THE Mouseketeer, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Emerald Cup, will be back on the Vaal sand on Saturday 22 September to defend his title of the R600,000 race to be run over 1450m.

Mike de Kock has two runners – Meadow Magic and Right Beauty (photo below) – 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 now 0.5kg better off and that should give a touch of optimism to jockey Anthony Delpech.

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 a former Port Elizabeth inmate, In A Rush, will be spearhead trainer Joey Ramsden’s raid on the Vaal. Champion jockey Anton Marcus takes the ride.

The draw will be released on Thursday.

EMERALD CUP (Grade 2) R600,000 1450m

1-MR TOBIN (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.5 – 76 2-PRIME MOVER (L J Erasmus) S Brown 58.0 – 79 3-MEADOW MAGIC (M F De Kock) A Delpech 57.5 – 99 4-IN A RUSH (J Ramsden) A Marcus 56.5 – 104 5-BOB ‘N WEAVE (B/D Steenkamp_Sham) F Herholdt 56.5 – 103 6-RIGHT BEAUTY (M F De Kock) R Danielson 56.0 – 94 7-CAPTAIN’S SECRET (M W Bass) K Neisius 56.0 – 102 8-THE MOUSEKETEER (S G Tarry)  …………… 56.0 – 102 9-ACROSS THE ICE (S G Tarry) R Fradd 55.5 – 96 10-FOLLOW THE PIPER (S G Tarry)  …………… 55.5 – 86 11-CALANISH (S T Pettigrew) M V’Rensburg 55.0 – 61 12-EASTERN COBBLER (R R Magner) J P v’d Merwe 55.0 – 79 13-ASTRO NEWS (B O Wiid)  …………… 54.0 – 99 14-BEACON FLARE (W H Marwing) S Veale 53.0 – 92 Reserve Runners 15-CARYL’S LAW (K Naidoo)  Reserve 1 52.0 – 65 16-KISS AGAIN (M W Bass)  Reserve 2 54.0 – 98 Same Trainer: (1,8,9,10) (3,6) (7,16)