David Thiselton
See It Again has been scratched from the Betway Summer Cup, but there will still be plenty of raiders with former winner Royal Victory still standing his ground alongside Madison Valley, King Pelles, On My Honour, Mocha Blend and Shoot The Rapids as well My Best Shot from the East Cape and Otto Luyken from the Cape.
Frank Robinson was not tempted to supplement Field Marshall after his runner up finish in the Gr 3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes as he said he would not beat Madison Valley.
However, he said, “I may run the filly Mocha Blend, although I don’t know whether she is going to make the final field. She’s good but very laid back and she walked out the pens in her last start in Jo’Burg, that’s what beat her.”
Mocha Blend was carrying join topweight in the Listed Summer Pudding Handicap over 1600m and was beaten 0,30 lengths by joint topweight Kisshoten.
Frank will school her in the pens and she will stand her ground as he pointed out the good record of fillies in the Summer Cup. There have been nine female winners in the last 50 years, including Roland’s Song winning it twice.
The four-year-old Mocha Blend is rated 105 and will be 5,5kg under sufferance as things stand, but Frank believes she is capable of running above her rating.
Frank revealed, “I am going to take Shoot The Rapids and am probably going to run him in the Stayers race on the day (The R350,000 ROA Stakes over 3200m).”
Frank said Madison Valley was very well and had been “flying” at home.
Five-year-old Madison Valley is rated 116, which sees him only having to carry 54,5kg.
He was beaten 2,35 lengths into fourth last year by the winner Atticus Finch and will now be 5,5kg better off and he beat Royal Victory by 0,65 lengths and will now be 1,5kg better off.
However, on Hollywoodbets Durban July form Royal Victory comes out ahead of Madison Valley as Royal Victory gave the latter 5kg and a 0,30 length beating and he now only has to give him 4,5kg.
Nathan Kotzen is equally happy with Royal Victory, who has benefited from his sessions with the “horse whisperer” Glyn Redgrave, who has solved the issues the six-year-old was having in the preliminaries such as “sticking up” on the way to the start.
Nathan was happy with the final preparation run of Royal Victory in a Conditions Plate event over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville in which he finished 0,95 lengths back in fourth place.
He did lament the slow place of the race but his new jockey Chad Little ensured he was driven hard all the way up the straight and he should be at his peak on the big day.
Asked whether Royal Victory was as good as he was when winning the race in 2023, Nathan mentoined his turn of foot not being as instantaneous.
However, in the long Turffontein straight that should not be too detrimental with the main thing being he still possesses a resolute finish, which he proved in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, coming from near the back for a 2,85 length fourth.
Royal Victory is one of the most consistent horses in training and only twice in his 29 start career has he finished more than 3,75 lengths behind the winner.
Therefore, he represents good each way value at 20/1, despite having to carry 59kg off his 125 rating.
The Gareth van Zyl-trained King Pelles was the most eye-catching runner in the aforementioned Conditions Plate race at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 1600m and was comfortably the best performed horse in the race at the weights. He ran on strongly from last without being given a hard time at all..
King Pelles biggest career successes have come over staying race trips. However, he has an exceptional turn of foot and has proved in his last couple of starts he is not a one trick pony.
He will carry 57,5kg and has been backed into 11/2 with the sponsor and will still have plenty of supporters at those skinny odds.
The winner of the aforementioned conditions race at Hollywoodbets Greyville was the Glen Kotzen-trained On My Honour, although he was well in at the weights under Serino Moodley.
He was strongly fancied for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, but it did not pan out well for him.
In the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m before that he was beaten 0,3 lengths by Madison Valley when receiving half-a-kilogram.
He will carry half-a-kilogram less than him in the Summer Cup too.
Off his 116 rating the four-year-old sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight of 54kg and represents fair value at 16/1, especially considering Madison Valley is 10/1.
My Best Shot should relish the long straight of the Turffontein Standside course as he is very effective at Fairview, which also has a long straight.
Richard Fourie will ride the Alan Greeff-trained stalwart, who is an interesting each way prospect at 20/1.
The James Crawford-trained Otto Luyken won the July consolation race on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, albeit in slow time, and he will enjoy the step up in trip from his preparation race when a far from disgraced 5,25 length fifth in the Gr 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile over 1600m. He will be 3kg better off with Atticus Finch from that race off his 116 rating, so will be up against it on that evidence, but as one who represents the Garrix form over 1800m in Cape Town he could be a dark horse and the sponsor is treating him with respect as they have him as a 14/1 chance.
