Final fields for Gold Cup day

Jack Milner

Hong Kong World Pools on the meeting and two hefty carryovers add impetus to what is already a fabulous meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 30 July.

The meeting comprises the Grade 3 Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup over 3200m and four Grade 1 races – the Champions Cup over 1800m, the Mercury Sprint over 1200m, and the two races for juveniles over 1600m, the Premiers Champion Stakes and the Thekwini Stakes for fillies.

There is a R2-million Pick 6 carryover with a likely pool of R12 million and R500,000 will kick off the Quartet on the Mercury Sprint, and that is anticipated to reach R3 million.

Many of the Equus Awards will be decided at the meeting so there is a lot at stake for owners and trainers.

Nebraas, the winner of last year’s Gold Cup, is back to defend his title and will have Richard Fourie in the irons. Trainer Sean Tarry was disappointed his charge did not make the final field for the Hollywoodbets Durban July but the five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding is a true stayer with great fighting qualities and remains the runner to beat.

The new challengers are Mike de Kock’s SA Derby winner Aragosta and Paul Peter-trained Shangani who did beat Nebraas in their prep run at Turffontein.

Jet Dark, winner of the Champions Cup last year, heads up this year’s field and is another fine ride for Fourie. He will be meeting eight opponents which include Kommetdieding and Linebacker, the first three past the post in the Cape Town Met.  

Fourie will also ride Captain’s Ransom in the Mercury Sprint and this will be the first time this superb filly will take on the colts. This is a highly competitive race and the Quartet has to be a great bet.

MARSHALLS WORLD OF SPORT GOLD CUP (Grade 3) R750,000 3200m

1 - 1 SMOKING HOT (C Dawson) K Matsunyane 54.0 - 100

2 - 2 CHEWBACA (W A Nel) G Wright 54.0 - 96

3 - 3 SPRING FLING (G S Kotzen) R Khathi 54.0 - 96

4 - 4 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) R Fourie 60.0 - 118

5 - 5 BLACK THORN (S G Tarry) K de Melo 54.0 - 100

6 - 6 CRIMSON KING (G S Kotzen) L Mxothwa 56.5 - 108

7 - 7 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) S Khumalo 57.5 - 118

8 - 8 CHOLLIMA (G S Kotzen) G van Niekerk 54.0 - 102

9 - 9 SHANGO (S G Tarry) G Lerena 57.5 - 111

10 - 10 IMPERIAL RUBY (C Spies) C Zackey 55.5 - 104

11 - 11 DECORATED (F Robinson) M Yeni 54.0 - 100

12 - 12 SHANGANI (P A Peter) W Kennedy 59.0 - 116

13 - 13 OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE (F P Habib) R Danielson 54.5 - 102

14 - 14 SALVATOR MUNDI (J S Snaith) C Habib 54.0 - 100

15 - 15 REX UNION (D Kannemeyer) S Veale 54.0 - 86

Reserve Runners

16 - 0 FLYING FIRST CLASS (D Nieuwenhuizen) Reserve 1 54.0 - 78

17 - 0 PAYBACKTHEMONEY (N Kotzen) Reserve 2 54.0 - 90

18 - 0 ELECTRIC SURGE (R A Hill) Reserve 3 54.0 - 72

Same Trainer: (3,6,8) (4,5,9)

HKJC WORLD POOL CHAMPIONS CUP (Grade 1) R1 million 1800m

1 - 1 RUSSIAN ROCK (D Kannemeyer) K de Melo 60.0 - 120

2 - 2 ASTRIX (P A Peter) J P v'd Merwe 60.0 - 122

3 - 3 CROWN TOWERS (J S Snaith) C Habib 60.0 - 115

4 - 4 KOMMETDIEDING (H/M Crawford/Rix) G Lerena 60.0 - 128

5 - 5 JET DARK (J S Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 - 130

6 - 6 AL MUTHANA (M F De Kock) S Khumalo 60.0 - 125

7 - 7 MK'S PRIDE (P A Peter) M Yeni 60.0 - 122

8 - 8 LINEBACKER (V H Marshall) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 125

9 - 9 FIREALLEY (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 60.0 - 112

Same Trainer: (2,7) (3,5)

MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1) R1 million 1200m

1 - 1 VAL D'ORCIA (P A Peter) K de Melo 59.5 - 111

2 - 2 BIG BURN (P A Peter) W Kennedy 57.0 - 122

3 - 3 CAPTAIN'S RANSOM (J S Snaith) R Fourie 57.5 - 124

4 - 4 SMORGASBORD (P A Peter) C Habib 59.5 - 118

5 - 5 ALESIAN CHIEF (C J Lensley) M Yeni 59.5 - 123

6 - 6 CHIMICHURI RUN (S G Tarry) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 115

