2026 The Championships Finale – Highveld Season Ends on a High
Despite a few days’ rain delay, the 2026 Championships Finale dawned bright and sunny on Tuesday, 28 April. Racing fans were treated to a bumper final act to the Highveld Feature Race Season and the judging panel for the forthcoming Highveld Feature Season Awards will have plenty to process over the next few days.
TAB PROTEA STAKES (Gr3)
Time Is Precious (Querari – Twilight Hour) produced an electric turn of foot at the 150m mark to claim victory in the TAB Protea Stakes by 1.4 lengths. A graduate of the Maine Chance Farms nursery, Messrs A Joannides, R M Sewgoolam, D C Stonebridge, Mr & Mrs C R Stonebridge’s 2yo gelding was saddled by Johan Janse van Vuuren and ridden by Callan Murray.
R300,000 TAB PROTEA STAKES (Grade 3)
(For 2 yo R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus)
1st: R178,125 2nd: R57,000 3rd: R28,500 4th: R14,250 5th: R7,125
TAB PRETTY POLLY STAKES (Gr3)
The Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) bred Step Up (What A Winter – Gabor) landed running from her no 1 gate. Craig Zackey allowed her to settle into stride and with 350m to go, Get Up took command of the race, drawing 3 lengths clear and maintained her advantage all the way to the line to give Sean Tarry a Championship Finale feature race trophy.
R250,000 TAB PRETTY POLLY STAKES (Grade 3)
(For 2 yof R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus)
1st: R148,438 2nd: R47,500 3rd: R23,750 4th: R11,875 5th: R5,938
TAB GOLD BOWL (Listed)
Enflame (Irish Flame – Tigerlace) made it back to back wins with a 3,5 length victory in the 2026 TAB Gold Bowl for owners Messrs L M Nestadt, C R Millinger & Paul Marks. Bred by the Tawny Syndicate, Enflame is trained by the Candice and Tammy Dawson partnership and was ridden to victory by Serino Moodley.
R400,000 TAB GOLD BOWL (Listed) (Open)
1st: R237,500 2nd: R76,000 3rd: R38,000 4th: R19,000 5th: R9,500
TAB IGUGU STAKES (Gr2)
Sitting just off the pace throughout, Mr M J A Ferreira & Camargue Stud Syndicate (Nom: Mr Brett van Laun)’s Callmegetrix (Vercingetorix – Clarion Call) was asked for her effort by Craig Zackey at the 200m mark. She claimed the advantage and drew clear with 100m to go, registering victory by 1 length in a time of 128.51s. Bred by Rathmor Stud (Nom: Mr M J A Ferreira), Callmegetrix was delivering a second feature race win on the day for Sean Tarry and Craig Zackey.
R350,000 TAB IGUGU STAKES (Grade 2) (For Fillies and Mares at Weight for Age + Penalties)
1st: R207,813 2nd: R66,500 3rd: R33,250 4th: R16,625 5th: R8,313
TAB COLORADO KING STAKES (Gr2)
Having sat at the back of the field for the first half of the race, Fire Attack (Fire Away – Bonnie Beers) made up ground up the back straight and as the field came off the false rail, moved up the inside under Richard Fourie to join the vanguard. Choisaanada joined issue at the 300m mark, but and Fire Attack dug deep under Fourie, securing victory by 0.6 lengths. Fire Attack was bred by Applewood Trading (Pty) Ltd T/A Ndoro Stud and campaigns in the interests of Messrs G A Basel, G C Cornwall, L Clark & Canine Solutions CC (Nom: Mr D C O’Driscoll). With both the Betway London News Stakes and TAB Colorado King Stakes under his belt this season, trainer Alec Laird only needs the Sea Cottage Stakes to complete the set.
R500,000 TAB COLORADO KING STAKES (Grade 2) (Horses at Weight for Age + Penalties)
1st: R296,875 2nd: R95,000 3rd: R47,500 4th: R23,750 5th: R11,875
TAB SENOR SANTA STAKES (Gr2)
Jerusalema Rain (Captain Of All – Rashuli Breeze) put up a gutsy performance in the TAB Senor Santa Stakes to deliver a first South African feature race win for French visitor Mickaelle Michel. Bred by Keivan Stud and owned by Messrs D Chinsammy, A Lahoud, Jarryd Lahoud & Sean Tarry Racing (Pty) Ltd, it was a third feature race trophy for the day for Sean Tarry.
R500,000 TAB SENOR SANTA STAKES (Grade 2) (Open)
1st: R296,875 2nd: R95,000 3rd: R47,500 4th: R23,750 5th: R11,875
TAB CAMELLIA STAKES (Gr2)
Perfect Miracle (Hawwaam – Freddy’s Sister) provided the perfect birthday present for owner Mrs Suzette Viljoen with victory in the Gr3 TAB Camellia Stakes. Always looking in control, she crossed the line 0.75 lengths to the good of Rodeo Drive under jockey Marco van Rensburg. Bred by Klawervlei Stud, Perfect Miracle is trained by Tony Peter.
R350,000 TAB CAMELLIA STAKES (Grade 2) (For Fillies and Mares)
1st: R207,813 2nd: R66,500 3rd: R33,250 4th: R16,625 5th: R8,313
