The Grade 1 Premiers Champions Stakes over 1600m is one of the highlights of the second day of the Gold Cup Festival Of Racing weekend and will form an important part of the Pick 6, which has a guaranteed pool of R5,5 million and an expected pool of R6 million.

The race is full of class, but complicating matters is that a lot of the fancied runners have tough draws.

Captain And Master (Nkosi Hlophe)

The best prospect in the race is likely Captain And Master, who has a magnificent stride and is full of class. After the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m, trainer Sean Tarry explained due to his lack of early speed he was strongly rousted from the off and this caused him to over race. After S’Manga Khumalo had eventually restrained the big horse, he was second last. All thing considered, he did exceptionally well to run on for third, beaten 1,3 lengths, using his big stride.  On the downside, he did go down to the start quite strongly that day, so it can’t be taken for granted he will settle on Sunday, especially as he has a tricky draw of nine.

Purple Diamond was the surprise winner of the Golden Horseshoe and will relish the step up in trip. Piere Strydom will help him overcome his draw of 12, which is compared to his two draw in the Golden Horseshoe.

The third of the Tarry runners is Warrior’s Rest, a huge son of What A Winter. His father was a champion sprinter, but he is out of Badger Land mare who has produced the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Viva Maria and he looks to be crying out for this trip. From a good draw this big, long-striding galloper makes appeal as the dark horse in a race which lacks pace as he should stay all the way to the line.

S’Manga Khumalo (Liesl King)

Ancestry was dropped out from draw eight in the Golden Horseshoe before finding a good position on the rail. He overtook Purple Diamond, but the latter rallied and got his nose back in front. The Oratorio colt should handle the step up in trip on pedigree.

Monks Hood was caught outside of Ancestry in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m and finished only 0,75 lengths behind him. This classy Querari colt, who was highly impressive on debut over 1200m, has another wide draw to overcome, but he should enjoy the step up in trip and Anthony Delpech keeps the ride.

Borya was only a head behind Monks Hood in the Gatecrasher when drawn two and staying on well. He followed up with an easy win over 1400m on the poly and should enjoy this trip but he has a wide draw of 13 to overcome.

Cat’s Legacy over raced a little  in the Gatecrasher behind a slow pace but followed up by running on well for third in the KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m, where he gave the impression he could stay this 1600m trip. However, he has a wide draw and looks a sort who would appreciate a good pace.

Eyes Wide Open won his maiden over this trip at Scottsville in eye catching fashion and could be anything. On debut over 1400m at Scottsville, from which the form has worked out well, he was caught wide and was green around the turn and it was also clear in the straight that this galloping type would prefer further. Richard Fourie rides.

Chantyman was slow away and caught wide on debut when third in a weak maiden over 1400m on the poly. He then won from pillar to post by over seven lengths in a moderate 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate at Scottsville. His dam, who won over a mile, has to date produced sprinters, so there is a stamina doubt despite him being by Oratorio and he also has a tough draw.

Mujallad improved to win comfortably over 1400m last time and the form doesn’t look bad, so he could earn from a fair draw.

Leftrightgoodnight, who was well beaten by Mujallad, will appreciate the trip, but needs plenty of improvement.

Purple Diamond (Nkosi Hlophe)

Sea King was caught wide in the Gatecrasher when beaten 5,1 lengths and then followed up by winning a Juvenile Plate over 1600m after being dropped out from a wide draw and coming from last. He narrowly beat his more fancied stable companion Pack Leader, who was noticeably green and has scope for improvement. Interestingly they both beat Eye’s Wide Open’s conqueror Cool At Heart, but the latter looked to race too strongly in front over the step up in trip. Sea King and Pack Leader both have good draws.

The impressive looking galloper Leslie Shadowliner’s race was run in the Gatecrasher before the turn as he was caught hopelessly wide. However, he showed a fine turn of foot over 1200m in his easy debut win. On a combination of pedigree and racing style he should handle the trip from a good draw.

The Gatecrasher and Golden Horseshoe both look to be the best pointers, which brings Warrior’s Rest into it too as he was on top of the like of Naafer in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over a trip short of his best and the latter caught the eye in the Golden Horseshoe.

