Dean Kannemeyer’s multiple Gr1 winner Gimme A Prince was allotted 66kgs when entries for the 2025 Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint were published on Monday. The big speed day is scheduled for Saturday 31 May.
Highveld Feature Season champion William Robertson has been set 63kgs (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Previously run as a Gr1 contest with a 6kg spread at the weights, the Golden Horse has been downgraded to a Gr2 with a benchmark of 106. This forms a quality control lever of sort, with bottom weights set to carry 52kgs.
GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT (Grade 2)
Handicap
WFA: 2yrs-9.5kgs 3yrs-1.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 26 | Gimme A Prince | (6G) | 66 | 134 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 27 | William Robertson | (6G) | 63 | 128 | JA | Corne Spies | |
| 23 | Surjay | (6G) | 61 | 124 | CA | BJ Crawford/JI Crawford | |
| 18 | Melech | Accepted | (5G) | 58.5 | 119 | AT | Roy Magner |
| 21 | Ziyasha | Accepted | (4G) | 58.5 | 119 | aT | Clinton Binda |
| 2 | Winds Of Change | (3C) | 58 | 121 | AT | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 17 | Cruise Control | Accepted | (5G) | 58 | 118 | HA | Gavin Smith |
| 12 | Fairy Knight | (4G) | 58 | 118 | BA | Alan Greeff | |
| 24 | Tenango | (4G) | 58 | 118 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 4 | King Regent | (5G) | 56 | 114 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 14 | Truth | Accepted | (3G) | 55.5 | 116 | A | Candice Dawson |
| 22 | Mount Pilatus | (4G) | 55.5 | 113 | BA | Fanie Bronkhorst | |
| 3 | Cats Pajamas | (3G) | 55 | 115 | A | Frank Robinson | |
| 7 | Pistol Pete | (3C) | 55 | 115 | BA | Tony Peter | |
| 11 | Anfields Rocket | (5G) | 55 | 112 | BA | Trevor Brown | |
| 8 | Future Variety | (4G) | 55 | 112 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 9 | Outlaw King | (4G) | 54 | 110 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 19 | Ready To Charge | (4G) | 54 | 110 | A | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 16 | King Of The Gauls | (4G) | 53.5 | 109 | A | Tony Rivalland | |
| 20 | O’Tenikwa | (3G) | 52.5 | 110 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 15 | Dantonfromsandton | (3G) | 52 | 108 | BAT | Sean Tarry | |
| 1 | Grand Crescendo | Accepted | (3G) | 52 | 108 | A | Candice Dawson |
| 6 | Hithemhardsunshine | (5G) | 52 | 106 | A | Trevor Brown | |
| 28 | Troppo Veloce | (4F) | 52 | 105 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 25 | Green Sapphire | (3F) | 52 | 104 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | Rodeo Drive | (3F) | 52 | 104 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 13 | Teflon Man | (4G) | 52 | 104 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 10 | Cymric | (3G) | 52 | 103 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| (28) | |||||||
Kannemeyer’s star, who won the Golden Horse in 2023, is rated 134 and Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaak is on record that a Gr2 handicap is not intended for WFA Gr1 champions, and should be weighted accordingly.
South African horseracing falls under the Asian Racing Federation and the Graded status of races is decided by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC).
If a race fails to meet the APC benchmarks for Gr 1 status on three consecutive runnings it becomes eligible for a downgrade.
Dean Kannemeyer – disappointed and won’t run Gimme A Prince with 66kgs (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Dean Kannemeyer told the Sporting Post that it was a disappointment for anybody with a high-class sprinter that a race with such an illustrious honour roll over many years, had been downgraded.
“It is what it is, and processes are processes. I entered Gimme A Prince here as he wasn’t quite ready for the Drill Hall Stakes and I wanted to see what weight they would give him. I won’t run him with 66kgs and that leaves us with the Gr1 Mercury Sprint as probably our only option. He has low mileage on the clock, and he could well race on into next season in the Cape,” he added.
Asked about his remaining duo of Outlaw King and Teflon Man (a kilo under sufferance), Kannemeyer said that Outlaw King was ‘a definite runner’ after his great prep run in the In Full Flight, and he would ‘have a look’ at Teflon Man’s position.
Corne Spies’ multiple Highveld Feature Season Award winner, and 2025 Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner, William Robertson has been allotted 63kgs. The son of Rafeef is a soldier and it will be interesting to see what path Corne Spies chooses.
By our estimation, and our readers are welcome to prove us wrong, the last galloper to win a race on SA soil with a seriously hefty impost was Buddy Maroun’s champion Golden Loom, aka ‘Goofy’, who lumbered 65 kgs under Anton Marcus to beat Fov’s Favourite (Jason Jago carrying 60,5kgs) clocking 56,40 secs in a 1000m handicap at Gosforth Park on 29 May 1999.
Please post a comment if you can recall a bigger weight winner in the ensuing years.
Golden Loom aka Goofy with the late Buddy Maroun (Pic – Supplied)
Golden Loom raced for nine seasons and chalked up his final race victory at the ripe age of 10. In all, he had 78 starts, won 22 of them and was placed 37 times, for a stakes haul of R2.8-million.
After enjoying his retirement years on a farm at Kyalami, Goofy died in 2010 at the age of 18.
