Stellar Line Up for Classic Day 2026

-- Press Release --

Johannesburg, South Africa — 4Racing’s The Championships 2026 comprises the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara series’ and our Championship Finale on Saturday, 25 April.

With Mike & Mathew de Kock charge SPLITTHEEIGHTS and Corne Spies-trained HAZY DAZY winning the first legs of the TAB Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara respectively on 7 February, the action resumes on Saturday, 7 March with the HKJC World Pool SA Classic (Gr1) and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Gr1). The card also boasts the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Gr1), TAB J J The Jet Plane Stakes (Gr3), TAB Storm Bird Stakes (Listed), Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes (Listed) and Wilgerbosdrift Acacia Stakes (Listed).

The second leg of the Triple Tiara, the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic evolved from the 2000m SA Oaks Trial and was transformed into the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic as the Triple Tiara’s equivalent second leg to the SA Classic. This year’s renewal has received warm support from across the country with reigning SA Champion Trainer Justin Snaith saddling LOWVELD LILY, Alyson Wright representing KZN with Charge It and EC Champion Trainer Alan Greeff entering reigning Equus Champion 2yo Filly GOLDEN PALM to renew rivalry with the SA Fillies Guineas winner, HAZY DAZY (Corne Spies) which will again be partnered by apprentice Trent Mayhew.

The second leg of the Triple Crown, the SA Classic started life as the Benoni Guineas and was first run over 1600m at Gosforth Park in 1913, when it was won by Sir G Harrar’s Hailstorm (Goring Heath), trained by W Randall and ridden by Ike Strydom. The distance of the race was increased to 1800m in 1982. The first horse to win the race as an 1800m contest was David Payne’s grey filly BREYANI (Jamaico), who took on the colts at Gosforth Park and reigned supreme for jockey Robbie Sham on 6 March 1982. In the same year the race was moved to autumn from its traditional time slot towards the end of the year. In the 1990s, the SA Classic alternated between Gosforth Park and Turffontein for several years. In 1999 the race returned to its traditional venue at Gosforth Park, but Turffontein later became its permanent home after the East Rand racecourse was closed and sold.

This year’s renewal promises to be an equally fascinating affair with Mike & Mathew de Kock’s Gauteng Guineas winning charge SPLITTHEEIGHTS taking on his sensational Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winning stablemate JAN VAN GOYEN, Sean Tarry’s Gauteng Guineas runner up GRAND EMPIRE and Candice & Tami Dawson’s Dingaans winner TRUST, among others.

HORSE CHESTNUT winning the Cape Argus

HORSE CHESTNUT (Fort Wood - London Wall) was bred at Harry Oppenheimer's Mauritzfontein Stud. Trained by Mike De Kock and campaigned in the famous yellow & black Mauritzfontein silks, on December 20, 1997, he was the first runner and first winner for the newly imported Fort Wood. It was the beginning of a South African legend. Beaten only once in his career, he went on to win the Dingaans, the Cape Argus Guineas, the J&B Met (the first 3yo to achieve the feat in 50 years), the SA Classic and the SA Derby by a whopping 9.45 length margin, becoming South Africa's first Triple Crown winner and earning Champion 3yo Colt, Champion Male Stayer and Horse Of The Year honours along the way. Exported to the US, he had one start on dirt in the Gr3 Broward Handicap before sustaining an injury and being retired to stud. After 9 years at Claiborne Farm, he was repatriated to South Africa in 2009 to become the first resident sire at Drakenstein Stud and lived out his days on the grassy slopes until he passed, at the age of 19, on Friday, February 20, 2015. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest thoroughbreds produced in South Africa, and we are pleased to honour him and his breeder in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes on Saturday.

The 2026 renewal is a clash of the titans with Justin Snaith fielding his 2026 World Sports Betting Cape Met winner SEE IT AGAIN (Richard Fourie), while fellow Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer brings 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July and 2026 L’Ormarins King’s Plate hero THE REAL PRINCE (Craig Zackey). They face Highveld heavyweights including the reigning Horse of the Season, FIRE ATTACK (Alec Laird / Calvin Habib), 2025 Betway Summer Cup winner ATTICUS FINCH (Alec Laird / Serino Moodley), and two former Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Stakes winners in COSMIC SPEED (Sean Tarry / Ryan Munger) and MAIN DEFENDER (Tony Peter / Gavin Lerena), among others.

PLEASE NOTE: The Dress Code for the day is BLUE.