Drakenstein Stud’s red hot resident sire Futura was the toast of Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Not only did Futura gelding Note To Self land Saturday’s G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) but his stablemate, and fellow Futura son, Ahead Of The Facts won the G3 Durban Gold Vase (3000m).
Remarkably, Note To Self and Ahead Of The Facts had also won races on this year’s G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day!
In landing Saturday’s R10 000 000 feature, Note To Self became his sire’s first G1 winner.
The three-year-old also made amends for Futura, with that champion having finished third in the 2014 July and fourth in the following year’s race.
Runner up in this season’s G1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby and third in the G1 Daily News 2000, Note To Self provided trainer Justin Snaith with a sixth July win and jockey Richard Fourie with a fourth July success with his victory on Saturday.
The progressive sophomore received a confident ride from Fourie, with Fourie bringing Note To Self with a wide run around the outside of the field.
The pair ran on strongly in the closing stages, with Note To Self going on to score by a neck.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, the 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner is owned by Jonathan Bloch, Jonathan Snaith and Nancy Hossack.
Out of the Judpot mare Guiding Light, Note To Self (one of two July runners for Futura this year) was a R300 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.
Futura’s four-year-old son Ahead Of The Facts showed his class when running out a convincing winner of Saturday’s G3 Durban Gold Vase (3000m).
In the process, Ahead Of The Facts became the second Gold Vase winner for his sire, with the Futura sired champion Future Pearl having won the same race back in 2023.
Trained by Justin Snaith, Ahead Of The Facts was all the rage for Saturday’s R300 000 with the son of Futura jumping a well backed 15-10 favourite.
The four-year-old was given a supremely confident ride by Richard Fourie, with Fourie bringing Ahead Of The Facts home down the inside of the track to score a shade cosily by half a length.
Bred by Syrilla Stud, Saturday’s winner races for Messrs Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith, J Murcia, D Musikanth & Garth Musikanth.
Ahead Of The Facts, who is out of the Silvano mare Nicety, has won five of 18 starts, with the gelding’s victories including the 2026 G3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers.
His four time G1 winning sire has had a wonderful run in 2025-2026, with Futura’s other stars this season including G2 TAB SA Derby winner Curious Girl, Listed Zimbabwe Derby winner Robin Of Locksley and Listed Pocket Power Stakes hero Future Free.
Original article written by Cape Breeders Club