SIX horses have been added to the list of entries for the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Champions Day Saturday 30 April.
The name of the race has also been changed from the President’s Champions Challenge to reflect the close relationship Phumelela is developing with the office of the Premier of Gauteng.
Additional entries comprise Captain America, who remained in Johannesburg after finishing second to Legal Eagle in the R1-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m recently, Grade 1 winner Afrikaburn, Diesel Jet, who has failed to feature in his four races at this level, last year’s SA Oaks winner Pine Princess, Trading Profit and three-year-old Brazuca, runner-up in four Graded 1 races to date.
Janoobi could clash with promising filly Cloth Of Cloud in the Colt’s Nursery.
Abashiri, the highest-rated three-year-old in the country, is one of 10 nominations for the R2-million SA Derby (Grade 1) over 2450m at Turffontein on Champions Day on Saturday 30 April.
The race forms the third and final leg of the SA Triple Crown and Abashiri is bang on target to follow in the footsteps of past Triple Crown winners Horse Chestnut and Louis The King after impressive victories in the first two legs – the Betting World Gauteng Guineas and the SA Classic.
Entries for the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (Grade 2) over 2450m on the same day include Juxtapose, who scored a shock win from Negroamaro in the 1800m SA Fillies Classic.
The nine feature races on Champions Day also include the country’s premier 1000m race, the R1-million World Sports Betting Computaform Sprint.
Four fillies have been entered for the R1-million SA Nursery (Grade 1) over 1160m at Turffontein on Champions Day on Saturday 30 April – Cloth Of Cloud, Exquisite Touch, Seattle Singer and Cyber Magic.
All four are also entered in the R400,000 SA Fillies Nursery (Grade 2) on the same day.
Ruling champion trainer Sean Tarry rates Cloth Of Cloud very highly and she has won both her starts to date, the last in the Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m.
The handicappers have not officially rated the two-year-old crop yet, but on provisional ratings she is the second-highest rated runner on the list of entries behind Mike de Kock-trained colt Janoobi.
He has been given a rating of 96 following his win in the Protea Stakes over 1100m, with Cloth Of Cloud two points, or 1kg inferior.
The full list of entries for the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge (Grade 1) over 2000m:
Legal Eagle (4G) 60 120 Sean Tarry
Captain America (5G) 60 117 Brett Crawford
French Navy (4G) 60 115 Sean Tarry
Master Sabina (6G) 60 108 Geoff Woodruff
Unparalleled (4G) 59 110 Johan Janse van Vuuren
Deputy Jud (4G) 59 107 Mike Azzie
Deo Juvente (4G) 59 106 Geoff Woodruff
Judicial (5G) 59 104 Tyrone Zackey
Stonehenge (4C) 58 108 Sean Tarry
Killua Castle (AUS) (6G) 58 104 Geoff Woodruff
Halve The Deficit (7G) 58 103 Sean Tarry
Afrikaburn (4G) 58 102 Gavin van Zyl
Mac De Lago (AUS) (4G) 58 102 Weiho Marwing
Diesel Jet (4C) 58 98 Erico Verdonese
Easy Lover (4G) 58 96 Mike Azzie
Alghadeer (4G) 58 95 Mike de Kock
Amsterdam (4G) 58 95 Mike Azzie
Master Switch (4G) 58 92 Geoff Woodruff
Rushmore River (5G) 58 92 Joe Soma
Silver Spring (7G) 58 92 Gavin van Zyl
Inara (4F) 57.5 111 Mike Bass
Pine Princess (4F) 57.5 106 Mike de Kock
Rabada (3C) 56.5 109 Mike Azzie
