Maine Chance Farms’ star stallion Vercingetorix increased his lead on the South African General Sires premiership when his star daughter Double Grand Slam won the G1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes (1600m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
In the process, the Justin Snaith trained five-year-old provided jockey Andrew Fortune with his third success on the card.
Racing just off the pace, Double Grand Slam hit the front just after the field turned for home, and Fortune kept the Vercingetorix mare going strongly to win by a long neck.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Double Grand Slam was the Equus Champion Older Female of 2024-2025.
Saturday’s win pushed the mare’s tally to ten wins from 21 starts, with Double Grand Slam’s past victories including the 2025 G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and 2025 G1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes.
Owned by Drakenstein Stud, Messrs Dave MacLean & Gary Player Stud Farm (Pty) Ltd, Double Grand Slam is out of the Captain Al mare Princess Peach.
The mare, who has won six graded races, was a R1 000 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
Double Grand Slam was one of three runners in this year’s Majorca Stakes for her champion sire Vercingetorix.
The latter is also the sire of Holding Thumbs, who ran third in Saturday’s G3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers.
Drakenstein Stud’s resident sire, and former Horse Of The Year, Futura enjoyed a good day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Sons of Futura won the second and third races on G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day, with Futura gelding Ahead Of The Facts victorious in the G3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and another Futura gelding Note To Self successful in the World Sports Betting C Stakes.
Both Ahead Of The Facts and Note To Self are trained by Justin Snaith.
Consistent four-year-old Ahead Of The Facts picked up the first graded win of his career when he won Saturday’s New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (2800m).
Under Richard Fourie, the gelding stormed home to claim the R500 000 feature by a convincing three lengths.
Bred by Syrilla Stud, Ahead Of The Facts has won four of 15 starts with the gelding’s victories including the 2025 Listed Woolavington Stakes.
Saturday’s winner, who is out of the Silvano mare Nicety, races for Messrs Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith, J Murcia, D Musikanth & Garth Musikanth.
Bred on the same Futura/Silvano cross as dual stakes winner Ekoria, Ahead Of The Facts was a R100 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
The four time G1 winning Futura is also the sire of the progressive three-year-old Note To Self. The latter made it two wins from just five starts when he won Saturday’s World Sports Betting C Stakes for Justin Snaith and Andrew Fortune.
One of the best sons of Dynasty, Futura has four lots on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale and five yearlings on the Premier Yearling Sale.
Maine Chance Farms’ inform stallion Querari had a good double at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Not only did Querari runners win races six and nine on Tuesday, but Querari gelding Ubermensch ran second in the first race. Querari is also the sire of Hot Cocoa and Caroline Island, who ran second in races two and five respectively on Tuesday.
Querari’s first success on Tuesday came when his daughter Gaslight Dancer won the TAB 4Racing App FM Divided Handicap (1000m).
Under Muzi Yeni, the Fanie Bronkhurst trained three-year-old was always up with the pace, and she kept finding gamely in the closing stages to score by a short-head.
Bred by Willem Engelbrecht Jnr, Gaslight Dancer was making it back to back wins with her victory on Tuesday.
The filly, who is out of the Joshua Dancer mare Joshlin, races for Brhys, Bryan and Taryn Spong.
Querari is also the sire of promising three-year-old Quickfreeze, who made it two wins from just three starts when he won the ninth and final race at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Trained by Lucky Houdalakis, Quickfreeze, a horse with a superb action, simply outclassed his rivals as he sped away to land the Next Vaal Racemeeting 29 January MR 84 Handicap by three and a half lengths.
Bred by Sandra Michelle Ajax and Target Acquired, the exciting colt races for David Shawe.
Currently the Leading Sire of 2YOs in South Africa for 2025-2026, Querari has yet another exciting prospect to his name in the form of unbeaten two-year-old Master Magician.
Ridgemont’s exciting young sire Malmoos gained a further update to his stellar female line when his three-parts brother One More Star won at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Now in the care of Alec Laird, the regally bred son of One World made it two wins from his last three starts with a convincing performance on Tuesday.
Under Kobeli Lihaba, One More Star quickened up smartly in Tuesday’s Classic Day 7 March Middle Stakes (2000m).
The colt flew up late to score by nearly three parts of a length.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Tuesday’s winner races for Dj Jazzy D Racing.
