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Last year's winner The Mousketeer will be back on the Vaal sand on September 22 to defend his title in the R600,000 Emerald Cup.
At this stage no jockey has been announced for the five-year-old Kahal gelding but he was one of four runners from the Sean Tarry stable to make the final field.
The others are Mr Tobin, G3 August Stakes winner Across The Ice and five-year-old mare Follow The Piper giving Tarry, who won this year’s Vodacom Durban July with Pomodoro, a particularly strong hand in the 14-runner field.
Last year The Mouseketeer completed the August Stakes and Emerald Cup double. He has drawn well in gate seven with Pierre Strydom to ride.
Mr Tobin has been the star on the sand this year, having won eight of nine starts on the surface and finishing second on the other occasion.
His rider Gavin Lerena has an unblemished win record on Mr Tobin, having ridden him four times for four wins.
Across The Ice was an impressive 5.25 lengths winner of the August Stakes over 1200m, indicating he will be a force in the Emerald Cup.
Captain’s Secret ran second to Across The Ice off a wide draw in the August Stakes.
That was his first outing on the Vaal sand and that performance enticed Cape Town trainer Mike Bass to go for the Emerald Cup.
Captain’s Secret is 1.5kg better off with Across The Ice and could improve with that experience under his belt.
Karl Neisius will be coming from Cape Town to take the ride.
Mike de Kock has two runners – Meadow Magic and Right Beauty – and both have excellent form at the track.
Meadow Magic has won two of his three races on the Vaal sand and his only defeat was a short-head loss to Mr Tobin.
De Kock’s runner is 0.5kg better off and has top jockey Anthony Delpech aboard.
Right Beauty won his only start at this track in good style but has not raced for 105 days. De Kock has engaged Raymond Danielson for the ride.
Port Elizabeth will be represented by Bob ‘N Weave, who has run well on the sand at Flamingo Park, while In A Rush will be spearhead trainer Joey Ramsden’s raid on the Vaal with champion jockey Anton Marcus taking the ride from e barrier 15.
EMERALD CUP FIELD
1 – MR TOBIN (S G Tarry) G Lerena (10) 60.5
2 – PRIME MOVER (L J Erasmus) S Brown (1) 58.0
3 – MEADOW MAGIC (M F De Kock) A Delpech (2) 57.5
4 – IN A RUSH (J Ramsden) A Marcus (15) 56.5
5 – BOB ‘N WEAVE (B/D Steenkamp_Sham) F Herholdt (9) 56.5
6 – RIGHT BEAUTY (M F De Kock) R Danielson (16) 56.0
7 – CAPTAIN’S SECRET (M W Bass) K Neisius (3) 56.0
8 – THE MOUSEKETEER (S G Tarry) P Strydom (7) 56.0
9 – ACROSS THE ICE (S G Tarry) R Fradd (5) 55.5
10 – FOLLOW THE PIPER (S G Tarry) ---- (14) 55.5
11 – CALANISH (S T Pettigrew) M V’Rensburg (8) 55.0
12 – EASTERN COBBLER (R R Magner) J P v’d Merwe (12) 55.0
13 – ASTRO NEWS (B O Wiid) J Sampson (11) 54.0
14 – BEACON FLARE (W H Marwing) S Veale (6) 53.0
Reserves
15 – CARYL’S LAW (K Naidoo) Reserve 1 (13) 52.0
16 – KISS AGAIN (M W Bass) Reserve 2 (4) 54.0
