The draw for the R7.5 million Cape Racing Gold Rush II takes place this Wednesday, the same evening that draws are pulled for the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.
The ceremony takes place in the 1881 Room at the stunningly refurbished Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse.
The Gold Rush II will be staged on 27 January, thereby coinciding with the running of the iconic World Sports Betting Cape Town Met – one of the most exciting days staged by Cape Racing. This year’s colourfully energized theme is Cape Splendour.
This is the second running of the Gold Rush, partly modelled on the richly endowed turf race, The Everest, staged at Royal Randwick, Sydney, Australia, where prospectors buy places in the line-up and can then negotiate a private deal with owners of horses that qualify for the final field.
The Cape Racing version is restricted to three-year-old Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduates, so the 2024 vintage stars graduate from the 2022 CPYS.
The colts carry 60 kg and fillies 57,5 kg, and the big money bonanza is staged over 1600m.
The final two slots of sixteen have been taken up by Lindsay Ralphs and Cape Racing Sales at R400 000 a pop.
Travel plans for Gr1-winning, Highveld-based heroine Bavarian Beauty, who sports the highest merit rating of 112 in the field, and seems bound to start favourite, have been confirmed.
Below is a list of possible entries and prospectors, though nothing has been cast in stone yet.
Things may well change on this tentative list before final announcements are made.
Acceptances fall due at 11h00, and final draws will be concluded on Wednesday evening, 17 January.
- World Sports Betting – King Of The Gauls
- Ridgemont –
- Bass Racing – Winter Rainfall
- Klawervlei Stud – Willie John
- Rikesh Sewgoolam – Infrared (slot sold to A Gujadhur)
- Jayson Murugasa –
- David Abery – Pritti Victory (slot sold to Yaseen Ebrahim)
- Ian Levitan –
- Mano Pandaram – Tamil Tigress
- Laurence Wernars – Sunshine Day
- Hollywoodbets – Kupholiwe / King of Spin
- Playgate SA – Bavarian Beauty
- Arun Chadha – Tail Of The Comet
- Nic Jonsson – Rapidash
- Lindsay Ralphs – Just Be Lekker
- Cape Racing Sales – Common Grounds.
- Media release by Cape Racing on Tuesday 16 January 2024