Sparkling Water can provide De Kock with tenth Summer Cup
Saturday’s big race at Turffontein looks as if it will be a one-sided battle for the former champion trainer as three of his horses head the betting
24 November 2022 - 14:44
byDAVID MOLLETT
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.
History books reveal that the most one-sided battle was the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 as the British began their push to colonise Africa at the end of the 19th century.
We look to have another one-sided battle in Saturday’s Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein with Mike de Kock housing the first three horses in the betting market. They are Sparkling Water, Safe Passage and Aragosta.
It’s not a “Royal Flush” hand, but not far off, and the former champion trainer has a huge chance of capturing his 10th Summer Cup. His most recent success was Flirtation in 2010.
Sparkling Water heads the market and she did Business Day followers proud with her three-lengths win in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. She has to be the top choice to land the R1.5m first prize, especially as De Kock told this writer at Monday’s draw that the mare had “thrived” in recent weeks.
Safe Passage is strong back-up for the stable with last season’s Daily News 2000 victor sure to go well in the hands of Muzi Yeni. Aragosta will have his supporters with Richard Fourie booked for the ride, but he has questions to answer after three disappointing performances.
The one man who could spoil the party for De Kock is another former champion trainer, Sean Tarry. He can boast the amazing record of having won this race four times in the past five years. To the delight of bookmakers, most have been long shots.
This year Tarry saddles five runners and most pundits believe his best chance lies with his Victory Moon winner Litigation. The son of Greys Inn is well drawn in barrier two.
In contrast, stablemate Pyromaniac is drawn somewhere near the Rand Stadium, but his Gauteng Guineas run (a length and a half behind Safe Passage) suggests he may be overpriced at 25-1.
Tarry has no qualms about Pyromaniac stepping up to 2,000m and this is understandable as the Silvano gelding is out of the SA Oaks winner, Pine Princess, who, ironically, was trained by De Kock.
Piere Strydom will be delighted to have got the call to partner Nebraas as the six-year-old went into many notebooks with his fifth place finish in the Victory Moon. The seven-time winner is 3kg better off with Litigation, which brings him firmly into the mix.
Red Saxon is another candidate drawn wide but, like Nebraas, he turned in a good comeback run and finished fourth behind Bingwa in the Charity Mile. He only has to make the short walk from Joe Soma’s yard and a top-four finish is a distinct possibility.
Though MK’s Pride might battle to turn the form around with Red Saxon, Puerto Manzano’s Charity Mile runs put the Argentinian-bred very much in the picture, especially as he is well drawn and will have leading jockey Keagan De Melo in the saddle.
Corné Spies wouldn’t be running William Robertson if he wasn’t convinced his charge would stay the trip. He can point out that his four-year-old is 4kg better off with Litigation compared to their recent meeting.
In the final analysis, this column is once again siding with Sparkling Water to beat Safe Passage, Pyromaniac and Nebraas.
Incredibly, the De Kock stable also has a good chance of filling the first three places in the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans with the trio of Shoemaker, Union Square and East Coast.
After his troubled run in traffic in the Graham Beck Stakes, it is no surprise to see Shoemaker priced up favourite, but once again this well-named son of Gimmethegreenlight has to overcome a wide draw.
This brings stablemate Union Square very much into the equation as Randall Simons has the luxury of pole position on Union Square — important in 1,600m races at the city track where the field faces the first turn very quickly.
While a win for East Coast would be a boost for Litigation’s prospects in the Summer Cup, he may already prefer a longer trip and Union Square gets the nod to take top honours en route to bigger things.
Earlier in the meeting, another son of Rafeef, Fish Eagle, looks worth a decent each-way punt in the third race even if he is held on form by Roy Magner’s runner Melech. The Clinton Binda inmate was given a conservative introduction to racing after jumping in on his debut three weeks ago.
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.
Sparkling Water can provide De Kock with tenth Summer Cup
Saturday’s big race at Turffontein looks as if it will be a one-sided battle for the former champion trainer as three of his horses head the betting
History books reveal that the most one-sided battle was the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 as the British began their push to colonise Africa at the end of the 19th century.
We look to have another one-sided battle in Saturday’s Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein with Mike de Kock housing the first three horses in the betting market. They are Sparkling Water, Safe Passage and Aragosta.
It’s not a “Royal Flush” hand, but not far off, and the former champion trainer has a huge chance of capturing his 10th Summer Cup. His most recent success was Flirtation in 2010.
