potential cliff-hanger!
R500 000 1600m 15:25 Ref-637
1st R312500, 2nd R100000, 3rd R50000, 4th R25000, 5th R12500
WORLD SPORTS BETTING GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-olds
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | Hluhluwe | 60 | 111 | A | Grant van Niekerk | Justin Snaith |
| 2 | Sandringham Summit | 60 | 123 | T A | Gavin Lerena | David Nieuwenhuizen |
| 3 | Green With Envy | 60 | 119 | A | Craig Zackey | Dean Kannemeyer |
| 4 | Snow Pilot | 60 | 120 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith |
| 5 | Royal Edition | 60 | 85 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Phillip Labuschagne |
| 6 | Mid Winter Wind | 60 | 114 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Sean Tarry |
| 7 | Navajo Nation | 60 | 103 | A | Serino Moodley | Robbie Hill |
With a feature race total stake of nearly R35-million, South Africa’s Champions Season is set to attract the crème de la crème, all vying for prestigious titles and prizes, including the coveted R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July, which is run on 6 July.
One of the world’s premier horseracing festivals, the three-month extravaganza showcases an impressive array of 38 graded stakes races, 13 of which are at Gr1 level.
