Latest news with #Snaith
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
The merger of KZN's Gold Circle and Cape Racing has birthed Race Coast.
The merger of Gold Circle's operations in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Racing from the Western Cape has given rise to an exciting new entity known as Race Coast. Founded under the auspices of the uMhlanga-based South African sports betting company Hollywoodbets, this collaboration has been met with resounding support from the nation's leading horse trainers, who believe it represents a bright future for the sport. Prominent South African champion trainer Justin Snaith, along with the globally-renowned horse racing ambassador Mike de Kock and accomplished trainer Dean Kannemeyer, have publicly endorsed Race Coast. Their collective enthusiasm highlights a refreshing wave of optimism within the racing community. The Cape Town-based Snaith emphasised that this initiative promises not only to elevate the standards of racing but also to foster a deeper connection between the sport and its fans. He reflected on the initial success in his province of a similar initiative, RaceCape, initiated by Cape Racing and Hollywoodbets. Snaith is celebrating a half-century of KZN winter season assaults for the famous family operation. His father Chris, still a key member of their team, first raided with a string from the Cape in 1975. 'That structure has proven a tremendous success! It has not only boosted ownership and field sizes in the Western Cape but has also provided trainers with additional funding to enhance their operations. "Now we mark the historic beginnings of Race Coast, which is another generous initiative by Hollywoodbets, aimed at promoting ownership in KwaZulu-Natal and the Cape while boosting the horse population,' said at the launch of Race Coast. Snaith reminded us of the past, recalling that many feared that horse racing in South Africa might not survive after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'However, the dedicated efforts of a few individuals have not only saved the sport but have also paved the way for an exciting future. It is a future that we can shape and reinvent, making it better for all stakeholders involved. "Race Coast marks the beginning of something special for the province and the future of horse racing in South Africa. On behalf of all our owners, staff, and horses, we want to express our sincere gratitude,' he concluded. Mike de Kock, hailed as one of the great trainers of his generation, echoed this sentiment. He expressed confidence that Race Coast would invigorate South African racing and attract a new generation of enthusiasts, emphasising the intrinsic value of promoting racing as both an entertainment platform and a cultural cornerstone. De Kock, who recently joined forces with his son Mathew in a training partnership, said: 'De Kock Racing has been around for a long time, but as a new training partnership, Mathew and I are excited to be involved with the innovators behind Race Coast. "We have already seen the evidence of their vision and commitment, and we have positioned ourselves to grow with them. We look forward to what the future holds.' Three-time Hollywoodbets Durban July winning trainer Kannemeyer said a refreshing wave of enthusiasm and hope have been felt tangibly in the horse racing fraternity. 'The improvement and upliftment have been in bricks and mortar, communication, and incentives and stakes across the spectrum in the Cape, and looking at the rejuvenated Hollywoodbets Greyville landscape. It is a revelation and a passion-driven work-in-progress, in simple terms," he said. "The Hollywoodbets Team have made a difference in a short time, and one gets a very warm feeling that the sport is in good hands. We are all united under the flag of future prosperity, and, on behalf of our owners and the DKR team, I extend sincere onward and upward best wishes to Race Coast.'
