The R1 million Supreme Cup sponsored by SAP, formerly known as the Emerald Cup and to be run this Saturday, has become associated with speed, an asset which invariably appears to be an essential ingredient of a winner.

However, the speed ingredient is sometime beaten by pure power, which applies to those who can maintain a strong gallop throughout on the testing surface, and latterly low draws appear to have been a big factor too, considering the last four winners have not been drawn higher than barrier three.

The country’s most prestigious sand event was originally run over 1400m until being switched to 1450m in 2008.

The winner of the inaugural 2005 running, Hilti, started his career with a debut win over 1600m and followed up by winning over 1900m, so he was then not surprisingly kept over middle distance to staying events for much of his career. However, in the last nine runs of his career this powerful galloper by Fort Wood won five times between 1400-1600m, indicating that might have in fact been his optimum distance range.

National Spirit, who won the second renewal of the race in 2006 having been runner up in the inaugural running, was essentially a miler who was known for his early speed and his ability to kick from the front.

The following year’s winner Narc had a stamina question mark hanging over his head but managed to just hang on after using his early speed to build a lead.

The fairytale winner of the 2008 running, Alimony, who was a battling turf horse before becoming a revelation on sand, was capable of a devastating finish from off the pace and was a 1400-1600m specialist

Phunyuka, who won the 2009 running, was a sprint-miler who never won beyond 1450m.

The 2010 winner Iron Curtain had only ever won over 1800m before being switched to sand and he won over 1450m on his debut on this surface. Later in his Emerald Cup win, this Fort Wood gelding was able to use his power to overcome a high draw and from a handy position he maintained a good gallop throughout, enabling him to emerge from the pack and hold on from a flying Alimony.

The 2011, 2012 and 2013 winners, The Mouseketeer, Meadow Magic and In A Rush, were all from the sprint-miler mould and were able to be right up with the pace from pole position draw, barrier two and pole position draw respectively.

Last year the sprinting type Tommy Gun used his early speed to take the lead before sitting in behind Anger, who came around him. The pace shown by the front two left many of the opposition way out of their ground. Tommy Gun was able to find another gear late, having gone for home quite early, and he ran out a comfortable three length winner.

A horse that immediately stands out this year, if looking at past winners as a guide, is the pole position drawn Precursor, who is a 105 merit-rated horse with tremendous early speed and he has four sprint wins from 1000-1200m to his name. Tommy Gun had actually won over the Supreme Cup distance before his win last year, so it is a concern that Precursor has not. However, trainer Dominic Zaki has no doubt he will stay the trip and evidence of this is that he entered him in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas last season, although he admittedly didn’t fare well.

Roman Carnival, who stands to win a R100,000 bonus, showed his speed when thrashing them in the Gr 2 August Stakes over 1200m and before that he won over 1600m, so he also looks an ideal type, but on the downside he has drawn wide in 16 (which will come into 13 if the reserve runners come out).

Willow Magic is also a classy sprint-miler and on pedigree he should love the sand, being from a Mr Prospector line sire, but he does have a tricky draw of nine and has to carry second top weight.

Isphan has a lot of speed and has won over this trip but is another with a very wide draw (15) to overcome.

Toro Rosso is in the same category, having been a facile winner on the sand over both 1200m and 1400m. However, he is another with a terrible draw (17), although he could use his fine gate speed and early pace to overcome it. His Mike de Kock-trained stablemate Mootahadee appears to take a while to come to hand, but when he is fit he is useful and was a facile winner over course and distance last time after being handy from the off. So he is clearly fit at present and has a fair draw of six.

Jade Vine is a sprinter to 1450m horse and is well drawn in five. It is his second run after a five month layoff, but the national champion trainer Sean Tarry is unlikely to be perturbed by that theory.

Solar Triptych looks to be a 1400m specialist and is not badly drawn in seven. He has a bit to do on paper but is relatively lightly raced, so could still improve. Uncle Tommy is a sprint-miler who is drawn well in three but looks too high in the weights at present.

All The Bids and Deputy Jud look to be up against it as horses who would prefer further, although Deputy Jud could indeed be termed a “powerful galloper” and is well drawn. Ultimate Dollar won exceptionally well over 2200m last time in a Gr 3 and he is also effective 1400m. He is drawn well in two but a concern is that Jet Masters generally don’t appear to enjoy the Vaal sand and he has only ever run on turf to date. He will certainly love the long straight, as one who takes time to wind up into his big stride, but although he won from the front over 2200m last time, there is a question whether he will have the early pace to be within striking distance over this trip.

Taptap Makhatini likes to run handy or from the front and is effective from 1450m to 1800m. He runs well fresh, but his wide draw of 14 makes it tough.

Lavender Landscape is effective from the front and could possibly get there from draw eight, but he would likely prefer 1600m and the handicapper coupled with the merit rated band conditions of the race haven’t made it easy for him either.
– David Thiselton

*Saturday’s Supreme Cup racemeeting at the Vaal sand track features a carryover-boosted Pick 6 pool estimated to top R4,8MILLION