Canon Gold Cup

Gauteng trainer based at Clairwood, Weiho Marwing, has the mare Starzene engaged in Saturday’s Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup. Starzene, finished a 0,75 length second to Winning Leap in the Gold Bowl at Turffontein over 3200m and is now 5kg better off. Marwing said, "She is fit and well and stays well but has a bad draw (20). She likes to be up there and they never go really fast in these races which makes the draw even tougher."



Sean Tarry, also based at Clairwood, was more confident with his charge Vertical Takeoff, "He's doing very well and I think he has a big chance. I don't think it's a strong field. They went very slow in the Lonsdale and he had to come from last. He ran on very well. On Saturday he is drawn well and can sit anywhere he likes. I think he will stay and he has Piere Strydom aboard."



An interesting Port Elizabeth raider is the Yvette Bremner-trained Refined In Fire, who won a feature race over 3200m at Arlington last time in his first attempt at a staying trip.

He will arrive early on Friday morning, and Bremner said, "It will be fun, there is no pressure. He took a tumble in training last Thursday but is fine now. He's a very good horse and is getting better."



Glen Kotzen, based at Summerveld has two runners, the lightweight four-year-old Silvano filly Reconcile and the four-year-old Strike Smartly gelding, Robinson Crusoe, "Reconcile is better than Winona, who finished less than five lengths back in 2007 despite being rushed into the lead at the 1600m. She's only been with us since November and I think she is a runner. Felix Coetzee regarded her as a Gold Cup horse after winning on her at Scottsville over 1800m. Robinson Crusoe will stay the trip. He needs to be rousted early to get into a handy position otherwise he loses interest."



Duncan Howells runs the six-year-old mare Bold Wonder and said, "She is very, very well, very fit and very sound. She was running on well against some good horses in the Lonsdale and on that run must have some sort of a chance. For the Gold Cup you need a horse that can be saved before running on. There is always a question mark whether they will stay but it looks an open race and there is no question it will be hard run. The winner will have to see out the distance. She likes to be dropped out and come from off them so her wide draw is not a concern."

The Stephen Page-trained Mokaro will attempt this Saturday at Greyville to be the first horse since Highland Night in 2003 to win the Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup over 3200m twice in succession and the first since Icona in 1991 to win the big race with top weight.

He has a tough task carrying 60kg especially considering his preparation was interrupted when he contracted a "bit of a virus" when first arriving at Clairwood.



Last year he had two preparation runs going into the race, but this year has only had one.



"He is working well and I'm quite happy with him, but it might be one run too soon," said Page. "He has a wide draw and a big weight so he is up against it. I think he is a true two mile horse so I would like a genuine pace to make it into a true test of stamina."



Another Cape Town trainer based at Clairwood, Greg Ennion, was more confident.



He sends out the huge five-year-old Wolfhound mare, Sangria Girl, who is well drawn, and said, "She loves Durban. She is doing well and has peaked at the right time. She was very badly ridden in the Lonsdale and actually ran a cracker running on strongly from 16 lengths back. With the same jockey she won from start to finish in the J&B Reserve Stayers and he won't make the same mistake again. I would like a genuine pace and we won't be scared to set it if it’s too slow."



Mike Stewart has raided from Cape Town with the out-and-out stayer Hospitality and was also confident. "He's well. He arrived on the Sunday after his last Cape Town race. We have raided so he doesn't get sick or anything. The weather is so much better here, he's thriving. He had a good workout on Saturday and Felix will sprint him up tomorrow (Thursday). I take him to Isipingo beach on slow days and took him for a walk around Greyville on Monday. I can't see many pacemakers in the field. He has a bad draw but has 500m to get to the front and will otherwise have 700m of the back straight to get to the front. He is well weighted and I think he has a big chance."

Gold Cup Replay

Ancestral takes Canon Gold Cup for de Kock

Report: South Africa, Saturday

Greyville: Canon Gold Cup (Grade 1 hcap) 2m, 3yo+, turf

ANCESTRAL FORE (Mike de Kock/Kevin Shea) readily justified 4-1 favouritism to give his trainer his second Canon Gold Cup win in three years at Greyville in Durban on Saturday.

The dark grey was always travelling well in sixth or seventh as Sports Factor cut out a decent pace. Shea swung wide turning into the straight and took it up two furlongs out.

He never looked like being caught and he held the Piere Strydom-ridden 20-1 shot Vertical Takeoff by a comfortable two lengths. The Joey Ramsden-trained Predestination was two and a quarter lengths further back third with Thanks John coming from a long way back to finish fourth.

Shea, 47, said: "That's my first Gold Cup in 31 years. We went sprint speed early but I got into a lovely position. They started easing up before the straight so I went round them and said 'come and catch me.' I knew just how fit my horse was and how good he is."


De Kock, who also won the 2007 Gold Cup with Thundering Star, said: "Ancestral Fore is obviously heading for Dubai but he will probably take his chance in the Durban July here at the end of next month."

De Kock, who is poised to regain his trainers' championship, dismissed suggestions that it was a great performance to win the race with a three-year-old.

He said: "A lot of what goes on in racing are old wives' tales. The horse gets his weight-for-age allowance and, if you believe the ratings to be right, what difference does the age make?"