Horse Racing: Gold Cup SA

| Wednesday 24th July 2024, 10:09am

Wednesday 24th July 2024, 10:09am

The Grand finale of the South African horse racing season is upon us with Greyville's Gold Cup Day taking place on Sunday the 28th of July 2024. A fantastic way to say goodbye to the month of July and the South African winter season. We have ten races carded with the Gold Cup race headline the afternoon's local racing.

Here are a few markets to consider adding to your bet slip...

Gold Cup SA Specials

Freds best bet - Greyville race 6 no 13 (LUCKY LAD)
Freds extra place race - Greyville race 8
Freds boosted race (11:00 to 12:00) - Greyville race 7

News

Justin Snaith's ONE WAY TRAFFIC will be jockeyed by Keagan De Melo who returns from Hong Kong to feature in Greyville this weekend. Hi last run was with Sovereign Fund over 1200m in Sha Tin. He finished 10th. BREEZE OVER trained by Mike and Adam Ozzie will be jockey by Rachel Venniker, who is alway reliable on runs like this. She sits 10th on this season's Jockey championship standings. Andre Nel's MASTER REDOUTE will have Corne Orffer along for the ride.

SON OF RAJ trained by Tony Peter will have Calvin Cabin along for the ride. SON OF RAJ has yet to reproduce the impressive run we saw in last year's Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontien. Since then the SA Derby winner has changed stables in hop of improving but we have had three disappointing runs at greyville that have left a lot of punters wondering if they should trust SON OF RAJ with their bets. NEBRAAS, trained by Sean Tarry comes in for yet another grade three run. The 2021 Gold Cup winner will not be high on anyone's list of expected winners but this runner is an ever present feature in this race, Gavin Lerena takes the ride.

FUTURE PEARL another Sean Tarry trained runner takes to the gates once again in the Gold Cup. Many think that this horse has what it takes to win this race for a second year running. Richard Fourie who leads he 2023/2024 Jockey Championship by some distance will ride this horse across the line in first. Richard Fourie has had 1619 rides with 374 wins, giving him a win percentage of 23.10% and a win/place percentage of 72.88%. He has been a cut above the competition this season and he will be an edge for trainer Sean Tarry to complete Back to Back wins of the Gold Cup.

MADISON VALLEY trained by Frank Robinson has showed an ability to with the win in the Grade three Gold Vase over 3000m on July day. Kaidan Brewer takes the ride. BARATHEON trained by Piet Botha and Jockey by Tristan Golden will be expected to surprise everyone and run above expectation. MASTER FUEGO trained by Dean Kannemeyer comes into this race after being tipped to be a possible winner of the Grade 3 Splashout 2200 in which MASTER FUEGO produced a third place finish, beaten by 1.90 lengths. This will be MASTER FUEGO's first run over 2200m and Craig Zackey takes the ride. ARAGOSTA trained by Mike De Kock will run this race after finishing 13th the last time he ran on the 6th of July 2024 over 2200m at Greyville.

S'manga Khumalo rides FUTURE SWING trained by Justin Snaith. This will be his first ride on FUTURE SWING for S'manga with Richard Fourie having taken the last three rides with FUTURE SWING, including a win on the 11th of May 2024 in Greyville over 1900m. Richard Fourie has opted to ride FUTURE PEARL instead, make of that what you will. PONTE PIETRA trained by Dean Kannemeyer and jockeyed by Sean Veale. Untested over 3200m, and with no wins in 2024 so far. approach with caution. RAISEAHALLELUJAH trained by Candice Dawson is a genuine stayer who could trouble the front runners for places. Last year's Durban July winner Kabelo Matsunyane takes the ride.

ZEUS is trained by Fabian Habib will be running this distance for a second time this year. The last time was in Turffontien where Gavin Lerena managed to bring this across the finish line in seventh finishing 14.25 lengths behind the winner CRIMSON KING. Grant van Niekerk takes the ride. SHOOT THE RAPIDS ran a superb race in the Gold Vase facing short by 0.4 of a length to MADISON VALLEY. Muzi Yeni takes the ride for SHOOT THE RAPIDS first ride over this distance. This horse is trained by Frank Robinson.

Tony Peter and Lorenxo Karriem provide the reserve runners for this race with STREET ART and INDIAN OCEAN both wait in the wings in case of a scratching on the day.