Winner of the 2025 TAB Colorado King Stakes, Let’s Go Now, trained by Sean Tarry and ridden by Richard Fourie. Credit: Pauline Herman Photography
Championship Finale at Turffontein Marks a Spectacular End to the Highveld Season.
The Championship Finale delivered a thrilling eleven race card at Turffontein to end the Highveld Feature Season for 2024/5.
Day 4 of The Championships, which offered 7 feature races to close off the Highveld Feature Race Season, got under way with the TAB Pretty Polly Stakes. The Gr3 event for juvenile fillies saw another exciting performance from the Drakenstein Stud bred and owned One Fine Winter. Trained by Sean Tarry and ridden to victory by reigning SA champion rider, Richard Fourie, the filly now has 2 wins and 2 places from only 4 career outings.
Sean Tarry made it a juvenile feature double for Drakenstein Stud, courtesy of Craig Zackey and Green Diamond by 6.5 lengths in race 2, the Gr3 TAB Protea Stakes.
Tarry’s iron grip on Finale Day was briefly interrupted when his 8yo stable stalwart was denied victory in Turffontein’s 3200m marathon event, the Listed TAB Gold Bowl, by Taxhaven. The 4yo son Erupt from the Paul Matchett yard secured a 0.25 length victory under a determined ride from Malesela Katjedi.
Sean Tarry was back in the winner’s enclosure for race 4, the Gr2 TAB Camellia Stakes, where master jockey Piere Strydom required no more than hands and heels to get Mia Moo home by 2.1 lengths for Itssa IT & Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd & World Sports Betting. Tarry teamed up with Richard Fourie to conclude his quartet of graded race wins on the day with Let’s Go Now, who took on the boys for a 0.3 length victory in the Gr2 TAB Colorado King Stakes.
Roy Magner celebrated a double on the day, starting with a sparkling performance from Olivia’s Way under a well-executed ride by Gavin Lerena, who timed their effort to perfection to reel in the front running Indian Ocean by 0.6 lengths in the Gr2 TAB Igugu Stakes. Mr Magner confirmed that the filly has her sights set on a tilt at this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The pair teamed up for a second win with the 3yo Kamensky, who hung on gamely for victory in race 8, the TAB.CO.ZA Middle Stakes.
The final feature on the day’s card was the Gr2 TAB Senor Santa Stakes, which saw the Wernars’ 4yo filly Chasing Happiness dictate affairs from the front under S’manga Khumalo to secure an impressive 1.7 length victory for the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable.
“The calibre of racing on display today was a fitting conclusion the Highveld Feature Season 2024/5,” said Fundi Sithebe, CEO of 4Racing. “From the precocious juveniles in the Pretty Polly Stakes to the seasoned performers in the Senor Santa and Colorado King Stakes, every participant brought their A-game. Congratulations to all the winning connections, and heartfelt thanks to our jockeys, trainers, owners and passionate punters for making this a memorable spring and summer season.”
De Kock Racing scored with Roaming Spirit and Kabelo Matsunyane in race 9, Chris Jonker and Gavin Lerena secured race 10 with the beautifully bred Sail The Sky and as the sun faded over Turffontein, Phala Millions brought down the curtain on the 2024/25 Championships Season by 1.25 lengths in race 11.
As the season concludes, the Highveld Feature Season Awards contenders will hope that they have done enough to be able to scoop the big honours at the upcoming awards ceremony happening at the Tuffontein racecourse on 17 May.
Here’s a full list of the winners on Championship Finale Day 2025:
Race 1: TAB Pretty Polly Stakes, 1100m
Horse: One Fine Winter
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Race 2: TAB Protea Stakes, 1100m
Horse: Green Diamond
Jockey: Craig Zackey
Race 3: TAB Gold Bowl, 3200m
Horse: Taxhaven
Jockey: Malesela Keratile Katjedi
Race 4: TAB Camellia Stakes, 1160m
Horse: Mia Moo
Jockey: Piere Strydom
Race 5: TAB Igugu Stakes, 2000m
Horse: Olivia’s Way
Jockey: Gavin Lerena
Race 6: TAB Colorado King Stakes, 2000m
Horse: Let’s Go Now
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Race 7: TAB Senor Santa Stakes, 1160m
Horse: Chasing Happiness
Jockey: S’manga Khumalo
Race 8: TAB.CO.ZA Middle Stakes, 1600m
Horse: Kamensky
Jockey: Gavin Lerena
Race 9: Youcanbetonus! MR 84 Handicap, 1100m
Horse: Roaming Spirit
Jockey: Kabelo Matsunyane
Race 10: Bet on Soccer 6,10,13 MR 72 Handicap, 1400m
Horse: Sail The Sky
Jockey: Gavin Lerena
Race 11: Next Turffontein Racemeeting Thursday 1 May MR 66 Handicap, 1160m
Horse: Phala Millions
Jockey: Raymond Danielson
