The Gareth van Zyl yard are in rich form both at home and down in the Cape, and the Summerveld team pulled off a feature double for Hollywood Racing as the Dynasty gelding Imilenzeyokududuma followed up on his Listed Christmas Handicap victory with a smooth win in Sunday’s R200 000 non-black type Michael Roberts Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Gareth van Zyl has now saddled the Hollywood Racing Team’s first two feature successes of 2025, Sunday;s win coming just a week after Asiye Phambili won the Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes on King’s Plate day. The Van Zyl family also provide Hollywood Racing with their final feature success of 2024 when Imilenzeyokududuma won the Listed Christmas Handicap at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the Day Of Goodwill public holiday.
That glorious year-ender capped a ‘purple patch’ as it came just weeks after Asiye Phambili won the World Sports Betting Gr3 Southern Cross Stakes.
Van Zyl coincidentally also gave the purple team their 600th winner on African soil when Luhamba Phambili won the Need For Speed Sprint, back in November
But back to Sunday’s action. The Michael Roberts tribute feature and raceday is one of the longest running of its kind in South Africa and is now in its 35th year, having been won by Toorak at the inaugural running in January 1990.
Sean Veale steers Imilenzeyokududuma to victory as Narina Trogon pops his head into the frame, and Muzi Yeni arrives too late on Royal Victory (Pic – Candiese Lerena)
Nathan Kotzen’s dual Grade 1 winner Royal Victory looked the class and was well in at the weights to resume winning ways on Sunday. But the gelding didn’t enjoy the best of luck in running as Sporting Post-sponsored rider Sean Veale showed his tactical acumen, not giving an inch, keeping Muzi Yeni and the son of Pathfork out of his own keenly guarded position on the inside, early on.
In the run for home, Celtic Beauty relinquished her lead to Mexican Pete, whose effort was shortlived, as Imilenzeyokududuma started unwinding from midfield.
Under a balanced ride by Veale, Imilenzeyokududuma (9-2) went on strongly to beat Narina Trogon (33-1) by 0,80 lengths in a time of 105,07 secs for the 1750m on the inside track.
The class act, and 33-20 favourite, Royal Victory stayed on late for third a further half length back, with Mrs Mary Liley’s good filly Celtic Beauty (10-1) doggedly staying on the same distance further back in fourth.
“That was a tactically outstanding ride,” waxed assistant trainer Gavin van Zyl in crediting Veale, saying that it was as good a ride as the master Muis Roberts would have delivered.
Imilenzeyokududuma, who is a different horse after his break at the start of this season with Nicole Wille and the Hollywood Life After Racing Team, was bred by Ridgemont and is a son of the top farm’s late champion Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the three-time winning High Chaparral mare Chevauchee.
A R400 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, the 6yo gelding is loving his racing and has won 7 races with 9 places from 25 starts and stakes of R745 600.
Imilenzeyokududuma was named after Hollywoodbets brand ambassador Jerry Sikhosana, an Orlando Pirates legend who scored the winning goal in the 1995 African Cup of Champions Clubs Final. Sikhosana’s nickname during his playing career was ‘Legs Of Thunder’, hence the Xhosa translation, Imilenzeyokududuma