Captain And Master is selected to beat Monks Hood, Warrior’s Rest and Purple Diamond, but Ancestry, Leslie Shadowliner and Eyes Wide Open are the hardest of the others to ignore in a competitive event.

By David Thiselton

Corne Orffer is optimistic that Captain America can follow up his Rising Sun Gold Challenge win in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Champions Cup and he sees no problem with the extra furlong despite the evidence of the Sun Met.

In that 2 000m Kenilworth race Captain America made the running but started to hang to the right from over 400m out as if his stamina was coming to the end of its tether.

Captain America (Wayne Marks)

But Orffer, the one man really in a position to know, disagrees and explains: “I wish I could have ridden the Met over again because I feel he would have been closer had I let him go to the outside rail in the straight rather than trying to keep him in.

“Every now and again he has a tendency to hang to the right. He did it with me in the Queen’s Plate too.”

But was it lack of stamina? “No,” Orffer is adamant. “He was loving it out in front. He wasn’t using himself up, he was just cruising along and when Anton Marcus on Legal Eagle moved up my horse came right back at him. Indeed I felt he was looking for something to run with.

“He doesn’t have to be in front either. He is a free-striding horse, a galloper, and the important thing is not to get him stuck in behind horses. You need to sit second or somewhere where he is capable of using his action.

“In the Gold Challenge he took off in the straight and shot up like an arrow. The 1 800m will be no problem to him.”

But what about the draw, ten out of 12? Isn’t that going to pose problems?  Orffer shakes his head and grins. “In fact I’m ecstatic about that. I was very happy about his ten draw in the Met too because with what would be regarded as a semi-bad draw you have got time to play around.

“In the Drill Hall I was drawn four, I missed the break by a fraction and I was swamped. I was then stuck in a pocket and I couldn’t get out. Last time he was also drawn ten, he jumped nicely and I could choose my own time to get across.”

Does he see any dangers beyond Marinaresco? “I would say Bela-Bela. She is top of the game among the fillies and you’ve got to respect her on the way she won last time. I make the top three Captain America, Marinaresco and her.”

By Michael Clower

The country is bracing itself with increasing anticipation for the Gold Cup Festival of Racing weekend and the Pick 6 will be a bet many will take on both days, because it has a guaranteed pool of R3,5 million on day one with an expected pool of R4 million, and a guaranteed pool of R5,5 million on day two with an expected pool of R6 million.

On day one on Saturday, the pivotal Pick 6 leg will be the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m. Three horses stand out, Captain America, Marinaresco and Bela-Bela, but others have to be considered in a race which has produced upsets before.

Bela-Bela VDJ 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Captain America finished third in an ultra strong Grade 1 Sun Met over 2000m, where he beat Marinaresco by 2,55 lengths. He will have the advantage of running fresh, but Marinaresco, who is defending his crown, will now be 1,5kg better off. The latter come off his win in the Vodacom Durban July, where he proved again his love of Greyville. He beat Captain America in the Drill Hall over 1400m and his run in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, where comfortably beaten by Captain America, can be ignored as he was too handy in a fast run race. His wide draw of 12 will not be a problem as he will be dropped out before employing his exceptional turn of foot. A draw of ten will not be ideal for the more handy Captain America, but he overcame that identical draw in the Gold Challenge. Bela-Bela will make her swansong here. She has to reverse a 1,5 length beating by Captain America in the Gold Challenge, but she had to be steadied at the top of the straight that day and could have got closer. Two of her three Grade 1 wins have been over 1800m and 2000m respectively, but her ideal trip is a mile. Sail South came from last in the Gold Challenge and was only beaten 2,5 lengths. He is now 2kg better off, runs fresh and will be hoping for a faster pace. However, he is a horse who seldom settles and the trip will stretch him. Judicial finished second in this race last year, and his trainer Tyrone Zackey’s charges can never be written off in big races. He hasn’t run since November, but has won a Grade 2 running fresh before and has a fair draw.  Table Bay comes in relatively fresh and has a good draw. He is highly regarded and his mile form, which at one stage looked disappointing, now looks very strong. He does have to prove he stays further than a mile though. Ten Gun Salute looked to be beaten already when a horse crossed him in the VDJ, but he looks likely to appreciate the drop to this trip, having won the Betting World 1900 in exceptional style. He does have a tough task at the weights and is likely hoping for soft ground. Deo Juvente beat the like Of Legal Eagle when winning the Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and now runs relatively fresh. However, he does have a tricky draw. It’s My Turn was beaten 1,4 lengths in the July and is now 4,5kg worse off with Marinaresco. However, a lot of use was made of him in the July from a wide draw and he was also given only one preparation outing going into it. With more conservative tactics from a plum draw, he could be a threat. Matador Man showed how good his turn of foot when winning the KZN Breeders Mile and his relaxed style might enable him to see out this trip, over which he is unexposed. Black Arthur ran wide in the July, but did have cover and other than having to be switched outward he had a trouble free run, so has a tough task at the weights. Brazuca also has a tough task on paper, but was caught wide in the July and might well enjoy the step down in trip. However, he does have a tricky draw.

