Rain In Holland, winner of last season’s Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, has been withdrawn from the Betway Summer Cup.

Declarations for the R2.5million Grade 1 race over 2000m on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday November 26 close at 11am on Monday.

While trainer Sean Tarry has pulled Rain In Holland out of the Betway Summer Cup, the four-year-old daughter of Duke Of Marmalade still holds an entry for the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge for fillies and mares over 1600m on the same day.

In May, Tarry announced that Rain In Holland had been withdrawn from both the Woolavingon 2000 and the Hollywoodbets Durban July, explaining she had been diagnosed with an entrapped epiglottis and needed “a corrective procedure”.

She returned to racing in a Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares over 1400m at Turffontein on 29 October, and while the distance is patently too short for her, it was disappointing to see Rain In Holland complete the race at the rear of the field, although she finished just seven lengths behind winner Bon Vivant.

Rain In Holland is one of four horses on the final Betway Summer Cup log to be withdrawn from the race prior to declarations. The others are dual Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile winner Bingwa who has yet to prove he can be competitive over 2000m at this level, Gold Cup winner Shangani and Zeus.

The scratchings have now resulted in trainer Mike de Kock having the top three runners on the bookmakers’ boards, and they are the only ones priced in single figures.

Durban July champion Sparkling Water holds the top spot as the 22-10 favourite with Safe Passage just a point behind her on 5-2.

The biggest market mover has been SA Derby champion Aragosta who is now trading at 6-1. The Rafeef gelding had his comeback run this season in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein and finished 8.75 lengths off winner Litigation.

However, he was drawn No 16 of 17 runners and never really got into the race. No doubt we will see a marked improvement in the Betway Summer Cup.

4Racing