LIEGE.
Nicci Garner: Abashiri and Liege have both advanced into the top 20 on the Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup log.
The log is a list of horses the handicappers would put in the field if the final field was being announced at that time.
Abashiri usurped Matador Man at the top of ante-post betting following his good second to Brazuca in a 1600m Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday 14 October. Abashiri was a 16-1 chance before that good comeback from a long rest. Matador Man was 10-1 but has drifted to 16-1.
Abashiri jumped from not having a place in the top 20 to fifth.
Liege sneaked into No 19 position on the log following his fifth behind Brazuca, Abashiri, Banner Hill and Shukamisa in that Pinnacle Stakes.
The horses kicked off the log were Master Switch and Girl On The Run, who were 17th and 19th respectively.
A total of 65 horses have been nominated but only 20 may run. Second entries close on 30 October when the weights will be published. Final entries fall due on 13 November with declarations the following day. The final field will be available on 14 November, but the draws will only be published on Wednesday 15 November.
Three logs have been published, but the first two were the same. We had a quick look at the form of the 20 horses who made it on to the log.
| Log 19/10 | Log 22/9 | Age Sex | Horse | MR | Trainer | Betting |
| 1 | 1 | 6G | DEO JUVENTE | 115 | Geoff Woodruff | 25-1 |
| TAB favourite in this race last year but reported not striding out and finished seventh behind then stablemate MASTER SABINA. Went on to win the Grade 1 Champions Challenge over 2000m in May and has not run since. Will carry top weight. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | 4G | MATADOR MAN | 112 | Sean Tarry | 16-1 |
| Biggest win to date was in the Listed Secretariat Stakes in December last year, but did go on to finish third in the Grade 1 Champions Cup and second in the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes. Not guaranteed to run because Tarry believes 2000m might be too far. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | 5M | NOTHER RUSSIA | 108 | Mike de Kock | 10-1 |
| Third favourite. Won the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes and fought on well in open company when beaten two short heads into third behind DEO JUVENTE and Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle in the Champions Challenge in her most recent outing. Loves track and trip. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | 5M | FORT EMBER | 105 | Paul Peter | 40-1 |
| Only 10th behind NOTHER RUSSIA in the Empress Club Stakes but jockey felt something amiss and did not persevere. Went on to win the Gold Bracelet (Grade 2) at Greyville on Gold Cup Day. Not disgraced against males over shorter in the past. | ||||||
| 5 | 5G | ABASHIRI | 109 | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 15-2 | |
| Ante-post favourite. SA’s third Triple Crown winner. Given a break from January to October and showed his appreciation for the holiday in his comeback, when a good second to BRAZUCA in a 1600m Pinnacle race. Has tons of class and immense ability at his best. | ||||||
| 6 | 5 | 5H | BRAZUCA (AUS) | 107 | J A Janse van Vuuren | 16-1 |
| Biggest win to date came in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes when he beat DEO JUVENTE (gave 1kg) by three lengths but then only sixth in the Champions Challenge. Good Progress win over 1600m in seasonal debut and comes well at this time of year. | ||||||
| 7 | 6 | 4F | ORCHID ISLAND | 101 | Mike de Kock | 30-1 |
| Her grand-dam Ilha da Vittora won this race in 2005. Beat the males in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes this year and went on to win the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic on Champions Day. Then fifth in the SA Oaks and fourth in the Woolavington 2000. Out of action since. | ||||||
| 8 | 7 | 4F | WIND CHILL | 101 | Joe Soma | 30-1 |
| Her third career win in the Grade 2 SA Oaks came following a close-up second in the Oaks Trial and she went on to finish fifth from a wide draw in the Woolavington 2000. Has not raced against the males to date but obviously stays well. | ||||||
| 9 | 8 | 4C | CROWD PLEASER | 100 | J A Janse van Vuuren | 16-1 |
| Best form to date has come at Grade 3 level, when only pipped in the Cup Trial and then winning the Campanajo 2200 on Durban July Day. That run should get him a berth in this race but he seems better on an easier track than the testing Turffontein Standside circuit. | ||||||
