The Highveld’s autumn narrative begins in earnest on Saturday 7 February at Turffontein Standside, where a competitive nine-race card is framed around the opening salvos of South Africa’s two great three-year-old journeys.
The Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas, both over a demanding 1600m, launch the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara respectively. This is the stage where reputations are either rubber-stamped or ruthlessly punctured, and where betting markets often lag behind the deeper classic picture.
The road ahead is clearly defined; Saturday 7 March brings the Grade 1 SA Classic and Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m, before the ultimate stamina tests on Saturday 4 April in the Grade 1 SA Derby and Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over a searching 2450m. With a R2-million bonus awaiting any Triple Crown winner in 2026, and R1-million on offer to a filly who can sweep the Triple Tiara, these are not merely prestige races, they are long-term betting puzzles with serious upside.
The Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Race 6) revolves around Eastern Cape star Golden Palm, who sets the standard on her Highveld reappearance. Alan Greeff’s Champion Two-Year-Old filly landed the Grade 2 Fillies Nursery at Turffontein last season and returns to the ‘Big T’ after a slightly deflating sixth as the odds-on favourite in the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth – her first experience of a left-hand bend, so that run is easily forgiven.
Golden Palm is unbeaten in three right-handed starts, including victories at Fairview and Hollywoodbets Greyville, the latter coming in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes at the end of last term. Back on a right-hand turn, drawn in pole position, and partnered by Craig Zackey, she looks primed to control matters.
Her pedigree adds further intrigue: her dam Croisette is a half-sister to 2016 Fillies Classic and Oaks winner Juxtapose, suggesting the Triple Tiara bonus may not be just a pipe dream.
She will not have things her own way. Hazy Dazy brings proven course-and-distance form after winning the Grade 3 Fillies Mile, while runner-up Charge It has franked that form by landing the Listed War Of Athena Handicap.
Western Cape raider Lowveld Lily, Justin Snaith’s sole runner on the card, finished a length ahead of Golden Palm in the Cape Fillies Guineas and demands respect.
The Gauteng Guineas (Race 7) for colts and geldings hinges on whether Trust can bounce back. If he reproduces his Grade 2 Dingaans performance over course and distance, when beating subsequent Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Jan Van Goyen, he should be very hard to contain.
His below-par effort as a beaten odds-on favourite in the Grade 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m is a concern. However, the extra 200m suits and he is also 2kg better off with re-opposing rivals Splittheeights, his last-start conqueror, and the latter’s stablemate One Eye On Vegas (runner-up in that race).
Sean Tarry, as ever, looms large. Tin Pan Alley improved markedly with a tongue-tie fitted last time (retained), while unbeaten Grand Empire was only just denied in a Listed course-and-distance contest against older horses – his first defeat in four starts and a serious Guineas trial.
Away from the Classics, the standout betting proposition on the card looks to be Callmegetrix in Race 8 over 1600m. This Tarry-trained filly won a similar course-and-distance race last time and a three-point penalty is unlikely to halt her progress. Mickaëlle Michel retains the ride and her 1.5kg allowance only sweetens the deal.
Clive Robinson
