Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein enjoyed a memorable afternoon at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday, breeding three winners headed by Uzwano’s thrilling victory in the R175,000 Michaelmas Handicap.
The successful trio, Sensei Of Spin, City Of Love and Uzwano, represented three different stallions and three training establishments, while the victories of Sensei Of Spin and Uzwano also completed a double for Hollywood Racing.
The afternoon began with 3yo Sensei Of Spin, a son of Hawwaam out of the Kahal mare Sarasota, opening his winning account at his second start.
Trained by Mike and Mathew de Kock and ridden by Callan Murray, Sensei Of Spin captured the 1400m Maiden Plate by 1.7 lengths.
The gelding was purchased by Hollywood Racing for R1.6 million at the 2025 Bloodstock South Africa National Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Wilgerbosdrift as Lot 260.
His dam, Sarasota, won the Gr3 Starling Stakes and has also produced five-time winner Hope Is Power (Soft Falling Rain). Hope Is Power also raced in the familiar purple and yellow silks of Hollywood Racing.
Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein’s second winner arrived courtesy of City Of Love, who captured the 1200m Lucky Fish Fortune Cup Middle Stakes for trainer Peter Muscutt and apprentice Anaas Mosaheb.
The 4yo gelding bred on the successful cross of Rafeef on Var mares, is out of Isle de France, defeating Kalahari Roller by just over two lengths.
City Of Love represents an outstanding female family. His granddam, Ilha Bela, won the Gr2 SA Oaks, while his third dam is former South African Horse of the Year Ilha da Vitoria.
The treble was completed in dramatic fashion when Uzwano captured the Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m.
Trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by Kabelo Matsunyane, the 5yo son of Ideal World produced a determined finish to deny Narina Trogon by a nose, with fellow Hollywood Racing representative Curious Girl finishing third.
Bred out of the twice-winning Horse Chestnut mare Banbury, Uzwano recorded his sixth career victory from 19 starts, taking his record to six wins and five placings, with career earnings of R643,644.
His victory also completed a weekend feature double for Mauritzfontein stallion Ideal World, whose daughter Into Dancing had won the Allez France Stakes at Turffontein the previous afternoon.
For Hollywood Racing, the victories of Sensei Of Spin and Uzwano represented the operation’s 909th and 910th lifetime winners respectively.
The treble provided another notable result for Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, with progeny of Hawwaam, Rafeef and Ideal World delivering success across distances ranging from 1200m to 1900m on the same afternoon.
