As Africa’s richest race and jewel in the crown of the Highveld racing calendar, the R6-million Betway Summer Cup (Race 8) tops the 11-event feature-race card laden with quality and even more betting opportunities to win big on Saturday 30 November.
The Grade 1 contest on Turffontein’s Standside track is a must-see given the star-studded field set for battle from the 2000m marker, with KwaZulu-Natal ‘big-hitters’ See It Again and reigning champion Royal Victory joined in the 20-runner lineup by fellow proven stakes performers Main Defender, Winchester Mansion, Purple Pitcher, Barbaresco and Puerto Manzano, as well as fillies Silver Sanctuary, Beating Wings, and Oisin Murphy’s mount Frances Ethel.
The latter is one of four select rides for the visiting former UK Champion Jockey who, all things being equal, can expect a competitive showing from Brett Crawford-trained Rafeef filly, Joe Soma’s Fiery Pegasus (Race 6) and Green Street for Sean Tarry in Race 2.
There is a R1-million Quartet carryover in the main race and whatever the outcome, it should pay well given the estimated R3-million pool. So, too, will TAB’s popular Pick 6 with the R2-million carryover injection likely to result in that pool threatening, if not surpassing, the R7-million mark.
The tote operator hasn’t missed a beat and offers punters a betting bonanza that also includes three Jackpots and two BiPots at 4Racing’s bumper feature-race fixture.
On the track, it should pay to follow in-form jockeys Gavin Lerena and Piere Strydom who are well represented throughout the card with legitimate winning chances aboard their mounts in several stakes races.
However, red-hot Lerena will likely steal the show. He is riding at the top of his game and enjoying a purple patch that has brought success across the country – in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban.
Lerena should strike in the first of the features, the Grade 3 Carry On Alice Stakes (Race 4), aboard Tarry-trained Mrs Browning who is favourably treated by the conditions and weighted to win.
The same applies to last-start winner VJ’s Angel in the 1600m Grade 3 Fillies Mile (Race 6). Tony Peter’s charge was a wide-margin winner under Lerena of her last start over the same course and distance.
Mike and Adam Azzie have booked Lerena to ride rapidly improving stayer Poets Warrior whose progress it could pay to follow in Race 10, the Non-Black Type ROA Stayers over 3200m.
However, Royal Victory is the horse he is most excited to be riding and Nathan Kotzen’s runner is good value to retain his Summer Cup title. The five-year-old Pathfork gelding is a proven top-level performer with an unbeaten two-from-two course-and-distance record, with both victories achieved at the highest level.
Strydom is reunited with Royal Victory’s familiar foe See It Again, himself an established top-level performer with nothing to prove. Michael Roberts’ charge beat Royal Victory by 1.20 lengths in a 1600m Pinnacle Stakes earlier this month but is 4.5kg worse off.
Crawford-trained Fatal Flaw is another last-start winner who Strydom rides that may have to play second fiddle to Lerena’s mount when those three-year-old fillies renew their rivalry in Race 6.
Strydom takes over the reins from the injured S’manga Khumalo aboard last season’s Champion Two-Year-Old-Filly, Quid Pro Quo, in the Grade 2 Betway Dingaans (Race 7) over 1600m.
Barend Botes’ stable star hasn’t been seen since winning the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes at the end of her juvenile campaign four months ago, but she is the best-weighted runner in the race and word on the street is that this daughter of Lance is thriving. She could be an even better three-year-old.
Strydom ought to win Race 3 on Mike de Kock-trained Horse-Of-The-Year Dave The King whose comeback run in the Charity Mile is best ignored, given that he was found to be not striding out on that occasion.
Clive Robinson
