Picture for illustration.
The TAB is predicting a pick 6 “Megapool” of at least R20 million – thanks to a carryover leg-up of R5 million.
All true punters, seeking redemption from a miserable year of sickness and silliness, will be inclined to give this one a go – and possibly push the popular exotic bet past that colossal total of a year ago.
On the one hand, it seems incredible in a time of recession and depression that such a huge pot of cash is in play. On the other hand, tough times tend to fuel the gambling spirit.
There is a massive pile of money on offer throughout the 10-race card, which is topped by the Grade 1 R1 million WSB Gauteng Summer Cup and sprinkled with five other feature races.
The main event carries an unprecedented R7 million quartet “Maxipool”. Major races like this often throw up surprises among the places, so a very saucy dividend is quite possible.
The two jackpots are set to reach R2 million and R600,000 apiece, while the ever-popular Place Accumulator should hit a million. The Bipot offers R500,000 and the final pick 3 R200,000.
As if that box of tricks isn’t enough, the Summer Cup sponsor, bookmaker World Sports Betting (WSB), has assembled a wide range of special bets for the adventurous punter.
Among the options are winning margin, winning horse’s age and winning trainer. Then there are “match-play” bets between various horses; top jockeys Warren Kennedy, Luke Ferraris, Callan Murray, S’Manga Khumalo and Lyle Hewitson to land specific doubles on the day, and a “Big 3” versus the “Rest of the Field” showdown.
WSB reckons the Big 3 will pull it off, at odds of 6-10, and has gone as long as 11-10 on the other 17 runners combined.
The Big 3 are Summer Pudding (26-10 and drifting on Tuesday morning), Pack Leader (7-2 and shortening) and Charles (15-2 and steady).
The Rest are led by Cornish Pomodoro (11-1 and tightening), Youcanthurrylove (17-1) and last year’s Cup winner Zillzaal (20-1).
Paul Peter, who saddles Summer Pudding, Astrix (33-1) and Riverstown (35-1), is 19-10 in the WSB book for winning trainer. Champion conditioner Sean Tarry, fielding five runners, is 7-2, along with Alec Laird, who sends Pack Leader into the fight.
Multiple Summer Cup winner Mike de Kock, like his charge Charles, is a 15-2 proposition. Zietsman Oosthuizen, an intrepid raider from Port Elizabeth, is rank outsider at 80-1.
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