Litigation may prove pick of Tarry’s cup runners, says bookie
Lance Michael believes the four-year-old has peaked at just the right time for the Summer Cup with a young jockey who knows the horse well
23 November 2022 - 15:10
byDAVID MOLLETT
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Sean Tarry bids for his fifth Summer Cup win in the last six years on Saturday and bookmaker Lance Michael believes the pick of his quintet of runners could be four-year-old Litigation.
“Sean’s recent record in the race is awesome, and he has three live runners in Nebraas, Pyromaniac and Litigation. I believe Litigation has peaked at just the right time and could emerge best of the trio,” Michael said on Wednesday.
“You had to like Litigation’s Victory Moon win, and it’s interesting that Sean has kept faith with young [Philasande] Mxoli. He’ll be nervous on Saturday, but the plus factor is that he knows the horse and is well drawn at gate two.
“Whether Litigation is value at his current price of 11-1 is debatable but there are some, including myself, who backed him prior to the Victory Moon when he was 33-1 and 40-1,” added Michael.
“If you want my choice to win, I feel the race may rest between Safe Passage and Aragosta. I am prepared to lay the favourite, Sparkling Water, as I feel the second run after a break may grab her.”
At the Betway Summer Cup draw on Monday night, Mike de Kock wasn’t fazed that SA Derby winner Aragosta had drawn a wide berth. “I’m happy for Aragosta to be on the outside, I think he’s a better horse on the outside, especially in a big field.”
With most pundits in the corner of Sparkling Water, and De Kock confident of a big run, Michael is certainly swimming against the tide with this viewpoint that the favourite can be beaten. The Durban July winner heads the market at 2-1.
Keagan De Melo rode his 100th winner of the season at Greyville on Monday and, with his large following, it would be no surprise if his Cup mount, Puerto Manzano, shortened in the betting before the “off”.
The gelding’s trainer, Johan Janse van Vuuren, was at Monday’s draw and said: “My main horse [Puerto Manzano] got the best of the draw and I’m very happy about that.”
De Melo is riding the crest of a wave this term and the 28-year-old has the impressive strike rate of 21% winners to rides. He is now 37 ahead of Cape-based jockey Richard Fourie.
There is good news for the many grooms bringing their horse to the city track on Saturday — Gauteng’s Heversham Stud will be sponsoring the “Best Turned Out” horse for all 10 races on the card.
A cash prize of R1,000 will be awarded to the groom of the horse adjudged to be the best turned out for every race.
Heversham’s Katerina Riley commented: “This is a gesture from us to the grooms to give something back to the grooms who do so much hard work behind the scenes.
“It also serves as an encouragement for them to do just that little bit extra to bring their respective runners to the track in tip-top condition,” she added.
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.
Litigation may prove pick of Tarry’s cup runners, says bookie
Lance Michael believes the four-year-old has peaked at just the right time for the Summer Cup with a young jockey who knows the horse well
Sean Tarry bids for his fifth Summer Cup win in the last six years on Saturday and bookmaker Lance Michael believes the pick of his quintet of runners could be four-year-old Litigation.
“Sean’s recent record in the race is awesome, and he has three live runners in Nebraas, Pyromaniac and Litigation. I believe Litigation has peaked at just the right time and could emerge best of the trio,” Michael said on Wednesday.
“You had to like Litigation’s Victory Moon win, and it’s interesting that Sean has kept faith with young [Philasande] Mxoli. He’ll be nervous on Saturday, but the plus factor is that he knows the horse and is well drawn at gate two.
“Whether Litigation is value at his current price of 11-1 is debatable but there are some, including myself, who backed him prior to the Victory Moon when he was 33-1 and 40-1,” added Michael.
“If you want my choice to win, I feel the race may rest between Safe Passage and Aragosta. I am prepared to lay the favourite, Sparkling Water, as I feel the second run after a break may grab her.”
At the Betway Summer Cup draw on Monday night, Mike de Kock wasn’t fazed that SA Derby winner Aragosta had drawn a wide berth. “I’m happy for Aragosta to be on the outside, I think he’s a better horse on the outside, especially in a big field.”
With most pundits in the corner of Sparkling Water, and De Kock confident of a big run, Michael is certainly swimming against the tide with this viewpoint that the favourite can be beaten. The Durban July winner heads the market at 2-1.
Keagan De Melo rode his 100th winner of the season at Greyville on Monday and, with his large following, it would be no surprise if his Cup mount, Puerto Manzano, shortened in the betting before the “off”.
The gelding’s trainer, Johan Janse van Vuuren, was at Monday’s draw and said: “My main horse [Puerto Manzano] got the best of the draw and I’m very happy about that.”
De Melo is riding the crest of a wave this term and the 28-year-old has the impressive strike rate of 21% winners to rides. He is now 37 ahead of Cape-based jockey Richard Fourie.
There is good news for the many grooms bringing their horse to the city track on Saturday — Gauteng’s Heversham Stud will be sponsoring the “Best Turned Out” horse for all 10 races on the card.
A cash prize of R1,000 will be awarded to the groom of the horse adjudged to be the best turned out for every race.
Heversham’s Katerina Riley commented: “This is a gesture from us to the grooms to give something back to the grooms who do so much hard work behind the scenes.
“It also serves as an encouragement for them to do just that little bit extra to bring their respective runners to the track in tip-top condition,” she added.
BETWAY SUMMER CUP BETTING
(Supplied by bookmaker Lance Michael)
2-1 Sparkling Water
5-2 Safe Passage
13-2 Aragosta
9-1 Puerto Manzano
11-1 Litigation
16-1 Nebraas, Red Saxon, William Robertson
25-1 MK’s Pride, Pyromaniac
50-1 Others
VAAL SELECTIONS
1st Race: (1) Warbonnet Creek (7) Princess Ilaria (4) Smelting (5) Silk Garden
2nd Race: (1) Crimson Princess (3) Ballroom Bliss (6) Dark Travel (2) Eternal Life
3rd Race: (4) Cape Lights (6) Pomozelous (13) Aunt Pittypat (8) Coffee In Seattle
4th Race: (7) Willow’s Wish (1) Naval Guard (8) Clarkson (2) Sudden Star
5th Race: (10) Flowerbomb (4) Dockofthebay (2) Follow Me (3) Mercantour
6th Race: (6) Southern Skies (2) Set To Go (1) Dyce (4) The Mauritian
7th Race: (8) Fostinovo (6) Twice The Storm (1) Mover And Shaker (9) Corvette Captain
8th Race: (6) In The Ether (2) Admiralty Arch (7) Back To Basics (5) Twice As Wild
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