Hot Summer Cup warm-up

The Grade 3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes, which will be run over 1800m on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday, has always been one of the key warm-up races for the upcoming R5-million Betway Summer Cup (Grade 1).

The race has attracted 21 entries and is looking to be a highly competitive event.

Mike de Kock has nominated three runners, Safe Passage, Aragosta and East Coast, while Sean Tarry has two in Nebraas and Litigation. But perhaps it is Alec Laird-trained Atticus Finch that is sure to attract some interest and there are a number of whispers about this four-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding as a possible Summer Cup winner.

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He should be a key contender for the Victory Moon Stakes especially as he will carry just 51kg.

Atticus Finch comes off a threerace winning streak, all of them over 1600m, but he has raced over 1800m early in his career where he finished a 0.50-length second behind African Torrent.

Another runner making his seasonal comeback is Son Of Raj, winner of the Grade 1 WSB SA Derby. Weiho Marwing’s charge has not raced since finishing unplaced in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and it will be interesting to see how he has come on.

The R250,000 Racehorse Owners Association Stakes (Listed) for three-year-olds over 1600m will be run at Fairview on Friday and all of Justin Snaith, Brett Crawford and Glen Kotzen have nominated runners.

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Entries for the R400,000 Betway Victory Moon Stakes (Grade 3) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday.

9 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) 60.0 4 SON OF RAJ (W H Marwing) 59.0 5 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) 57.0 14 BILLY BOWLEGS (B Crawford) 57.0 13 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) 57.0 16 GILDED BUTTERFLY (S T Pettigrew) 54.5 19 EAST COAST (M F De Kock) 54.0 3 LITIGATION (S G Tarry) 54.0 6 NONE OTHER (M N Houdalakis) 51.5 10 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) 51.0 15 CRIMSON KING (B Crawford) 51.0 7 ELECTRIC GOLD (A P Peter) 51.0 21 GOOD COUNCIL (S T Pettigrew) 51.0 1 PURPLE PITCHER (R Klaasen) 51.0 11 RIVER ROMEO (P F Matchett) 51.0 20 SAVANNAH STORM (P/J Vermeulen) 51.0 2 STAR COIN (A G Laird) 51.0 18 STREET ART (A P Peter) 51.0 8 WHAFEEF (S T Pettigrew) 51.0 12 ZUZAN (P F Matchett) 51.0 17 IPSO FACTO (P F Matchett) 48.5 Entries for the R250,000 Racehorse Owners Association Stakes (Listed) for three-yearolds over 1600m at Fairview on Friday. 12 VISION OF WONDER (G D Smith) 57.0 5 FAIRY KNIGHT (A C Greeff) 56.0 13 GLOBAL BANKER (G D Smith) 56.0 7 GUERRA (A C Greeff) 56.0 6 HAT’S PRIDE (G S Kotzen) 56.0 17 LE LEGIONNAIRE (J S Snaith) 56.0 3 LORD MILORI (K Mitchley) 56.0 10 MISTER WHISTLE (E Kaknis) 56.0 8 RAPIDASH (J S Snaith) 56.0 2 THE CHARIOTEER (S B Kotzen) 56.0 16 THE WINTER LAKE (G D Smith) 56.0 1 VALYRIAN SWORD (E Kaknis) 56.0 11 ZOOMIE (B Crawford) 56.0 14 DUAL AGENT (G S Kotzen) 53.5 15 SYMBOL OF LOVE (E Kaknis) 53.5