Trophy Wife (4F) 55.5 101 Sean Tarry
Ahlaam (ARG) (4F) 55.5 88 Mike de Kock
Brazuca (AUS) (3C) 54.5 109 Johan Janse van Vuuren
Muwaary (AUS) (3C) 54.5 100 Mike de Kock
Trading Profit (3G) 54.5 96 Mike Azzie
The entries for the R2-million SA Derby (Grade 1) over 2450m on Champions Day:
Abashiri (3G) 117 Mike Azzie
Samurai Blade (AUS) (3C) 108 Sean Tarry
Jubilee Line (3C) 95 Mike de Kock
Bankable Teddy (3C) 89 Brian Wiid
Kinaan (AUS) (3C) 84 Mike de Kock
Penteliko (3G) 79 Weiho Marwing
Stebbins (3G) 79 Weiho Marwing
Arctica (3G) 78 Mike Azzie
Premier Chance (3G) 72 Weiho Marwing
Scheme Of Things (3G) 71 Mike Azzie
Entries for the R1-million World Sports Betting Computaform Sprint (Grade 1) over 1000m:
20 Trip Tease (5G) 60 114 Louis Goosen
21 Talktothestars (4G) 60 110 Coenie de Beer
16 Barbosa (6G) 60 108 Dennis Drier
18 Belong To Me (4G) 60 105 Johan Janse van Vuuren
4 Copper Parade (8G) 60 105 Yvette Bremner
3 Doing It For Dan (4G) 60 105 Louis Goosen
15 Moofeed (AUS) (5H) 60 105 Mike de Kock
9 Splendid Garden (4G) 60 104 Mike Azzie
17 Daring Dave (5G) 60 103 Weiho Marwing
7 Muscatt (6G) 60 103 Michael Roberts
11 Guiness (4G) 60 100 Dennis Drier
1 One Man’s Dream (5G) 60 98 Louis Goosen
10 Graduation Day (5G) 60 91 Joe Soma
19 Captured Wind (4C) 60 90 Corne Spies
2 Varbration (4G) 60 90 Louis Goosen
5 Gun Fighter (5G) 60 88 Paul Peter
14 Vincente (4C) 60 87 Louis Goosen
13 African Ruler (3G) 58 104 Paul Peter
6 Tar Heel (3G) 58 103 Joey Ramsden
22 Carry On Alice (4F) 57.5 110 Sean Tarry
Entries for the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (Grade 2) over 2450m:
Juxtapose (3F) 103 Stanley Ferreira
She’s A Dragon (3F) 101 Craig Mayhew
Princess Varunya (AUS) (3F) 99 Kumaran Naidoo
Peggy Jay (3F) 96 Lucky Houdalakis
Persian Rug (3F) 94 Mike de Kock
Witchcraft (3F) 94 Sean Tarry
Estimation (3F) 88 Gavin van Zyl
Zafira (3F) 88 Weiho Marwing
A P’s Lily (3F) 87 Tyrone Zackey
Christmas Carol (3F) 83 Geoff Woodruff
Melliflora 3F) 83 Mike Azzie
American Story (3F) 79 Ormond Ferraris
Fortissima (3F) 77 Joe Soma
Snowdonia (3F) 71 Paul Peter
Laurel Cherry (3F) 69 Ormond Ferraris
Misristocrat (3F) 67 Louis Goosen
Tricia Dupont (3F) 66 Louis Goosen
The entries for the R1-million SA Nursery (Grade 1) over 1160m on Champions Day:
Janoobi (2C) 96 Mike de Kock
Cloth Of Cloud (2F) 94 Sean Tarry
Chili Con Carne (2C) 92 Lucky Houdalakis
Exquisite Touch (2F) 92 Sean Tarry
Jiffy (2G) 92 Erico Verdonese
Rivarine (2C) 92 Mike Azzie
Pacific Spirit (2C) 90 Yvette Bremner
Flying Myth (2C) 89 Sean Tarry
He’s A Var (2C) 88 Leon Erasmus
Double Appeal (2C) 87 Joe Soma
Seattle Singer (2F) 84 Corne Spies
Outshine (2C) 82 Tyrone Zackey
Cyber Magic (2F) 81 Paul Peter
Good To Give (2C) 79 Charles Laird
Bold Rex (2C) 78 Mike de Kock
Pepe Le Pew (2G) 74 Yvette Bremner
Le Tigre (2C) 0 Leon Erasmus
Entries for the R400,000 SA Fillies Nursery (Grade 2) over 1160m:
Cloth Of Cloud (2F) 94 Sean Tarry
Exquisite Touch (2F) 92 Sean Tarry
Seattle Singer (2F) 84 Corne Spies
Star Burst Galaxy (2F) 84 Mike Azzie
Announcing Rain (2F) 82 Mike Azzie
Arissa (2F) 81 Alec Laird
Cyber Magic (2F) 81 Paul Peter
Pool Party (2F) 81 Roy Magner
Electric Lady (2F) 80 David Nieuwenhuizen
Open Road (2F) 78 Roy Magner
Rebel’s Diamond (2F) 77 David Nieuwenhuizen
Missibaba (2F) 76 David Nieuwenhuizen
Linda Honey (2F) 70 Louis Goosen
Brave Queen (2F) 66 David Nieuwenhuizen
Burgundy Rose (2F) 0 Leon Erasmus
Dolphinsplayground (2F) 0 Leon Erasmus
