Eight On Eighteen and Richard Fourie will be defending their crown in the Gr 1 wfa WSB Met on January 31 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth (Picture: Wayne Marks)
There have been a few early jockey declarations for the Gr 1 WSB Met to be run on 31 January as well as scratchings and there was one supplementary entry too, the Tony Peter-trained The Equator.
Richard Fourie will be back aboard Eight On Eighteen, on whom he won the Met last year as well as the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000.
Fourie was not actually jocked off by Oisin Murphy, it was just an agreement due to there being a clash with a possible Ridgemont entry in the build up to the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. Murphy was also only going to be available for that one ride, because he has other global commitments on Met day.
Andrew Fortune has been declared for See It Again. Fortune indicated after his flying third in the King’s Plate that See It Again would be a big runner in the Met.
Craig Zackey will stay aboard King’s Plate winner The Real Prince and the yard said The Met had always been his chief target.
Callan Murray will be aboard the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy winner Okavango.
The Equator finished a 4,25 length fourth in that race ridden by foreign jockey Rene Piechulek and he has been supplemented for the Met without a jockey booking.
Muzi Yeni will be aboard Sail The Seas, who finished a 0,45 length fourth in the King’s Plate and he will relish the 2000m trip of the Met having finished a 1,50 length second to Eight On Eighteen in last year’s Cape Derby over the same course and distance.
Sean Veale will stay aboard Gladatorian, who ran on late in the King’s Plate and might relish the step up in trip.
JP van der Merwe will be aboard Native Ruler, who is better than his disappointing run in the Premier Trophy.
The Met scratchings so far have been Fire Attack, Dave The King, Zeitz, Gimmie Rules, Master Redoute and Red Palace.
