Mocha Blend In Fine Fettle Ahead Of Summer Cup Defense
Picture: Mocha Blend enjoying her breakfast at Summerveld this morning
Frank Robinson has been bringing the Betway Summer Cup champion Mocha Blend on steadily with the defense of her title in mind.
The strongly built five-year-old mare is looking in mint condition, but interestingly, despite her size, she is actually dwarfed by the horse in the next box, Chocolate Mousse, an unraced Rafeef three-year-old filly who is the first foal of the Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding.
Frank said out of Summerveld yesterday (Tuesday), “Mocha Blend is probably going to go for the Gr 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile. There are a few other races I’m looking at, but she will just go up for one race on the Highveld before coming back to Summerveld and then going back up for the Summer Cup. But the first race will probably be the Charity Mile. She will go into that race with 59kg. She will run a big race over a mile at Turffontein Standside.”
He said about her present excercise regime, “I am picking it up nicely now. The rain hasn’t helped, but she has had a couple of grass gallops. I have got her in a very good place and Tristan (Godden) said he actually thinks she is feeling much better than she even did last year.”
Last year Mocha Blend ran second in a Middle Stakes race on the Hollywodbets Greyville poly in October before going up to Jo’Burg and running an unlucky second in the Listed Betway Summer Pudding Handicap over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on November 9, three weeks before the Summer Cup.
She ran off a 105 merit rating in the big one, meaning she was officially 5,5kg under sufferance, but ran on strongly to win by half-a-length.
Today she is rated 120, but Frank is not worried about the weights.
He said, “There is only a 6kg spread in the weights and she is a big strong mare who carried 63kg to win the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet over 2000m in her last start of last season. She won it well, because just look at the strength of her.”
The Charity Milke is on October 31, four weeks before the Summer Cup, so she will go in with a similar preparation to last year.
Mocha Blend is looked after like a Queen and has a big appetite.
Frank said, “I give her lucerne early in the morning for her stomach, it just settles her stomach, it creates like a splash-pad on their stomachs. Then she goes and does her work and then gets her normal food when she comes back. This is a mixture of equifeed and it includes electrolytes and salt and a bit of oil as well. At two O’clock in the afternoon she gets a scoop of oats. At night she gets four scoops of her normal feed again.”
Frank said Mocha Blend was an exceptionally good eater and leaves absolutely nothing.
She also has an exceptionally good temperament, laid back and good natured and never loses her temper.
Another noticeable trait of hers is big ears.
Frank said, “Henry Cecil was a great trainer of fillies and he used to get fillies with big ears. All of his top fillies had big ears.”
Mocha Blend has a gleaming coat at present and she has a big and bold eye.
The Mauritzfontein Stud-homebred should make a bold bid to retain her crown in the Gr 1 R6 million Betway Summer Cup over the 2000m trip at Turffontein Standside on November 28.
Chocolate Mousse is also a Mauritzfontein Stud-homebred.
Frank said he had had to go slowly with this well-named dark bay due to her size.
He added, “Like Mocha Blend, she also has a lovely temperament. I couldn’t get stuck into her because of her size, I have had to go very slowly and carefully with her. She was 600kg on the scales and I have slowly taken the weight off.”
The huge Rafeef filly Chocolate Mousse, who is the first foal of the Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding, is pictured taking an interest in her high profile stablemate, Mocha Blend, who is in the box to her right
He added, “I will probably start with her in about three weeks. She is going on nicely and is showing nice work. I haven’t asked her the real hard question yet i.e. a hard gallop, but we will need to know because when she runs I would like to know how she is going to run. But she is doing everything nicely at the moment and we will progress from there. I am happy with her. I think she is decent, but we will wait and see.”
Cunha In 61st Place As Balding And O'Brien Duel For Title
Andrew Balding’s season reached a height at the big York meeting, where he was in dominant form (Sporting Life Racing)
Andrew Balding is locked in a battle with Aidan O’Brien at the top of the UK Flat Trainers Championship, a title his father Ian won in 1971, thanks largely to the icon he trained that year, Mill Reef.
O’Brien, vying for a third successive title and a ninth overall, is in the lead with earnings of £7,916,870 gleaned from 22 wins and 69 places from 120 runs, while Balding is on earnings of £7,761,964 gleaned from 165 wins and 437 places from 837 runss.
