Unbeaten – De Kock’s exciting Mujaarib goes for a perfect five in Saturday’s Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup
History and pure numbers point to a Mike De Kock victory in Saturday’s R2 million Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup at Turffontein. The difficult part is deciding which of his seven runners is the right one. The undefeated Australian-bred Mujaarib keeps catching the eye as an exciting prospect and a likely winner.
The first Summer Cup may have been run in 1887, but despite all that history at our fingertips, finding a winner over a century down the line is no easier.
Great horses like Java and Elevation have won this historic race three years running, but we are yet to identify any runner amongst the twenty carded for Saturday that could yet carry the tag of a genuine great of the game .
No Depth
In fact the field disappointingly lacks genuine depth beyond the top few and therein lies the real poser for punters. If the top two or three have an off day, then we could have a blowout and just about anything could pop up.
Thirty five percent of the field are made up by runners from the De Kock yard and while statistics can be misleading, like it or not, it is probably fair to say that that is a reflection of the champion trainer’s stranglehold and dominance of South African horseracing.
De Kock has not necessarily had it all his own way in this race, having won it with two fillies and two boys in the past nine years.
Ilha Da Vittoria and Flirtation were the two lady winners, while Wolf Whistle and Rudra balanced the equation.
De Kock has also run four painful seconds in the race and he thus appears to be taking no chances by sending a herd to post in 2012.
Finding Form – The Silvano gelding Silver Flyer looks to improve on his good fourth in the Charity Mile
Unbeaten
Glen Hatt travels up from Cape Town to partner Charity Mile winner Mujaarib again.
The Australian-bred son of Nadeem is yet to taste defeat in four outings and ran a scorcher when flying up to collar Whiteline Fever last time.
The Tarry runner is now 1 kg better off with Mujaarib on that tight finish – which really could have gone either way.Whiteline Fever jumps from the 14 stall-gate with Bernard Fayd’herbe in the saddle and there should be nothing between them again.
Silver Flyer is 2kgs better off with Mujaarib on their Charity Mile clash, but has unfortunately drawn poorly again. Kevin Shea rides him again and the gelding should now be reaching peak fitness.
Silent Partner is 3kgs better off with Zambucca on their Victory Moon finish where he ran 7,50 lengths behind the Mohideen horse. He carries a nice galloping weight of 52 kgs, and could prove a quartet kicker.
Draws
Poorly drawn at 17, the grey Empenoso Henn came back to winning ways last time when flying up late in an MR 94 Handicap over the Vaal Sand mile. While he is Listed race placed on the turf, Empenoso Henn is yet to assert himself at Group level.
Anton Marcus stays with the Argentinian-bred Vettel, after his fair 5,75 length fourth behind Zambucca in the Victory Moon Stakes.
He is now 4kgs better off with Zambucca and is better drawn.
Ilsanpietro has pulled the worst of the draw and is another who failed to fire in the Victory Moon Stakes last time. It may be relevant that Ilsanpietro ran the race of his life in this event last year, when going down 1,25 lengths second to Dancewiththedevil, and could come back to himself at any time.
SA Oaks winner Ilha Bela is unlikely to ever reach the heights of her mom, who won this race in 2005.
She has drawn at 19 here and after a poor run in the Victory Moon Stakes last time, we feel that she has a mountain to climb and may not be as good as many appear to think she is.
Arch Enemy – Our dark horse Golden Crest has not been far off and could prove some good value
Woody ‘s Two
Geoff Woodruff’s Golden Crest and Soul Master are both capable of upsetting the more fancied runners.
Golden Crest is the dark horse in the race for us.
His impeccable form has tapered negatively at his last two starts since being thrown in the deep end, but he was not that far off to suggest that he is not capable of cropping up when least expected.
He is 3kgs worse off with Mujaarib for a 7,50 length beating in the Charity Mile, which means De Kock will have his measure again. But Golden Crest is very fit and well drawn and just looks a shade better than his form suggests.
