Canon Gold Cup

1 17 MOKARO 60.0 112 BA R Fourie Stephen Page

2 16 OMAHA BEACH 57.5 105 BA ............... Joey Ramsden

3 5 SANTA 57.5 105 BA A Marcus Ormond Ferraris

4 1 STRATEGIC NEWS (AU 57.0 103 BA J Geroudis Herman Brown

5 12 ANCESTRAL FORE 56.0 108 A K Shea Mike de Kock

6 8 VERTICAL TAKEOFF 56.0 101 A P Strydom Sean Tarry

7 6 SPEED FOR GOLD 56.0 100 BA A Forbes Dennis Drier

8 14 WINNING LEAP 55.5 106 A B Lerena Dominic Zaki

9 9 GOLDEN PARACHUTE ( 55.5 99 A K Neisius Mike Bass

10 11 ROBINSON CRUSOE 55.5 99 A I Sturgeon Glen Kotzen

11 20 STARZENE (USA) 55.5 99 A G Lerena Weiho Marwing

12 4 SANGRIA GIRL 55.5 98 A R Danielson Greg Ennion

13 18 THANKS JOHN 55.0 98 A M Byleveld Mike Bass

14 13 BOLD WONDER (AUS) 54.5 96 T A S Randolph Duncan Howell

15 7 REFINED IN FIRE 54.5 96 T A P Whitmore Yvette Bremner

16 19 HOSPITALITY 53.5 93 A F Coetzee Mike Stewart

17 3 LA FOCE 52.5 91 TBA A Delpech Mike de Kock

18 10 PREDESTINATION (AU 52.0 89 A K Teetan Joey Ramsden

19 15 SPORTS FACTOR 52.0 89 BA ............... Paul Lafferty

20 2 RECONCILE 52.0 88 T A D Daniels Glen Kotzen



COUPLED for Pick 6 and Jackpot ONLY

(2,18) (5,17) (9,13) (10,20)

Thanks john will give them a galloping lesson

Not trying to offend.. just my opinion:

All the big races come and go....the forum reflects very little excitement/interst ...

Ancestral to come to the fore..anyone have early betting for gold cup..cannot find anywhere

early betting will help spark the discussion as with the July

Told you the winner of this months ago.... Winning Leap!

"From day one Winning Leap was always the biggest horse in his group whether it was as a foal or 2yo. He always had a lovely nature and was easy to work with; basically he was a gentle giant. Being at least 16hh as a yearling he was never very fast but had a stride that would swallow up any average sized yearling cantering next to him. He was a lovely ride – calm, collected and easy enough for any of our novice riders to gain confidence on. It is so wonderful to see a horse with the biggest heart, largest head and longest legs, be one of the favourites for SA’s top staying race this month. On behalf of Summerhill and the Ready to Run team we would like to wish Winning Leap and all his connections Good Luck for the race on Saturday! "


www.summerhill.co.za

Journalist: David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing


Visit www.canongoldcup.co.za for further information of the day



The Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup, to be run over 3200m at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, is usually a fight between out-and-out stayers and classier middle distance to staying types and this year, despite it being run unusually early, looks no different.



However, the last top weight to win the race was the out and out stayer, Icona, way back in 1991, who carried 58kg. Between Icona in 1991 and Thundering Star, who carried 57kg when winning in 2007, the heaviest weight carried to victory was 54kg by Reveille Boy.



The lightweight trend does appear to have been broken lately with the last three winners, Thundering Star, Desert Links and Mokaro carrying 57kg, 57kg and 56,5kg respectively, although it must be remembered that the minimum weight in all races has been raised from 50kg to 52kg for the last few years. The lightweights in the last three years have also lacked the stamina necessary to win.



This is not at all the case with Thanks John (55kg), Golden Parachute (55,5kg), Hospitality (53,5kg), Predestination (52kg), Sangria Girl (55,5kg) and Winning Leap (56kg).

Thanks John won his last start, the Highland Night Cup over 2500m at Clairwood, very easily and impressively.



An observer from the stands on the day was Andrew Fortune, who has ridden him in work, and he commented that Thanks John stays so well that he "needs a circuit just to warm up."

Thanks John has another weapon in his armour for Greyville, a very good turn of foot. He also has enough speed to contest good middle distance races of around 1800m, which could be an advantage in the unlikely case of a slow run race. His very wide draw is a concern.



Golden Parachute won a decent 2400m race on July day last year, so enjoys the course, and he was a head second in the J&B Reserve Stayers over 2800m. He faces his conqueror there, Sangria Girl, on the same weight terms here and carries just 0,5kg more than stable mate Thanks John.



Hospitality is an absolute stayer and his trainer Mike Stewart reckoned so much so that he would probably make a good Grand National horse. Stewart also said that he is a type who can only really be brought on by a race, so the timing of his excellent second-place finish over a far too short 2000m on June 12, two weeks before the Gold Cup, was perfect.



Hospitality is very one paced and has to lead. He has the advantage of seven-times Gold Cup winning veteran Felix Coetzee aboard and is likely to turn the race into a real test of stamina to maximise his chances. He will almost certainly set a decent pace and even that won't stop him. His wide draw will ensure that he does get to the lead, so is not much of a drawback. Joey Ramsden has won this race before and has a good record with stayers.



