Trainer of multiple Gr1 winners including Via Africa, Gypsy's Warning, Same Jurisdiction, Zeeno. We generally focus on racing at the main racetracks in KZN.
We are based at the Ashburton Training Centre near Pietermaritzburg. Trainer of Gr1 winners Via Africa, Gypsy's Warning, Zeeno, Same Jurisdiction. Other Black Type winners and feature horses are Fiorella, Neptune's Rain, Cosmic Light, Dawn Calling, Knight To Remember, Secret Captain, Ten Gun Salute, Passive Resistance, Winter Wish, La Pucelle, Tetelestai, Saratoga Dancer, One Cool Dude, Tropical Empire, Felix The Cat, Lunar Rush.
We have two runners on Wednesday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Race 5 Mythical Tune (6) - Improved last run and if reproducing best she can run into the money.
Race 6 Pinstripe (6) - Ran on well over shorter last time. Big weight but has a say.
We have three runners on Monday at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Race 1 Irish Luck (2) - He was disappointing in his last run over further. Dropped in trip with blinkers and if reproducing his best, can give a good account.
Race 3 Straight Up (1) - He has been rested and will need this run.
Race 7 Mission Rocks (3) - She is battling to find best form after a setback. If bouncing back to best, can run into the money.
We have one runner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Race 9 Mia's Athena (3) - She has been rested, is working well and can run into the money.
We have three runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the Poly on Wednesday.
Race 6 French Princess is scratched.
Race 6 Birdwatcher (6) - She prefers slightly further but can run into the money.
Race 6 Poppy Of Bayeux (9) - She is racing consistently and can run into the money.
A successful day in the office, with a nice second place from a much improved Connoisseur and a smart win from Papa C.
Well done to breeders Boland Stud with Papa C, owned by Mr Suran Chetty and ridden splendidly by Kobeli James Lihaba.
We are on an outstanding statistic of 17.1% winners to runners percentage for the current season.
Thank you to our owners and sponsors Hollywoodbets for your valued support.
Images: Candiese Lenferna
We have two runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today.
Race 3 Connoisseur (8) - He can upset if having luck from the draw.
Race 5 Papa C (6) - He races well fresh and can run into the money.
A tremendous effort from Asiye Phambili in the Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes yesterday to finish second, we are proud of her.
Asiye Phambili flying home in the Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes under Piere Strydom. In 4th was Shantastic.
We are racing at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse today on the Poly.
Race 2 Lucky Murphy (4) - His last run was too far and can show improvement over shorter.
Race 4 Shaken Not Stirred (11) - She is racing consistently and has a say.
Race 7 Purple Operator (3) - He is knocking on the door and can run into the money.
Pinstripe (Vercingetorix) gets our 2024 year off to a great start, winning first time out for the stable for owners Mrs Suzette Viljoen and Mr A Peter, ridden by Sean Veale, bred by Avontuur Stud.
Congratulations to our owners and thank you to our sponsors Hollywoodbets SA.
Images: Candiese Lenferna
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year 🥂
We have several runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville today.
Race 1 Pinstripe (5) First run for the stable, she is showing nice work and can run into the money.
Race 3 Contra Fiscum (12) - If having luck from the draw she can run into the money.
Race 7 Oriental Bouquet (1) - Rested due to injury. If jumping on terms, will give a good account of herself.
Race 7 Foreshore (7) - Below best last run. Can give a good account if producing best form.
Race 7 Lucky Miss (10) - If overcoming the wide draw, can run into the money.
Race 9 Poppy Of Bayeux (2) - She has shown better form on poly. Include in quartets.
Race 9 French Princess (9) - She could prefer further but can run into the money.
We have two runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse on Christmas Eve.
Race 5 Aquae Sulis (2) - She is dropping in the ratings, enjoys this course and distance and can upset.
Race 7 Maquette (2) - She could be outclassed.
We have two runners on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville today.
Race 5 Mythical Tune (12) - Hoping to see improvement over the extra.
Race 7 Brass Bell (5) - He has done well over this course and distance and can run into the money.
Poppy Of Bayeux is scratched.
We have two runners on the Poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Race 4 Lucky Murphy (1) - Ignore last run in soft ground. He will prefer the extra and can run into the money.
Race 7 Shaken Not Stirred (4) - Ignore last run on turf. She has consistent poly form and can give a good account of herself.
We have one runner at Hollywoodbets Greyville today, which has switched surface to the Polytrack.
Lucky Miss is scratched due to change of surface.
Race 7 Foreshore (3) - She enjoys this course and distance and can give a good account of herself.
We have four runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today.
Race 4 Irish Luck (9) - Will enjoy the extra distance and can give a good account of himself.
Race 7 Lucky Miss (2) - Racing consistently and has a say.
Race 7 Foreshore (3) - Enjoys this C&D and give a good account of herself.
Race 8 Mythical Tune (6) - Hoping to see an improved run over the extra.
We have Purple Operator (8) in Race 6 today at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse. He is trying the extra and if staying the trip will give a good account of himself.
In all of our excitement, we forgot to post last week's double.
Well done to James Lihaba who rode his first double, two great rides.
The first to come home was our stalwart filly Lucky Miss, who rarely misses a cheque for her connections. From her last 16 starts she has never been out of the money and it includes three wins. Well done to owners Mrs Vanessa Williams and the Tait family with whom we own this What A Winter filly in partnership. Lucky Miss is now a 5-time winner. Well done to breeders Hemel 'N Aarde Stud - South Africa.
The next to come for the Monty Syndicate & Andrew Schaik, was the handsome 7yo gelding Brass Bell. Well done to the owners and to breeders Ridgemont South Africa with this son of Pathfork, a sire that is shining.
