eLAN GOLD CUP ENTRIES

A fantastic entry of 28 powerful stayers, including the first six horses past the post in the R500 000, Grade 3 DStv Gold Vase that was one of the highlights of last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July meeting, have been entered for South Africa’s most famous thoroughbred marathon event, the R1.25-million, Grade 3 eLAN Gold Cup, to be run over 3 200m at Greyville on Saturday, July 28.

Together with the R1-million, Grade 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup, the R1-million Grade 1 Mercury Sprint and the two Grade 1 races for juveniles over 1 600m, the Premiers Champion Stakes and the Thekwini Stakes that each offer a purse of R750 000, the eLAN Gold Cup will form the core of the Festival of Racing that brings the curtain down on Champions Season 2018.

Having been rejected as a contender for the Vodacom Durban July, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn ran out a comfortable winner of the DStv Gold Vase to follow up on an equally easy win in the Track & Ball Derby at Scottsville two weeks previously. He is now aiming to complete the staying treble and if successful, possible the title of Champion Stayer of the country.

The result of the DStv Gold Vase saw just 1.6 lengths covering the first five horses across the line with the Alyson Wright-trained three-year-old Go Deputy filly Flichity By Farr at 16-1 surprising many punters when running an outstanding race to fill second place to It’s My Turn by 1.25 lengths. Behind her came Alec Laird’s Ideal World gelding Sheet Weaver at 30-1, One Direction from the Justin Snaith stable at 14-1 and Kannemeyer’s lesser fancied runner One Man Show at 28-1.

All five have been nominated to face each other again in the eLAN Gold Cup where they could well meet the star stayer Hermoso Mundo that won the race last year and a host of other top stayers that together will make the famous marathon event one of the most competitive in many decades.

They include Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Made To Conquer that finished second to Do It Again in the Vodacom Durban July and runner-up in the Lonsdale, Strathdon. Let It Rain won the Gold Bowl at Turffontein and Frikkie was second to Plano in the 3 600m PE Gold Cup at Fairview and both are entered for the Greyville 3 200m event.

Just Cruised In won the Caradoc Gold Cup ahead of Kitty’s Destiny before running second to Let It Rain in the Gold Bowl where he again just finished ahead of Kitty’s Destiny. The three are among the entries for the eLAN Gold Cup along with Track & Ball Oaks winner Witchcraft.

The eLAN Gold Cup meeting is expected to attract another huge crowd with the festive atmosphere and competitive racing throughout the day encouraging strong punter support resulting in massive betting pools, particularly for the popular exotic bets.