Predestination was well regarded as a two-year-old, but became a touch disappointing and took a tumble down the merit ratings last year. He has found new zest since being stepped up in trip and was a very easy winner of his last start over 3000m. He is only 0,5kg under sufferance, but can probably rise further up the merit ratings over this distance so looks well handicapped.



Sangria Girl is a huge mare who shows little at home, as is the case with a lot of good stayers, and she loves Durban. She proved she stays when winning the J&B Reserves and has won a Listed event over 2400m at Greyville before. She won well when needing it slightly at Scottsville in her Durban debut this season, before running disappointingly in the Londsdale in her second run after a rest however she is likely to run better than that in the Gold Cup from a good draw.



Winning Leap has won his last three starts over staying trips with ease including after getting a fourteen point raise for his under-sufferance Gold Bowl win. He could still really be anything over this distance.



Last year's winner Mokaro carries a welter 60kg but is not out of it as he has been specifically aimed at this race.

mokaro wil win that race guys and thats a fact

Going to be an open race methinks:

I have "HEARD" about so many runners from the diferent yards.

Ancestral Fore
Hospitality
Thanks John
Santa
Golden Parachute

The problem is when you listen to all the hype it all becomes a nightmare. Stick to your fancy and have an 'eachway bet' as there will be some great value on offer.

For me, it is a race between, Ancestral Fore, Golden Parachute and Thanks John an will be taking swingers and exactas.

Happy Punting!

Journalist: David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing


The Canon Gold Cup run over 3200m on Saturday is usually an open affair in the minds of the trainers, being the only Grade 1 event of that distance in the country and therefore having a few question marks hanging over the runners' stamina reserves.



One horse that has no stamina doubts whatsoever is the Dominic Zaki-trained three-year-old Labeeb gelding Winning Leap.



He won the Grade 2 Gold Bowl over 3200m on May 1 despite being a whopping 6,5kg under sufferance.



Raised 14 merit rated points, he then ran in a handicap and slammed a competitive field over the Turffontein 2450m by 5,5 lengths.



Zaki said, "We had battled to get horses fit around the time of the Gold Bowl because of all the rain. He was much fitter for his next start and won easily. He stays all day and is getting better all the time. His preparation has gone smoothly and he will arrive in Durban on Thursday. He has a turn of foot or can be handy, so should run well in any circumstance."



The Ormond Ferraris-trained Santa, fourth in the Gold Cup last year, finished 4,25 lengths behind Winning Leap in the Gold Bowl but is now 6kg better off.



Ferraris said, "We were underwater around the time of the Gold Bowl and went in short of work. He is fine now and stays well. He will arrive on Friday."

Journalist: David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing

The Mike Bass-trained pair of Thanks John and Golden Parachute are both smart stayers and look to have bright chances in Saturday’s Canon Gold Cup to be run over 3200m at Greyville Racecourse.



Bass said that Golden Parachute is an out and out stayer, however he reckoned the handicapper had probably taken care of the gelding’s chances by raising him an effective eight points for his second place in the J&B Reserve Stayers to Sangria Girl.



Bass added, "How Golden Parachute can be on a higher mark than Hospitality is beyond belief. Hospitality looks slung in. Thanks John looks well handicapped though. He's improving and has a big shout. I think he will get the two miles, although he's not an out-and-out plodder, he has a good turn of foot over shorter. His wide draw is a worry as he comes from off them and needs to be dropped out, so is going to have to come from far back. His chances could depend on how strong the pace is."



Joey Ramsden also has two good stayers in the line up in the eight-year-old Omaha Beach, second in 2007 and third in 2008, and the four-year-old Predestination.



Ramsden said, "Omaha Beach ran well in his first Durban start this season but then disappointed in his next two. However we found the problem and have sorted it out."



Lightweights generally win the Gold Cup, but Ramsden reckoned, "Omaha Beach carried top weight to second place three years ago. To me the main historical point of this race is that you need luck to win it. He is widely drawn here (16) and will need a lot of luck this year."



He echoed that sentiment for Predestination, although he is better drawn in 10 and will be very dangerous carrying just 52kg.



Ramsden said, "He was a promising two-year-old but then lost his way a bit. He is now improving. He has a lot of stamina in his pedigree and won easily over 3000m last time."



Ramsden mentioned Hospitality, Thanks John and the Mike de Kock pair as the ones to beat and added, "Both of mine have a good turn of foot so won't mind what pace there is, although a true pace is preferable as it makes for a fair race."



The Dennis Drier yard said of Speed For Gold, "He's very well and has a good chance if he stays, which he should do having won over 2400 as a three-year-old. He likes to come from off them and was too handy in the Greyville 1900 from a wide draw. He is drawn well this time."



Herman Brown said of Strategic News, "He's well and I think he will stay the trip, but as a stallion whose getting older, it’s a case of whether he wants to put it in on the day."



Mike de Kock said of Ancestral Fore and La Foce, "Neither have been the trip. There is always a question mark in that case. But there's not a lot of class in the race and the day a South African race is run at a good pace will be a first."