Two Grade 2s won and history made!

There is a curious anomaly online, where one Google source (www.tbheritage.com) lists Pedometer (1987) and Sacred Jungle (1991) as the last two fillies to have won the South African Derby - despite both being colts. More reliable records, including Wikipedia and www.aro.co.za, point instead to Noble Lady as the most recent female winner of the prestigious race, though ‘most recent’ in this case means 1917!

It should be noted that only a few fillies have attempted the Derby in modern times, traditionally being aimed at the SA Oaks. That said, unless a racing historian can unearth evidence to the contrary, Mike and Mathew de Kock have rewritten 109 years of history with Hollywood Racing’s Curious Girl, who posted an excellent win in Saturday’s 2026 renewal of the Derby on Champions Day at Turffontein.

To crown a wonderful achievement, Hollywoodbets founder Owen Heffer made a rare appearance at the Joburg track, joined by his son Devin, racing manager Anthony Delpech, and a circle of friends and connections.

Curious Girl, history-maker! (JC Photos)

This was the kind of victory that feels scripted in hindsight - and in many ways, it was. Mike and Mathew de Kock had wrestled long and hard with the decision: put 92-rated Curious Girl’s merit rating at risk in the Oaks (where Hazy Dazy was rated 117 and a few others in the mid-100s), or roll the dice against the colts in the Derby.

Earlier this week, Trust was withdrawn from the Premier’s Champion Challenge, with fellow three-year-old Grand Empire following suit - both likely to be harshly treated by the handicapper had they finished within striking distance of See It Again and Okavango. It’s a scenario that will continue to play out time and again in other major races and handicaps unless the flaws in the system are properly addressed.

Mike and Mathew – having always been two lucky fish – had a choice. They made it, and their decision paid off smartly.

Mike commented: “It was purely about the ratings. Traditionally I’m a purist, I like to keep the fillies with the fillies and the colts with the colts.  We toiled over it. This was a very winnable Derby, just on the ratings. If she went into the Oaks and run fourth or fifth, we would have cost the team 20 pounds. She’s a filly with a genuine future as a stayer, and to go and pick up a penalty like that would have been irresponsible of us.

“Fortunately, we have a great association with Hollywood, it’s a lovely team and we really enjoy training for them. They leave the decisions to us and if we got it wrong, there would have been no finger pointing, because they understand racing.

“We’ve formed a wonderful friendship with Owen and Devin and of course we go back a long way with Anthony. This is something we value, and I thank them for that. It’s an extremely exciting future to be involved with this team.”

Jockey Richard Fourie said: “The draw helped us to get into a good position. Curious Girl was well turned out and went down beautifully. She was wandering a bit, wanted to hang in but she kicked on and went away from him.”

Bred by Riyo Stud, Curious Girl was a R160,000 purchase at the 2024 Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale, and her earnings have now surpassed R1 million following this Grade 2 success.

The stable and Fourie posted an earlier Grade 2 win when Good Day Sunshine defeated Griselda and the well-backed Get Up in the R350 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery.

Mat de Kock labelled the Ridgemont Racing and Devin Heffer owned flyer ‘an exciting prospect and Fourie said: “She has doubled in size since I last saw her. I almost had a heart attack, I thought, ‘is this the right horse?’. She is nice and big, a lot more mature. The race didn’t go according to plan, but she kept gunning and fighting them off.”


Good Day Sunshine, big and talented girl.

Mat de Kock labelled the Ridgemont Racing and Devin Heffer owned flyer ‘an exciting prospect’.

Now a winner of 2 races from her 2 starts for stakes of R385 001, Good Day Sunshine is a daughter of Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the Gr1 winner Miss Florida, a daughter of Captain Al, who has already produced a Graded stakes winner with her first foal, Miami Mountain (Canford Cliffs).

The ‘Miami’ connection (Miss Florida), obviously played a role in her naming, though there is also a lesser-known song by The Beatles entitled, ‘Good Day Sunshine’. On current evidence, this filly has a bright future.