Arc entries Item and Kalpana have Champions Day Gr 1 entries for Balding and his other Gr 1 winner this season, Blue Bolt, holds a Gr 1 entry on October 3 at Newmarket and on Champions Day.
Of course O’Brien always has a plethora of Gr 1 entries and has to date had 18 Gr 1 wins this season, a lot of them in the UK.
He is possibly on track to break his own record of 28 Gr 1 wins in a season, which he set in 2017, thus breaking Bobby Frankel’s record.
Meanwhile, Dylan Cunha is in 61st position on the table with earnings of £418,845 gleaned from 32 wins and 140 places from 325 runs.
The former Summerveld-based South African started out at Newmarket in the UK with just one horse four years ago, so has had a meteoric rise.
Joey Ramsden is in 129th place with earnings of £131,474 from 9 wins and 75 places from 153 runs.
Craig Benton is in 256th place with 5 wins and 13 places from just 39 runs and earnings of £30,655.
Three-year-olds Dominate At The Vaal
The 101-rated Catfish was the only three-year-old in Tuesday’s Middle Stakes event over 1200m and he galloped to a commanding 6,60 lengths victory (JC Photos)
Three-year-olds contested the last three open races at the Vaal meeting today in limited numbers and dominated.
The first of these races was a MR 86 Handicap over 1600m and there were two three-year-olds in the race, the 95-rated Sheriff Bill Brown (Buffalo Bill Cody), who was going for a hattrick, and the 89-rated Lone Horizon (Heavenly Blue), an inconsistent sort whose win and close second in her seven start career were in between five well beaten runss.
Sheriff Bill Brown ran on strongly in the closing stages to convert 18/10 favouritism under Keagan de Melo, while Lone Horizon ran last.
In the next race, a Middle Stakes event over 1200m Catfish, was the only three-year-old in the 12-horse field. He had earned a 101 rating via three victories in the space of four starts over 1000m and his last run, when beaten 4,50 lengths into ninth in the Gr 2 World Pool Bet With Tote Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m, was a better run than the bare result suggests as he ran on well after being dropped out from a wide draw and he was short of room late.
Under the conditions of today’s race he was 1,5kg under sufferance with the best-weighted She’s All Mine, the only female in the race, and he was half-a-kilogram under sufferance with the best weighted males, Antonio Gaudi and Tommy Atkins.
Catfish was allowed to go off at 6/1, but the Fabian Habib-trained Danon Platina gelding traveled like a winner throughout under regular rider Blaine Marx-Jacobson and pulled clear to win by a commanding 6,60 lengths.
In the last race, a MR 69 Handicap over 1400m for fillies and mares, there were only three three-year-olds in the eleven horse field, the 85-rated Me And You, the 78-rated Secret Life and the 76-rated Highway Heiress. They finished first, second and fourth respectively.
The feature season is yet to begin, so the three-year-old strength can’t be judged yet, but their recent results suggest it could be a decent crop.
Todays results were in addition to other three-year-old winners in open company this month, the 80-rated Chatterbox (Canford Cliffs), the 76-rated Red Birch (Erik The Red), the 90-rated Gimme A Fireball (Gimmethegreenlight), the 86-rated Special Envoy (Master Of My Fate), the 90-rated Fierceness (Hawwaam), the 91-rated Bangkok Magic (Willow Magic) and the 79-rated Fort Usher (Global View).
Another three-year-old to impress at today’s meeting was the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained NZ-bred Almanzor colt One Eye On Dubai, who scooted in by 8,50 lengths under Callan Murray in a maiden over 2000m.
There were doubles at today’s meeting for all of Lucky Houdalakis, Craig Zackey, Keagan de Melo and Muzi Yeni.
De Melo leads the Lucky Fish Championship on 38 wins achieved at a strike rate of 23.46%.
Zackey is in second place on 26 wins at 20.80%.
Kablo Matsunyane is in third place with 23 wins at 19.33%.
Yeni is next on 22 wins at 14.67%.
Gavin Lerena, who was stood down for today’s meeting, is in fifth place with 20 wins at 17.09%.
