Magic! Joao Moreira could be back to ride Astro News next weekend
Word on the ground is that Singapore Champion Jockey Joao Moreira may be back in South Africa to ride the Victory Moon Stakes runner-up Astro News in next Saturday’s Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup at Turffontein.
Moreira, who was in the country last weekend for the International Jockeys Challenge, made a tremendous impact with his riding style and off the track warmth and enthusiasm. He went down narrowly on Astro News in Friday evening’s feature to outsider Zambucca.
Trainer Brian Wiid is hoping his runner will finally have some good fortune and was not unhappy with his 10 draw.
Trainer Mike de Kock will be chasing his 10th victory in the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup and will have seven horses to do the job for him. However, five of them have drawn wide for the R2-million race.
The two race favourites – Mujaarib and Silver Flyer – had different fortunes. Mujaarib is nicely positioned at gate No 8 while Silver Flyer will have to jump from barrier No 15. Glen Hatt, who rode Mujaarib to victory in the Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile earlier this month, is aboard the Australian-bred four-year-old.
Kevin Shea will ride Silver Flyer.
Fever! Sean Tarry only has one runner in the poorly drawn Whiteline Fever
De Kock had better luck with Vettel, who is drawn No 5, and will have Anton Marcus up. As far as the balance of his runners are concerned, Empenoso Henn (Derreck David) is drawn No 17, Ilsanpietro (Gavin Lerena) No 20, Ilha Bela (Anthony Delpech) No 19 and Silent Partner (Raymond Danielson) No 12.
Whiteline Fever, runner-up in the Charity Mile, was another who landed a poor draw. Bernard Fayd’Herbe will be in the irons on Sean Tarry’s runner and they will jump from barrier No 14.
There was also bad news for Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes winner Zambucca, who landed up at position No 18. “I am very happy with the condition of the horse. He has come through the Victory Moon very well. That was his second run after a layoff so he will be at his peak for the big race. But I am concerned about the draw,” said trainer Saeed Mohideen.
Karl Zechner has the ride.
Smanjemanje, who ran second in the Vodacom Durban July, will have the benefit of No 3 draw and will be ridden by Grant van Niekerk.
Final field for the R2-million Sansui Summer Cup (Grade 1), hosted by Gauteng to be run over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 1 December.
1 – 9 CHESALON (M G Azzie) G Schofield 60.0 – 110
2 – 14 WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry) B Fayd’Herbe 59.0 – 109
3 – 3 SMANJEMANJE (T Zackey) G van Niekerk 59.0 – 108
4 – 18 ZAMBUCCA (S Mohideen) K Zechner 58.0 – 107
5 – 13 PIERRE JOURDAN (G M Alexander) P Strydom 58.0 – 106
6 – 15 SILVER FLYER (M F De Kock) K Shea 57.5 – 106
7 – 17 EMPENOSO HENN (M F De Kock) D David 57.5 – 105
8 – 20 ILSANPIETRO (M F De Kock) G Lerena 57.5 – 105
9 – 6 SAGE THRONE (C Scott) S Cormack 57.5 – 105
10 – 2 SOUL MASTER (G V Woodruff) M Mienie 57.5 – 105
11 – 5 VETTEL (M F De Kock) A Marcus 57.0 – 105
12 – 4 GOLDEN CREST (G V Woodruff) M V’Rensburg 56.0 – 103
13 – 10 ASTRO NEWS (B O Wiid) …………… 55.5 – 102
14 – 7 BROOKS-CLUB (M G Azzie) R Fradd 55.0 – 101
15 – 16 KNOCK ON WOOD (O A Ferraris) N Juglala 55.0 – 100
16 – 19 ILHA BELA (M F De Kock) A Delpech 54.5 – 100
17 – 1 SHOGUNNAR (G H Van Zyl) B Lerena 54.0 – 99
18 – 8 MUJAARIB (M F De Kock) G Hatt 53.5 – 98
19 – 11 WAGNER (J A Soma) S Khumalo 52.5 – 96
20 – 12 SILENT PARTNER (M F De Kock) R Danielson 52.0 – 94
Same Trainer: (1,14) (6,7,8,11,16,18,20) (10,12)