Marinaresco (Nkosi Hlophe)

The final fields for all of the other legs still have to be announced.

In the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m on day the Silvano filly Nightingale is the stand out horse over an ideal course and distance. Girl On The Run, Bella Sonata, Star Express, Premier Dance and Epona also have chances and amazingly are also all by Silvano. The non-Silvano challengers will be led by the unexposed Wukkin Up, Fort Ember, Captain Gambler, Witchcraft and Intergalactic.

The first leg of the Pick 6 on day one is a MR 82 Handicap over 1000m on the poly. Paul Gadsby’s trio Vision To Kill, Miss Varlicious and Gunner have all landed fair draws and are among the eye-catchers.

There should be a good pace in this race. with speedy sorts Swakopomund, Gee Whizz and Rocky Valley among the entries. Classy two-year-old Touch Of Magic is a fascinating entry.

The next race is the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly. The Louis Goosen pair of fillies Effortless Reward and Hashtag Strat are immediate eye catchers from good draws among a big entry list and the up and coming Lloyd’s Legacy could be anything.

The Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly has also attracted a lot of entries and among the eye catchers are last year’s winner MacDuff, the twice winner of this race, Night Trip as well as Table Bay, Irish Pride, Celtic Captain, Copper Pot, No Worries and Gingerbread Man.

The last leg is a maiden over 1800m on the turf and Texas Sky and Turf Conqueror are two who catch the eye among a huge entry list.

By David Thiselton

South Africa’s thoroughbred studs are producing world-class racehorses and many of them will be clashing over 1 600m in the two final juvenile feature events of the season at Greyville in Durban on Sunday, July 30, the second day of the Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend.

Captain And Master (Nkosi Hlophe)

The meeting, that is headed by the R1.25-million, eLan Gold Cup, is the grand finale to South Africa’s Champions Season 2017 and the 2016-2017 South African racing season and results of the major races on the day could have an important influence on the annual Equus Awards in August.

The juvenile programme in KwaZulu-Natal is run at Scottsville and Greyville during South Africa’s Champions Season and starts with the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and the Allan Robertson Championship over 1 200m at Scottsville before the 1 400m clashes in the Durban Golden Horseshoe and Gold Circle Golden Slipper at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July Day to the Premier’s Champion Stakes and Thekwini Stakes that close off the programme over 1 600m on eLan Gold Cup Day at the end of July.

A tribute to South African breeders is that only one of the 31 horses carded for the two races this year was not bred in this country so the likely major players in both races will be locally-bred horses.

In the R750 000, Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes champion trainer Sean Tarry holds a strong hand, saddling three runners that include the winner and third-placed horses from the Durban Golden Horseshoe, Purple Diamond and Captain And Master with Warrior’s Rest completing the team.

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, as strong as the Tarry team appears to be, they could be upstaged on this occasion by the Joey Ramsden-trained Oratorio colt Ancestry that was just a head behind Purple Diamond in second place at the line.

Tarry will also be strongly fancied to win both juvenile races on the day as he did on Vodacom Durban July day, with his Mambo In Seattle filly Desert Rhythm that won the Gold Circle Golden Slipper, looking to have a chance of completing the double by winning the Thekwini Stakes.