Trainers' Programs For Their Feature Campaigners
Mission To Mars’ is pictured winning but his exciting progress towards a Betway Summer Cup berth suffered a blow last time out when beaten two lengths into third by Best Candidate when only running off a 94 merit rating over 2000m (JC Photos)
In the latest issue of Off The Record, we continue the check-ins with trainers likely to have feature runners during the Gauteng spring/summer season this week, starting at Randjesfontein with Stuart Pettigrew, who is back on song after a few setbacks and looks well placed for a successful term.
Stuart Pettigrew’s three imports, Mission To Mars (Sea The Stars – IRE), Calla Lagoon (New Bay – GB) and The Equator (Galileo – IRE), also give the yard a potentially strong hand going into the autumn features of 2027. For now, though, the trainer says it’s a step-by-step process.
“I like my promising runners to take the next step up, to show their worth on the racetrack with steady improvement. Mission To Mars has won two in a row, we’re going for a third at the Vaal on Thursday and he’s handily rated at 94. (Mission To Mars finished third, beaten 2.0-lengths by Best Candidate)
“When we had Tyson (Silvino) racing in 2004, he came through a C-division handicap win in September, followed by a B-division win in October, and then won the Gr3 Victory Moon Stakes ahead of his success in the Gr1 (then Gommagomma) Summer Cup. He got better with every run, showed his mettle along the way and we went confidently into the big race for an easy win.
“Before I make any predictions, I’m going to let Mission To Mars and Calla Lagoon show me what the next steps are to take with them, whether they are good enough to go for the Betway Summer Cup. These English horses enjoy the sting out of the ground, so some rain ahead of the big races will suit them.
“Calla Lagoon is a potential Gr2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile candidate. He arrived as a one-time winner on a 104-rating and is now a 107, so he’s not easy to place. Mission To Mars could go via the Gr3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes. Calla Lagoon placed over 2000m and 2100m in the UK, so he won’t necessarily be limited to 1600m. We’ll see how he progresses over the next few weeks. They’re both sound, healthy horses, lovely to work with.
“The Equator has already raced at the highest levels and hasn’t been disgraced. He ran fifth in last year’s Summer Cup off a merit rating of 117, but his current 118 is too high and, as it stands, he will be giving weight to most. That limits his opportunities.”
Final Call Has A Good Form Chance
Final Call could be the one to beat in Race 5 (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Mark van Deventer (Race Coast)
Pick 6 players anchoring trainer Dean Kannemeyer’s two short-priced favorites at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday will know their fate early as TIME OF OUR LIVES and BIG CITY ROLLER contest Maiden Plate sprints in Races 3 and 4, which are the first two legs of the bet.
TIME OF OUR LIVES is drawn widest of all in Race 3 in Gate 11, but he has the natural speed to get across. He has twice run neat figures; when second by a wart to ILE MORIS in August and then again to impressive WREATH OF SNOW who ran away with it at this Hollywoodbets Durbanville track three weeks ago.
Unless one of the debutants comes out cranked up and good to go, the Querari gelding, who exceeds the par standard to win a Maiden in the Cape, should get on the board. Ace jockey, Keagan de Melo, with a 21% strike rate this season, bolsters confidence in the selection.
BIG CITY ROLLER has also run second at both his starts to date. Supported on debut, he ran on well late to miss narrowly behind ULEZ CAMERA, then got undone in a false paced 1400m event at this venue 21 days ago won by SPINNAKER.
The son of Rafeef now turns back slightly to 1250m but should still do just fine under the sympathetic hands of Craig Zackey (18% wins to mounts).
With half the field being firsters there are possible market springers to factor in. A market watch is advised.
Of those foes with experience, BIG CITY ROLLER has the most to fear from CARDINAL KING, a What a Winter gelding who went close on debut in a slow-paced affair despite blowing the start.
CRACKER, who got a soft lead and led for a long way over this course and distance 78 days ago, is another possible menace. The latter is hung out in Gate 12 though, which makes his task awkward given the track configuration.
FINAL CALL is the form selection in Race 5 as she takes on six apprentice ridden rivals in a Class 5 over 1250m.
WAVE OF GLORY could be dangerous as the lone speed drawn low, yet the tactically versatile FINAL CALL has shown she can compete effectively when ridden close to the speed or come from off them.