The South African
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Justin Snaith scratches Sail The Seas from Hollywoodbets Durban July
Top Cape trainer Justin Snaith has scratched 3-year-old Sail The Seas from the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July. No reason for the scratching was given. Snaith still holds a strong hand in the field with a number of other entrants, including current race favourite Eight On Eighteen Hollywoodbets have priced Eight On Eighteen at 5/2 in the ante-post market. The Snaith yard have not won Africa's greatest race since Belgarion do so in 2020, rounding off a hat-trick that was launched in 2018 and 2019 by the iconic Do It Again. This year's R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2 200m will take place on Saturday, 5 July at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Second declarations close at 11:00 on Monday, 9 June Final supplementary entries close at 11:00 on Tuesday, 17 June, on which date the weights will be published Final Declarations close at 11:00 on Monday, 23 June Final field and draw announcement will take place on Tuesday, 24 June The official gallops will be held on Thursday 26 June A final field of 20 horses will be carded (18 + 2 Reserves) The reserves to be scratched by 08:15 on Friday, 4 July Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
New Paper
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Chip and putt for Eight On Eighteen
DURBAN - Always a guiding light as to the chances of three-year-old males going into the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2,200m), this year's 2 million rand (S$144,000) Grade 1 Daily News 2000 (2,000m) at Greyville (at 9.12pm Singapore time) looks to be at first glance something of a Justin Snaith/Nick Jonsson benefit. Snaith saddles four of the seven runners with three of them, including the 1-2 ante-post favourite Eight On Eighteen, carrying the Jonsson silks. The presence of the Lancaster Bomber colt in the field has likely scared off much of the opposition given that finishing in close proximity to the four-time winner would see their handicap ratings ramped up, but Mike and Mathew de Kock have risen to the challenge with their filly Spumante Dolce. Regular partner Richard Fourie will ride Eight On Eighteen who arrived in KZN for South Africa's Champions Season after wins in the Grade 1 Cape Met (2,000m) and Grade 1 Cape Derby (2,000m). He made his debut in the Grade 2 Guineas (1,600m) and fell just short of catching stable companion Sail The Seas, with Muzi Yeni pinching a break on Eight On Eighteen who was finishing best of all, a win possibly thwarted by a difficult passage at the top of the straight. It was an excellent effort by Eight On Eighteen over a distance now possibly short of his best. With experience on the course and back over an ideal trip, he is the worthy favourite. The de Kocks have spurned the Grade 2 Woolavington 2000 (2,000m) and are hunting Grade 1 glory for Spumante Dolce. She is currently 13th on the Durban July log and as a three-parts sister to the former de Kock-trained Durban July winner Sparkling Water, this trip should suit. The daughter of Vercingetorix was running on strongly when second in the Grade 2 Fillies Guineas (1,600m) at Greyville on May 3, and de Kock seldom runs no-hopers in feature company. Spumante Dolce would also be a first fairer-sex winner of the Daily News this century with fillies enjoying a purple patch with Roland's Song (1989), St Just (1990) and Star Effort (1991). However, Snaith has indicated that the Durban July is not an option cast in iron for Eight On Eighteen but rather the WFA Grade 1 Champions Cup (1,800m) at Greyville as well. On the other hand, stable companions Okavango and Native Ruler are both July entries, but will need to up their handicap ratings to make the field which may be what is behind Snaith's thinking. Okavango, the mount of Andrew Fortune, is currently joint-second favourite along with the Fabian Habib-trained Confederate at 6-1, but the son of Master Of My Fate is only merit-rated 105 although nine points up through a 3.2-length fourth behind Selukwe in the Grade 3 World Sports Betting 1900 (1,900m) at Greyville when carrying just 52kg. Having won three races from 1,600m to 1,800m, he will be suited by Saturday's 2,000m trip. If Okavango can finish within a reasonable distance of the 127-rated Eight On Eighteen, he will get a further rise in the ratings, possibly high enough to gain a July berth. The other joint-second favourite is the classy Confederate. The son of Fire Away won the Grade 1 SA Classic on the first day in March over 1,800m on the Turffontein standside track, beating subsequent Grade 1 WFA Premier's Champions Challenge (2,000m) winner and Highveld Horse of the Year, Fire Attack, another progeny of Fire Away. That he returns from a layoff of close to three months is a little concerning, but he has won four races and has yet to finish further back than second in eight starts. With Fire Attack sidelined with a hoof injury, Alec Laird has pinned his hopes on Grade 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas (1,600m) winner Parisian Walkway. Also a July entry, the son of Ideal World is the second highest-rated runner on 121. He likes to race handy which will give some hope of a decent gallop. However, Snaith's fourth entry, Makazole, racing in the Jonsson colours, may be sacrificed and given the role of pacemaker. The son of Trippi has won two races including the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup (1,400m) at Fairview but has yet to race beyond 1,400m. GOLD CIRCLE
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Vintage crop for Daily News 2000, but the sips are rather small
