Coral Fever is out on his own according to the official merit ratings for the GBets Summer Cup but trainer Robbie Sage still expects him to line up for the big race on December 1 despite him having to give the field 5,5kg.

Sage said, “We will wait until closer to the time but he took his Charity Mile run well and we will take our chances.”

Coral Fever’s win in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge sent his merit rating up eight points to 118 but that did not stop him winning the Peermont Emperor’s Charity Mile in his last start.

Coral Fever (JC Photographics)

He received a further two points for that win.

The joint second highest merit rated horses are five-year-old Cascapedia and four-year-old Roy’s Had Enough on 109 meaning they will receive 5,5kg and 6kg respectively from Coral Fever.

Only 15 of the entries still standing are in the handicap at present as the minimum weight will as usual be 52kg.

In other Summer Cup news Sean Tarry said he would keep Warrior’s Rest in the Summer Cup but felt that off his 91 merit rating his chances of getting in were “nil”. He scratched the big horse from the Victory Moon Stakes and said, “He was well beaten in his last start. You can only go forward so much and if you do not see the evidence before your eyes you have to accept it.”

There are 43 entries still standing of the original 58 and 32 of them are higher merit rated than Warrior’s Rest so he will need a lot of scratchings to get in.

The panellists do not have to stick to merit ratings when selecting the final field and one of the horses who is under sufferance, Buffalo Bill Cody, is surely a certainty to get in considering he was given the maximum eight point raise for his last two handicap wins when demolishing the field. The Irish-bred four-year-old Redoute’s Choice colt is officially only 1,5kg under sufferance and is in fact the ruling favourite with the sponsor at 6/1, who have obviously recognised that without handicapping restrictions his merit rating would be a lot higher.

The Alec Laird-trained Green Top has drawn in pole in one of the supporting features on the day, the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge for fillies and mares over 1600m. Laird was frustrated by the slow pace in the filly’s last start on the Inside track over 1600m which turned it into a sprint for home and she had little chance of catching the decent Mike de Kock-trained Storm Destiny. A line can probably be drawn trough her run there, although she will face Storm Destiny on 5kg worse terms in the Ipi Tombe and also has to face the like of the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province winner Redberry Lane as well as last season’s KZN three-year-old champion filly Fiorella and last season’s Equus Two-year-old champion filly Return Flight.

By David Thiselton

The Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m is the headliner tonight at Turffontein Standside and all of the trainers commented on their runners.

Sean Tarry said, “Liege is doing well but is obviously not well weighted. This is part of his prep and it will bring him to his peak for the Summer Cup. Bulleting Home is trying the distance again, I would have been confident about him getting it at Greyville but this is a more testing track. He is doing well but also has a hard task against the two fillies at the weights. French Navy needed his first run back and I’m hoping to qualify him for the Summer Cup. He has always acquitted himself well in features but had three ordinary runs in Grade 1’s last season so has plummeted down the merit ratings. I will be hard pressed to win this race but would like to see a nice run from Liege and hope French Navy can run in the first five to qualify.”

French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Matthew de Kock said, “Takingthepeace is extremely well and is the best weighted horse so has a big shout. Like A Panther will still be using this run as a prep for the Summer Cup.”

St. John Gray said, “Dawn Assault is coming off a seven week break and his chief mission is the Summer Cup, but he is working well and if he gets a good position I expect a good run. However, he has to overcome a poor draw in what looks likely to be a moderately paced race.”

Adam Azzie said, “Full Mast and Arctica have both come out of the Charity Mike well and are fit. Full Mast had a wide draw last time and we had to jump and ride him for luck and it didn’t pan out. But now he has a decent draw so we will be able to place him and this race will be the best indication of whether he sees out the trip.”

Geoff Woodruff said, “Zouaves is well but we are not quite sure whether he will get the trip so he will be ridden quietly. Deo Juvente is also fit and well. He became very sick in Cape Town and his Champions Challenge win last year sent his merit rating through the roof to an unrealistic figure, but he is now off a manageable mark. His last race was a very good run as he carried a big weight and came from the back. He is on an upward trend and although he is now a seven-year-old he looks like a four-year-old.”

Gokhan Terzi said about Tandava, “This is the best I have had him, so he has every chance if he stays the distance. He has two or three lengths to find on Arctica on their last meeting over course and distance but he has improved and he will have the blinkers on this time which I think he runs best with so I have fingers crossed.”

Paul Peter said, “Sabina’s Dynasty has come through her prep very well, she is jumping out of her skin and if there is a decent pace she won’t be out of the first three.”

Ashley Fortune said, “Cash time is much fitter than he was for his last couple of runs.”

David Nieuwenhuizen said, “Bankable Teddy is up against a very strong field so is up against it but he has been working nicely and we have sorted out a few issues he had. We will see how he goes and if he comes out of the race well he will go for the Summer Cup.”

The Alec Laird-trained Gambado has been scratched.

By David Thiselton

Patrons of the Track & Ball outlet, diagonally opposite the ‘Boshoff Street Country Club’ (Thistle Hotel) in Pietermaritzburg, have a standing joke. “Will Shine Up ever win a race?”

