Favourite Hawwaam drew barrier gate 12 when the draws were announced on Tuesday afternoon in front of media and invited guests at the Grand West Hotel for the R3 million Gr1 Sun Met to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday 1 February 2020.
Hawwaam’s big-race rider Anton Marcus told the Sporting Post that the 12 gate ‘gives me options’.
Sun Met Chairman Hassen Adams, a past winning Met owner, confirmed his support for racing and said that sponsors were ‘like dinosaurs’ but that Sun International was looking forward to a long association with the Cape flagship feature.
Racing Association CEO Larry Wainstein was also present and called the Met ‘the race of South Africa’. He said racing was going through times but was resilient and reminded all those assembled that ‘no one person was bigger than the game’.
Given the size of the field and the fair nature of the Kenilworth track, none of the draws allotted are likely to cause undue sleepless nights for the connections looking to win one of South Africa’s most prestigious races.
Justin Snaith second-stringer Bunker Hunt drew 2 but the Cape champion trainer indicated he would have preferred a wider slot.
Last year’s winner Rainbow Bridge pulled a 5 gate and will be ridden by international rider, Ryan Moore.
1st R1 710 000, 2nd R600 000, 3rd R300 000, 4th R150 000, 5th R90 000, 6th R30 000, 7th R30 000, 8th R30 000, 9th R30 000, 10th R30 000
THE SUN MET (Grade 1)
Open to horses at Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-5kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 11 | Do It Again | 60 | 136 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 2 | 5 | Rainbow Bridge | 60 | 134 | A | R Moore | Eric Sands | |
| 3 | 9 | Vardy | 60 | 134 | A | C Zackey | Adam Marcus | |
| 4 | 12 | Hawwaam | 60 | 131 | AM | A Marcus | Mike de Kock | |
| 5 | 13 | One World | 60 | 130 | A | M Byleveld | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 6 | 3 | Twist Of Fate | 60 | 129 | A | A Domeyer | Adam Marcus | |
| 7 | 4 | Head Honcho | 60 | 126 | T A | P Strydom | Andre Nel | |
| 8 | 6 | Undercover Agent | 60 | 124 | A | C Orffer | Brett Crawford | |
| 9 | 2 | Bunker Hunt | 60 | 122 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Justin Snaith | |
| 10 | 1 | Eyes Wide Open | 60 | 118 | BA | W Kennedy | Glen Kotzen | |
| 11 | 10 | Pack Leader | 60 | 116 | A | M Winnaar | Glen Kotzen | |
| 12 | 8 | Roy Had Enough (AUS) | 60 | 115 | A | S Veale | Frank Robinson | |
| 13 | 14 | Majestic Mozart | 60 | 107 | T A | K de Melo | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 14 | 7 | More Magic | 60 | 102 | A | G Cheyne | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,9) (3,6) (10,11) (13,14) | ||||||||
