Mike De Kock’s Kosava won well on debut
With the massive pot of R3.85m on offer, these are nerve wracking times for connections of horses that have yet to confirm their place in the final field of 16 runners.
The latest log is set out below, but let’s take a quick glance at some of the star contenders.
IWO JIMA, 6th on the Ready To Run Cup Log at the latest stage, is pleasing trainer, Gavin van Zyl, who has nominated the son of Brave Tin Soldier for a race this weekend. He showed improved form when stepped up to the mile on his third start and will enjoy every yard of the Cup trip.
KOSAVA bolted in on debut over 1200m at Scottsville Racecourse and the daughter of Kahal appears to have the right credentials to be competitive for Danish investor, Lars Kelp, who signed for the filly at last year’s Sale at the TBA Complex. The Summerhill bred half-sister to Champion 3yr old Classic Female of 2002, Icy Air, and the multiple winning, Ice Axe, is trained by Mike de Kock who excels with this type of Classic pedigree and racegoers can expect further improvement come 1 November.
Another Mike de Kock inmate who won on debut is the Ideal World colt, KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY. Backed to beat stablemate, Forries Waltz, in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes on his next start, he failed to fire on that occasion, but cannot be discounted after his mid-winter break.
Joe Soma has always rated, MIDDLE EARTH, the beautifully bred daughter of Captain Al. Bred by Klawervlei Stud, she is out of a winning daughter of Danehill from the family of South African star, Igreja. Possessing plenty of speed, she will need to bounce back to the form when runner-up to the promising, Love To Sail.
Mike Azzie must have been a tad disappointed with RED STAR’s latest performance at Turffontein after the daughter of exciting Fort Wood stallion, Elusive Fort, waltzed home against subsequent facile winner, Gold Cup Girl, over Cup course and distance in July. In her latest start against older horses, she simply failed to fire and the drop back in trip against her own age group might just do the trick. Winning the Cup would be a dream come true for new owner, Adriaan van Vuuren, and his family.
NISA’S MACHINE is an interesting contender. Backed as if defeat was out of the question when contesting a Juvenile Plate at Clairwood in late June, he happened to bump into arguably two of the most promising juveniles seen in a long while, winner MLJET and runner-up, JAYYED. Making no mistake in an ordinary maiden on the Greyville Poly at his next start, he has subsequently been gelded and this could be the making of Alesh Naidoo’s Hussonet import.
Cape-based CAPTAIN’S ORDERS, has been nothing if not consistent, placing in 4 of his 6 starts and winning his maiden at cramped odds of 6/10 at Durbanville. It was his Listed 3rd that took the eye, however, and he looks the type to continue improving.
13th on the Cup Log is the well bred, JOCK SILBERSTEIN, who got his act together on his 4th start, the runner-up Astro, franking the form in his next start. By Trippi from the Silver Hawk mare, Dragoncharm, Jock Silberstein is thus a half brother to Gold Cup 3rd, Predestination, and there was lots to like about his most recent start at the Vaal when he ran on to finish on the heels of the leaders. Joe Soma has won some big races for Ingrid & Markus Jooste and this colt looks the type to continue progressing.
GOLD CUP GIRL was a most deserving winner of her maiden when finally breaking her duck at the 7th time of asking! The daughter of Black Minnaloushe has never been out of the money and seemed to thrive on the apparently tough campaign conditioner Roy Magner set for her. Whether she has made up enough ground on Red Star, only time will tell, but she’s got to be a serious contender for the Cup given the good record of fillies.
A few runners that have recently demanded their credentials be considered by the panel are CELTIC HEROINE, GREATIST HITS and FESTIVE PRINCE, lightly raced types that seem to be on an upward curve.
More profiles will follow next week.
In the meantime, be sure to make the trip up to Yellow Star Stud in Mooi River next week Thursday for Bloodstock South Africa’s Breeze Up Gallops, showcasing the drafts of Balmoral Stud, Ambleway Stables, Far End Stables, Greenhill Stud and Yellow Star Stud.
For more information, please contact the TBA offices on 011 323 5700.
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EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP @ 6 OCTOBER 2014
| Log 6/10 | Log 1/10 | Log 23/9 | Log 22/9 | Age | Sex | Horse | MR |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | F | RICH GIRL (AUS) | 104 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | F | SILVER CLASS | 91 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | C | PIONEER SPIRIT | 92 | |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | F | ALIYSA’S PRIZE (ARG) | 85 |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | F | BELLA SPUMANTE | 85 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | C | IWO JIMA | 90 |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | F | KOSAVA | 84 |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3 | G | KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY | 88 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 3 | F | MIDDLE EARTH | 83 |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 3 | F | RED STAR | 83 | |
| 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 3 | C | NISA’S MACHINE (AUS) | 86 |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 3 | C | CAPTAIN’S ORDERS | 85 |
| 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 3 | G | JOCK SILBERSTEIN | 85 |
| 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 3 | F | GOLD CUP GIRL | 79 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 3 | C | LAVA FLOW | 84 |
| 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 3 | F | CELINE | 78 |
| 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 3 | C | THE ELMO EFFECT | 83 |
| 18 | 18 | 3 | F | CELTIC HEROINE | 77 | ||
| 19 | 19 | 21 | 3 | G | GREATIST HITS | 82 | |
| 20 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 3 | F | SPUTNIK SWEETHEART | 77 |
| 21 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 3 | F | WESTERN MUSIC | 77 |
| 22 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 3 | G | DREAMUPONADREAM | 81 |
| 23 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 3 | C | HYAKU | 81 |
| 24 | 24 | 3 | G | MINT MASTER | 81 | ||
| 25 | 25 | 16 | 14 | 3 | G | RAZED IN BLACK | 81 |
| 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 3 | C | SABRE EDGE | 0 |
| 27 | 3 | C | FESTIVE PRINCE | 80 | |||
| 28 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 3 | G | LATUS BLITZ | 80 |
| 29 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 3 | F | OI YOI YOI | 75 |
| 30 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 3 | F | CHINA BEACH | 74 |
| 31 | 31 | 32 | 29 | 3 | F | DIVINE WIND | 74 |
| 32 | 33 | 34 | 3 | G | SEMONKONG | 79 | |
| 33 | 34 | 35 | 31 | 3 | F | SHINGLE BEACH | 74 |
| 34 | 3 | G | BURRA BOY | 0 | |||
| 35 | 3 | C | CHARANGA | 78 | |||
| 36 | 27 | 24 | 3 | F | MAJESTIC K | 73 | |
| 37 | 3 | G | MILITARY LEADER | 0 | |||
| 38 | 3 | F | MISTY WINTER | 73 | |||
| 39 | 3 | C | SARATOGA DANCER | 78 | |||
| 40 | 3 | F | SECRET ADMIRER | 73 | |||
| 41 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 3 | F | SLUICE GATE | 73 |