Soul Master bounced back to best with an emphatic victory in the Listed Java Handicap run over 2450m. He finished over 15 lengths behind in this race last year, and would probably be happier with a bit more of a stamina test.
Azz Is
Mike Azzie sends out Chesalon and Brooks- Club.
Topweight Chesalon has his third Gauteng run since relocating from the Mike Bass yard after an unplaced run in the Champions Cup. He ran unplaced 7,25 lengths behind Link Man in the Joburg Spring Challenge and then showed astonishing early pace over 1160m when fading to finish 13,50 lengths behind Pomodoro.
On his best form Chesalon would have an undeniable chance, but needs to start delivering again before we can recommend him with any confidence.
Brooks-Club rather contentiously missed a run in the Victory Moon Stakes as he was withdrawn as a reserve runner. The son of Strike Smartly is only a one-time winner but has place credentials in enough of last season’s features to suggest he has a chance of earning place money.
Tyrone Zackey’s gallant Kahal gelding Smanjemanje burst into the limelight when almost burgling the Vodacom Durban July from under the noses of some upmarket types.
His three runs since that high have been a little quiet, although he did show some spark last time when staying on for fifth and 6,25 length behind Zambucca in the Victory Moons Stakes.
Smanjemanje is well drawn and 6 kgs better off here and he could well turn the tables on Zambucca.
Zambucca and Astro News fought out a tremendous tussle in the Victory Moon Stakes a fortnight ago and they bump heads here again.
Joao Moreira, who is replaced here by Muzi Yeni, rode a cracker to keep Astro News at it but they were denied narrowly by the stronger Zambucca and Karl Zechner.
Astro News is a half kg better off now and there should be little to choose between them again. The draw factor could in fact swing it Astro News’ way marginally.
No Champagne
Piere Strydom sides with Gary Alexander’s Pierre Jourdan, who has not won for over a year.
The son of Parade Leader has been on the receiving end of excuses from too short, to no pace, to being bumped, and when the excuses start running short and the results confirm the possibility that he may just have lost his enthusiasm for racing, then it might be time to call it a day. He certainly owes his connections nothing
Colin Scott brings Sage Throne up from KwaZulu-Natal and the son of Dynasty makes his first appearance since an unplaced effort behind In Writing in the Ladbrokes Gold Cup on Super Saturday.
While fitness is a major concern, it is perhaps pertinent to note that Sage Throne has never won anything more than a Pinnacle Plate and doesn’t look to have what it takes to win this.
Ormonde Ferraris’ Knock On Wood has pulled an awful draw of 16, and the son of Muhtafal will have to improve dramatically on his poor run behind Zambucca in the Victory Moon Stakes. He was poorly drawn there and is better off with Zambucca here. But 3kgs is not enough to reverse a 10,55 length deficit.
Gavin Van Zyl’s Shogunnar has secured the rails draw, but this one-time winner looks an optimistic entry. His career highpoint appears to be a third placed finish behind Jackson in the Daily News. He has no chance on his Victory Moon Stakes effort when showing some pace before fading out to finish 12,25 lengths behind Zambucca.
S’manga Khumalo rides the Tiger Ridge gelding Wagner for Joey Soma.
Wagner has edged nicely back to form at his last three runs and showed his well-being with a forward showing when beating the Yellowwood Handicap winner Enchanted Kingdom in an MR 92 Handicap a fortnight ago. This still looks a bit strong for him.
Hot Stuff- Whiteline Fever was narrowly beaten in the Charity Mile and could go close
Summer Summary
De Kock will be the focus for Pick 6 punters and he appears to hold a very strong hand tactically and in terms of horsepower with the exciting Mujaarib being well supported by established campaigners.
Whiteline Fever and Silver Flyer could be the dangers, while our dark horse Golden Crest and Zambucca warrant inclusion.
But it should be a great summer!
