Nebraas and Jet Dark aim to double-up on an epic day

There could be a sense of déjà vu at Greyville on Saturday. Nebraas and Jet Dark are poised to repeat memorable victories of 2021 – in the Gold Cup and Champions Cup respectively.

These are just two of a host of important races on the card of the super fixture that rounds off the season.

Nebraas is the reigning king of stayers and is heavily fancied to see off pretenders to throne in the 3200m Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup.

The five-year-old son of red-hot sire Vercingetorix will have to shoulder 7.5kg more than he did when winning the marathon in a thrilling finish last year. But he is a year older and stronger and has been in tip-top form in recent months.

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Trainer Sean Tarry was disappointed when Nebraas did not crack the nod for the Durban July as he figured he’d be in with a fair shout in the country’s biggest race. This opposition looks a lot less scary than that and the former champion conditioner’s assessment commands huge respect.

Interestingly, jockey Richard Fourie climbs aboard Nebraas after narrowly missing out on runner-up Silver Host last year. So, there’s a story of redemption, revenge, restoration – something like that – going on in the irons.

Black Thorn

Perhaps the main danger to Nebraas’s supremacy is stablemate Black Thorn, who won the 3000m Gold Vase on July day in eye-catching fashion. He too has been in superb form and ran Nebraas a close second in two long-distance features at Turffontein in April.

Mike de Kock is another trainer who knows all about winning the Gold Cup. He saddles SA Derby champ Aragosta, who had a troubled passage in the July and appears to have been specially primed for this engagement.

The Gold Cup was once notorious for upset results but has been friendly to punters in recent years. Nonetheless, there are a bunch of decent stayers in this field and one of them could just have the day of his life.

Salvator Mundi, Rex Union, Decorated and Smoking Hot might be considered as value inclusions in bet combos.

The 1800m Champions Cup, sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to the tune of R1-million, is sort of a July rerun – sans heroine Sparkling Water, of course.

Jet Dark, Kommetdieding, Al Muthana, Linebacker and Astrix all had their hard-luck stories that day and will be seeking to set the record straight.

Justin Snaith-trained Jet Dark was a good second in the July, while Kommetdieding wasn’t far behind in fifth after having his heels clipped twice.

These two charismatic horses should have this field held if they are on their games.

If Captain’s Ransom runs in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, she will be a banker bet. Trainer Snaith has been a bit of a tease all week, suggesting she’s a doubtful starter – but maybe not.

SELECTIONS

Mercury Sprint (Race 6):

3 Captain’s Ransom, 8 Master Archie, 2 Big Burn, 5 Alesian Chief

Gold Cup (Race 7)

4 Nebraas, 5 Black Thorn, 7 Aragosta, 15 Rex Union

Champions Cup (Race 8)

4 Kommetdieding, 5 Jet Dark, 1 Russian Rock, 6 Al Muthana