Sifiso Bungane gets on well with the Candice Bass trained entry. His mount, a What a Winter 4YO, boasts a clear edge on the speed figures which may prove the winning factor at this her third start after a rest.
The resuming, KLIPTOWN, also from Bass Racing has flashed signs of ability and can be used in single race exotic combos beneath his stable companion.
ULEZ CAMERA won at 40/1 on debut but is hard to peg accurately. If the rival he defeated BIG CITY ROLLER wins as expected in the preceding race, then the claims of Paddy Kruyer’s charge would be reinforced.
Candice Bass might also fancy the chances of AMAYAH in the following race, a Class 4 over 1600m. Her father, Mike trained the dam, River Jetez to win the Met in 2010, thwarting her legendary full brother Pocket Power back in third.
Realistically, AMAYAH, currently racing off a rating of 82, is nowhere near scaling the lofty heights of her famous sibling, and has been reported as striding short a few times.
That said, she has already run numbers that are plenty good enough to win races at this class level, loves this course and packs a neat turn of foot. She should be primed third up after a layoff.
In fact, her best speed figure was attained over this course and distance back in February 2026 when ridden by JP van der Merwe, who is reunited with the blue-blooded, 4YO Vercingetorix filly. Building on that performance, which is to be expected given added maturity, clearly makes her the one to beat.
BOOZY SUZIE, who was all out to hold Amayah off last time, is a clear and obvious danger.
MISS ATTITUDE has a progressive profile, as her trainer Adam Marcus continues to crank out winners.
BENEATH THE CLOUDS and LADY VERITAS will be pace factors on a likely quick surface.
EISTEDDFOD is another contender on past performances – the booking of Craig Zackey, who has done well on her previously is a show of intent.
WHO IS SHE, on collateral form with AMAYAH dating back to January 2026, is not without a shake either. If James Crawford has her ready to scuttle after three months off track, then she is a viable back up.
PRINCESS OF BAYEUX, now with Rob Barrett, has winning course form in this class over BENEATH THE CLOUDS, dating back a year ago. She races off the same OMR of 73 that she last won off so cannot be completely written off on Wednesday, even if her current form is bleak.
Miss Attitude Can Get It Right
Miss Attitude (Hawwaam) has been tipped to win the sixth race (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Brandon Baily’s formguides for the Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting on Wednesday
RACE 1
A tough race with plenty of well-bred first timers. Watch the betting, study them closely in the parade ring, and watch how they move down to the start before making your final decision. 1 CAPTAIN’S ELECT stayed on well for second behind RED FLAG on the 15th of August, she is a beautiful filly with lots of ability, she will be hard to beat from a good draw. 4 ONE DAWN did well to finish just over four lengths behind SABRE WING on debut, she is open to any amount of improvement going into her second start, watch her closely here. 10 KIM CHANEL gets the blinkers fitted, with some luck in running from a difficult draw, she could sneak into the places. 13 JACK A DANDY has been rested for 92 days, she is much better than her last start.
RACE 2
Again, we have a field packed with well-bred first timers. Watch them closely in the parade ring and keep a close eye on the betting. 4 AFRICAN KINGFISHER stayed on well to finish just over four lengths behind RED FLAG on debut, with natural improvement expected from this beautiful filly, she must have a big winning chance in this field. 3 LADY SUNSHINE has been rested for 127 days, she has run two nice races in succession, in hope that she doesn’t need the run after a small break, she will be competitive from a good draw. 12 VIRGINIA BLUEBELL has been rested for just over three months; she could sneak into the places on her best form.
RACE 3
Not for the first time on this card, we have some impeccably well-bred first timers. The market moves will be your best guide. 11 TIME OF OUR LIVES finished strongly for second behind WREATH OF SNOW on the 2nd of September, even though he has drawn badly for this maiden plate, he will go very close to winning on his current form. 9 GIMMETHEJACKHAMMER finished just over two lengths behind ULEZ CAMERA on debut, watch for sharp improvement from this good-looking colt, he will be right there in the finish late. 2 DISCO JET has been rested and gelded, he was beaten just over four lengths by ANOTHER HERO on debut, in hope that he doesn’t need the run, he could finish amongst the places from a good draw. 6 IRISH LION looks best of the rest, he was well beaten by his stable companion on the 22nd of August, he can only improve.
