Cream of SA racing poured into a glittering Gold Cup

It might be called Gold Cup Day, but the race meeting at Greyville on Sunday 30 July is a true “champions’ day”. With the notable exceptions of July victor Winchester Mansion and boom colt Charles Dickens, the crème de la crème of South African thoroughbreds is entered for the plethora of top-class races on the card.

The new sponsors of the fixture, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, could hardly have asked for a better representation of the country’s horse racing strength.

Sean Tarry horses

July runner-up and dual Grade 1 victor this season See It Again heads the list of first entries for the HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m, ahead of King’s Cup winner Al Muthana, top-level cross-country raider Trip Of Fortune and super mare Princess Calla.

Interestingly, trainer Sean Tarry has also entered Princess Calla in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m, where she will probably be up against two supreme sprinters in Gimme A Prince and Isivunguvungu – not to mention first, second and third in the Post Merchants, Gladatorian, Thunderstruck and Surjay. It won’t be an easy choice for the Randjesfontein master.

The Gold Cup, the country’s top marathon for horses, is likely to be graced by the winners of the 2021 and 2022 renewals, Shangani and Nebraas respectively. The betting for this is likely to be dominated by Future Pearl, winner of both the Gold Bowl in Joburg and the Gold Vase in Durban.

Other notables among the Gold Cup entries are Aragosta, Arumugam and One Way Traffic.

The principal juvenile feature on the day, the Grade 1 Champion Stakes over 1600m, promises to see Tarry’s unbeaten colt Lucky Lad take on two impressive Durban July day raiding winners, Sandringham Summit and Main Defender.

ENTRIES (alphabetical order):

CHAMPIONS CUP (Grade 1)

14 Al Muthana (AUS) Ricky Maingard 130
7 Bartholdi M G Azzie/A A Azzie 119
1 Dave The King Mike de Kock 122
3 Forever Mine Mike de Kock 109
10 Mk’s Pride Robbie Sage 122
9 Pomp And Power Justin Snaith 120
12 Princess Calla Sean Tarry 127
6 Rascallion Vaughan Marshall 121
8 Royal Victory Nathan Kotzen 112
5 Safe Passage Mike de Kock 122
11 Second Base Robyn Klaasen 120
13 See It Again Michael Roberts 131
4 Trip Of Fortune Candice Bass-Robinson 127
2 Zapatillas Brett Crawford 126

GOLD CUP (Grade 3)

19 Aragosta Mike de Kock 114
5 Arumugam Weiho Marwing 94
16 Black Thorn Mike de Kock 102
10 Chewbaca Andre Nel 89
20 Crimson King Brett Crawford 101
22 Electric Surge Robbie Hill 83
7 Fight Song Gareth van Zyl 94
14 Flying First Class David Nieuwenhuizen 91
4 Future Pearl Sean Tarry 112
11 Mambo Come Tesio Mike de Kock 83
6 Master Redoute Andre Nel 102
9 Nebraas Sean Tarry 117
15 One Way Traffic Justin Snaith 108
1 Raiseahallelujah Candice Dawson 99
12 Rex Union Dean Kannemeyer 97
13 Rockie Reef Peter Muscutt 92
18 Runaway Song Dean Kannemeyer 116
21 Salvator Mundi Justin Snaith 109
17 Sea Master Gareth van Zyl 99
2 Senso Unico Vaughan Marshall 108
8 Shangani Tony Peter 120
3 With Pleasure Dean Kannemeyer 105