| 10 | 9 | 5G | HERMOSO MUNDO | 100 | Weiho Marwing | 9-1 |
| Second favourite in ante-post betting. Dam Escolita Fitz was a two-time Grade 1 winner at 1600m and 1800m but he might find this trip a bit sharp after winning the country’s three top stayers’ races last season, the Gold Bowl, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup. | ||||||
| 11 | 10 | 4C | TILBURY FORT | 97 | Sean Tarry | 33-1 |
| What his trainer calls a “nice handicapper”, who finished second in the Grade 2 Betting World 1900 and second to MATADOR MAN in the Secretariat Stakes. Although he is probably just below top drawer, Tarry believes a light weight will be in his favour. | ||||||
| 12 | 11 | 4G | GLIDER PILOT | 97 | Tyrone Zackey | 28-1 |
| Lightly raced four-year-old with only three races under his girth so far but above-average ability. Won his debut and placed next time before being chucked in at the deep end in the Daily News 2000 where he was not disgraced in fourth behind Edict Of Nantes. | ||||||
| 13 | 12 | 5H | NEW PREDATOR (AUS) | 113 | J A Janse van Vuuren | 35-1 |
| Too keen and hampered in only run beyond 1600m, when 11th in the Daily News 2000 last year so his ability over this distance has not been tested. Grade 1 place form over 1200m and 1600m so he has the class to be competitive if he stays. | ||||||
| 14 | 13 | 6G | FRENCH NAVY | 108 | Sean Tarry | 25-1 |
| His merit rating has come down six points and Tarry, who has battled with the gelding’s enthusiasm, reckons he can now be ultra-competetive at this level. Last win came in January last year but he is rarely beaten far at any level and his time will come again. | ||||||
| 15 | 14 | 8G | MASTER SABINA | 109 | Joe Soma | 25-1 |
| Won this race last year and the year before when based with Geoff Woodruff but sent to Justin Snaith after his fifth in the Champions Challenge, finishing unplaced in both his starts for the Cape trainer. Has not run for this stable yet. | ||||||
| 16 | 15 | 4G | PAGODA | 99 | Geoff Woodruff | 14-1 |
| Ante-post fourth favourite due to make his seasonal debut this Saturday, 21 October. His three career wins include the Derby Trial and he finished second in the SA Derby before losing form. Held by ORCHID ISLAND burt merit rating is down two points. | ||||||
| 17 | 16 | 5M | WITCHCRAFT | 101 | Sean Tarry | 40-1 |
| Biggest win came in the Oaks at Scottsville last year when she started at 25-1 but won well. On the heels of the placed horses in her two Grade 1 starts but a two-length third behind FORT EMBER in the Gold Bracelet in her most recent outing. Would be taking on males here. | ||||||
| 18 | 20 | 5G | BANNER HILL | 99 | Geoff Woodruff | 25-1 |
| Ex-Cape horse who made his debut for this stable on 14 October when third to BRAZUCA in a 1600m Pinnacle race on the Inside track and may prefer this more galloping course. Biggest win came in a 3200m Grade 3 race but has won over middle distances before. | ||||||
| 19 | 5G | LIEGE | 102 | Sean Tarry | 20-1 | |
| Not on the first log. Best of five career wins came in the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap, but his better efforts in defeat include a fourth in this race last year. Only two runs since including fair seasonal debut when fifth behind BRAZUCA in a 1600m Pinnacle race. | ||||||
| 20 | 18 | 4F | BI POT | 98 | Geoff Woodruff | 50-1 |
| Third behind ORCHID ISLAND and fourth behind WIND CHILL in the SA Fillies Classic and SA Oaks respectively but her two career wins came in much weaker company. Makes her four-year-old debut in a 1600m race at Turffontein on Saturday 21 October. | ||||||
| 17 | 6G | MASTER SWITCH | 99 | Geoff Woodruff | 35-1 | |
| Third behind MASTER SABINA in this race last year but kicked out of the top-20 on the Summer Cup log after finishing last of 10 behind BRAZUCA in a 1600m Pinnacle race in October. That came after two poor runs in Durban during the winter season. | ||||||
| 19 | 5M | GIRL ON THE RUN | 98 | J A Janse van Vuuren | 80-1 | |
| Good form against her own sex and comes to hand this time of year. Her wins include the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap last year and more recently she finished second in the Oaks at Scottsville before a close-up fifth in the Queen Palm last time out. Runs on 21 October. | ||||||
Views: 2468