Let It Flow, that ran second to her that day by a length, is not in the race with her closest rival from that encounter, stable companion Rockin Russian, having to make up two lengths to turn the tables.

But, there is another special filly in the race and she is the Dennis Drier-trained daughter of Dynasty, Lady In Black. She is unbeaten in two starts and all the talk has been about her being something special and a filly with a bright future.

She has yet to meet this level of competition but she is likely to be one of the shorter-priced runners in the race and will command the greatest respect as a major challenger to Desert Rhythm.

By Richard McMillan

The R1-million, Grade 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup at Greyville on Saturday, July 29 has the hallmarks of a race that could go down as one of the greatest thoroughbred clashes in South African racing history.

Captain America (Nkosi Hlophe)

Run over 1 800m at the Theatre of Champions on the first day of the two-day Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend that also features the R1.25-million eLan Gold Cup, the race has brought together a group of the best horses in the country including four Grade 1 winners that could all make their mark on the international stage.

The World Sports Betting Champions Cup heads the nine-race card on the Saturday and will be followed on the Sunday by a 10-race programme that, in addition to the eLan Gold Cup over 3 200m, also features the final races in the season’s juvenile programme, the R750 000, Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and the R750 000, Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes for fillies with both races being contested over 1 600m.

Heading the 12-horse field for the World Sports Betting Champions Cup are two of the top horses from the Cape, Captain America from the Brett Crawford stable that thrashed the opposition in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Marinaresco from the Candice Bass-Robinson stable that defied his top weight to win Africa’s Greatest horserace, the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July and will be bidding to complete the Champions Cup double.

Bela-Bela VDJ 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Capable of upsetting all her opponents and also from the Cape is the brilliant Dynasty filly Bela-Bela from the Justin Snaith stable that demolished her opposition in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes and is likely to be retired to stud after the meeting. Her impressive record includes victory in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth at the beginning of the year.

Also in the field is the winner of the Grade 1 President’s Champion Challenge at Turffontein, Deo Juvente from the Geoff Woodruff stable, that had to be withdrawn from the Vodacom Durban July due to a set-back in training. The Woodruff yard is renowned for producing winners of big races and this Trippi gelding will be a major contender in this race.

The surprise winner of the Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville earlier in the season, Ten Gun Salute from the Duncan Howells yard, is also among the runners and his disappointing unplaced run in the Vodacom Durban July is best ignored as he suffered major interference in the running.

With the other well-performed runners like It’s My Turn, Sail South, Judicial, Matador Man and Black Arthur also in the field, this race could be the highlight of the weekend and the season as they fight out what should be a thrilling finish.

By Richard McMillan

The Gold Cup Festival of Racing, a first for South Africa, takes place over two days, Saturday and Sunday next week, July 29-30. The Saturday sees the running of the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup and eight other races and Sunday the running of the Grade 3 eLAN Gold Cup supported by two Grade 1 juvenile features, the Premiers Champion Juvenile Stakes and the Thekwini Stakes on a 10-race card. All of these races could influence the outcome of the Equus Awards, horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars that will be announced on Tuesday, August 15.

The two-day festival of racing is the grand finale to the current horseracing season that officially ends on Monday, July 31.

The festival kicks off with an exciting Gala Dinner in the Silver Ring Room at Greyville Racecourse on Thursday evening ,27 July 2017.

“The Gala Dinner launches the inaugural Racing Festival in style,” says Gold Circle’s Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins. “The evening promises to be a great mix of good food; good wine, excellent entertainment and a wonderful opportunity for guests to mingle with Celebrities and sporting heroes across the spectrum,” he added.

Guest speakers will be former Springbok and Springbok coach Nick Mallett, former Bafana Bafana star Delron Buckley and current Comrades Marathan Champion Bongmusa Mthembu while celebrated artist Aaron McIlroy will provide the entertainment.

The 3-course buffet dinner will include wine and malt and additional entertainment will be provided by the Break-Thru Dance Company, with horseracing’s  own “funny man” Paul Lafferty acting as MC.

For bookings and further information please contact Nosipho Hadebe on 031 573 2682 or nhadebe@prosportinternational.com

By Andrew Harrison