Thank you to our sponsors Hollywoodbets SA and thank you to our team back home.
Images: Candiese Lenferna
We have four runners today at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the turf.
Race 3 Aquae Sulis (12) - She is dropping in the ratings and can upset.
Race 5 Contra Fiscum (1) - Has improved since runaway maiden win and can give a good account of herself.
Race 7 Lucky Miss (2) - She is well drawn and always runs an honest race.
Race 8 Brass Bell (9) - He is knocking on the door and can upset.
We have two runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse.
Race 3 Irish Luck (13) - Good last effort and if overcoming the outside draw, will give a good account of himself.
Race 8 Shaken Not Stirred (4) - She is racing consistently and can run into the money.
We have one runner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the turf today.
Race 8 Mission Rocks (4) - Needed her last start. Has shown better on poly and if reproducing her best form back on turf, can run into the money.
We are very happy to welcome a smart Futura c**t to the yard for Hollywood Syndicate, named by Equus Award winning racing journalist, David Thiselton. Bred by Hemel 'N Aarde Stud - South Africa, he has been named Mike's Mazarin and we look forward to training this c**t out of San Trip.
Below is the story of the meaning of his name:
MIKE’S MAZARIN
Named by David Thiselton. A long story about how I have chosen the name and there were other names with perhaps happier connotations I bandied about with my family but we decided this one will have more long term meaning. I first became aware of horseracing as a seven-year-old when one Saturday in the July holidays my parents handed my brother Mike and I the paper and asked us to choose a horse for this race called the July. I chose Mazarin and Mike chose Home Truth and they finished one-two.
I subsequently often wondered whether Mike would have been the racing fan and me disinterested if the exacta had been the other way round!
In 2017 Mike came to the July with me as my invited guest in the press room upstairs and we had a great day together but it was sadly the last day we saw each other because he was not well at the time and he passed away six days later in his home country of Swaziland.
My parents 21st wedding anniversary would have been on 7-7-77 which means they would have been married on July say 1956 and Mike passed away on 7-7-2017.
The one further association is I handed my young daughters the race card just before making my way down to Greyville on July day 2020 and asked them to each choose a horse, their first involvement in the July, and they chose Belgarion and Got The Greenlight who of course also finished first and second!
So wanted to try and include late parents and Mike into the name as well as the family association with the July and have come up with Mike’s Mazarin.
Hopefully horse has a middle distance pedigree because if he wins July it would make a great story!
We have two runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse on Saturday.
Race 6 Mia's Athena (3) - She didn't enjoy the poly last time and can give a good account if reproducing her best form.
Race 6 Maquette (8) - She is racing consistently and can run into the money.
We have four runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville today.
Race 2 Connoisseur (10) - Better run last time and if taking to the surface will give a good account of himself.
Race 4 Purple Operator (7) - He has been racing consistently and has a say.
Race 6 Brass Bell (7) - He was running on over shorter last time and will prefer the extra distance.
Race 7 Aquae Sulis (4) - If finding best form can run into the money.
We enjoyed a double last week Wednesday with Shaken Not Stirred and Bird Watcher.
Congratulations to Mr Ramnath and Mr Reardon on their home-bred daughter of Kildonan's 3rd career win. The 6yo mare has found consistent form and has earned a cheque in all of her last five starts.
Well done to the Monty Syndicate on their win with Visionaire mare Birdwatcher. It is her 5th career win to date, and from her last 14 starts, she has only been out of the money twice for her owners.
Thank you to Hollywoodbets SA for your sponsorship.
We have achieved 15 winners so far for the season with 20% winners to runners. Thank you to our patrons for your support.
Images: Mlu Innocent
We have one runner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the turf.
Lucky Miss - if overcoming wide draw at the weights, she will be competitive.
Foreshore is scratched.
Duncan Howells (Candiese Lenferna Photography) Duncan Howells, Gary Rich, Garth Puller, and Richard Fourie all enjoyed individual doubles on the Hollywoodbets
We have several runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville racecourse today.
Race 1 Keenonkelly (8) - She is racing consistently and has a say.
Race 5 Shaken Not Stirred (7) - She is racing consistently and if staying the trip will give a good account of herself.
Race 6 Poppy Of Bayeux (2) - She has a good draw and can run into the money.
Race 7 Birdwatcher (1) - She has been too far back in running in her last two starts and can show useful improvement from a good draw.
Race 8 Brass Bell (6) - He has a say if finding best form.
We have several runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the turf today.
Race 3 Oriental Bouquet (7) - She has been rested and will need this outing.
Race 3 Kitchakal (8) - He has been rested and this run over 1200m will bring him back to his best.
Race 4 Lucky Murphy (2) - He has improved since his last run and from a neat draw can run into the money.
Race 7 Aquae Sulis (8) - She is battling to find best form but has dropped nicely in the ratings and can give a good account of herself.
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Ashburton Training Centre
Durban
4001
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Its our first day at the track in Summerveld, we will just go a bit light and move on from there! #howellsracing #summerveld
Our move to Summerveld happened yesterday (Tuesday), it went very well and the horses have settled in nicely. We are sad to leave Ashburton but the facilities at Summerveld are world class, and we have a lovely barn, good office space and spacious stables for the horses. The horses all ate up last night and Im very happy with how the move went as we settle in.
Wishing Coldhardcash a happy retirement, on his way to Johannesburg to Friends Forever: OTTB Second Careers. The son of What A Winter had six wins, five places and earned R345,938 in stakes from 30 runs. Safe travels and all the best to him.
Fallen Angels Bird Sanctuary & Rescue Facilit
Lower Mpushini Conservancy, Pietermaritzburg
