Pen Pictures/Selections For The Betway Summer Cup

Turf Talk

Puerto Manzano will be out to defend his Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup crown at Turffontein Standside tomorrow and this time it will be for a stake cheque of R5 million as opposed to R2,5 million last year.

Read the pen pictures of the runners in saddle cloth number order followed by a selection at the end.

No.1 Puerto Manzano is the defending champion. He loves the Turffontein Standside track as it allows him ample time to wind up into his big stride. He is five points higher in the merit ratings than he was last year. However, he won the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode On A Mission Mile this year off a 123 merit rating, whereas he could only finish a 2,50 length second in that race off a 120 last year. That suggests the big, rangy Argentinian-bred has improved. However, he has a tough draw of 16 this year as opposed to draw seven last year. He will also have to defy 20 years of history, with the Mike de Kock-trained Wolf Whistle being the last horse to carry topweight to victory in the Summer Cup back in 2003.

No. 2 Cousin Casey. Sean Tarry is bidding for a sixth Summer Cup and a fifth in the last seven years. Cousin Casey’s Champions Season did not pan out as expected and Tarry inherited this classy Vercingetorix colt at the end of last season. He pointed out he had done little wrong, because he was unlucky in the Daily News and then overraced next time out when tried with blinkers. He made a fine debut for the yard with a half-a-length second in the Charity Mile. He will have come on from that run and regular pilot Grant van Niekerk  will be able to drop him out from draw 12, knowing he has a fine turn of foot.

No. 3 Winchester Mansion was raised nine points for his Hollywoodbets Durban July win, but is progressive and will have come on from his last start. He will relish the course and distance.

No. 4 Anfields Rocket is capable of a resolute finish as he proved when winning the SA Classic at this course and he should be cherry ripe and has a nice draw of ten.

No. 5 Bless My Stars, trained by five-times Summer Cup winner Sean Tarry, has proven class over middle distances and from a good draw in a race which appears to lack pace she could well end up in the box seat before producing the resolute finish which saw her running on for third in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

No 6 Bingwa is at his best when handy with cover behind a strong pace, because he has a big stride and is capable of accelerating. He has a good draw, but will he get a good pace and he still has to prove he enjoys this trip as much as a mile.

No. 7 Safe Passage. Mike de Kock is going for a tenth Summer Cup win but has not won it since 2010. Safe Passage had no luck in the Hollywoodbets Durban July this year. He finished second in this race last year off a 122 merit rating so has a big shout off a 117 in his peak run from a nice draw of nine. However, De Kock has revealed, “He got a fracture in his foot in Cape Town and he’s struggling to get back to his best form. It’s not that he’s been unsound it’s just that he hasn’t delivered, or let down, like he used to. He’s getting there in my opinion and I’m hoping he will turn it around because at the weights, especially with Puerto Manzano, he must have a chance.”

No. 8 Second Base only just failed in the Champions Challenge and if bouncing back from a disappointing Charity Mile run he could be in the shake up.

No. 9 Billy Bowlegs was third from a tough draw in the SA Classic and has another tough draw in his third run for the Brett Crawford yard.

No. 10 Son Of Raj escaped being raised for his Victory Moon  fifth meaning he is actually 2,5kg well in. One of his best wins was over this course and distance in the Derby Trial, but he does have a tough draw of 19.

No. 11 Aragosta was third last year off a 116 rating and is only rated 114 this year, but he has to bounce back from a well below par run in the Victory Moon.

No. 12 Shoemaker looked top class early in his career and produced powerful finishes. He seemed to be bouncing back with gelding but then did not perform well in two starts with blinkers on. The blinkers now coming off make him interesting.

No 13 Atticus Finch has a good racing temperament and looks to have more to come. He might take advantage of the lack of pace from draw six because he showed he can relax in front in the Betway Victory Moon.

No. 14 Royal Victory is a KZN raider and is ahead of the like of Billy Bowlegs and Electric Gold and equal with Anfields Rocket on the form of last year’s Gr 1 WSB SA Classic. He comes off a fine come-from-behind win in the Michaelmas over 1900m. However, he is officially 1,5kg under sufferance and has a tricky draw of 14 to overcome.

No. 15 Zeus is rated by Fabian Habib the best he has trained and is in devastating form over staying trips. He is well drawn but is officially 1kg under sufferance and has to prove he is as effective over this middle distance trip.

No. 16 East Coast is 2kg under sufferance but on paper is right up with Atticus Finch on their Victory Moon clash.

No. 17 Litigation is ahead of Atticus Finch and East Coast on paper on their Victory Moon Stakes form, despite officially being 1,5kg under sufferance. He has to overcome a wide draw but is trained by Sean Tarry so can not be ignored.

No 18 Meridius has a tremendous turn of foot but is yet to prove he stays the trip. If he does stay he will be a runner despite being 2kg under sufferance, but on the downside he is drawn 20 and will have to improve on his Charity Mile three length seventh.

No. 19 Lady Of Power has not been in sparkling form and is 3,5kg under sufferance.

No. 20 Electric Gold has a big stride and is capable of running on. However, he is officially 4,5kg under sufferance over a trip he still has to prove he gets.

The selection is Puerto Manzano to beat Bless My Stars with Royal Victory next best and they could be followed by Cousin Casey, Atticus Finch and Zeus

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