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 figures at the end of long careers. The trainer Vaughan Marshall and the retired jockey Raymond Rhodes 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 is a strike rate, accumulated over a full season, and it is the single most useful thing a punter can know about a yard before reading a card. Snaith taking it tells you where the good horses have been going, and Zackey’s title tells you which rider the strong yards have been putting up.
A note on the detail, because the reports differ. The individual divisional champions, the stallion and broodmare awards and the media prizes are carried by only one outlet each, so AXN Sports has not listed them here. The categories above are the ones two independent reports agree on.
Where to bet: South African racing is priced through licensed local bookmakers such as Hollywoodbets and Betway, in rand, on both tote pools and 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.
