The Grade 3 eLan Gold Cup is always a thrilling race to watch and is the highlight of the purists’ favourite SA Champions Season meeting, Super Saturday.

Made To Conquer will be attempting to be the first horse for 27 years to carry topweight to victory but he is up to it as he has a perfect racing temperament and plenty of class. He will stay the trip on pedigree being by Dynasty out of SA Oaks winner Festive Occasion. His rider Piere Strydom need no introduction, although he has only won the Gold Cup once.

It’s My Turn, also by Dynasty, showed in the Gold Vase when running on strongly that staying is what he has always been looking for and he has come down two points in the merit ratings. Anton Marcus’s only win in this race was 27 years ago on topweight Icona but he knows It’s My Turn well.

Let It Rain was unable to get to the front in the Gold Vase from pole position and had to sit one wide. If he finds the lead, or the rail behind a good pace, he will be a runner as he likes to stride out and stays well.

Hermoso Mundo defends his title, although he has to lug 3kg more than last year and has a tougher draw. However, he has his third run after a long layoff and comes in relatively fresh so has a fine chance.

Witchcraft is talented and on a line through Flichity By Farr has a fine chance on paper against the like of It’s My Turn. She has a big weight for a mare and appears to be at her best at Scottsville, but if she has a confident air about her before the start, like she did before her T&B Oaks win at Scottsville, she will likely run accordingly.

Strathdon disappointed in the Betting World 2200 on July day but that was partly due to him fighting during the attempt to drop him out from a wide draw. This time he is well drawn so there is unlikely to be a repeat and he is 3,5kg better off with Made To Conquer for a neck beating in the Lonsdale over 2400m at Greyville so is a huge runner.

Dark Moon Rising was well beaten in the VDJ but the muddling pace was against him. He has struck both his trainer and a couple of top jockeys as a stayer and could well relish this trip and is well drawn.

Wild Wicket is capable of a strong finish if left alone in the running and his draw of two will allow him to be ridden like that. His second dam produced a Gold Bowl winner and his sire Dynasty produced a Gold Cup winner and his damsire Jallad produced two Gold Cup winners, so he has the pedigree and is a dark horse.

Kitty’s Destiny has a wide draw and looks held by Let It Rain and Hermoso Mundo, although not by far and on Gold Bowl evidence he will be handy and staying on.

One Man Show had every chance in the Gold Vase but after quickening well was beaten 1,6 lengths by It’s My Turn and is now 0,5kg worse off. However, he now has his third run after a layoff.

Desert Wisdom is 3,5kg worse off than he would be if this was a normal handicap and he faces stronger than he has been in Port Elizabeth. The same can be said of Frikkie, who is 5kg worse off than he would be in a normal handicap.

One Direction stayed on well in the Gold Vase after going handy and has a chance as he is 1kg better off with It’s My Turn for a 1,55 length beating and is now drawn in pole.

Royal Utopia is 6kg better off with Witchcraft for a 4,5 length beating in the T&B Oaks and being by Ideal World out of a Fort Wood dual Grade 3 winner over 1800m she looks to have the class and the stamina in her pedigree. She does have a tough draw though.

The only three-year-old, Ballymaine would officially be 8,5kg under sufferance if this was a normal handicap. However, he is 4,5kg better off with It’s My Turn for a 3,25 length beating in the T&B Derby. If weight for age changes are included he is actually 5,5kg better off. That puts them together on paper. Furthermore, Ballymaine looks to be an out and out stayer who will relish the step up to 3200m. In his last start, an excellent preparation run over 1950m at Scottsville, he produced a good finish from off the pace.

Sheet Weaver is 2kg worse off with It’s My Turn from the Gold Vase despite being beaten 1,3 lengths, so has a tough task. However, he ran all the way to the line from a handy position and could earn.

It is an interesting race but Justin Snaith could make history by doing both the July and the Gold Cup trifecta as Made To Conquer, One Direction and Strathdon are selected to run one-two-three. It’s My Turn and Hermoso Mundo should also be included in the Pick and Jackpot. However, for back end of trifectas and quartets Ballymaine, Let It Rain, Dark Moon Rising, Wild Wicket, One Man Show, Witchcraft and Royal Utopia cab be considered in that order.

By David Thiselton

Four-time champion Anton Marcus, for so long first jockey to Markus Jooste and his Mayfair Speculators team, will be retained by Ridgemont from the start of next season. The expanding operation already retains Greg Cheyne whose contract will be continued.

Ridgemont’s Craig Kieswetter, still best known for his cricketing prowess- he was a member of England’s T20 team until injury ended his career, said: “Bringing Anton on board is another step in the right direction. We have an exciting crop of young horses entering the training yards and having both Anton and Greg on our team provides us with invaluable experience and expertise.”

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

The prolific-scoring Brave Move warmed up for her showdown with Fresnaye in the Final Fling Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday with an impressive piece of work yesterday.

Adam Marcus said: “It was her final work before the race. She went beautifully and I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Aldo Domeyer’s mount has been installed 11-10 favourite with World Sports Betting which has Fresnaye on 22-10. The latter’s stable companion Dynasty’s Blossom is on 5-1 and it’s 10-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Scottsville is a happy hunting ground for Summerveld-based Mark Dixon and he went home a contented man after scoring a treble that could so easily have been a four-timer yesterday.

