Highveld Summer Season
Trainers Ready Their Teams
The 2025 Highveld Summer Season will test old champions and uncover new ones over the next three months. The battlegrounds will be Turffontein and the Vaal, with Guineas, Cups, weight-for-age clashes and top-level handicaps lined up through to December.
Trainers have been plotting paths for their flagbearers, and the early talk suggests we’re in for no shortage of rivalries and upsets. A few visiting stables will also be in town looking to land a few punches. Note: In most interviews, trainers were asked about specific runners. Apologies to owners and trainers whose horses were left out.
Above: Choisaanada (image: JC Photos)
Choisaanada (Querari), the popular Highveld Winter Series winner, returns to action in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m. Trainer Erico Verdonese will be considering the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile on 1 November or the Grade 3 Victory Moon Handicap on 9 November as a further prep run into the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup over 2000m on 29 November. He said: “Choisaanada is such a pleasure to train and he keeps doing everything asked of him. After his win in the Sea Cottage Stakes, he just got stronger and better, but there is still improvement and more strength to come. He is not far off match fitness at the moment. He’s drawn a bit wide in the Spring Challenge, but we’re expecting a good run to bring him on.”
David Niewenhuizen’s Sandringham Summit was one of the three-year-old stars of the 2023/4 season. While the Turffontein trainer has no runners of that calibre in his stable at present, he expects to be competitive with the rejuvenated Famous Lady (Talk Of The Town) and the versatile Ceuta (Gimmethegreenlight) both being aimed at the Grade 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge early in December. He also has realistic prospects of winning the Vaal Grand Heritage over 1475m with Pressonregardless (Lancaster Bomber), who has come into his own recently. “Jockey Craig Zackey thinks Pressonregardless has the mettle to win at Graded level, and the 1475 at the Vaal should suit him,” said Nieuwenhuizen.
Michael Azzie has two promising three-year-olds in Radio Star (Fire Away) and Singleton Sam (One World), both in contention for the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and the Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m. He noted: “Both have ability. Radio Star finished just 2.70-lengths off Jan Van Goyen, who went on to win a Grade 1 race on Gold Cup Day.” Azzie also has two fillies Daisy Jones (Querari) and Anahita (Vercingetorix), expected to be competitive this summer, with a few options depending on their progress, including the Grade 3 Betway Fillies Mile. The stable’s Grade 1 2024 Computaform Sprint placed Winds Of Change (What A Winter) was gelded after two below-par runs in KZN at the end of last season. He will be aimed at the 2026 renewal of the Computaform Sprint, and will make his appearance in preparation sprints this summer.
Above: Sean Tarry (Image: Race Coast)
Not a season goes by without multiple champion Sean Tarry’s strong presence on feature days. His three-year-old ace for the season is Grade 1-placed Tin Pan Alley (The United States), who has always looked a runner with a big win to come. He will be aimed at the Graham Beck and the Dingaans. One Fine Winter (What A Winter) and Green Diamond (Gimmethegreenlight) are the best among Tarry’s classic fillies and he said, “This is a pair of good fillies, you can expect to see them in the second half of the season.” The stable’s versatile older filly, World Of Alice (One World), and last season’s Grade 1 Derby winner, Legend Of Arthur (William Longsword) are Summer Cup prospects, while there are a few options with recent acquisition Callmegetrix (Vercingetorix), including the Summer Pudding Stakes on 9 November. The other feature runners worth noting are smart sprinter Rodeo Drive (The United States) and the top class 2024 Grade 1 winner Proceed (Gimmethegreenlight), returning from injury. Another recent acquisition, Quantum Theory (Querari), won first time out for the yard and Tarry said: “He is an interesting horse with ability. He’s won sprint features and the Grade 3 Merchants on Summer Cup Day looks an ideal picking. But earlier in his career he won twice over 1400m and placed over 1500m, so we may try to step him up in distance again to give us more options with him.” Cosmic Speed (Querari) is being aimed at the 2026 King’s Plate and will start his prep on the Highveld.
Above: Greaterix (Image: JC Photos)
Mike and Mathew de Kock have already saddled 15 winners this season, and have edged into the National Top 5. Mat said that while the stable is a little light on top three-year-old fillies this term, they are “bursting at the seams” with quality three-year-old colts, among which are the likes of Grade 1 winner Jan Van Goyen (Master Of My Fate), One Eye On Vegas (Buffalo Bill Cody), Big Joe (The United States), Constellation (What A Winter), Miami Mountain (Canford Cliffs), Esteemed (Rafeef) and Whispering Death (Danon Platina). Jingleberry (Gimmethegreenlight) is their best prospect among the classic fillies, while Open Sesame (Futura) is an Oaks prospect for 2026 who will also have a run or two this side of Christmas. “There is only really the Graham Beck and the Dingaans to aim them at in the Highveld season, so we won’t be able to avoid racing the colts against each other. But it is what it is, they must run. Jan Van Goyen has put his hand up already, but the others all have black-type potential,” said Mathew. He noted that last year’s three-year-old ace, Greaterix (Vercingetorix), was on the comeback trail, while Marauding Horde and Spumante Dolce (Vercingetorix) will be aimed at the Summer Cup, and Corrupt (Erupt) will be suited to races like the Java Stakes over 2400m and the ROA Stayers over 3200m.
