Last year’s winner, Phunyuka, has been allotted top weight for this year’s Grade 2 Emerald Cup to be run over 1450m on the sand track at the Vaal Racecourse on Saturday 25 September.

There were no supplementary entries for the Grade 2 race but there are 36 formidable nominations for the race.

Phunyuka is one of four runners from the Roy Magner yard to be nominated for the race. Magner has also entered talented filly Cinnamon Sugar, Eastern Cobbler and Fuzzy Cuzzy. At this stage Phunyuka has been given 57kg but all that could still change. The rules for the race state: ``Should the top weight be less than 60 kg at the time of declarations it will be raised to that level and all other weights raised accordingly.’’

At this stage Cinnamon Sugar, who has won five of her six starts on the Vaal sand, has been given 53.5kg but she will probably carry more than that on the day.

Mike de Kock has entered three runners – Braggadacio, Storm Crossing and Immelman – and will no doubt be reasonably happy that Storm Crossing who won the August Stakes by 6.25 lengths, is pretty well weighted with 53kg to shoulder at this stage.

Final declarations take place on Wednesday 15 September at 11am and there will be a live draw on the evening of Wednesday 15 September.

Nominations and weights for the R600,000 Emerald Cup (Grade 2) to be run over 1450m at the Vaal Racecourse on Saturday 25 September.

PHUNYUKA (R R Magner) 57.0
SAYADAW (S G Tarry) 56.5
ILIAD (R R Sage) 56.0
EXHILARATION (D Zaki) 55.5
QUEEN'S BAY (M G Azzie) 55.0
BRAGGADACIO (M F De Kock) 54.5
IRON CURTAIN (R R Sage) 54.5
SHARKS BAY (D R Drier) 54.5
CINNAMON SUGAR (R R Magner) 53.5
CLUB VICTOR (T Lowe) 53.5
BOY OH BOY (J S Roux) 53.0
STORM CROSSING (M F De Kock) 53.0
ALIMONY (S J Gray) 52.5
DEEP WATER (C Laird) 52.5
LITTLEREDCORVETTE (MDC McLachlan) 52.5
SPEED FOR GOLD (D R Drier) 52.5
DON'T TELL TITCH (G V Woodruff) 52.0
FENERBAHCE (G M Alexander) 51.5
INCOMODO (S G Tarry) 51.5
LOCHLORIEN (M G Azzie) 51.5
COMEDY CARAVAN (G Paddock) 51.0
JET TYCOON (G V Woodruff) 51.0
RAGA MUFFIN (B D Botes) 51.0
ACRISIUS (D Zaki) 50.5
FEARLESS GUN (M N Houdalakis) 50.5
EASTERN COBBLER (R R Magner) 50.0
FUZZY CUZZY (R R Magner) 50.0
EMIR (G M Alexander) 49.5
MAHOGANY (P F Matchett) 49.5
FLYBYME (G V Woodruff) 48.5
IMMELMAN (M F De Kock) 47.5
SONIC BARRIER (C Laird) 47.5
WATCHFUL (M G Azzie) 47.0
ROYAL EXPRESS (R P Lerena) 45.5
OZZIE DUDE (B O Wiid) 43.5
AL FELON (W H Tolmay) 42.0