Galaxy Tunes upset in the card opener as the gelding fought out a tight finish with stable companion and long-time leader Peacock Alley with short-priced favourite Kingdom Come a disappointing fourth.

Kingdom Come was reported to have got his tongue over the bit so he is sure to make amends.

Galaxy Tunes was bred by Nothemba Nlonzi who has a fledgling stud outside of Howick in the KZN Midlands and is slowly gathering a band of choice bred mares.

Dixon missed out on a quick double as the Belinda Impey-trained Swift Move out-gunned Asiana in the second, but a more satisfying win came in the fourth were the ever-game Isingamoya out-pointed a tough Pinnacle Stakes field, scraping home ahead of Anneline and an ever game Lunar Rush.

Unbeaten since being tried in blinkers, this was the mare’s eighth win. “She’s bloody game,” said Dixon while singing the praises of jockey Brandon Lerena. “He really gets behind them,” he said. “I don’t know why more people don’t use him.”

Dixon rounded off a fine afternoon’s work as Admiral’s Guest got the better of Captain Courteous in the seventh.

In a sport where all are quick to criticise without first confirming the facts, it was heartening to see the jockeys come to the party after a ‘sink-hole’ was fortunately discovered at around the 1500m mark before the first race.

Peacock Alley stepped into the hole while circling behind the gate and Brandon Lerena reported it to the relevant authorities.

After an inspection by jockey representative Warren Kennedy, the area was cordoned off and the meeting continued without further incident.

Initial inspection of the area indicated termites having attacked the grass root system but the track will be thoroughly inspected before the next meeting.

By Andrew Harrison

The Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m represents a chance for a banker in the Pick 6 at Saturday’s big Gold Cup meeting as it all points to Soqrat.

The Australian-bred colt has a big reputation and ran on well for a narrow second in a strong Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe field over 1400m. He is now drawn in pole and is odds on favourite in the ante-post market. On the close up pedigree there must be a stamina doubt as his sire Epaulette won two Group 1s and a Group 3 over 1400m and his dam by Hussonet was kept to sprints and won one over 1000m and one over 1200m. However, Epaulette did finish third in a Group 1 in his only attempt at a mile and Soqrat’s dam is a three-quarters sister to a Group 2 winner over 1500m. Soqrat certainly ran all the way to the line in the Golden Horseshoe and has a nice length of stride and also appears to have a good temperament.

Stablemate Alyaasaat is of the progressive sort Mike de Kock excels with and having thrashed a field of moderate older maidens last time he will enjoy this step up in trip, but does have a tricky draw.

Cirillo showed a good turn of foot at Turffontein Standside over 1400m on July day and won comfortably. His dam was a maiden by sprinter Lake Conistion, but his sire, the July winner Pomodoro, should provide him with the necessary stamina. He relaxes well in the running but his draw of ten is tricky.

Twist Of Fate, an impressive specimen by Master Of My Fate, showed a fine turn of foot in the Somerset Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth in early May, He did the same in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville but his effort then petered out and he was not persevered with. His dam by Counteraction won a Listed race over this trip so he should stay and he has a nice middle draw of seven.

Crown Guardian also showed a good turn of foot from behind in the Somerset but was beaten 3,2 lengths by Twist Of Fate, despite receiving 2kg. However, he then stayed on well in the Golden Horseshoe after being held up from a wide draw and, finishing fourth, was only four lengths behind Soqrat. He now has a good draw of five and this Gimmethegreenlight colt will enjoy the step up in trip.

Master Thief by Just As Well won his maiden well from the front over this trip at Scottsville and with Strydom up from a draw of six can’t be discounted as that was a fair field he beat and the time was good.

Confessional plugged on gamely in the Golden Horeshoe but was beaten eight lengths by Soqrat and four lengths by Crown Guardian.

Bold Eagle needed his last run over 1400m when beaten 5,9 lengths by Cirillo over 1400m. He was giving the latter 4kg and on pedigree will relish this step up in trip. However, he has a tough draw to overcome and Cirillo did win that last race with ease.

Checkpoint Charlie by Brave Tin Soldier is an impressive specimen and won very well over 1400m on the poly. He showed speed that day, not surprisingly as he is out of a Grade 3-winning sprinter by Muhtafal. However, he is a half-brother to a horse who won twice over this trip so he could go to the front from a wide draw and is one of the dark horses.

Cyber Special was beaten 4,2 lengths by Soqrat over 1400m last time. He has a tough task here as Soqrat toyed with them that day.

Play Another Tune and Ovation Award have tough tasks on formlines, considering how easily the subsequent Golden Horseshoe winner Barahin won the Gatecrasher Stakes.

Whitehaven wore down the opposition to win over 1200m last time and should stay the trip. On 1200m form he is alongside Alyaasaat but the latter looks to have more scope for improvement.

The more one looks at this race the more Soqrat stands out as top class and he is going to be hard to beat. Cirillo, Crown Guardian and Alyaasaat should be thereabouts and the dark horse is Checkpoint Charlie.

By David Thiselton