Kilrain on the charge for Summer Cup spot

The chase is on for a spot in the R2-million Sansui Summer Cup. All eight horses carded to run in Race 5 at the Vaal today, a MR 96 Handicap over 2000m, have been nominated to run in that Grade 1 race at Turffontein on 25 November.

That event is also over 2000m so a race of this nature could give racing fans a reasonable look into how good these horses are.

Mike de Kock has received a couple of really nice horses from the Western Cape and Kilrain is among them. This six-year-old son of Dynasty was trained by Candice Bass-Robinson in Cape Town where he won four races.

He has raced twice over 2000m for a win and a third place behind useful King Of The Corn and a race like the Summer Cup looks ideal for this handicapper. He has raced twice since arriving on the Highveld, finishing like a bullet to run a 1.65-length third behind Yankee Captain over 1400m and then running out a comfortable winner of a MR 89 Handicap over 1600m at Turffontein.

This will be his first attempt at 2000m on the Highveld and with just 56.5kg on his back the gelding should be most competitive. He will need to put up a big run if he is to even get into the Summer Cup.

Top Shot was run out of it late by Elevated over 1600m last time and will appreciate the jump in distance. He has placed in all four starts over 2000m but has yet to notch up a victory. He is a six-time winner and with Gary Alexander’s stable in good form, Top Shot should be competitive in this line-up.

Bankable Teddy won the Listed Derby Trial over 2000m at Turffontein last year but it took a change of stables for him to finally win again. He beat Stonehenge by two lengths and the pair will meet again in this event with Bankable Teddy 2kg worse off so there should be very little between them this time.