Sean Tarry has a strong hand in the 15 horse field for the World Pool Gr3 Gold Cup on Sunday with the reigning champion and hot favourite Future Pearl and the former winner Nebraas, who are drawn nicely in six and five with Richard Fourie and Gavin Lerena aboard respectively.
Gold Circle report that Future Pearl, who is the reigning champion, is an impressive specimen and for a big horse has a fine turn of foot.
Reigning champion Future Pearl and pilot Richard Fourie will team up once again to defend the title on Sunday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The four-year-old Futura gelding is progressive and is back to his best having had one or two issues in the earlier part of this season.
Nebraas, who won three years ago in 2021, is seven years old but has a fine chance on paper at the weights. A look at his staying race form this season sees him emerging ahead of a number of runners on paper at the weights.
Furthermore, he comes into the race off a good running-on 1,90 length third in the Gr 3 DSTV Gold Vase over 3000m. He did not receive a raise for that effort. He emerges ahead of Future Pearl on the form of last year’s Gold Cup. He will be a big runner if able to run to his best.
Justin Snaith, who will be out to keep Tarry at bay in the trainer’s championship race, runs the talented One Way Traffic from pole position with Keagan de Melo up and Future Swing with S’Manga Khumalo up from draw eleven.
The latter won his only attempt at a staying trip, in a Listed race over 2500m, and could be anything over this trip. However, both horses look held by Nebraas on collateral form.
Mike de Kock runs former SA Derby winner Aragosta, who does not appear to particularly like Hollywoodbets Greyville, from draw ten with Serino Moodley up.
However, if getting a good position, he is capable of doing well as is proved by his Gr1 Daily News 2000 third two years ago, his Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup third over 2400m last year, his Gr 3 Splash Out 2200 second last year and his one-length second to Future Pearl in the Gr3 Tabgold Derby this year.
Tony Peter runs another former SA Derby winner Son Of Raj for Durban wner Steven Chetty from barrier position four with Calvin Habib up. This horse was beaten by over 19 lengths in the July and is tough to fancy on current form.
Frank Robinson runs the Gr3 DSTV Gold Vase winner and runner up Madison Valley and Shoot The Rapids from draw seven and draw 15 with Kaidan Brewer and Muzi Yeni aboard respectively. Shoot The Rapids is weighted to turn the tables on Madison Valley, but at the same time has a tough task at the weights with Gold Vase third-placed Nebraas. So they both have tough tasks at the weights, but Madison Valley is very progressive, while Shoot The Rapids will stay all day.
Mike and Adam Azzie’s charge Breeze Over is a big horse who is greatly benefited by a good draw, so draw two will do fine and Rachel Venniker replaces Muzi Yeni, who has jumped ship to ride Shoot The Rapids after Twice Over gelding Breeze Over’s 4,95 length eighth in the Gold Vase.
The Andre Nel-trained Master Redoute has proven class over long distances as the winner of the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m and he should be a big runner from draw three with Corne Orffer up. However, he is 3kg worse off with Nebraas for a mere 0,75 length beating in the latter race.
Piet Botha runs Baratheon, who was a fine third in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m, beaten 1,35 lengths by Down To Business, who was unfortunately scratched from the Gold Cup early last week.
Baratheon’s only attempt beyond 2400m was in last season’s Western Cape Stayers, when a 4,40 length eighth to Salvatore Mundi and well beaten by Nebraas and Master Redoute, although he does now get weight from both.
Master Fuego ran a fine 1,90 length third in the Gr3 Splash Out 2200 in his first attempt at a trip beyond 2000m, but this is a kilometre further. He is by Master Of My Fate out of a Fort Wood mare who won up to 1950m, but he nevertheless has plenty to prove from draw nine. However, his trainer Dean Kannemeyer has won this race three times.
Kannemeyer also runs Ponte Pietra, who is drawn 12 and comes off a 3,30 length sixth in the Splash Out 2200, which was also his first attempt at a race beyond 2000m. He is by Vercingetorix, the sire of Gold Cup winner Nebraas, and he is out of a Galileo mare so is an interesting runner.
Raiseahallelujah ran a gallant 3,85 length fourth last year from pole position. He is under sufferance this year again and also has to overcome a wide draw of 13.
Zeus has a fine record over staying trips but goes particularly well for Gavin Lerena, who has been aboard for all ten of his wins. However, despite Zeus carrying topweight of 60kg, Lerena is sticking with Nebraas and Grant van Niekerk gets the ride.
This might be due to Zeus’s last two starts over staying trips with Lerena aboard. In the Listed TAB Gold Bowl over 3200m he was beaten 14,25 lengths by Crimson King, although he was carrying 62kg. In his last start he ran a 2,15 length third to Furture Pearl in the Tabgold Derby over 2400 and is now 1,5kg worse off with Future Pearl, despite being given a welcome three point drop by the handicapper.
The two reserves are Street Art and Indian Ocean.
The selection is Nebraas to beat Future Pearl with Shoot The Rapids, Master Redoute and Breeze Over next best.
