There is another grand weekend ahead for TAB horseracing customers. It’s the opening meeting of the 2025 KwaZulu-Natal Champions Season at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, which also features a R500,000 TAB Pick 6 carryover, and the three-day Guineas Festival at Newmarket in the UK.
Three Grade 2 feature events head the card at Greyville, where the carryover should generate a total Pick 6 pool of some R3 million. Three Grade 1 winners will square off in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas which is supported by the WSB Fillies Guineas and the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes.
The Guineas Festival in England kicks off this Friday and gathers momentum through the weekend with the famous 2000 Guineas on Saturday and the 1000 Guineas for fillies on Sunday. The Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool tote will be in operation of all races at Saturday’s Newmarket meeting.
Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie seldom come away without a winner or two at Fairview so here’s two to follow on the Fairview Polytrack - Holocene in Race 3 and Mercantour in Race 5.
Holocene lines up in a MR 74 Handicap over 1600m and this gelding has been the victim of wide draws. He’s not well drawn again but does seem better than his rivals over this distance. Mercantour, winner of six of 33 starts, has hinted he is ready to win again with some cracking recent runs. He competes in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m.
Silver Knott aims to add another feature-race triumph to his collection in the Group 2 Betfred Jockey Club Stakes. The Charlie Appleby-trained bay has not been seen on British soil since his bid for 2000 Guineas glory in 2023. He did not succeed on that occasion, but the five-year-old has since claimed multiple Group 2 victories in the United States and Dubai. His last appearance saw him secure the Dubai City of Gold by two lengths. He looks the pick of the four runners and should land the seventh Group-class success of his career.
Grade1 Cape Met and Cape Derby champion Eight On Eighteen makes his debut in KZN in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas over 1600m. Justin Snaith’s charge should have little problem with the distance as he also won the Cape Guineas over 1600m, but he might be in need of the run and that could give Sean Tarry-trained Cosmic Speed the edge. The Querari gelding last ran in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m Turffontein where he finished a 0.50-length second behind Main Defender. Four weeks earlier he won the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m and in addition last year he captured the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville. All this adds up to the fact that he is probably fitter than his opposition, is ideally distance suited and has the benefit of experience at this course.
Only a wide No 11 draw looks likely to impede the chances of Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Spumante Dolce in the WSB Fillies Guineas, while Gladatorian could provide each-way value in a very competitive Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.
With a carryover Pick 6 pool likely to reach R3 million, the best banker on the day looks to be Rodeo Drive in Race 8. She is the best weighted filly, drops in class and has and jumps from No 2 draw.
SUGGESTED R259.20 (10%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @13:25):
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11
Leg 3: 1, 7, 11, 12
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13
The Group 1 Betfred 2000 Guineas is one of the most significant races on the UK racing calendar and Field Of Gold looked every inch a 2000 Guineas colt in winning the Craven. With a clear passage he is the one to beat, but he is at a short price facing a very different test in the Guineas. It’s worth noting that victory in the 2000 Guineas has so far eluded his trainers John and Thady Gosden and they could miss again this year.
William Buick rides Ruling Court which would indicate his prep work has been of the highest order, but stablemate Shadow Of Light looks the bet. He completed the Middle Park-Dewhurst double in the autumn and his performance in the former, where he settled and produced a remarkable turn of foot, marked him out as a top-notcher. There is every chance he will stay on pedigree and racing style and he looks overpriced. The Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool tote will be in operation on all races at Saturday’s Newmarket meeting and TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets will be commingled into the huge Hong Kong pools.
A model of consistency, Outfit looks poised to secure another win in a Class 4 contest at Kuala Lumpur. Since crossing the Causeway, Outfit has not missed a placing in six starts and appears well placed to land a well-deserved win in Class 4 company.
Dazzling Fit is a progressive three-year-old and ready to fire stepping up to 1400m after two runs over 1200m. Drawn wide on debut and catching the eye late into sixth, he once again settled at the rear second-up and charged into second behind Top Throne. He moves into a middle-draw this time and looks hard to beat. Luke Ferraris has ridden him in both his Hong Kong starts and will be aboard once again.
Cape Racing's 10-event fixture at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth is headlined by the second legs of the Winter Series for both sexes, which are the Grade 3 Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m and the Listed Ladies Mile for fillies and mares over 1600m, and the Grade 3 Winter Nursery for two-year-olds. Grade 3 Variety Club Mile Stakes winner Garrix lines up in Leg 2 under Gavin Lerena and Piet Steyn's charge will likely add to add his Leg 1 success. This progressive son of Vercingetorix ran as a gelding for the first time when winning his last start by 1.50 lengths.
At odds of 33-1 Elwateen could provide excellent value in the Betfred 1000 Guineas. Elwateen made her debut at Kempton last August, winning impressively at 4-6, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor and owners Shadwell are happy to let her try her luck in the fillies' Classic this weekend. "She won her only start impressively last year," said Angus Gold, representing owners Shadwell. "She's a beautifully bred filly by Dubawi out of a Group 1 winner so obviously expectations are high for her going into it.”