Puerto Manzano will be looking at becoming the first horse since Master Sabina in 2016 to win the Betway Summer Cup for the second successive year.
This Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained gelding has been in outstanding form since that victory and after his triumph in the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile last month, it is no surprise he is joint-favourite at 5-1 along with Hollywoodbets Durban July champion Winchester Mansion.
The final field of 20 runners for the R5-million Grade 1 race over 2000m on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 25 November was revealed at a function in Joburg on Wednesday evening where the draws for barrier positions took place.
There were some “oohs and aahs” when barrier No 17 was pulled for Puerto Manzano but he is likely to come from off them, and with the long home straight he can easily make up the ground.
Of the other fancied runners, Winchester Mansion will jump from barrier No 11, Cousin Casey from barrier No 12 with Atticus Finch and Bless My Stars, the other two runners priced up under 10-1, faring a lot better in barriers No 6 and No 2 respectively.
Interestingly it was Gavin Lerena who rode Master Sabina to his two victories, and he will be looking for his fourth win in this race aboard Puerto Manzano.
Winchester Mansion had a great warm-up run when fourth, beaten just 1.10 lengths by Puerto Manzano in the Charity Mile, and is another who will benefit from the additional 400m. That was his first race on the Highveld and assistant trainer James Crawford declared himself very happy with the build-up for both of the stable’s runner, the other being Billy Bowlegs.
Cousin Casey and Bless My Stars were the sandwich between Puerto Manzano and Winchester Mansion in the Charity Mile and they should both be competitive once again.
A Pick 6 carryover of R2-million has already been announced with the pool likely to reach R10 million and there will also be a Quartet carryover to the Summer Cup of R1-million with a likely pool of R4-million.
The Pick 6 begins in Race 4 and is made up of six Graded races.
Clive Robinson
