Gold Cup draws the best
KRAMBAMBULI, fourth in the recent Vodacom Durban July, heads the weights for the R1,25million Grade 3 eLan Gold Cup to be run over 3200m at Greyville on Sunday, July 30. For the first time, the Gold Cup meeting will take place over two days of the weekend July, Saturday 29 and Sunday, July 30, with the Grade 1 Champions Cup the highlight of the Saturday card and the Gold Cup plus the two final two-year-old Grade 1 races of the season, namely the Premier’s Champion Juvenile Stakes and the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes supporting Gold Cup Sunday. 0Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco and Rising Sun Gold Challenge victor Captain America head the 17 nominations for the Grade 1 Champions Cup to be run over 2000m. Marinaresco, runner up in last year’s July, made amends in the Champions Cup and will be out to defend his crown. Also nominated are Garden Province winner Bela-Bela, and July runners It’s My Turn, French Navy, Ten Gun Salute and Nightingale. Krambambuli heads an entry of 28 runners for the Gold Cup that includes Hermoso Mundo and Captain Splendid, the pair recently involved in a tight finish to the Gr3 SABC Gold Vase.
Desert Rhythm
The Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes has attracted 31 nominations including recent Grade 2 Gold Circle Golden Slipper winner Desert Rhythm who will be looking to cement her place at the top of the two-year-old female rankings and Equus Champion. Her cause has been helped by a plum draw at 6. In opposition will be the first five past the post in the Golden Slipper, Let It Flow, Tsessebe, Rockin Russian and Neptune’s Rain.
Purple Diamond, surprise winner of the Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe on July day, runner-up and beaten a short head, Ancestry, and the unbeaten Sand And Sea are among the 20 nominations for the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes which will make for a cracking race if all three stand their ground. Also in the mix is Captain And Master, the more fancied of the Tarry runners in the Golden Horseshoe and possibly a touch unlucky after finding traffic.