The colt, who is out of the Fort Wood mare Justthewayyouare, was a R600 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
One More Star is one of seven winners produced by Listed Spook Express Handicap winner Justthewayyouare.
The latter, a half-sister to prominent sire Master Of My Fate, has produced three stakes winners, namely South African Triple Crown winner Malmoos, dual G3 winner Captain Splendid and Listed Off To Stud Stakes/Listed The Independent On Saturday Insider East Coast Cup winner Mascherina.
Malmoos, sired by Captain Al -the sire of One More Star’s sire One World, has four lots on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale, and seven lots on the Premier Yearling Sale.
Maine Chance Farms’ top-class sire Querari looks to have come up with a smart two-year-old in the form of Master Magician.
The latter made it two wins from two starts when he won the KZN Futurity Plate (1000m) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Under Tristan Godden, the Michael Miller trained colt romped home to score by nearly four and a quarter lengths.
It was a 1-2 for Querari in the Futurity Plate, with Master Magician vanquishing Querari filly Japura into second place.
Bred by Waterford Stud, Master Magician has won his two starts by an aggregate of nearly ten lengths.
The colt races for Sterling Miller and Ben Sahd.
Master Magician, who is out of the Silvano mare Flander’s Fields, is bred on the same cross as G1 winners Bavarian Beauty and Cosmic Speed.
He is one of four two-year-old winners this season, thus far, for Querari, with Querari currently South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs for 2025-2026.
The son of Oasis Dream has a single yearling on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale and 15 lots on offer at the Premier Yearling Sale.
The Drakenstein Stud bred champion One Stripe showed his class when he ran second in Saturday’s G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes.
One Stripe, who had never raced beyond a mile, was hammered at the tills in the late stages to jump at odds of 43-10 from a 12-1 morning line. The recipient of a midfield trip for leading South African jockey Gavin Lerena, the bay entire came widest for the drive and was getting to the winner, but the wire arrived too soon.
Victorious Test Score, a stablemate to the runner up, had won last year’s G1 Belmont Derby Invitational and G2 Twilight Derby.
With his Pegasus score, Test Score (a colt by Lookin At Lucky) took his earnings to over $2 000 000.
One Stripe, Equus Champion Miler of 2024-2025, has made four starts in North America. After finishing a creditable fifth in the G1 Rogers Woodbine Mile Stakes, he finished last in the G1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
However, the champion son of champion One World bounced back last time out when One Stripe romped home to claim an allowance optional claiming race by five and a quarter lengths.
One Stripe, who is out of the Silvano mare Silver Stripe, won six of nine starts in South Africa including the 2024 G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and 2025 G1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
Ridgemont’s top-class sire Rafeef came up with his 25th black type winner on Saturday when his son Aristotle won the Listed TAB Dr Richard Maponya Handicap (1800m) at the Vaal.
Third in last season’s G2 TAB Gauteng Guineas, the Alec Laird trained four-year-old was given a fine ride by Calvin Habib to land Saturday’s R250 000 feature.
Habib kept his mount just off the pace early on, with Aristotle well positioned in the early stages.
Despite having to dodge the riderless King’s Express, Aristotle powered home in the closing stages to get up close home and score by a neck.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the four-year-old is owned by Messrs K P Nagendran & R V Norton & Mrs C Nagendran.
Aristotle, who is out of the Fort Wood mare Athina, has won three of 13 starts.
The gelding, regarded as a potential Summer Cup horse, was a R1 000 000 buy from the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale.
His sire Rafeef is enjoying another fine season in 2025-2026 with his flagbearers including G2 SplashOut Cape Merchants winner Outlaw King, and G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas/G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes runner up Reet Petite.
The G1 Computaform Sprint winner has 22 lots on offer at the Premier Yearling Sale, and six lots on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale.
Black Swan Stud’s triple G1 winning stallion Elusive Fort enjoyed feature race success on Saturday.
His inform daughter Royal Invitation made it back to back feature race wins when she won Saturday’s Listed TAB Spook Express Stakes (2400m) at the Vaal.
The inform six-year-old had won the Racing240 Sun Chariot Handicap (Non-Black Type) last time out.
Under Louis Nhlapo, the Brett Weber trained mare hit the front 200m from home and she powered away to claim her biggest win to date by over two and a half lengths.
