In-form Noble Secret has what it takes to win Cup
It is eight years since owner Costa Livanos’s colours were carried to victory in the Summer Cup but, according to Gauteng bookmaker Lance Michael, that drought will soon be over.
“I feel Costa Livanos’s horse, Noble Secret, ticks all the right boxes for the Cup,” said Michael on Monday. “His recent fifth in the Spring Challenge was the perfect prep, he hails from a top stable and has an excellent pedigree. He could make it a dismal Christmas for bookies.”
The Summer Cup — sponsored for the first time by G-Bets
— is scheduled for Turffontein on December 1.
Livanos’s Cup winner in 2010 was Flirtation and, as Mike De Kock pointed out in an interview earlier in 2018, he is overdue a change of fortune. “There are two people in racing who deserve a star. Costa Livanos hasn’t really owned a top horse since Flirtation, and Chris Gerber’s Moutonshoek Stud are breeding good runners — they are due a true champion.”
Bought by Form Bloodstock for R700,000 at the 2016 National Yearling Sale, Noble Secret is a son of Dynasty who has produced a number of topclass performers including Futura, Jackson and Legislate, who is now back at stud.
If Noble Secret does not emerge victorious at the Cup, then Michael believes De Kock could still win the grade 1 race with the five-year-old mare, Cascapedia. The import finished with a flourish in the hands of Gavin Lerena to win the Fillies & Mares Spring Challenge.
“That was a good result for us as we beat most of the fancied horses, but we have promoted her to second-favourite for the Cup as she’s sure to appreciate the longer trip,” said Michael.
Not surprisingly, Michael has another son of Dynasty, grade 1 winner It’s My Turn, as third favourite at 8-1 in the ante-post market. Next best is Coral Fever at 14-1 and those look attractive odds from a place prospective when you consider Robbie Sage’s talented performer was only half a length behind Noble Secret in the Spring Challenge.
Before a storm described by the on-course commentator as being “of biblical proportions” washed out racing at Turffontein last Saturday, De Kock had seen his debutante, Isle De France, open her account at the first time of asking with a win of consummate ease.
Towards the rear for much of the race, Isle De France quickened like a really smart horse to soon put the race to bed in the hands of Lerena. As they say in the UK, it’s “early doors” yet, but De Kock must already be thinking he has got a classic filly on his hands.
Bred by the Wilge rbos driftMauritzf on tei nope ration, Isle De France is by Var out of Ilha Bela. She retired to stud with seven wins from 31 starts.
Saturday’s washout meant a further postponement for the World Sports Betting feature races, which were originally scheduled for the Vaal on September 29. Talk about a jinx
the sponsors have had cruel luck this year.
Phumelela have announced fixture changes as a result of losing four races on Saturday. The meeting scheduled for Turffontein on Tuesday has been moved to Thursday, the meeting on Thursday (work riders event) has been moved to October 23 and the three WSB feature races lost last weekend will now be run at Turffontein on Saturday.
Will it be third time lucky for this fixture? Don’t bet on it the Highveld forecast is for a fine week but rain on Saturday!
If the going is soft, this should be a plus factor for Mardi Gras, the hot favourite to win the Grand Series Leg 2. The son of Oratorio won his maiden in February in yielding going.