Future Pearl favourite for Gold Cup

Jack Milner

New staying star Future Pearl heads up the betting at 2-1 for the Grade 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 30 July.

Sean Tarry’s charge has been a revelation since tried over longer distances and the manner in which he won the Grade 3 Gold Vase over 3000m on Durban July day undoubtedly makes him the horse to beat.

Victory in the Gold Cup will see Future Pearl win the unofficial Gold Stayers Triple Crown because other than the Gold Vase, he has already won the Grade 3 WSB Gold Bowl over 3200m at Turffontein by 3.25 lengths.

Richard Fourie will ride him in the Gold Cup and if he does achieve the win he will have matched the 2017 feat of the Weiho Marwing-trained Hermoso Mundo.

Aragosta, second favourite at 7-1, did beat Future Pearl in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m but there is no doubt the further Future Pearl goes, the better he performs.  

Last year’s winner Shangani is quoted at 9-1 while Nebraas, winner in 2021, can be backed at 16-1.

See It Again, second in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, has been priced up at 22-10 to win The HKJC World Pool Champions Cup (Grade 1) over 1800m.

He will be very well weighted in this event and also will be hard to beat. L’Ormarins King’s Plate winner Al Muthana is next best at 11-2 with Trip Of Fortune and Dave The King at 6-1.

Top-class mare Princess Calla has been entered into both the Champions Cup and the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m and is quoted at 8-1 for the Cup and 22-10 second favourite for the Sprint behind top-class Gimme A Prince.

She is drawn No 11 in the 1200m event and should Sean Tarry decide to run her there it should be one of the highlights of the meeting.

Despite it being his first run over 1600m and his first venture to Durban, it comes as no surprise to see unbeaten Lucky Lad at the top of the boards at 17-10 for the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes.

He is a full brother to Follow Me who won the Grade 3 Fillies Mile at Turffontein so the distance should not be a concern.

This meeting will be a Hong Kong World Pool event so punters will be able to bet into massive TAB pools on specific events.  

Supplementary entries close at 11:00 on Tuesday 18 July with declarations at 11:00 on Thursday 20 July

BETTING

World Pool Gold Cup (Grade 3) over 3200m

2-1 Future Pearl; 7-1 Aragosta; 8-1 One Way Traffic; 9-1 Shangani; 10-1 Crimson King; 12-1 Arumugam; 14-1 Black Thorn; 16-1 Nebraas; 18-1 Runaway Song, Rex Union, Fight Song; 20-1 and upwards others

The HKJC World Pool Champions Cup (Grade 1) over 1800m

22-10 See It Again; 11-2 Al Muthana; 6-1 Trip Of Fortune, Dave The King; 8-1 Zapatillas, Safe Passage, Princess Calla; 14-1 Pomp And Power; 16-1 MK's Pride, Second Base; 18-1 Rascallion; 25-1 and upwards others

Mercury Sprint (Grade 1) over 1200m

15-10 Gimme A Prince; 22-10 Princess Calla; 7-2 Isivunguvungu; 9-1 Thunderstruck; 16-1 Surjay, Tempting Fate, Sheela; 18-1 William Robertson; 25-1 and upwards others

World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m

17-10 Lucky Lad; 3-1 Main Defender; 7-2 Sandringham Summit; 6-1 Gimmeanotherchance; 12-1 Outlaw King; 16-1 Egyptian Mau; 20-1 and upwards others