July heroine Sparkling Water, Daily News 2000 and Gauteng Guineas winner Safe Passage, and Triple Tiara winner Rain In Holland hold the top three spots respectively on the first log for the R2-million Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup to be run over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 26 November.
With MK’s Pride and Aragosta filling the next two positions, it means that four of the top five on the log come from Mike de Kock’s yard.
With a total of 49 entries, the competition to claim a stake in one of the most celebrated races on the Highveld is extremely stiff this year.
After his victory in the Grade 2 Topbet Mike O’Connor Joburg Spring Challenge on Saturday, William Robertson finds himself in sixth place on the log.
Cape Raider Hoedspruit, who had his first taste of Highveld racing in the Joburg Spring Challenge, is second from bottom of the log.
The final field will have a maximum of 20 runners and the next log will be published on 31 October.
FIRST SUMMER CUP LOG:
1 Sparkling Water (5M) 122 A Mike de Kock
2 Safe Passage (4G) 122 A Mike de Kock
3 Rain In Holland (4F) 118 BA Sean Tarry
4 MK’s Pride (5H) 122 A Mike de Kock
5 Aragosta (4G) 118 A Mike de Kock
6 William Robertson (4G) 125 A Corne Spies
7 Light Of The Moon (4F) 110 AT B Botes / Y Vosloo
8 Red Saxon (4G) 116 A Joe Soma
9 Puerto Manzano (ARG) (5G) 120 BA J A Janse van Vuuren
10 Nebraas (6G) 118 BA Sean Tarry
11 Bingwa (5G) 118 BA J A Janse van Vuuren
12 Shangani (5G) 117 A J A Janse van Vuuren
13 Second Base (5G) 117 BAM J A Janse van Vuuren
14 Pink Tourmaline (5M) 108 A Brett Crawford
15 Sprinkles (4F) 110 A J A Janse van Vuuren
16 Zeus (4C) 108 A Fabian Habib
17 Perfect Witness (4F) 109 BA Candice Dawson
18 Zillzaal (7G) 116 AT Sean Tarry
19 Hoedspruit (5G) 114 A Justin Snaith
20 Sovereign Spirit (7G) 113 BA Ashley Fortune
NEXT 10 IN ALPHEBETICAL ORDER
Black Thorn (5G) 103 AT Sean Tarry
Decorated (5G) 102 A Frank Robinson
Imperial Ruby (6G) 107 A Corne Spies
Jaimala (5G) 101 A Ashley Fortune
Litigation (4C) 101 AT Sean Tarry
Outofthedarkness (4G) 106 A J A Janse van Vuuren
Pyromaniac (4G) 110 AT Sean Tarry
Raiseahallelujah (5G) 99 A Candice Dawson
Shango (6G) 111 BAT Sean Tarry
Super Silvano (6G) 108 A Brett Crawford
REST OF THE ENTRIES IN MR ORDER
Majestic Mozart (7G) 117 A Ashley Fortune
Pamushana's Pride (5G) 113 AT Alec Laird
Marigold Hotel (4F) 110 A M Sean Tarry
Cornish Pomodoro (6G) 107 BAT Sean Tarry
Johnny Hero (6G) 107 BA Tyrone Zackey
Ikigai (6H) 104 BA Sean Tarry
Reunion (5G) 104 PA J A Janse van Vuuren
Willow Express (5G) 103 AT Sean Tarry
Clafoutis (4F) 102 AT Mike de Kock
Marchingontogether (7G) 101 AT St John Gray
Indlamu (5H) 99 A Sean Tarry
Paisley Park (5G) 98 AT Sean Tarry
Platinum Sky (4G) 98 AT Sean Tarry
Sudden Star (6G) 95 AT B Botes / Y Vosloo
Youcanthurrylove (6G) 95 PA Fabian Habib
Motown Magic (4G) 91 AT Mike de Kock
Super Silver (4G) 87 A Michael Miller
Prince Evlanoff (6G) 84 BA Alec Laird
King's Crusade (5G) 80 AT Joe Soma