Bred by Sandown Stud, Royal Invitation races for Martin Bothma. Now a four time winner, Royal Invitation is out of the Western Winter mare Early Spring and is bred on the same Elusive Fort/Western Winter cross as G1 Thekwini Stakes winner Lauderdale.
Royal Invitation was a R575 000 buy from the 2021 November Two Year Old Sale before being sold to her current owner for R80 000 at the 2025 August Online Auction.
She is one of a number of high-class stakes winning fillies and mares sired by Elusive Fort with others including the aforementioned Lauderdale, as well as Big Burn, Elusive Heart, Fort Ember, Secret Potion and G1 SA Fillies Classic winner Siren’s Call.
Champion Elusive Fort has seven lots on offer at the Premier Yearling Sale and three lots on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale.
Moutonshoek’s red hot stallion The United States is having a great season in 2025-2026.
The son of Galileo’s fine run continued at the Vaal on Thursday, where The United States’ high-class sons The Specialist and Tin Pan Alley won races six and seven respectively.
Both geldings are trained by Sean Tarry and both were ridden to victory by Keagan De Melo.
Runner up in the 2024 G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes (where he beat subsequent G1 winners Cosmic Speed and Legend Of Arthur), four-year-old The Specialist made a big impression when he won Thursday’s Classic Day 7 March MR 96 Handicap (1200m).
Unleashed from the back of the field, The Specialist produced a devastating turn foot to mow down his rivals and get up to win by a long neck.
Bred by Ascot Stud, The Specialist has earned R568 437. The gelding races for Mukund Gujadhur, D J Michael, Lance Michael, Rikesh Sewgoolam and the Wernars Family.
Top-class three-year-old Tin Pan Alley, winner of both this season’s G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge and G3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes, stamped his G2 Gauteng Guineas claims when he won Thursday’s SA Derby 4 April Pinnacle Stakes (1450m).
The gelded son of The United States showed plenty of courage in getting up to win the contest on the line, despite Tin Pan Alley being under sufferance in the race.
Bred by Moutsonhoek, Tin Pan Alley races the Wernars Family in partnership with Dayalan Chinsammy.
One of Gauteng’s top three-year-olds this season, he has already earned more than R1.2 million in stakes.
Tin Pan Alley, who is out of the Querari mare The Entertainer, was a R500 000 buy from the 2024 August Two Year Old Sale.
His G1 winning sire is enjoying a breakout year in 2025-2026, with The United States also responsible for G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee as well as G2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge queen Rodeo Drive.
Sandown Stud’s high-class stallion Pathfork had a weekend to remember this week when the champion son of Distorted Humor came up with a treble of winners.
Not only did Pathfork mare Black Path win the sixth race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, but the stallion’s only two runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday both won their respective races.
The Peter Wrensch owned and trained Black Path made a mockery of her 33-1 starting price when she won Saturday’s Lucky Fish Aviator Class 5 (F and M) (1500m).
Under Keanen Steyn, the seven-year-old stormed home down the inside of the track to get up close home and win by nearly half a length.
Bred by the Cape Leopard Trust, Black Path is out of the Black Minnaloushe mare Black Belvedere.
Pathfork struck twice at Hollywoodbets Greyville the following day when his daughters Mountainsofthemoon and Happy Fortune won races seven and eight respectively.
Under Craig Zackey, the Robbie Hill trained Mountainsofthemoon made all the running to claim Sunday’s Lucky Fish Fire Strike Class 5 (F and M) (1600m) by nearly three-parts of a length.
Bred by Sandown Stud, the five-year-old races for Messrs C Holwill, Robbie Hill & M U Tayob.
Four-year-old Happy Fortune made it two wins from her last four starts when she won the Hollywoodbets Bright Future Class 4 (F and M) (1400m).
Under Keagan de Melo, the Pathfork filly came with a strong late run which saw Happy Fortune get up and win, going away, by a neck.
Happy Fortune races for Classic Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr Willie Pieters) (M Dhanai, A E Du Sart, J P Du Sart, Pramodh Ora) & Al Khayl Breeders (Pty) Ltd.
Another bred by Sandown Stud, Happy Fortune is out of the Almushtarak mare Joyful Dancer.
Sire of such G1 winners as Royal Victory, Main Defender, Mighty High and Pearl Of Asia, Pathfork has five lots on offer at the Premier Yearling Sale, and four yearlings on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale.