Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Thanks John needs a circuit to warm up

David Thiselton
The Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup, to be run over 3200m at Greyville this Saturday, June 26, is usually a fight between out-and-out stayers and classier middle distance to staying types and this year, despite it being run unusually early, looks no different.
However, the last topweight to win the race was the out and out stayer, Icona, way back in 1991, who carried 58kg.
Between Icona in 1991 and Thundering Star, who carried 57kg when winning in 2007, the heaviest weight carried to victory was 54kg by Reveille Boy.
The lightweight trend does appear to have been broken lately with the last three winners, Thundering Star, Desert Links and Mokaro carrying 57kg, 57kg and 56,5kg respectively, although it must be remembered that the minimum weight in all races has been raised from 50kg to 52kg for the last few years.
The lightweights in the last three years have also lacked the stamina necessary to win.
This is not at all the case with Thanks John (55kg), Golden Parachute (55,5kg), Hospitality (53,5kg), Predestination (52kg), Sangria Girl (55,5kg) and Winning Leap (56kg).
Thanks John won his last start, the Highland Night Cup over 2500m at Clairwood, very easily and impressively.
An observer from the stands on the day was Andrew Fortune, who has ridden him in work, and he commented that Thanks John stays so well that he "needs a circuit just to warm up."
Thanks John has another weapon in his armour for Greyville, a very good turn of foot.
He also has enough speed to contest good middle distance races of around 1800m, which could be an advantage in the unlikely case of a slow run race.
His very wide draw is a concern.
Golden Parachute won a decent 2400m race on July day last year, so enjoys the course, and he was a head second in the J&B Reserve Stayers over 2800m. He faces his conqueror there, Sangria Girl, on the same weight terms here and carries just 0,5kg more than stablemate Thanks John.
Hospitality is an absolute stayer and his trainer Mike Stewart reckoned so much so that he would probably make a good Grand National horse.
Stewart also said that he is a type who can only really be brought on by a race, so the timing of his excellent second-place finish over a far too short 2000m on June 12, two weeks before the Gold Cup, was perfect.
Hospitality is very one paced and has to lead.
He has the advantage of seven-times Gold Cup winning veteran Felix Coetzee aboard and is likely to turn the race into a real test of stamina to maximise his chances.
He will almost certainly set a decent pace and even that won't stop him.
His wide draw will ensure that he does get to the lead, so is not much of a drawback.
Joey Ramsden has won this race before and has a good record with stayers.
Predestination was well regarded as a two-year-old, but became a touch disappointing and took a tumble down the merit ratings last year.
He has found new zest since being stepped up in trip and was a very easy winner of his last start over 3000m. He is only 0,5kg under sufferance, but can probably rise further up the merit ratings over this distance so looks well handicapped.
Sangria Girl is a huge mare who shows little at home, as is the case with a lot of good stayers, and she loves Durban.
She proved she stays when winning the J&B Reserves and has won a Listed event over 2400m at Greyville before.
She won well when needing it slightly at Scottsville in her Durban debut this season, before running disappointingly in the Londsdale in her second run after a rest.
She is likely to run better than that in the Gold Cup from a good draw.
Winning Leap has won his last three starts over staying trips with ease including after getting a fourteen point raise for his under-sufferance Gold Bowl win.
He could still really be anything over this distance.
Last year's winner Mokaro carries a welter 60kg but is not out of it as he has been specifically aimed at this race.

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