Zambezi River gets a visit from Felix Coetzee.                 Picture: Liesl King

Zambezi River, a Drakenstein Stud-bred Trippi colt, is unbeaten in two starts over 1000m and 1160m respectively and has been impressive in the process. He dwelt and lost a couple of lengths on both occasions before scything through the field and winning going away. The form of his first start has worked out very well.

He is drawn in pole position on Saturday and Tarry said, “He has jumped slowly so I’m not sure we will be able to use that good draw, but at least we will have options if he does start well. I haven’t done a lot with him and he’s done everything right and won effortlessly, so still has scope and we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”

Tarry believes there is no reason for him not to stay the 1400m trip. He is beautifully bred being by a top class stallion out of an unraced USA-bred mare whose dam is a half-sister to the brilliant European Horse Of The Year Lammtara (won the Epsom Derby, King George and Arc). On the downside, as far as staying the trip goes, Margaret River has so far tended to produce sprinters, although Zambezi River’s full brother River Trip did finish second over 1450m on one occasion.  S’Manga Khumalo keeps the ride for Saturday.

Imperial Gold, a Goldkeeper colt, won his debut over 1200m at Clairwood in comfortable fashion by 2,5 lengths. He then ran in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on the last weekend of last season and finished 8,5 lengths back in twelfth.

He hasn’t run since that last outing and Tarry said, “He had a few interruptions and might be short of match fitness, but I hope he is right on the day as we’ve got him as good as we can.” Anthony Delpech rides from draw 10.

Both horses will be staying at Milnerton training centre. They will stay on after the race and how they do on Saturday will dictate whether they go for other forthcoming Cape Summer of Champions features.

The Captain Al gelding was doing his best work late last time out on October 4 in a Graduation Plate over 1600m, finishing just 1,75 lengths behind Bezanova. He was receiving 5kg, but as a three-year-old at that stage of the season he was actually 2,5kg worse off with Bezanova than weight for age terms. Furthermore, Bezanova won the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile next time out.

Therefore, on paper, The Captain’s Tune’s put up a top class performance, but it should be taken into account that Bezanova did need the run and came on a lot for it. On the other hand The Captain’s Tune was only 0,75 lengths behind the well regarded runner up, Sun On Africa, at level weights.

However, Woodruff was not overly bullish about The Captain’s Tune’s chances on Saturday and said, “He has qualified and we will be taking our chances. That last race signifies that he has talent and he has a good draw (3) and a good rider (Piere Strydom), but the 1400m will definitely be on the sharp side for him as he is a horse who will soon be looking for 2000m. There has also been a lot of talk about the Cape horses in the race.”

Meanwhile the yard’s Sansui Summer Cup favourite, the Triple Crown hero Louis The King, is in “very good” shape. He ran a flying 0,75 length third in the Charity Mile with topweight under Strydom and Woodruff said, “He has come along nicely since that run and will be ready for the day.”

Woodruff was not too concerned about Summer Cup entry Killua Castle’s 13 length sixth with joint topweight in the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m on Saturday and said, “I can’t see the form of that race being too important as it came down in buckets just before the start and was run in a bog. We knew the more it rained the less chance he would have from that wide draw and with that weight. He ran a nice enough race and the main thing is that he came out of it well.”

Picture: JC Photos

The three-year-old Antonius Pius colt won his penultimate start over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track in impressive style, winning by 4,25 lengths and beating the like of Astro, Pioneer Spirit and Front Rank.

Next time out in the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m he threw up his head for a stride or two about 100m after the start before being allowed to go three wide around a couple of horses onto the flank of the leader.

That effort took its toll and he didn’t find a lot in the closing stages, but still managed to finish just 3,25 lengths behind the champion colt Harry’s Son, albeit receiving 2,5kg. He confirmed form with the runner up of his penultimate start, Amazing Strike.

The impression given was that he should much prefer the easier Kenilworth Old Course, although it will be his first time on a left hand track.

He will be ridden by Weichong Marwing, who has won on him before, from draw eight. It will be no surprise to see him right up with the pace, from where he will be a dangerous contender.

The final points tally in the Racing It’s A Rush match was 547 to 288 and since this particular series was started in 2008 the home team has won five times out of seven.

Disappointed visiting captain James Doyle said: “I think we had bad luck with the draw. Either that or we are all very bad jockeys!”

The biggest name among the visitors may have failed to notch up his first South African success but it was not for want of trying and you could see why Sheikh Mohammed is prepared to pay so much for him as he pulled out one stop after another in an ultra-determined bid to make all on Valerio in the Betting World Handicap. But in the end his mount had no more to give and third was the best he could manage.

Piere Strydom got up close home to win this on the Brett Crawford-trained Independence and the former champion led two furlongs on Roaring Wind for Glen Kotzen in the last to take his total to just two short of his 5 000 target.

Anthony Delpech (right) took the Victor Ludorum (top jockey) award and he kicked off yesterday’s leg with comfortable win on Indaba in the Table Bay Hotel Handicap. The three-year-old has now won three on the trot and Dean Kannemeyer somewhat understandably reckons she has a real future.

He said: “I am going to enter her for the Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas although, as Anthony said, she really needs 1 800-2 000m. But she has a lot of potential.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, taking part in this competition for the first time, landed the Egyptair Handicap on Saint Sophia for Mike Bass on a day the Milnerton maestro could do no wrong.

Pictures: Liesl King

After Mr Line (Jeff Lloyd) and War Horn ran 1-2 in the 2200m handicap showpiece in 2006, Shaw made several attempts at another golden strike, but none of his runners could quite pass muster until Quechua finally ended the long wait with Emperor’s Banquet running on to complete the stable queue-up.

It was not just Shaw who was saddling the forecast in the Gold Cup as the Yongs of the Avengers/Tmen Stable race both Quechua and Emperor’s Banquet, not to mention they were also the connections behind Mr Line under the Quartet Stable.

The Gold Cup triumph capped a memorable day for Shaw, who had earlier landed three winners.

“This was the big one we’ve long planned for this horse. We bought him especially for the Gold Cup. And this is my second Gold Cup and the second time I’ve finished first and second. When I do a job, I do it well,” joked Shaw who recently underwent a minor surgery.

“We spoke to Corey after he drew wide and the plan was to jump well and go forward and that’s exactly how it panned out.

“As I said before, he’s the true stayer in the race and Corey rode him a treat. Winning the Gold Cup eight years ago with Mr Line and War Horn second was special but this is also special, especially as I’ve done it again for the Yong family who have been wonderful supporters of mine for a long time.

“I will give him a break now and we’ll look at races like the SIA Cup and the Derby for him next year.”

The $3 million Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup in May and the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby in July are Singapore’s two most coveted races over 2000m.

– Singapore Turf Club