The drop in status of the 1200m Golden Horse has taken some of the fizz and bubbles out of the opportunity of utilizing the catchy promotional blurb of a ‘Jackpot of Grade 1 sprints’, on Hollywoodbets Scottsville’s premier raceday of the year.
That said, the day has nevertheless attracted a high quality entry of 80 across the four features.
SOUTH AFRICAN FILLIES SPRINT (Grade 1)
For Fillies and Mares at Weight-For-Age
WFA: 2yrs-9.5kgs 3yrs-1.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | Double Grand Slam | Accepted | (4F) | 60 | 122 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 5 | Rascova | (4F) | 60 | 122 | HATe | Sean Tarry | |
| 10 | Asiye Phambili | (5M) | 60 | 116 | AT | Duncan Howells | |
| 8 | Mia Moo | (4F) | 60 | 115 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 7 | Mrs Browning | (5M) | 60 | 113 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | Chasing Happiness | (4F) | 60 | 112 | A | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 11 | Gimme A Shot | (5M) | 60 | 110 | A | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 4 | Just Be Lekker | Accepted | (4F) | 60 | 109 | A | Candice Dawson |
| 13 | Minogue | Scratched | (4F) | 60 | 107 | A | Candice Dawson |
| 14 | Chrome Tourmaline | (4F) | 60 | 106 | A | Fabian Habib | |
| 15 | Gimmie’s Countess | (3F) | 58.5 | 107 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 12 | Mai Sensation | (3F) | 58.5 | 105 | A | Lucinda Woodruff | |
| 3 | Symphony In White | (3F) | 58.5 | 105 | AT | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 9 | Whistle The Tune | Accepted | (3F) | 58.5 | 105 | A | Candice Dawson |
| 2 | Frozen Fantasy | (3F) | 58.5 | 99 | A | Robyn Klaasen | |
| (15) | |||||||
The R1 million Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint has drawn 15 entries, including 2024 runner-up Mrs Browning from the Sean Tarry yard. The defending champion October Morn has been exported.
GOLD MEDALLION (Grade 1)
For 2 yo R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus Series
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 4 | #African Pride | (2G) | 60 | 0 | A | Corne Spies | |
| 15 | Charming Cheetah | (2G) | 60 | 0 | A | Robyn Klaasen | |
| 2 | Good For You | (2G) | 60 | 0 | BA | Glen Kotzen | |
| 18 | #I’m A Fireball | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 5 | #Intensity | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | M J Odendaal | |
| 19 | #Kaalvoet | Accepted | (2C) | 60 | 0 | Clinton Binda | |
| 8 | #Little Boy Blue | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Peter Muscutt | |
| 7 | Malmesbury Missile | Accepted | (2C) | 60 | 0 | BA | Justin Snaith |
| 13 | Military Command | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Peter Muscutt | |
| 11 | Sylvan Warrior | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Tony Peter | |
| 20 | Treaty Of Paris | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Michael Miller | |
| 6 | Whispering Death | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 16 | #Yippee Kiyay | (2C) | 60 | 0 | A | Mike / Mathew de Kock | |
| 1 | #Zalatoris | (2G) | 60 | 0 | A | Paul Matchett | |
| 17 | Captains Envy | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Michael Miller | |
| 12 | #Comic Relief | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Michael Miller | |
| 10 | Elegantrix | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Corne Spies | |
| 3 | Green Diamond | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 9 | One Fine Winter | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 14 | #Vanakkam | (2F) | 58.5 | 0 | A | Mano Pandaram | |
| (20) | |||||||
The R1,5 million Gr1 Gold Medallion has drawn an entry of 20, including six fillies,in what looks a very competitive affair.
Unbeaten Canford Cliffs flyer Direct Hit – interesting entry (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Gqeberha conditioner Alan Greeff recently supplemented his local Triple Crown star My Best Shot for the Hollywoodbets Durban July and has entered the undefeated Canford Cliffs flyer Direct Hit for the R1 million Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship.
ALLAN ROBERTSON CHAMPIONSHIP (Grade 1)
For 2 yof R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus Series
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 13 | Captains Envy | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Michael Miller | |
| 5 | #Comic Relief | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Michael Miller | |
| 15 | Direct Hit | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Alan Greeff | |
| 6 | #Educator | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 4 | Eight Hats | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Paul Matchett | |
| 11 | Elegantrix | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Corne Spies | |
| 1 | Glastonbury | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Paul Matchett | |
| 10 | Green Diamond | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 14 | #Hierarchy | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Duncan Howells | |
| 12 | Instaworthy | Accepted | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Gavin Smith |
| 16 | #Keukenhof | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 9 | Limitless Sky | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Wendy Whitehead | |
| 3 | Littlemisssplendid | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Robyn Klaasen | |
| 8 | One Fine Winter | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 17 | Polar Light | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Paul Lafferty | |
| 7 | #Vanakkam | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Mano Pandaram | |
| 2 | Wild Wild Green | Accepted | (2F) | 60 | 0 | A | Justin Snaith |
| (17) | |||||||
The daughter of Canford Cliffs is a dual Nursery winner and looks an exciting prospect, along with fellow East Caper, Instaworthy, from the Gavin Smith yard. But they are there from all the major centres, and this should prove a top notch renewal.
Supplementary entries for the four features close at 11h00 on Friday 23 May, with declarations due by 12h00 on Monday 26 May.
