Sunday sees the running of the Eastern Cape’s biggest all age race, the Gr3 Betting World Algoa Cup.
Visiting trainers have dominated this 2000m contest in recent years, and once again, local trainers could battle to cope with some of the visiting firepower.

Log leading trainer Justin Snaith has made his customary dazzling start to the season and his horses have already found the winners box 65 times!
Snaith is well represented in Sunday’s R350 000 race, with five of the 16 runners hailing from the Philippi conditioner’s yard.

Pick of the Snaith’s fivesome could be last season’s Gr3 World Sports Betting East Cape Derby winner Captain Splendid (Captain Al) who comes into the race having finished a close up second in the Listed Settlers Trophy and has to carry just 53.5 kgs. While the well bred four-year-old may be better suited to a touch more ground, Captain Splendid appears to have had a perfect prep for this race and looks to be one of the leading contenders.

Stable mate Krambambuli (Black MInnaloushe) was a close up fourth in this race last year, when beaten under a length by Stonehenge (Seventh Rock). Another coming into the race with solid form behind his name, the relatively lightly raced five-year-old (who was fourth in the 2015 Gr1 Investec Cape Derby) was a close up second over 1400m at Kenilworth last time out and should enjoy the step up to 2000m of Sunday’s race.

Former Eastern Cape Derby hero True Master (Jet Master) –yet another from the Snaith yard –has thrived since relocating to the Eastern Cape and has won two of his last three outings. Last time out he beat fellow Algoa Cup runner Masterly (Jet Master) by 1.25 lengths when conceding the latter 3kgs, and now meets Masterly (also from the Justin Snaith yard) on 1.5 kgs better terms. Final Snaith runner is high class stayer Arezzo (Go Deputy) has a shocking draw of 16 to overcome. He also appears to need more ground and looks the fifth stringer to the Snaith bow here.

Former champion trainer Sean Tarry won this race last year with Stonehenge- his very first runner in the Eastern Cape! He has a strong pair in this race, and both Cagiva (Silvano) and Halve The Deficit (Right Approach) are well drawn.
While Cagiva has poor form and needs to reproduce some of his good earlier form, Halve The Deficit is a proven top class performer, who beat the aforementioned Cagiva by a length in the 2014 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes. A close up, and slightly unlucky fourth last time out on Grand Heritage day sees Halve The Deficit come into this race with encouraging form, and, with champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo up, looks a definite contender here.

Brett Crawford’s yard has been in scintillating form this season and he will be represented by Nebula (Silvano) in Sunday’s big race. An own brother to former Met hero Martial Eagle, the four-year-old was a close up second to promising 3yo, and Gr3 Cape Classic runner, Edict Of Nantes (Count Dubois) recently, and, with just 52kgs on his back, could run a big race here.

Former Gr2 Betting World 1900 winner Dynastic Power (Dynasty) is the last of the raiders competing in this year’s Gr3 Algoa Cup and he will shoulder a steadying 57.5. Drawn wide at 12, Dynastic Power has been well beaten in his last three outings-but has been taking on much stronger, and a repeat of his better earlier form would see the Vaughan Marshall runner right in the firing line.

If history is anything to go by, local runners battle in this race –and it is hard to imagine that statistic changing on Sunday.
Jacques Strydom, who won this race with Surfin’ USA (Modern Day), has three in the race, including hometown hero and top weight, Gogetthesheriff (Go Deputy). One of five in the race by Go Deputy, this polytrack star was well beaten by fellow Algoa Cup runner Alghadeer (Dynasty) last time out and looks to have a tough task on his hands here.

Stable mate, and fellow Go Deputy son, Current Event has been well beaten in his last three outings and is hard to fancy here, while the third of the Strydom runner, Pioneer Spirit (Go Deputy) is another who appears up against here –although the former Gavin Van Zyl inmate does have just 52kgs on his back here.

Perhaps Alghadeer is the most likely local runner to upset the more fancied visitors. He accounted for six Algoa runners when successful in the Fairview 1800 (non black type) last time out.
Well drawn at four, the former Mike De Kock inmate and Listed Michaelmas Handicap winner could well run into the money here.

Former Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup runner up Killua Castle (and former conqueror of champion Legal Eagle) has been out of sorts and off form lately –the Australian bred son of Churchill Downs has not shown his best form since finishing second to former Equus Champion French Navy (Count Dubois) in Gr3 London News Stakes back in January. A return to that form would make him a massive runner here, but he has been unplaced in his last 10 outings and is hard to fancy on current form.

Stebbins (Western Winter) is another who needs to improve on last efforts to feature here, while last season’s smart 3yo Welsh Emperor (Go Deputy) was beaten one length by Alghadeer last time out but now meets the latter on 1.5kgs better terms and it should be close between the two here.