Mocha Blend beats Olivia’s Way in last year’s Betway Summer Cup to secure a female exacta. Both mares are among the first entries for this year’s renewal (JC Photos)
Johannesburg, South Africa – 4Racing is pleased to announce that 43 nominations have been received at first entry stage for the 2026 Betway Summer Cup and included among them is the defending champion Mocha Blend, who will raid once again from the Summerveld yard of trainer Frank Robinson.
Mike de Kock is the winning-most trainer in the history of the race with nine wins in Johannesburg’s marquee handicap. Now training in partnership with his son Mathew, the father-and-son team has entered seven runners for this year’s event, including Curious Girl (Gr2 TAB SA Derby), Immediate Edge (Gr3 Jubilee Stakes) and dual Gr1 winner, Jan Van Goyen.
Sean Tarry currently has five Summer Cup trophies to his credit and holds a four-strong entry including Grand Empire (Gr1 HKJC World Pool SA Classic) and Legend Of Arthur (Gr1 TAB SA Derby).
Alec Laird won the race with Malteme in 2006 and Atticus Finch in 2024 and has two entries: Fire Attack (Gr1 HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge) and Parisian Walkway (Gr2 TAB Gauteng Guineas).
Joe Soma, who won the race with Wagner in 2012, has three entries in Errol Flynn, Jimmy Don and Rule By Force.
Stuart Pettigrew, who saddled Tyson to victory in 2004, fields the enigmatic Calla Lagoon (GB) and Mission To Mars and St John Gray, who bred, owned and trained 2011 winner Dancewiththedevil, has another homebred hopeful in Palace Prince.
There is a strong contingent of KZN raiders besides the defending champion Mocha Blend. They include two entries from 2023 Betway Summer Cup-winning trainer Nathan Kotzen in Field Marshal and Madison Valley, as well as recent Betway Joburg Spring Challenge winner Gladatorian from the Stuart Ferrie stable. Frikkie Greyling, Peter Muscutt, Robbie Hill and Gareth van Zyl have also entered runners.
The Cape challenge is headed by Justin Snaith, Glen Kotzen and James Crawford, who have entered Magic Verse and Native Ruler, Holding Thumbs, and Otto Luyken respectively.
Full list:-
BETWAY SUMMER CUP (Gr1)
Stakes Breakdown
Total Stakes: R6,000,000.00
1st R3,450,000, 2nd R1,200,000, 3rd R600,000, 4th R300,000, 5th R150,000, 6th R60,000, 7th R60,000, 8th R60,000, 9th R60,000, 10th R60,000 Total: R6,000,000.00
0 ALADDIN’S LAMP Mike / Mathew de Kock 110
0 BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW Grant Maroun 110
0 CALLA LAGOON (GB) Stuart Pettigrew 107
0 CHOISAANADA Erico Verdonese 120
0 CHRONICLE KING Candice / Tammy Dawson 115
0 CURIOUS GIRL Mike / Mathew de Kock 100
0 DRUMNADROCHIT Mike / Mathew de Kock 111
0 ERROL FLYNN Joe Soma 114
0 FIELD MARSHAL Nathan Kotzen 110
0 FIRE ATTACK Alec Laird 124
0 FIRST WISH Candice / Tammy Dawson 93
0 GLADATORIAN Stuart Ferrie 127
0 GO GRAYSON GO Frikkie Greyling 98
0 GRAND EMPIRE Sean Tarry 111
0 HAZY DAZY Xander / Corne Spies 117
0 HOLDING THUMBS Glen Kotzen 119
0 I SALUTE YOU Peter Muscutt 113
0 IMMEDIATE EDGE Mike / Mathew de Kock 108
0 INDIAN OCEAN Mano Pandaram 105
0 ISIVIVANE Peter Muscutt 108
0 JAN VAN GOYEN Mike / Mathew de Kock 118
0 JAZZ CAFE Robbie Hill 101
0 JIMMY DON Joe Soma 112
0 KING PELLES Gareth van Zyl 122
0 LEGEND OF ARTHUR Sean Tarry 110
0 LITTLEMISSMILLION Tyrone Zackey 114
0 MADISON VALLEY Nathan Kotzen 113
0 MAGIC VERSE Justin Snaith 115
0 MASTER SPY Sean Tarry 97
0 MISSION TO MARS Stuart Pettigrew 94
0 MOCHA BLEND Frank Robinson 120
0 NATIVE RULER Justin Snaith 121
0 OLIVIA’S WAY Roy Magner 114
0 OTTO LUYKEN James Crawford 113
0 PALACE PRINCE St John Gray 108
0 PARISIAN WALKWAY Alec Laird 107
0 REET PETITE Mike / Mathew de Kock 114
0 RULE BY FORCE Joe Soma 117
0 SOLAR SAIL Paul Matchett 109
0 THE ULTIMATE KING Tony Peter 117
0 TINTIN Sean Tarry 93
0 TOMYRIS Tony Peter 99
0 WILD INTENT Mike / Mathew de Kock 107
Dates to diarise:
Second Entries Close: 11:00 Tuesday 3 November 2026
Final Entries Close: 09:00 Monday 16 November 2026
Weights: Monday 16 November 2026
Declarations: 11:00 Tuesday 17 November 2026
Final Field: Embargoed & announced on Tuesday 17 November at an event TBA
Barrier Draw: Tuesday 17 November at an event TBA
Please note: the determination of the final field is at the discretion of the NHA in consultation with 4Racing.
A series of logs will be published, with the first log due on 13 October and the second after second entry stage on 5 November.
This year’s Betway Summer Cup takes place at Turffontein Racecourse on Saturday, 28 November 2026 and invites racegoers to “Celebrate Summer” with a day of top-class racing, entertainment and hospitality.
TICKET PRICES
General Admission: R100
Summer Garden: R450
Turffontein Decks: R2,400
Turffontein Room: R2,950
Tickets can be purchased online at: https://summercup.howler.co.za/events/betway-summer-cup-2026-9a8f
