See It Again tops Summer Cup pops

Little change to the official log of Betway Summer Cup “likely” runners does not mean no movement on the betting boards.

See It Again, No 2 on the latest log, remains the ante-post favourite and has tightened in a notch to 3-1 following a star turn in a 1600m Pinnacle Stakes warm-up race at Greyville on Sunday.

By contrast, log leader and onetime market rival Dave The King has blown out to a distant 12-1 after his uncharacteristic poor showing in the Steelrode Charity Mile at Turffontein on Saturday.

Trainer Mike de Kock said Dave The King “was not persisted with” by champion jockey Richard Fourie in the final stages of the 1600m contest and the course vet confirmed that the five-year-old was not striding out.

De Kock has hinted the Equus Horse of the Year might skip the Summer Cup and head straight to Cape Town for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, so punters should be wary until there is clarity on the matter.

Winchester Mansion

Bookmakers have been compelled to reel in three female Summer Cup hopefuls – Frances Ethel, Silver Sanctuary and Beating Wings – following their recent good performances.

Frances Ethel is due to be ridden by British champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the 2000m R6-million Grade 1 Joburg showpiece on 30 November.

The scratching of prominent first entries Cousin Casey and Flag Man sees the second Summer Cup log amended slightly, but there are no new names among the 18 preferred candidates.

The most significant movement on the log is Winchester Mansion who climbs four places to fourth due to his stunning victory in Saturday’s Charity Mile.

The former Durban July champion – starting at 40-1 after a wretched effort in his seasonal comeback – reasserted his place at the top table by sweeping aside a strong field that included a gaggle of Summer Cup hopefuls.

That performance saw the handicappers hike his merit rating from 124 to a career-high 129, which will affect his big-race weight, due to be announced in 10 days’ time. Nonetheless, Winchester Mansion can be backed at 8-1 – which will interest followers of the in-form James Crawford yard.

It is worth noting that 11 of the 14 carded runners in this coming weekend’s Betway Victory Moon Stakes (Grade 3) are Summer Cup candidates, with Main Defender (45-1), Purple Pitcher (30-1) Puerto Manzano (60-1), Pure Predator (25-1), Future Pearl (45-1), Atticus Finch (20-1), Safe Passage (25-1) and My Soul Mate (90-1) all appearing in the log top 20.

The deadline for Summer Cup final entries is 9am on Monday 18 November, after which weights will be announced. Declarations must be in by 11am on Wednesday 20 November and barrier draws will be conducted at a Betway event on 20 November.

BETTING

3-1 See It Again
13-2 Frances Ethel
8-1 Winchester Mansion, Silver Sanctuary
17-2 Royal Victory
12-1 Dave The King, Barbaresco
20-1 Beating Wings, Marauding Horde, Atticus Finch
25-1 Pure Predator, Safe Passage
33-1 Purple Pitcher, Zeus, Madison Valley, Hotarubi
40-1 Pomodoro’s Jet
45-1 Main Defender, Future Pearl, Atarime
55-1 Litigation
60-1 and upwards the others