Corné Spies said that rumours of the stable’s powerhouse sprinter William Robertson (Rafeef) having been retired were unfounded. The popular son of Rafeef will be back on track soon and Spies said. “With his high merit rating it’s hard to find suitable races for him, but we will be looking at Pinnacle Plates. He is absolutely not done yet!” Spies’ feature prospects are the good-looking Graded performer Elegantrix (Vercingetorix), who has her sights set on the Betway Fillies Mile, and recent Vaal Maiden winner African Pride (Rafeef), who could be a Graham Beck contender. “They are both very talented, and we’re confident of big runs this term.”
Fabian Habib’s Grade 1 SA Classic winner, Confederate (Fire Away) re-appears in a Conditions Plate over 1450m on Spring Challenge Day. He is being aimed at the Charity Mile and Habib commented: “He is well and should give a good account this weekend en route to the Charity Mile. His mission is the Summer Cup, and we know if he doesn’t see out the tough 2000m we can revert to shorter, because he is a very good miler. Habib’s two promising three-year-old colts, Echo Check (Master Of My Fate) and Tommy Shelby (Querari), will be going the Graham Beck-Dingaans route.
Above: The Equator (IRE) (Image: JC Photos)
Tony Peter has a strong contingent, spearheaded by his Summer Cup hopeful, The Equator (IRE) (Galileo). Peter said of the import: “He has only now fully settled down and as a result is improving and looking very well. He won impressively on hard ground, will be better suited to the sting out of the ground so we gave him time off after his win. We’re excited about him.” Hawwaam’s daughter Perfect Miracle looks destined to be a flagbearer for her up-and-coming sire. She returns to the track on Saturday and Peter said: “We knew she was good, but she actually surpassed our expectations on debut with the speed she showed, which gives us options. We have the three-year-old features in mind for her like the HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes on 1 November. We’ll see how she goes in her 1200m race.” The unbeaten Rifle Queen and Rachel Wall (Buffalo Bill Cody) are other three-year-old fillies with feature prospects. Three-year-old colt Nyaka Nyaka is another held in high esteem and Peter said: “He’s in the Spring Challenge on Saturday with only 50kg. We won this race with Main Defender in 2023 when he had 50,5kg on his back, so we’re hoping to repeat that feat. Nyaka Nyaka is good, he beat a decent sprinter in Gimmethegoodlife over 1200m and the older horse franked that form recently. We’re looking forward to see how he shapes in this Grade 2.”
Candice Dawson has a lovely bunch of three-year-olds, including Trust (Heavenly Blue) who had subsequent runaway winner One Eye On Vegas behind him when winning his Turffontein Maiden; Warm Reception (Fire Away), a facile winner over one who also franked the form in good style; and Onetwobucklemyshoe (Master Of My Fate), a smart-looking filly just touched off on her debut last week. Grade 3 winner Truth (Heavenly Blue) is always a factor, wherever he lines up, and alongside the likes of Minogue (Vercingetorix), Pioneer Square (Querari) and Just Be Lekker (William Longsword), gives the stable a competitive hand in the features for older horses.
Above: Olivia's Way (Image: JC Photos)
Roy Magner’s exceptional race mare Olivia’s Way (Pathfork) is a solid Summer Cup contender this year and Magner said: “She’s on the comeback trail. She is running in Saturday’s Spring Challenge, drawn wide, but it will be a nice pipe-opener after a rest.” He said that well-performed four-year-old Kamensky (What A Winter) had a slight setback, but is back on the working track and alongside Melech (William Longsword) will be aimed at races like the Charity Mile. He speaks in high regard of the handsome looker King Harald (Erik The Red), a Graham Beck contender.
KZN Champion Trainer Gareth van Zyl has two promising and unbeaten three-year-olds by Vercingetorix in Wild Justice and Ascalon Dancer, who on their pedigrees and impressive wins hold the scope to make an impact on the Highveld. Top stayer King Pelles (Duke Of Marmalade), Gareth said, is being aimed at the Betway Summer Cup, and his older handicappers Imilenzeyokududuma (Dynasty) and Luhamba Phambile (Danon Platina) will be placed in suitable lesser features.
Above: Royal Victory wins the 2023 Betway Summer Cup (Image: Candiese Lenferna)
Multiple Grade 1 winner Royal Victory (Pathfork), will be back for another tilt at the Summer Cup, a race he won in stunning fashion for trainer Nathan Kotzen and his connections in 2023. He was last seen on Gold Cup day, when he refused to canter to the start and had to be withdrawn, but Kotzen said his stalwart has settled down again. “He’s a sound horse, has no physical problems, but he has a mind of his own sometimes. We’ve reschooled him, put him through the pens again and he passed with no problems. He looks good, he seems to be enjoying himself so we hope to prepare him into the big race with no hickups.” He’s only just turned five, has a lot more in the tank and with his excellent record at high level, Royal Victory's presence will be welcomed on the Highveld this summer.