Bullish Yeni is getting ready for a bout of Summer Cup fever

Brendan Gaillard

Jockey Muzi Yeni is expecting a big run from top-weight Coral Fever in Saturday’s GBets Gauteng Summer Cup “He’s very well in himself and has come out of the Charity Mile very well,” said Yeni of the Robbie Sage-trained six-year-old, who won the Grade 2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile on 3 November in preparation for the R2-million feature race.

The Judpot gelding concedes weight to all his rivals but this does not discourage Yeni.

“It’s a handicap and he’s earned the weight – I mean, he’s won a Grade 1 and a Grade 2 over the course and distance.

“He did well to win the Charity Mile but will be better suited to 2000m.”

In winning the Charity Mile, Coral Fever beat Sean Tarrytrained runners Tilbury Fort (0,5kg better off for a short-head beating) and Social Order (1,5kg better off for 2,95 lengths) as well as Arctica and Noble Secret, who was favourite for the race.

And, reading between the lines, Yeni is a confident he will have the measure of those rivals once more.

“I’d say my biggest dangers are the fillies – Cascapedia (mare), Secret Potion (receives 7kg) and Takingthepeace – who I (Coral Fever) must concede a lot of weight to.”

In his bid for an unprecedented 10th Summer Cup win, Mike de Kock has five runners in the race including Cascapedia and recent Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes winner Takingthepeace who receive 5,5kg and 8kg respectively from Coral Fever.

There’s an estimated Quartet MAXIPOOL of R2,2 million to the Summer Cup (Race 7) and Yeni was kind enough to suggest his play.

“The best way could be to double float my ride and Cascapedia or Secret Potion with the field.

“I have a first-three chance and the fillies should be competitive, but it’s an open race and we’ll all be giving it our best!”

Yeni has nine rides on the day and among his better ones could be Blonde Vision in Race 4; Clever Guy in Race 6, the Goldrush Derby Run Merchants and Green Top in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.