Butt of the joke is long-time Shine Up supporter Ray Martinaglia.

Biker Babe (Candiese Marnewick)

He gets it from all sides from his mates when Shine Up runs, and he doesn’t even have a share, but many an owner would give their eye-teeth to own a horse who earns a cheque almost every time he runs.

22 place cheques in 36 runs is not a bad record, add to that R275 000 in stake money, and the seven-year-old Shine Up has more than paid for his keep.

Doug Campbell’s runner was on the receiving end again yesterday as Secret Dynasty put six lengths of daylight and some change over him, but another R21k in the bank will have been more than welcome for his connections.

It was not the greatest of fields, but Secret Dynasty made no secret of his ability as Dennis Bosch led him in after a facile victory under Anton Marcus.

After a stuttering start to his career, Edge Of The Sun appears to have got the hang of things and reeled off his third win in four starts when getting home ahead of Real Vision in the eighth for Duncan Howells. This win should score Edge Of The Sun enough points to head the log in the KZN Summer Series, ahead of Ronnie Rocket and Roy’s Magic, the latter running at Scottsville on Sunday where he will be up against the Howells-trained Good To Give in the tussle for top spot and a bonus cheque.

Dennis Drier is in his customary Western Cape escape where he got his summer campaign off to a winning start last Sunday. For stable rider Sean Veale it’s a case of up and down and plenty of air miles but it was well worth it yesterday as Escape Club did the business in the card opener. It was a hard-fought win as poly track specialist O’Keeffe gave plenty of cheek but Escape Club kept up her exemplary record, this her fourth win from just six outings.

By Andrew Harrison

One World has been installed 19-10 favourite to extend his unbeaten run to five in the R400 000 Concorde Cup at Kenilworth on Saturday week. The colt is Vaughan Marshall’s main hope for a third consecutive Cape Guineas next month.

World Sports Betting makes the Sean Tarry-trained Chimichuri Run – the highest rated horse in the race by 3.5kg – second favourite at 11-2 with Twist Of Fate, Hudoo Magic and Herodotus all on 9-1.

In the Cape Merchants on the same card last year’s runner-up Dutch Philip is favourite at 11-2 with top weight Bold Respect on 15-2 and Kasimir on 8-1.

Justin Snaith has already declared five. In addition to Kasimir (Richard Fourie) he runs Sergeant Hardy (S’Manga Khumalo), Bishop’s Bounty (Brandon Lerena) Star Chestnut (Robert Khathi) and Sir Frenchie (Sean Veale).

Snaith also runs four in the R2 500 000 CTS Ready To Run Stakes with Fourie on Captainofthesea, Black Indy (Brandon Lerena), Seventh Sea (Robert Khathi) and Carlas Mambo.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: One World (Liesl King)

Turffontein Standside stages an eight race night meeting tomorrow which is headlined by the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m.

The two females in the Victory Moon, Takingthepeace and Sabina’s Dynasty, are the best weighted on official merit ratings but preference is for Like A Panther, a long-striding, scopey sort who should come into his own this season. He has a wide draw but can be dropped out before running on. Deo Juvente should go close as he has been dropped to a competitive merit rating and caught the eye in his last run. Gambado strikes as a progressive sort and he will come on from his last start. Arctica and Takingthepeace also have to be included in exotics. Sabina’s Dynasty, Dawn Assault and Tandava make most appeal of the rest.

Cascapedia (JC Photographics)

It is a tricky card and Redberry Lane is made the best bet in race two over her optimum trip of a mile. She won the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes in fine style and in her recent comeback she caught the eye staying on strongly to get up over 1450m. Her main rival here Cascapedia will likely be using this as a preparation for the GBets Summer Cup.

The first leg of the Pick is tough but Flying Winger is on the up and on pedigree will enjoy the step up to 1800m. However, the lightly raced and progressive Diamond Dancer from pole position will be a big threat. Kilrain should bounce back off a lowered merit rating and Secret Captain and Silver God have to be considered.

The first leg of the Jackpot is a tough MR 88 sprint handicap. Copper Jay is an up and coming sort who was scalped last time and he can make amends being 2kg better off with Donny G for a 1,3 length beating. The latter has always struck as one with ability and has begun living up to that since being partnered with Piere Strydom. They go for a hattrick together. Pillaroftheearth also looks to have come into his own and must also be included. Torre Del Oro has been disappointing lately but was coughing last time and if bouncing back to his best could be a threat. The speedy Great Shaka could be dangerous too running fresh.

The next race should be fought out by the promising youngsters Big Blue Marble and Palace Chapel and the best weighted Mawsoof.

In the Listed Gardenia Stakes Green Plains is well weighted but she does have the number one draw which can sometimes be the worst side on this straight sprint course. Therefore Covered In Snow, Kissable, Wrecking Ball, Queen Laurie and Rose In Bloom have to also be considered.

In the last race Africa Rising gets on well with Lyle Hewitson and can beat the Equus Champion Sprinter Will Pays, who is returning from a layoff. Legal Eagle ran a place in a similar race last season and Pinnacle Peak, Romi’s Boy, Captain’s Causeway and Angel’s Power are hard to ignore.

By David Thiselton