OFF THE RECORD #96

Betway’s Ante-Post Buzz
Punters Eye Value for 2025 R6-million Summer Cup

The 2025 R6-million Betway Summer Cup is shaping up to be one of the most exciting renewals of South Africa’s richest race in recent memory, and the sponsor’s ante-post market reflects how open and competitive it will be this year.

Above: Confederate, strong front-runner (image: JC Photos)

Fabian Habib’s Grade 1 SA Classic winner, Confederate, has been installed as ante-post favourite at 8-1, with Tony Peter’s imported Equator (IRE) at 9-1, Gareth van Zyl’s Durban raider King Pelles at 9.5-1 and the other 39 first entries in a range from 11-1 to as high as 126 to 1.

Confederate posted an impressive comeback win over 1450m at Turffontein early in October, his first mission being next week’s Charity Mile. “He wasn’t fully wound up, as noted, so this was a good win from him. His July prep earlier this year wasn’t ideal so he ran well below best, but we’re going into the Charity Mile off a good preparation so far and after that we’ll have him spot-on for the Cup,” commented Habib.

Habib said that Confederate’s customary tactics will be employed. “He enjoys his front-running style, that’s how he races. He came back stronger after his rest, which is also exciting for us.”

The Equator drew inspired betting support earlier this week and shortened from 11-1 into 9-1. This handsome son of Galileo was an easy winner of a Pinnacle Stakes in August and has been kept under wraps since. Peter has decided to run him in a Graduation Plate this Saturday as his final blow into the Cup. He said: “The Equator is doing well and if he wins his prep run his merit rating won’t be affected. He’ll enjoy the sting out of the ground after the rain we’ve had and should go close, but our aim has always been the big race and we want to have him spot-on for that.”

Off MR110, The Equator will be racing off a competitive weight midway down the handicap in the Cup, and punters have cottoned on. Peter said: “Gavin Lerena helped us to find this Graduation Plate for him. We’d like Gavin to ride him in the Cup, but we can’t confirm that just yet. Richard Fourie will be riding him on Saturday.”

Above: King Pelles (Ant Mgudlwa), with trainer Gareth van Zyl (image: Candiese Lenferna) 

Equus Champion stayer King Pelles gave another indication of his class when he finished a close-up fifth in a strong 1200m sprint recently. Van Zyl and the powerful galloper’s connections were suitably impressed and the trainer said: “When he went into the Gold Cup, I was of the opinion that he had improved and that he would run his biggest race to date. He needed to, to win. Looking at his form when he has previously had comeback runs, never over as short a trip as 1200m, he's never been impressive.

“Going into the 1200 recently, I expected King Pelles to be off the pace and flat-footed. He was everything but that. The race gave me the impression that he's actually a better horse than what we've seen. Perhaps I’m crazy making that assumption, but that's what I read into it. He will have a 1600m blowout in a Conditions Plate on 7 November and then travel up for the big one close to the race. He is looking well within himself, and I am very confident in him.”

Above: Madison Valley, better gelded (image: Candiese Lenferna)

Madison Valley was commanding in his Conditions Plate success over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Sunday, a race which also saw good comeback runs from other Cup contenders On My Honour and Royal Victory. This was, however, a day the connections of See It Again would rather forget. Trainer Michael Roberts, and most of South Africa’s punters, were angry and aggravated by the starter’s bungling which led to their charge, See It Again, being prematurely withdrawn for refusing to load. With this vital prep run lost, Roberts is weighing up other options for getting his talented gelding to peak fitness, and See It Again has drifted from 7s to 13-1.

Madison Valley finished fourth from the widest of draws when Atticus Finch won the Cup last year, and trainer Frank Robinson is looking forward to this year’s race. “Madison Valley was getting very coltish last year, so we gelded him after the Summer Cup. He was going up on his hind legs and jockey Gavin Lerena told me it’s the first horse he has ridden who ‘shouts’ in a race. Whenever he got into a challenge, he made that distinct, throaty sound that stallions make when they’re about to cover a mare. So, he was growling at his rivals in his races, wanting to jump on them and that may have affected his breathing.”