Sparkling Water heads the market and she did Business Day followers proud with her three-lengths win in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. She has to be the top choice to land the R1.5m first prize, especially as De Kock told this writer at Monday’s draw that the mare had “thrived” in recent weeks.
Safe Passage is strong back-up for the stable with last season’s Daily News 2000 victor sure to go well in the hands of Muzi Yeni. Aragosta will have his supporters with Richard Fourie booked for the ride, but he has questions to answer after three disappointing performances.
The one man who could spoil the party for De Kock is another former champion trainer, Sean Tarry. He can boast the amazing record of having won this race four times in the past five years. To the delight of bookmakers, most have been long shots.
This year Tarry saddles five runners and most pundits believe his best chance lies with his Victory Moon winner Litigation. The son of Greys Inn is well drawn in barrier two.
In contrast, stablemate Pyromaniac is drawn somewhere near the Rand Stadium, but his Gauteng Guineas run (a length and a half behind Safe Passage) suggests he may be overpriced at 25-1.
Tarry has no qualms about Pyromaniac stepping up to 2,000m and this is understandable as the Silvano gelding is out of the SA Oaks winner, Pine Princess, who, ironically, was trained by De Kock.
Piere Strydom will be delighted to have got the call to partner Nebraas as the six-year-old went into many notebooks with his fifth place finish in the Victory Moon. The seven-time winner is 3kg better off with Litigation, which brings him firmly into the mix.
Red Saxon is another candidate drawn wide but, like Nebraas, he turned in a good comeback run and finished fourth behind Bingwa in the Charity Mile. He only has to make the short walk from Joe Soma’s yard and a top-four finish is a distinct possibility.
Though MK’s Pride might battle to turn the form around with Red Saxon, Puerto Manzano’s Charity Mile runs put the Argentinian-bred very much in the picture, especially as he is well drawn and will have leading jockey Keagan De Melo in the saddle.
Corné Spies wouldn’t be running William Robertson if he wasn’t convinced his charge would stay the trip. He can point out that his four-year-old is 4kg better off with Litigation compared to their recent meeting.
In the final analysis, this column is once again siding with Sparkling Water to beat Safe Passage, Pyromaniac and Nebraas.
Incredibly, the De Kock stable also has a good chance of filling the first three places in the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans with the trio of Shoemaker, Union Square and East Coast.
After his troubled run in traffic in the Graham Beck Stakes, it is no surprise to see Shoemaker priced up favourite, but once again this well-named son of Gimmethegreenlight has to overcome a wide draw.
This brings stablemate Union Square very much into the equation as Randall Simons has the luxury of pole position on Union Square — important in 1,600m races at the city track where the field faces the first turn very quickly.
While a win for East Coast would be a boost for Litigation’s prospects in the Summer Cup, he may already prefer a longer trip and Union Square gets the nod to take top honours en route to bigger things.
Earlier in the meeting, another son of Rafeef, Fish Eagle, looks worth a decent each-way punt in the third race even if he is held on form by Roy Magner’s runner Melech. The Clinton Binda inmate was given a conservative introduction to racing after jumping in on his debut three weeks ago.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: No Selection
2nd Race: (4) Fish Eagle (7) Melech (2) Insightful (8) Slinky Mapimpi
3rd Race: (9) Bard Of Avon (3) Forever Mine (2) Castletown (6) Another Level
4th Race: (2) Sweet Pepper (4) Gobsmacked (11) Kiss Me Captain (8) Iphiko
5th Race: (3) Desert Miracle (2) Sound Of Warning (1) Big Burn (11) Moonshiningthrough
6th Race: (7) Union Square (9) Shoemaker (5) East Coast (3) Royal Victory
7th Race: (4) Sparkling Water (5) Safe Passage (14) Pyromaniac (7) Nebraas
8th Race: (12) Gimme A Shot (9) Feather Boa (10) Miss Daisy (6) Gilded Butterfly
9th Race: (6) Alfaatik (5) Arumugam (4) Motown Magic (1) Imperial Ruby
10th Race: (7) Tamarisk Tree (6) Tabebuia (9) Climate Control (5) Good Council
BETWAY SUMMER CUP
(Betting supplied by Lance Michael)
22-10 Sparkling Water
28-10 Safe Passage
13-2 Aragosta
9-1 Puerto Manzano
11-1 Litigation
15-1 Red Saxon
16-1 Nebraas, William Robertson
25-1 MK’s Pride, Pyromaniac
50-1 Others
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Summer Cup Strydom’s last chance for big race glory
Litigation may prove pick of Tarry’s cup runners, says bookie
Spotlight on debut of record R7m colt at Turffontein
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.