It’s My Turn to collect the gold
Hermoso Mundo looking for Gold Cup double.
Picture: Liesl King
It’s My Turn, longer distances and jockey Anton Marcus have made a formidable combination of late and they can bring down the curtain on the South African season in the R1.25-million eLan Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville tomorrow.
It’s My Turn showed his class when winning the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m at Kenilworth in 2016 but for over two years he was unable to win another race, despite some close-up places in other Grade 1 events.
Last year owner Fred Crabbia moved him to trainer Dean Kannemeyer who decided to take this son of Dynasty to his stable in KwaZulu-Natal. All those actions seem to have worked for the five-year-old gelding.
After a slow start It’s My Turn has since won the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville and the Grade 2 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville. On both occasions he had Anton Marcus in the irons. Now he heads into the richest Grade 3 race in the country and teams up with Marcus yet again. He carries 0.5kg less and should love this extra 200m.
Hermoso Mundo won this race last year after following a similar route to It’s My Turn. Trainer Weiho Marwing’s charge has been sparingly raced since last year but he is coming back well and last time finished second behind Walter Smoothie in a Pinnacle Stakes. This will be his third race after a layoff and he should be at peak fit- ness. He also has a top jockey in Bernard Fayd’Herbe.
Made To Conquer was runner-up in the Vodacom Durban July and looks sure to stay the extra distance. He landed a 3kg penalty for his second place and the fact he is running in a race with a lower average merit rating sees him carry 7kg more than in the Durban July. He will have his work cut out to beat It’s My Turn but does have a top jockey in Piere Strydom.
Anybody looking for a good outsider should add Ballymaine into their Swingers, Trifectas and Quartets. This three-year-old looks to be a promising stayer and has a 4.5kg weight turnaround with It’s My Turn for a 3.25-length beating in the Derby last month. He is on offer at 25-1 and should be thereabouts at the finish.