Good horses are dodging superstars at Greyville this weekend. Every year racing people pass personal judgements on the quality of the current three-year-old crop of horses. Are the sophomores better or worse than usual? There's seldom consensus; it's 'stronger' or 'weaker' on the spectrum. Occasionally, the young guns are 'exceptional' – like this year. Champion trainer Justin Snaith even went as far as to say the class of 2025 was the 'best ever'. Old gits point out that 1972 saw mighty clashes between Elevation, In Full Flight and Sentinel, but young Snaith's 'ever' was probably within the confines of the 21st century. It is indeed a brilliant crop for any era. From Snaith's yard alone, Eight On Eighteen, Sail The Seas and Okavango are already making marks in the history books. Count in other stables' stars like One Stripe, Fire Attack, Quid Pro Quo, Confederate, Fatal Flaw, Spumante Dolce and My Best Shot and you can't not be impressed. So, then, why are fields for the three-year-old Classic races so tiny? Seven horses for Daily News 2000 Only seven horses are due to line up for the Daily News 2000 at Greyville on Saturday. This is arguably the premier three-year-old contest in the country, with the prestige of Grade 1 status, a total purse of R2-million and valuable merit rating points on offer that could open doors to other important races. A couple of months ago, the Grade 1 Splashout Cape Derby only got five takers, prompting officials to reopen entries and scrape together another two participants. Earlier, the storied WSB Cape Guineas had six runners, and before that the Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic in Joburg had 11 horses each – dismal for a generation of horses just coming to the peak of their abilities. There have been some high-profile injuries reported, such as to Fire Attack and Sail The Seas, but one would then expect a clamour of wannabes for their places. South Africa's merit rating system has been blamed for the problem. There might be some truth in the argument that the Daily News 2000 is positioned close to the Hollywoodbets Durban July on the calendar and owners and trainers of up-and-coming horses prioritise that glamour event and are reluctant to incur heavy MR penalties that might disadvantage them in their quest for immortality. If that's true, and owners and trainers are eschewing the chance to win big money and big trophies, our racing scene is in a strange moment. Rich owners and top-level trainers are vitally important in keeping the game going, but perhaps we have reached the stage when stakes on offer have fallen so far behind the game that they've become of little consideration to the ultra-wealthy among us. Durban July The Durban July itself is also blamed by some. The fact that the country's biggest race is a handicap – with qualifications – is also cited as a reason for connections shying away from Classic clashes with highly rated opposition. No-one is yet suggesting the July change its essential DNA. Nonetheless, there is an argument for the July's conditions to be tweaked to make it a wee bit tougher for three-year-olds. Eight of the last 20 renewals have gone to three-year-olds and a high proportion of the remainder to lightly raced four-year-olds with low weights. Everyone is trying to get their nag selected for the final line-up with the lowest possible MR – and therefore a feather weight. That's clearly a major factor in the outcome and you'd imagine powers-that-be would want to even up the contest a bit and bring some of the country's top older horses back into the July reckoning. There might only be seven horses lining up at Greyville's 2000m mark on Saturday, but they will not be short on ability. Cape Town Met and Cape Derby winner Eight On Eighteen will be a banker for many punters. However, it should be remembered that young horses can improve quite suddenly and rivals such as Okavango, Spumante Dolce and Confederate could be ready to spring a surprise. Daily News 2000 betting 5-10 Eight On Eighteen 6-1 Confederate, Okavango 7-1 Spumante Dolce 10-1 Native Ruler 14-1 Parisian Walkway 40-1 Makazole
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Orlando bracing for Epic Universe economic boom
The baggage area of the Orlando International Airport was relatively quiet Tuesday, but still filled with the familiar sights of mouse ears and polka dots. Off to the side, Kristy Monroe and Julie Muniz sat in matching 'Jaws' t-shirts, practically bouncing out of their seats. 'I'm so excited,' Monroe said. 'I got up at four this morning.' Monroe and Muniz are part of Orlando's newest class of tourists: Epic Universe visitors. The giant new park, the first in 25 years for Central Florida, will be a $2 billion shot in the arm for the already-thriving tourism industry. Epic alone is expected to generate 14,000 theme park jobs and $300 million in revenue in its first year. There will also be ripple effects from the support services like truck drivers that Universal's estimates don't include. While some observers fantasize about a theme park titan clash, UCF economist Sean Snaith says it's a 'rising tide lifts all boats' situation, echoing history when Disney famously welcomed Universal Studios to Orlando. 'I think the pie is getting larger, as opposed to Universal's slice getting larger,' Snaith said. 'I think these places offer different experiences, right?' Business leaders said they're expecting a record summer, with full hotel rooms, while Snaith predicted another round of development in the tourism district in the years ahead. 'There was that land wasn't really generating much property revenue, and we still don't know how that developments can unfold over the years and decades ahead on Kirkman,' he said. 'It will be a catalyst for growth in that area.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