Stronger and more relaxed now, Madison Valley will be stripped and ready to stake his claim on the day. Robinson said: “After his gelding he went flat, he didn’t like the fact that his testicles were gone. But he turned the corner recently and when I saddled him last Sunday, it struck me how beautiful his coat was. Also, he didn’t play up at the pens. He is in good shape!”

Glen Kotzen and his patrons were delighted with On My Honour’s fourth place to Madison Valley and Kotzen said: “When he went for a gap, it closed, so he had to switch around runners and finished strongly after his rest. He wasn’t wound up. There is plenty to come from him. We’ll bypass the Charity Mile for another prep run. I think he will stay all day and the 2000m at Turffontein will be fine for him.”

Nathan Kotzen, like Gareth van Zyl, has earmarked the Conditions Plate on 7 November for 2023 Summer Cup winner Royal Victory, as a final gallop into this year’s race. Kotzen said that behaviour therapist Glyn Redgrave had worked with the six-year-old after he’d refused to canter to the stalls of Champions Cup Day. “All went fine on Saturday. We wanted to see him jump and finish off the race well. I told Chad Little to give him a chance. He was last at the 200m mark and ran on late, so we are pleased. Chad will be riding him on 29 November.”

Spumante Dolce and Fiery Pegasus are the first two fillies in the betting market, both priced up at 17-1.

Mike de Kock, who trains Spumante Dolce with his son, Mathew, said that the daughter of Vercingetorix enjoyed a spell on the farm after her fifth-placed finish in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes on Gold Cup Day.

He commented: “Spumante Dolce played around in the paddocks at Mauritzfontein for a few months and she’s returned in excellent condition, she really enjoyed herself. I still think she’s best over a mile, though her second place behind Eight On Eighteen over 2000m in the Daily News was very good. She stayed on that day, but she was probably stretched to her limit. The 2000m at Turffontein is tougher, which will be a concern, but one has to consider that she’s come back stronger and more mature, so may well see out the distance fully now.”

Mike said that Spumante Dolce will only have one prep run by design – the Charity Mile – and will go into the Summer Cup fresh and ready. “She’s working really well and we’ve planned it this way.”

Spumante Dolce is lightly-raced at four – she’s only had eight runs – and will be aiming to give the stable a 10^th Cup success, a feat that has eluded them since Flirtation won the 2010 edition of the race. “This year’s race will be even more competitive than usual. Madison Valley, On My Honour and Royal Victory are coming along the right way, as we’ve seen, and it’s good to see some top runners from outside of Gauteng. With R6-million on offer, I think trainers from out of town who don’t compete with their suitable runners are doing their owners a disservice. Travelling runners can win this race.”

For value among the female runners, a contender worth considering is Roy Magner’s classy 112-rated, Olivia’s Way, who just needed her pipe-opener over 1450m in the Joburg Spring Challenge. She will come on in leaps and bounds and, at 33-1 on the Betway boards, early speculators have an opportunity of cashing in before her second prep, this Saturday.

Above: 2024 Betway Summer Cup winner, Atticus Finch, approaching his peak (image: Candiese Lenferna)

Last year’s winner, Atticus Finch, will complete his preparation in the Charity Mile. Trainer Alec Laird said: “Atticus Finch will be running with a Grade 1 penalty in the Charity Mile, but his preparation has gone well. Last year we raced him in the Victory Moon two weeks before the Summer Cup and we’ll have a four-week gap between runs this year, which is fine. This race is his mission.”

Laird is a master at getting them ready for the big occasion and considering Atticus Finch’s superb recent second in the Joburg Spring Challenge, the gelding’s supporters won’t be short of confidence. He is priced up in the 11-1 range for a successful title defence.

At 26-1, Mark Khan’s Solar Sail will have his share of supporters. He’s already had a few fair runs this season and Khan said: “He’s a decent horse and his third in last year’s Derby carried merit. I won’t read too much into his last run. Most runners were caught flatfooted by the speedy Press On Regardless and finished well back. I’ve placed Solar Sail in specific races to keep his rating down. We’ll look at the draws and keep our options open.”