The R120 000 World Sports Betting Dash provided a thrilling finish and got the 2025 Champions Season off to a flying start at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday as less than a half-length separated the top four home with Apprentice Jaycee Botes getting Warrior Of Royalty up in a finish that went to the judge.
Jaycee Botes drives Warrior Of Royalty through to a narrow win over Million Voices (Matthew Thackeray, obscured). The tote favourite The Abdicator (Kabelo Matsunyane) is closest to the camera (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Run over 400m, the WSB Dash is the shortest horse race in South Africa, and enjoyed the distinction of launching the big season on the East Coast.
Dashing through late in a cavalry charge, Warrior Of Royalty (25-2), who races in the popular Royal Victory silks, clearly enjoyed the paperweight on his back and got up to pip the 3yo filly Million Voices (20-1) by a short head in a time of 24,50 secs for the 400m.
This was the fastest time in the past three renewals after Maquette’s 24,57 secs last year and Trafalgar Square’s 24,87 secs in 2023.
The 2yo Holds The Key (9-2) ran a cracker in third, with the favourite The Abdicator (28-10) back in fourth.
The Nathan Kotzen-trained Warrior Of Royalty was the enthusiastic young Botes only ride on the day and his first engagement in the novelty race.
Warrior Of Royalty was bred by Willie Engelbrecht junior and is a 4yo gelded son of Sandown-based stallion Pathfork (Distorted Humor) out of the Western Winter mare Barbara Anne.
A R180 000 National 2yo Sale graduate, Warrior Of Royalty has now won 3 races with 6 places from his 17 starts for stakes of R248 500.
