Trainer Corrie Lensley said the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint winner would not make the journey down if he was “drawn anything outside of six or seven” and he has drawn seven out of 33 in a race which will cut up considerably.
The most interesting entry is Captain’s Ransom, who had nothing go right for her in the Brentford F.C. Garden Province Stakes, having won the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness before that. She has drawn well in four, so Justin Snaith will be tempted to run her.
All the big gun sprinters from around the country are entered with the notable exception of Rio Querari.
The other two joint highest rated sprinters in the land, the 125-rated Grade 1-winning pair Bohica and Master Archie, are both among the entries.
Big Burn (122) is also entered and is well drawn in three.
Last year’s winner Pearl Of Asia (112) has landed pole position.
The entries:
R1 000 000 1200m (Turf)
MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1)
MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1)
| 24 | African Rain | Candice Bass-Robinson | 119 | |
| 28 | After The Rain | Gareth van Zyl | 98 | |
| 7 | Alesian Chief | Corrie Lensley | 123 | |
| 29 | Ambiorix | Vaughan Marshall | 102 | |
| 25 | Anna Capri | David Nieuwenhuizen | 109 | |
| 19 | Battle Force | Peter Muscutt | 118 | |
| 3 | Big Burn | Paul Peter | 122 | |
| 26 | Bohica | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 125 | |
| 15 | Captain Fontane | Garth Puller | 105 | |
| 4 | Captain’s Ransom | Justin Snaith | 124 | |
| 8 | Chimichuri Run | Sean Tarry | 115 | |
| 21 | Cosmic Highway | Dean Kannemeyer | 116 | |
| 11 | Eden Roc | Sean Tarry | 110 | |
| 23 | Full Velocity | Sean Tarry | 113 | |
| 30 | Gallic Princess | Candice Dawson | 115 | |
| 9 | Good Traveller | Glen Kotzen | 118 | |
| 18 | Homely Girl | J A Janse van Vuuren | 108 | |
| 31 | Kayla’s Champ | Fanie Bronkhorst | 103 | |
| 12 | Master Archie | Paul Peter | 125 | |
| 10 | Mount Pleasant (AUS) | Duncan Howells | 104 | |
| 1 | Pearl Of Asia | Robbie Hill | 112 | |
| 13 | Petra | Robbie Hill | 88 | |
| 22 | Pray For Rain | Dennis Drier | 107 | |
| 27 | Prince Of Fire | J A Janse van Vuuren | 114 | |
| 33 | Safe Return | Vaughan Marshall | 105 | |
| 5 | Smorgasbord | Paul Peter | 118 | |
| 17 | Supreme Quest | Corne Spies | 108 | |
| 6 | Tempting Fate | Dennis Drier | 108 | |
| 20 | Ultra Magnus | Peter Muscutt | 112 | |
| 2 | Val d’Orcia | Paul Peter | 111 | |
| 16 | William Robertson | Corne Spies | 117 | |
| 32 | Winter Stories | Paul Peter | 114 | |
| 14 | Zarina | Candice Bass-Robinson | 111 | |
| (33) | ||||
Picture: Alesian Chief (Candiese Lenferna).
