Future Pearl delivers in Gold Cup to give Tarry third win

The 15-10 favourite, Future Pearl, provided Sean Tarry with his third Gold Cup victory — and stamped himself as the best stayer in the land — with a top-class performance in the grade 3 World Pool Gold Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

Perfectly handled by Richard Fourie, this R525,000 son of Futura — bred at Drakenstein Stud — powered home to take the R625,000 first cheque for Kentucky-based owners Angela and Antony Beck.

Tarry won with Aslan in 2011 and the last three-year-old to win this marathon event was in 2010.

Highveld raider Arummugan had disappointed in the Gold Vase but turned in an improved performance to take second prize in the hands of young Kaidan Brewer. Nebraas, winner in 2021, and Raiseahallelujah filled third and fourth respectively.

Justin Snaith’s quiet KwaZulu-Natal season continued with both One Way Ticket and Salvator Mundi never at the races. For some reason, Grant van Niekerk parked the first-named at the rear and he was a forlorn hope a long way out.

Sandringham Summit put his name forward for the Equus Champion Two-Year-Old award with a top-class performance in Sunday's fifth race — the World Pool Champion Stakes over 1,600m.

The son of Gimmethegreenlight has done Business Day readers proud as he won the Horse Chestnut on Durban July day at odds of 6-1 and this time — despite drifting in the market — won at the generous price of 7-1.

The victory in this R700,000 race provided trainer David Nieuwenhuizen with his first grade 1 success. He said: “It’s wonderful to have captured my first grade 1 — this horse is only going to get better as a three-year-old. He’s definitely the best I’ve trained.”

Nieuwenhuizen also praised the colt’s breeders Varsfontein Stud who sold the horse to owner Rakesh Singh at the 2022 National Yearling Sales for R1.7m. It looks like money well spent.

Lucky Lad — favourite at 11-10 to maintain his 100% record — had a nightmare journey throughout the race and trailed in at the rear of the field. It was a huge disappointment for trainer Sean Tarry who had won the grade 2 Gold Bracelet with hot favourite, Bless My Stars.

There was another hard luck story for the market leader in the grade 1 Mercury Sprint with the favourite, Gimme A Prince, hampered early in the race and having to settle for fourth place.

This time Richard Fourie wasn’t to be denied and rode arguably his best finish of the season to get Isivunguvungu home in a desperate finish with Surjay and Thunderstruck.

This victory probably ensured the Hollywood entourage will be making the trip to Johannesburg for the Equus awards as their son of What A Winter — trained by Peter Muscutt — looks certain to win the Champion Sprinter category for the 2022/23 season.