There have been a number of disappointing high-profile withdrawals from the field for the R2 million Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup to be run at Turffontein Racecourse on 26 November.
Final entries for the race close at 11h00 on Monday 14 November, with declarations due by 11h00 the next day.
The draws will be announced on Wednesday 16 November.
Abashiri – not lining up in Summer Cup
The scratching of Abashiri, the hero of the SA Triple Crown last season, means that Mac De Lago now heads the weights thanks to a merit rating of 114 while the remainder of the top five includes The Conglomerate, Judicial, Saratoga Dancer and Deo Juvente.
The last two horses mentioned made strong claims after finishing second and third respectively in the Peermont Emperors Palace Gr2 Charity Mile on the weekend.
Meanwhile the winner of that contest, New Predator, has been withdrawn from this year’s field while all of Rabada, Cape Speed, Brooklyn Brawler, Negroamaro, Crowd Pleaser, Cagiva and Fort Meyers have also been scratched.
Grand Heritage winner Irish Pride may take his place
As it stands, St Tropez fills the 20th and final spot for the R2-million contest with The Centenary and Irish Pride, one of five acceptors at this stage, only marginally ahead.
The other acceptors all come from the stable of Geoff Woodruff with Gavin Lerena booked for Master Sabina and Anthony Delpech set to ride Master Switch at this stage.
The weights
| 0 | Abashiri | Scratched | (4G) | 60 | 117 | A | Mike Azzie |
| 0 | Mac De Lago (AUS) | (5G) | 59 | 114 | AT | Weiho Marwing | |
| 0 | Punta Arenas | (8G) | 57 | 110 | A | Dennis Drier | |
| 0 | New Predator (AUS) | Scratched | (4C) | 56.5 | 110 | A | Johan Janse van Vuuren |
| 0 | Deo Juvente | Accepted | (5G) | 55 | 106 | A | Geoff Woodruff |
| 0 | Master Sabina | Accepted | (7G) | 55 | 106 | AT | Geoff Woodruff |
| 0 | Olma | (5M) | 55 | 106 | AT | Frank Robinson | |
| 0 | The Conglomerate (AUS) | (5G) | 55 | 106 | AT | Joey Ramsden | |
| 0 | Rabada | Scratched | (4C) | 54.5 | 106 | A | Brett Crawford |
| 0 | Judicial | (6G) | 54.5 | 105 | A | Tyrone Zackey | |
| 0 | No Worries | (7G) | 54.5 | 105 | BAT | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 0 | Saratoga Dancer | (5G) | 54 | 104 | A | Duncan Howells | |
| 0 | Flying Ice | (4F) | 53 | 103 | BA | Ormond Ferraris | |
| 0 | Juxtapose | Accepted | (4F) | 53 | 103 | A | Stanley Ferreira |
| 0 | Romany Prince | (4G) | 52.5 | 102 | BA | Ormond Ferraris | |
| 0 | Ten Gun Salute (AUS) | (4C) | 52.5 | 102 | AT | Duncan Howells | |
| 0 | Master Switch | Accepted | (5G) | 52.5 | 101 | AT | Geoff Woodruff |
| 0 | Liege | (4C) | 52 | 101 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 0 | Rocketball | (4G) | 52 | 101 | BAT | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 0 | Coltrane (ARG) | (7G) | 52 | 100 | BA | Joey Ramsden | |
| 0 | Deputy Jud | (5G) | 52 | 100 | A | Mike Azzie | |
| 0 | Cape Speed | Scratched | (4G) | 51.5 | 100 | A | Dean Kannemeyer |
| 0 | Negroamaro | Scratched | (4F) | 51.5 | 100 | A | Johan Janse van Vuuren |
| 0 | Polyphonic | (4F) | 51.5 | 100 | A | Alec Laird | |
| 0 | Samurai Blade (AUS) | (4G) | 51.5 | 100 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 0 | Enaad (AUS) | (5G) | 51.5 | 99 | A | Mike de Kock | |
| 0 | The Centenary (NZ) | (5M) | 51.5 | 99 | A | Mike de Kock | |
| 0 | Mogok Master | (4C) | 51 | 99 | AT | Joe Soma | |
| 0 | Master ‘n Commander | Accepted | (5G) | 50.5 | 97 | A | Geoff Woodruff |
| 0 | St Tropez | (5G) | 50.5 | 97 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 0 | Fort Ember | (4F) | 49.5 | 96 | A | Paul Peter | |
| 0 | Cagiva | Scratched | (7G) | 49.5 | 95 | A | Sean Tarry |
| 0 | Irish Pride | Accepted | (4G) | 49 | 95 | A | Johan Janse van Vuuren |
| 0 | Stonehenge | (5G) | 48.5 | 93 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 0 | Bankable Teddy | (4C) | 48 | 93 | BA | Brian Wiid | |
| 0 | Fort Meyers | Scratched | (5H) | 47.5 | 91 | BAT | Sean Tarry |
| 0 | Arctica | (4G) | 47 | 91 | BA | Mike Azzie | |
| 0 | Kinaan (AUS) | (4C) | 47 | 91 | BA | Mike de Kock | |
| 0 | Macduff (AUS) | (4C) | 46.5 | 90 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 0 | Amsterdam | (5G) | 46 | 88 | AT | Mike Azzie | |
| 0 | Killua Castle (AUS) | (7G) | 46 | 88 | A | D A McKenzie | |
| 0 | Runalong | (4F) | 45.5 | 88 | BA | Paul Peter | |
| 0 | Yer-Maan | (8G) | 45.5 | 87 | AT | St John Gray | |
| 0 | Hidden Agenda | (5G) | 45 | 86 | A | Scott Kenny | |
| 0 | Brooklyn Brawler | Scratched | (4G) | 44 | 85 | A | Gavin van Zyl |
| 0 | Fortissima | (4F) | 43 | 83 | BAT | Joe Soma | |
| 0 | High Drama | (5G) | 41 | 78 | BAT | Joe Soma | |
| 0 | Crowd Pleaser | Scratched | (3C) | 35.5 | 83 | A | Johan Janse van Vuuren |
| (48) | |||||||
