Nebraas receiving the Equus Stayer’s award last season received criticism from some quarters because the Grade 1 SA Derby and WSB Triple Crown winner Malmoos thus went empty-handed.
This year there fortunately should not have to be that annual Gold Cup/Derby debate because WSB SA Derby winner Aragosta lines up.
Furthermore, Nebraas can prove a point because if is able to carry topweight to victory over a field that includes the SA Derby winner there can be no doubting he deserved his award last year.
He has proved himself a classy stayer who can carry big weights and he stays every inch of a two mile trip.
The five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding is merit rated 118, the same rating which three-year-old Aragosta has.
The weight for age allowance for a three-year-old over 3200m at this time of the year is 3.5kg.
Aragosta was a touch unlucky in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as he was unable to find a clear run in the straight.
He is an exciting entry in this race and will attempt to add to the credentials of his sire Rafeef.
One Way Traffic was also an exciting entry and was priced up joint favourite with Nebraas in the opening market. However, he was scratched later this afternoon.
The entries:
GOLD CUP (Grade 3)
| 12 | Aragosta | Mike de Kock | 118 | |
| 9 | Black Thorn | Sean Tarry | 100 | |
| 4 | Chewbaca | Andre Nel | 96 | |
| 13 | Chollima | Glen Kotzen | 102 | |
| 10 | Crimson King | Glen Kotzen | 108 | |
| 17 | Decorated | Frank Robinson | 100 | |
| 8 | Electric Surge | Robbie Hill | 72 | |
| 18 | Flying First Class | David Nieuwenhuizen | 78 | |
| 2 | Follow The Star | Glen Kotzen | 93 | |
| 15 | Imperial Ruby | Corne Spies | 104 | |
| 16 | Lamborghreeni | Paul Peter | 74 | |
| 5 | Monashada | Kumaran Naidoo | 100 | |
| 7 | Nebraas | Sean Tarry | 118 | |
| 22 | One Way Traffic | SCRATCHED | 111 | |
| 20 | Out Of Your League | Fabian Habib | 102 | |
| 3 | PayBackTheMoney | Nathan Kotzen | 90 | |
| 24 | Rex Union | Dean Kannemeyer | 86 | |
| 21 | Salvator Mundi | Justin Snaith | 100 | |
| 19 | Shangani | Paul Peter | 116 | |
| 14 | Shango | Sean Tarry | 111 | |
| 23 | Silver Maria | Dean Kannemeyer | 95 | |
| 1 | Smoking Hot | Candice Dawson | 100 | |
| 11 | Space News | Carl Hewitson | 64 | |
| 6 | Spring Fling | Glen Kotzen | 96 | |
| (24) | ||||
Picture: Nebraas will be out to retain his Gold Cup crown (Candiese Lenferna)
