Strong entry for Summer Cup

Last year’s winner Puerto Manzano and Hollywoodbets Durban July champion Winchester Mansion head up the first entries for the R5-million Betway Summer Cup over 2000m on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 25 November.

There were 40 runners nominated when the first entries closed on Wednesday and the group comprises a number of Grade 1 winners. Other than Puerto Manzano and Winchester Mansion, they include Anfield Rocket (WSB SA Classic, 2023), Bless My Stars (Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, 2023), Safe Passage (Daily News 2000, 2022), Aragosta (SA Derby, 2022), Son Of Raj (SA Derby 2023) and Cousin Casey (Premiers Champion Stakes, 2022).

Cousin Casey is of particular interest. This Vercingetorix colt was named Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in 2022 but despite some decent efforts failed to go on with it as a three-year-old. He is now with Sean Tarry at Randjesfontein and his path to the Betway Summer Cup will be closely monitored.

Tarry has nominated five runners and could have a strong hand with the likes of Cousin Casey, Bless My Stars, Litigation, Nebraas and talented stayer Future Pearl.

ALSO READ: July hero Winchester Mansion tops betting boards for Summer Cup

Mike de Kock has won this race nine times but has not been victorious since Flirtation’s victory in 2010. He has seven runners entered – Safe Passage, Aragosta, Dave The King, East Coast, Shoemaker, Union Square and up-and-coming Trois Trois Quatre.

Safe Passage may have been a touch unlucky in last year’s race when finishing a 0.50-length second to Puerto Manzano but went off the boil after that. If he regains his best form, the Silvano gelding will be a massive runner.

Despite the race being a handicap, there will only be a 6kg swing between top weights and bottom weights, the maximum weight being 60 kg and the minimum weight 54 kg. Weights may change up to the time of declarations, but there will be no change to the weights after the final field has been issued. The maximum field size will be 20 runners.

Second entries close at 1100 on Tuesday 31 October, final entries at 0900 on Monday 13 November after which the weights will be announced. Declarations must be made by 1100 on Wednesday 15 November.

First Entries for the R5-million Betway Summer Cup (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 25 November:

• ANFIELDS ROCKET (G J Maroun)
• ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock)
• ARUMUGAM (W H Marwing)
• ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird)
• BILLY BOWLEGS (B Crawford)
• BINGWA (J J van Vuuren)
• BLESS MY STARS (S G Tarry)
• BRAVE VIKING (J A Soma)
• COUSIN CASEY (S G Tarry)
• CRIMSON KING (B Crawford)
• DAVE THE KING (M F De Kock)
• EAST COAST (M F De Kock)
• ELECTRIC GOLD (A P Peter)
• EYE OF THE PROPHET (P F Matchett)
• FLYING BULL (A P Peter)
• FUTURE PEARL (S G Tarry)
• HOEDSPRUIT (K Mitchley)
• INFINITE WONDER (P F Matchett)
• LADY OF POWER (M/A Azzie)
• LITIGATION (S G Tarry)
• MERIDIUS (A P Peter)
• NEBRAAS (S G Tarry)
• PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren)
• RIVER ROMEO (P F Matchett)
• ROYAL GUIDE (A G Laird)
• RULE BY FORCE (J A Soma)
• RUNAWAY SONG (D Kannemeyer)
• SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock)
• SAVANNAH STORM (P/J Vermeulen)
• SAY YES (A P Peter)
• SECOND BASE (R Klaasen)
• SHOEMAKER (M F De Kock)
• SOLAR POWER (B Crawford)
• SON OF RAJ (W H Marwing)
• STAR COIN (A G Laird)
• STREET ART (A P Peter)
• TROIS TROIS QUATRE (M F De Kock)
• UNION SQUARE (M F De Kock)
• WINCHESTER MANSION (B Crawford)
• ZEUS (F P Habib)