7 - 7 GOOD TRAVELLER (G S Kotzen) G van Niekerk 59.5 - 118

8 - 8 MASTER ARCHIE (P A Peter) G Lerena 59.5 - 125

9 - 9 ZARINA (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 57.5 - 111

10 - 10 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) S Khumalo 59.5 - 117

11 - 11 SUPREME QUEST (C Spies) M V'Rensburg 57.0 - 108

12 - 12 BATTLE FORCE (P B Muscutt) C Zackey 60.0 - 118

13 - 13 BOHICA (M/A Azzie) S Khumalo 60.0 - 125

14 - 14 GALLIC PRINCESS (C Dawson) L Mxothwa 57.5 - 115

15 - 0 ULTRA MAGNUS (P B Muscutt) Reserve 1 60.0 - 112

16 - 0 EDEN ROC (S G Tarry) Reserve 2 60.0 - 110

17 - 0 KAYLA'S CHAMP (F Bronkhorst) Reserve 3 57.5 - 103

Same Trainer: (1,2,4,8) (6,16) (10,11) (12,15)

PREMIERS CHAMPION STAKES (Grade 1)(For 2 year-olds) R500,000 1600m

1 - 1 QUANTUM THEORY (R R Sage) M Yeni 60.0 - 100

2 - 2 ROYAL VICTORY (N Kotzen) S Khumalo 60.0 - 107

3 - 3 RIVER QUERARESS (P A Peter) W Kennedy 57.5 - 111

4 - 4 PROPHET (C Spies) R Fourie 60.0 - 106

5 - 5 LAGUNA VERDE (M N Houdalakis) C Zackey 60.0 - 104

6 - 6 SUPERIOR FORCE (M D Miller) S Moodley 60.0 - 95

7 - 7 NOW I GOT YOU (C J Lensley) A Domeyer 60.0 - 107

8 - 8 MOVER AND SHAKER (F P Habib) K de Melo 60.0 - 95

9 - 9 COUSIN CASEY (G S Kotzen) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 109

10 - 10 GOLDEN PROSPECT (S G Tarry) C Habib 60.0 - 97

11 - 11 BILLY BOWLEGS (A G Laird) S Veale 60.0 - 96

12 - 12 GRINKOV (G S Kotzen) G Lerena 60.0 - 100

13 - 13 COUNTDOWN (G S Kotzen) L Mxothwa 60.0 - 98

14 - 14 ACORN (R R Magner) K A Brewer 60.0 - 95

15 - 0 EYJAFJALLAJOKULL (D Nieuwenhuizen) Reserve 1 60.0 - 94

16 - 0 RAFFLES (R R Magner) Reserve 2 60.0 - 91

17 - 0 WICCAN WARRIOR (G van Zyl (Jnr)) Reserve 3 60.0 - 89

Same Trainer: (9,12,13) (14,16)

THEKWINI STAKES (Grade 1)(For 2 year-old Fillies) R500,000 1600m

1 - 1 CANADIAN SUMMER (D W Moore) J Gates 60.0 - 98

2 - 2 HOLD MY HAND (G S Kotzen) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 87

3 - 3 TIME FO ORCHIDS (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 - 104

4 - 4 BUTTERFLY BEAUTY (J S Snaith) G Lerena 60.0 - 93

5 - 5 BLESS MY STARS (P A Peter) W Kennedy 60.0 - 90

6 - 6 MISS DAISY (B B Ruiters) M Khan 60.0 - 100

7 - 7 LITTLEMARYSUNSHINE (M F De Kock) S Khumalo 60.0 - 93

8 - 8 NONE OTHER (M N Houdalakis) C Zackey 60.0 - 97

9 - 9 MISS COOL (P A Peter) R A Venniker 60.0 - 104

10 - 10 ORARARI GOLD (C J Lensley) M Yeni 60.0 - 86

11 - 11 ROCK THE FOX (S G Tarry) C Habib 60.0 - 92

12 - 12 WOODLAND RETREAT (M D Miller) S Moodley 60.0 - 105

13 - 13 KILL SHOT (F Bronkhorst) R Munger 60.0 - 94

14 - 14 AMEENA (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 60.0 - 106

15 - 0 READY TO FLY (M F De Kock) Reserve 1 60.0 - 86

16 - 0 PRINCESS OZMA (W Whitehead) Reserve 2 60.0 - 90

17 - 0 GIRL OF TREGUNTER (P B Muscutt) Reserve 3 60.0 - 82

Same Trainer: (2,14) (3,11) (5,9) (7,15)