Mike de Kock’s Grade 1-winning pair Sparkling Water and Aragosta will be using the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes as a stepping stone into the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup.
They are both drawn wide in the 1800m event and have to carry 59.5kg and 59kg respectively.
S’Manga Khumalo retains the ride on the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water and it is nice to see talented but under-utilised rider Julius Mariba getting the ride on the WSB SA Derby winner East Coast.
Their talented three-year-old stablemate East Coast, a colt by Galileo sire The United States, is an interesting runner carrying 51kg from draw ten with Nathan Klink up. This colt relished the step up to 1700m last time and won a Graduation Plate comfortably.
The Corne Spies-trained William Robertson, who is the highest rated entry in the Summer Cup, has to carry 61kg, but is drawn two and he will be ridden by Marco van Rensburg.
Sean Tarry has five entries, Nebraas, Zillzaal, Litigation, Indlamu and Platinum Sky and all with the exception of 118 rated Nebraas, tenth on the last Summer Cup log, and possibly Zillzaal, 18th in the last log, will need to produce big runs to book a place in the big race.
Another eyecatcher in the field who will need a big last gasp effort to get into the Summer Cup is the talented Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Outofthedarkness, who has not had much luck in his build up to date. The 106 rated campaigner only has 51kg to carry, but has a wide draw of 15 out of 17. Chase Maujean rides.
The field in draw order:
