Reviewed by Shihaam IsaacsSouth Africa sports betting writer
Published 31 August 2026
See It Again was named Horse of the Year at the 2026 Equus Awards, held at The Galleria in Johannesburg on Tuesday 18 August and hosted by 4Racing, with Justin Snaith champion trainer and Craig Zackey champion jockey.
The Equus Awards close the South African racing season rather than open one. They are the sport’s own scorecard on the twelve months just finished, and the racing year that ran to the end of July is the one being marked.
See It Again took the top honour. Snaith was named champion trainer and Zackey champion jockey, Hollywood Racing was champion owner and Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein were named champion breeder.
The awards that are not about the horses
Sokhe Mwelase was named Groom of the Year, which is the one category on the card that reaches the people who do the daily work and almost never get named in a race report.
Two Special Achievement awards went to long careers in the sport. The trainer Vaughan Marshall, who has saddled thirty two Grade 1 winners across forty five years, and the retired jockey Raymond Rhodes, a two time winner of the Durban July, were both recognised for what they have put into South African racing.
Why this matters to a bettor
A champion trainer title is not a sentimental prize. It goes on stakes earned across a full season rather than on a strike rate, so Snaith taking it tells you where the good horses have been going. Zackey’s title is counted on winners ridden, and it tells you which rider the strong yards have been putting up.
See It Again did not only take the top award. He was also named Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance Horse, and the season behind those titles included his win in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met in February.
Where to bet: South African racing is priced through licensed local bookmakers such as Hollywoodbets and Betway, in rand, on tote pools, where the return depends on the money in the pool, and on fixed odds. Win, place and each way are the standard menu on a domestic card, and fixed odds prices on a well backed runner shorten well before the off, so compare the two books rather than taking the first price you see. Deposits run through Ozow instant EFT, Capitec Pay and OTT Voucher. Our guide to the best betting sites in South Africa covers licensing and payout times, and there is more in South Africa horse racing news. 18+. Gamble responsibly.
