FOUR runners were added to the nominations for the R600,000 Emerald Cup over 1450m when supplementary entries for the Grade 2 race closed on Monday morning.

Prime Mover, Comedy Caravan, Thunder Creek and Only Achiever have increased the list of entries to 35 for Africa’s richest race on sand.

Prime Mover finished a 1.75-length third to The Mouseketeer in the Grade 3 August Stakes over 1200m last month with a number of strong Emerald Cup contenders behind him. That performance has clearly motivated trainer Leon Erasmus to have a go at the “big one”.

Empenoso Henn (yellow, blue silks).

Comedy Caravan recently finished a two-length third behind African Vision in the Recall Security Mile at Flamingo Park and is a strong front runner. He is trained by Sean Miller and Martin Cohen.

Thunder Creek is trained by Glen Kotzen in KwaZulu-Natal and has won eight times and placed on 11 other occasions in his 37 starts. The Martinelli gelding has never raced on the sand.

Only Achiever is trained by Geoff Woodruff and has been lightly raced. The four-year-old filly has won two of her five starts and placed on the other three occasions. She has yet to race on the sand but has been trained at the Vaal and Woodruff will have inkling as to her ability on the surface.

Meanwhile Sayadaw has been allocated top weight of 60kg for the race. Scott Kenny’s runner is probably at his best over 1600m but has decent form over this trip as well. Secret Life and Storm Crossing are set to carry 58.5kg while last year’s winner, Iron Curtain, looks handily weighted with just 57.5kg. The Mouseketeer has been allocated just 1.5kg more than when winning the August Stakes so at this stage trainer Sean Tarry will be hoping for a decent draw.

Declarations close at 11:00 on Wednesday, 14 September and a live draw will take place that evening.

NOMINATIONS
EMERALD CUP (Grade 2) R600,000 1450m

SAYADAW (S W Kenny) 60.0
SECRET LIFE (P F Matchett) 58.5
STORM CROSSING (M F De Kock) 58.5
IRON CURTAIN (R R Sage) 57.5
QUEEN’S BAY (M G Azzie) 56.0
EASTERN COBBLER (R R Magner) 55.5
MASTER BLASTER (D Zaki) 55.5
PRIME MOVER (L J Erasmus) 55.5
ART WISH (R R Sage) 55.0
BOUQUET-GARNI (G H Van Zyl) 55.0
BURMESE CAT (M F De Kock) 55.0
COMEDY CARAVAN (S/M Miller / Cohen) 54.5
MAHOGANY (W H Marwing) 54.5
THUNDER CREEK (G S Kotzen) 54.5
ACROSS THE ICE (S G Tarry) 54.0
ALIMONY (S J Gray) 54.0
FURIOUS DANCER (K Naidoo) 54.0
THE MOUSEKETEER (S G Tarry) 54.0
PHUNYUKA (R R Magner) 53.5
BOYLAN BLAZE (M F De Kock) 53.0
HUNTERS GREEN (V C Rugg) 53.0
INCOMODO (S G Tarry) 53.0
HOUSE OF WAX (G V Woodruff) 52.5
EMPENOSO HENN (M F De Kock) 52.0
LOCHLORIEN (M G Azzie) 52.0
MINA SALAAM (R R Magner) 51.5
SKY MARSHAL (M F De Kock) 51.0
LAGO LIDA (S W Kenny) 50.0
ONLY ACHIEVER (G V Woodruff) 50.0
GO GO LOOCHEE (K Naidoo) 49.5
BIELORRUSO (K Naidoo) 49.0
WILD TYPE (G H Van Zyl) 48.0
STRIKE MASTER (M G Azzie) 47.5
VALLOIRE (J Vos) 47.5
DRAW BRIDGE (R R Sage) 45.0