RACE 4
6 BIG CITY ROLLER finished like a train for second behind SPINNAKER on the 2nd of September, the drop in trip to 1250m is not ideal, but he looks smart, he will be tough to beat in this field. 8 CARDINAL KING could be anything, he did well to finish third on debut, even though he was a big price, he flashed up late to run a big race behind his stable companion, if he brings that run to the track again, he will go close to winning. 12 CRACKER has been rested for 78 days, he showed good improvement from his first run into his second run, unfortunately the bad draw here will make life tough for him, he will be running on late. The first timers need to be respected, keep a close eye on the market.
RACE 5
5 SHIFTING PATH didn’t have much luck in running last time, he finished strongly for third behind AVIGNON on the 22nd of August, he has dropped further in the ratings, and he has no weight on his back because of the apprentice claim. If the race works out for him, he will have a big winning chance in this field. 7 ULEZ CAMERA won a good race on debut, the yard thinks highly of this colt, he can certainly win again, include him into all bets. 6 FINAL CALL stayed on well for second behind SPARKLING STAR on the 22nd of August, she is honest, and she tries hard, her chances must be respected. 4 KLIPTOWN has been rested and gelded, he will be running on late from a good draw.
RACE 6
3 MISS ATTITUDE quickened up smartly to win a good race on the 15th of August, she was given five points for that impressive win at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, she has a big winning chance again from a good draw. 4 BOOZY SUSIE was given a great ride by jockey Sean Veale last time, she won well on the 22nd of August, she certainly can follow up, include her into all bets. 6 AMAYAH finished like a rocket for second behind BOOZY SUSIE last time, she will be just off the speed early, and she will be flying at them late. 1 WHO IS SHE has been rested for 94 days, her recent form is solid, in hope that she doesn’t need the run after a small break, she will be competitive from a neat draw. Go wide, this looks to be a tricky race.
RACE 7
7 BOURBON KING won easier than the margin suggested on the 25th of July, he was given four points for that impressive win last time, if he finds himself in a good position turning for home, he will go very close to winning again. 5 ROYAL INFLUENCER won a good race on the 14th of August, he looks progressive, include him into all bets. 4 CAPTAINS ALLIANCE never runs a bad race, he stayed on strongly late for second behind DIAMOND ROCK on the 12th of August, there should be no excuses for this gelding from a good draw, he will be right there amongst the places again. 6 SIGNOR DANTE has been rested for 71 days, he can be dangerous from the front, watch him closely.
RACE 8
6 WARRIOR OF DESTINY won his maiden well on the 12th of August, the form of that race has worked out nicely, he can certainly win again from a good draw. 2 BALZI ROSSI must have a good each way chance in this field, he stayed on strongly late for second behind BATON ROUGE last time, the drop in trip will be no problem for this gelding, he will be right there in the finish from a neat draw. 1 SCOTTISH LINKS has been rested for 122 days, he has run two lovely seconds in succession, in hope that he doesn’t need the run after a lengthy break, he will be super competitive from a good draw. 10 HAVOC won impressively on the 22nd of August, he was given a top ride by champion jockey Craig Zackey, if he gets some luck in running from a bad draw, he could sneak into the places.
Ka Ying Generation Can Win The Happy Valley Headliner
Ka Ying Generation has been tipped to win the last race, which is the meeting’s headliner (HKJC)
After 9-1 and 2-1 winners in his last column, Tim Carroll previews Wednesday’s nine-race Happy Valley card and nominates his best bets.
This Wednesday sees a competitive nine-race card from Happy Valley, getting underway at 12.40pm SA Time and the feature of the meeting is the finale, The Class 3 Tain Hang Handicap, over 9 furlongs, offering prize money of more than £200,000.
Now, onto this week’s selections.
Today's Question
Who were the two horses to ever beat Mill Reef?
The picture is of one of them
Wednesday September 23 Fields
Hollywoodbets Durbanville
Today’s Question Answer
Mill Reef was defeated by My Swallow as a two-year-old and later by the legendary Brigadier Gerard.
