East Cape Raider Among Strong Dingaans First Entries

Jan Van Goyen’s reappearance in the Betway Dingaans is eagerly anticipated (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

By Mike Moon (The Citizen)

Strong entry received for Summer Cup day feature

There’s likely to be a new trainer in the saddling area at Turffontein on Summer Cup day – Dean Smith, all the way from Gqeberha.

Dean has taken over the yard of his father Gavin, the Eastern Cape legend who passed away recently, and one of the young man’s ambitious first moves has been to plot a raid on the Highveld from his coastal base.

Smith’s charge All Systems Go was among the 15 first entries for the Grade 2 Betway Dingaans, the main supporting feature to the Betway Summer Cup in Joburg on 29 November.

And the minute he drew No 1 for the R800,000 1600m race, Smith accepted to run – while other trainers were still digesting the potential line-up with their morning coffee.

The Dingaans is an important, time-honoured race for precocious three-year horses as they gear-up for the Classics to come.

All Systems Go, a gelding by champion stallion Gimmethegreenlight out of a Dynasty mare, has run three times at Fairview for one win and two seconds.

The win, at the second time of asking, was a 4.75-length stroll at odds on, while the follow-up was behind budding star Golden Palm, who is headed for the upcoming Grade 1 Cape Filles Guineas.

All Systems Go might dodge that hotshot in the Dingaans but he’ll still face formidable opposition.

The entry list includes Grade 1 winner Jan Van Goyen and Grade 2 winners Tin Pan Alley, Zalatoris and Chronicle King, along with promising talents Shadowfax, One Eye On Vegas and Trust.

Several of these horses are also among early entries for the Grade 1 Cape Guineas at Kenilworth in a month’s time.

Declarations for the Dingaans are due next Wednesday, 19 November, at the same time as those for the Summer Cup. The final field for the Cup will be announced that day at a special televised event, when the draw will also be made.

Dingaans entries are shown below:

Event-2 R800 000 1600m (Turf)
DINGAANS (Grade 2)