Like A Panther adds his name to De Kock’s Summer Cup army
Performance in Turffontein race puts gelding in contention for Gauteng Summer Cup on November 30
14 October 2019 - 14:31
byDavid Mollett
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Like A Panther, the R2.2m buy as a yearling but sidelined for 10 months, threw his hat in the ring for the Gauteng Summer Cup with an outstanding comeback run at Turffontein on Saturday.
Bookmaker reaction to the performance was instantaneous. Gauteng bookmaker Lance Michael clipped the gelding’s odds from 33-1 to 10-1 for the November 30 race.
“For Like A Panther to close so rapidly on a group one winner like Soqrat really raised some eyebrows. I’m sure the De Kock stable will be delighted with the run,” said Michael on Monday.
Though now a five-year-old, Like A Panther has only contested 12 races, which have yielded three wins and four places. Many — including this columnist — felt he was an each-way player in the 2018 Summer Cup, but he got going too late and finished sixth behind Tilbury Fort.
Those losses could be recouped at the end of November — a double taking Like A Panther to run a place and England to win the Rugby World Cup is one this columnist (but not Springbok fans) will be taking.
Mike De Kock, who trains Like A Panther, now has a dominant hand in the Summer Cup with five of the first six horses in the betting housed at his Randjesfontein stable.
De Kock must now decide whether Saturday’s grade 1 winner Soqrat should take his chance in the Summer Cup or rather head for Cape Town and the Queen’s Plate at the beginning of January.
The former champion trainer may take the Cape route as his Aussie import has demonstrated his liking for the Kenilworth track. The colt put in a superb performance when narrowly beaten by “horse of the year” Do It Again in the Queen’s Plate in January.
De Kock’s four-year-old Hawwaam is still rated by many pundits as the best horse in the yard and bookie Michael has him at the top of the Summer Cup market at 18-10. Soqrat is on offer at 5-1 while Barahin — unplaced in his comeback run last Saturday — has eased to 9-1.
Buffalo Bill Cody — an 8-1 chance — was backed down to favouritism at Turffontein recently, but he needs to show a run similar to Like A Panther’s last Saturday to win over more support.
Noble Secret, who has won five races for owner Costa Livanos, has also been entered for the Summer Cup, but the Dynasty gelding failed to shape last Saturday and his price is now 33-1.
Sean Tarry has proved a tough rival for De Kock in recent years and — with Piere Strydom in the saddle — will be delighted his charge Zilzaal is on course for the Summer Cup after a comfortable recent win. His price with Michael is 12-1.
This season’s leading rider, Warren Kennedy, rode Like A Panther last Saturday and — unless the Paul Peter stable has a fancied runner — will be keen to get the call to partner the five-year-old in the Summer Cup.
Kennedy is now the clear 14-10 favourite to win this season’s jockeys championship.
Statistics to October 9 show the KwaZulu-Natal-based rider with 62 wins — 12 ahead of his nearest pursuer, Muzi Yeni.
In betting on the championship, Yeni is quoted at 5-2 with Richard Fourie priced at 9-2. Anton Marcus and Gavin Lerena, both on the injured list, are on offer at 17-2.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Like A Panther adds his name to De Kock’s Summer Cup army
Performance in Turffontein race puts gelding in contention for Gauteng Summer Cup on November 30
Like A Panther, the R2.2m buy as a yearling but sidelined for 10 months, threw his hat in the ring for the Gauteng Summer Cup with an outstanding comeback run at Turffontein on Saturday.
Bookmaker reaction to the performance was instantaneous. Gauteng bookmaker Lance Michael clipped the gelding’s odds from 33-1 to 10-1 for the November 30 race.
“For Like A Panther to close so rapidly on a group one winner like Soqrat really raised some eyebrows. I’m sure the De Kock stable will be delighted with the run,” said Michael on Monday.
Though now a five-year-old, Like A Panther has only contested 12 races, which have yielded three wins and four places. Many — including this columnist — felt he was an each-way player in the 2018 Summer Cup, but he got going too late and finished sixth behind Tilbury Fort.
Those losses could be recouped at the end of November — a double taking Like A Panther to run a place and England to win the Rugby World Cup is one this columnist (but not Springbok fans) will be taking.
Mike De Kock, who trains Like A Panther, now has a dominant hand in the Summer Cup with five of the first six horses in the betting housed at his Randjesfontein stable.
De Kock must now decide whether Saturday’s grade 1 winner Soqrat should take his chance in the Summer Cup or rather head for Cape Town and the Queen’s Plate at the beginning of January.
The former champion trainer may take the Cape route as his Aussie import has demonstrated his liking for the Kenilworth track. The colt put in a superb performance when narrowly beaten by “horse of the year” Do It Again in the Queen’s Plate in January.
De Kock’s four-year-old Hawwaam is still rated by many pundits as the best horse in the yard and bookie Michael has him at the top of the Summer Cup market at 18-10. Soqrat is on offer at 5-1 while Barahin — unplaced in his comeback run last Saturday — has eased to 9-1.
Buffalo Bill Cody — an 8-1 chance — was backed down to favouritism at Turffontein recently, but he needs to show a run similar to Like A Panther’s last Saturday to win over more support.
Noble Secret, who has won five races for owner Costa Livanos, has also been entered for the Summer Cup, but the Dynasty gelding failed to shape last Saturday and his price is now 33-1.
Sean Tarry has proved a tough rival for De Kock in recent years and — with Piere Strydom in the saddle — will be delighted his charge Zilzaal is on course for the Summer Cup after a comfortable recent win. His price with Michael is 12-1.
This season’s leading rider, Warren Kennedy, rode Like A Panther last Saturday and — unless the Paul Peter stable has a fancied runner — will be keen to get the call to partner the five-year-old in the Summer Cup.
Kennedy is now the clear 14-10 favourite to win this season’s jockeys championship.
Statistics to October 9 show the KwaZulu-Natal-based rider with 62 wins — 12 ahead of his nearest pursuer, Muzi Yeni.
In betting on the championship, Yeni is quoted at 5-2 with Richard Fourie priced at 9-2. Anton Marcus and Gavin Lerena, both on the injured list, are on offer at 17-2.
Summer Cup Betting
(Supplied by bookmaker Lance Michael)
18-10 Hawwaam
5-1 Soqrat
8-1 Buffalo Bill Cody
9-1 Barahin
10-1 Like A Panther
12-1 Zilzaal
18-1 Marchingontogether
20-1 Al Mutawakel
25-1 Roy Had Enough
33-1 Noble Secret, Camphoratus
40-1 Others
KwaZulu-Natal raider faces tough rival in Soqrat
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