Emerald Cup ‘is the right distance’ for outsider

DESPITE being quoted at a lengthy 22-1 in the antepost market, five-times champion trainer Geoff Woodruff believes his Emerald Cup runner, Killua Castle, will be competitive in Saturday’s R1m race at the Vaal.

“His last run in the August Stakes over 1,200m was patently too short for him and the Cup distance of 1,450m may be his optimum trip,” said Woodruff.

Last season’s champion apprentice, Akash Aucharuz, has been entrusted with the ride on Killua Castle, and Woodruff knows the Mauritius-born youngster faces a tough task in overcoming a very wide draw.

Killua Castle is drawn in stall 13 and this may be one of the factors influencing bookmakers to quote the gelding among the outsiders.

In contrast, Jet Jamboree, the ruling 52 favourite, has the advantage of jumping from pole position and trainer Dominic Zaki says: “What beats him will win.”

It is hard to fault Jet Jamboree’s form as the seven-year-old has notched up three consecutive wins on the Vaal sand and jockey Gavin Lerena — in the saddle for two of those victories — has again been booked for the ride.

It is interesting to note that it is a horse that has never raced on sand, Whiteline Fever, who is quoted second favourite at 6-1, and Piere Strydom’s mount could be the joker in the pack. Sean Tarry’s gelding has taken on far stronger than he will meet on Saturday, and he has drawn favourably at stall two.

There are three raiders from other provinces, with Charles Laird and Kom Naidoo sending up Rio Carnival and Storm Surf from KwaZulu-Natal. The other visitor is last year’s shock winner, In A Rush, who makes the journey from his Port Elizabeth stable.

Last year’s crowd for the Emerald Cup was 10,000 and officials are hoping this might rise to 12,000, given there are also six other feature races on the card. A race for grooms over 1,600m brings the curtain down on the meeting.

There is also likely to be big interest in the Pick 6 as the pool starts with a carryover of R1.6m. It is predicted that the pool could reach R5m.

There is an eight-race programme on the Vaal sand today and the banker bet is trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s threeyear-old, The Big Easy, who is certain to start favourite for the fifth race. The Aussie import made an impressive debut over 1,400m at today’s track and the colt should prove too smart for Facebook and the top weight, Perfect Trip.

Piere Strydom rides The Big Easy and this season’s leading rider should also go close on St John Gray’s mare, Tell My Star, in the second race. Gray has his stable in fine form and a good draw is an added advantage for his runner.

Champion jockey S’manga Khumalo will have plenty of supporters in the final leg of the jackpot, in which he rides Shamal for trainer Steve Moffatt. He has not drawn too well, but this is a weak field, with top weight, A Propos, rated the main danger to the selection.

Trainer Leon Erasmus saddles four runners in the final event on the card and both Dream Leader and The Professor are worth including in exotic bets.