Beating Wings galloped into the Betway Summer Cup picture (JC Photos)
Rafeef showed just what a classy sire he is on Saturday at Turffontein Inside when two four-year-old daughters of his, the Stuart Pettigrew trained Beating Wings and the Brett Crawford-trained Frances Ethel, finished one-two in the day’s headliner.
The Pinnacle Stakes race over 1600m was an intriguing race and of particular importance as many Betway Summer Cup entries were involved.
Beating Wings was driven up from the off by Diego De Gouveia from draw three and claimed the rail in third place behind a fair pace set by River Romeo.
Frances Ethel was drawn two and was next in line on the rail behind Beating Wings, although about three lengths behind her, where she settled well.
Beating Wings kicked well off the false rail and put the race to bed.
Frances Ethel gave chase and strode out well but was 0,75 lengths shy at the line.
Beating Wings in fact beat Frances Ethel by almost the identical margin when third in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.
Nevertheless, it is Frances Ethel who has shortened into 11/2 second favourite with Hollywoodbets for the Summer Cup while Beating Wings is out at 17/1.
The chief reason was she was giving Beating Wings 2kg on Saturday, so put in the better performance.
Furthermore, Gr 2 SA Oaks winner Frances Ethel was returning from a layoff since the Woolavington following a serious bout of colic, while Beating Wings had run in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet on Gold Cup day and only managed a 5,55 length fifth in the latter race.
The feeling could have been that Frances Ethel could have needed it more and yet was gaining late on the winner and, furthermore, when they met in the Oaks over 2450m Frances Ethel was a comfortable 3,75 lengths clear of Beating Wings.
James Crawford has also been quoted saying Frances Ethel looks twice the horse this season as she was last season.
She should be a big runner in the Summer Cup, although the value hunters might prefer to side with Beating Wings considering the gulf between their odds.
Frances Ethel is rated 118, which will see her as things stand carrying bottom weight of 54kg in the Summer Cup, although she will be 0,5kg under sufferance.
Beating Wings went in to Saturday’s race rated 114.
Atticus Finch, rated 112, also put in a good Summer Cup trial, running a two length third carrying the same weight as Frances Ethel. He jumped from draw six and came from a handy position.
He is now a 20/1 shot with Hollywoodbets.
Woolavington winner Silver Sanctuary had a wide draw and ran on well from well back for a 2,70 length fourth carrying 56kg.
That was her first run since the Ridgemont Garden Rovince and this 114-rated filly will have plenty of supporters at 25/2 with Hollywoodbets.
Her enigmatic full brother Safe Passage finished just a head behind her. He was carrying 2kg less than her, but has been Summer Cup runner up in the last two renewals so will have supporters at 25/1.
Silver Sanctuary and Safe Passage, among other possible runners, will be out to land a tenth Summer Cup for De Kock, although getting that tenth one has proved elusive as his last winner was in 2010 with Silvano filly Flirtation.
Other Summer Cup runners who ran on Saturday were 2022 Summer Cup winner Puerto Manzano, who finished a 7,50 length eighth, Litigation, who finished a 10,50 length tenth, Future Pearl, who finished a 13,50 length eleventh and last year’s Summer Cup wunner up Winchester Mansion, who finished tailed off in last place in the 12 horse field, beaten 19 lengths.
All of the orginal 42 entries still stand their groud though, so the disappointing ones likely just needed their runs.
Besides Rafeef’s exacta at Turffontein the Ridgemont-based stallion Rafeef came up with two more winners at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, with the Vaughan Marshall-trained Water Dragon victorious in the third race and the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Rafeef filly Heliotrope successful in race six.
Rafeef, who was responsible for nine black type winners in South Africa last season, is currently sixth on the General Sires premiership for 2024-2025.
