Final Fields-Gold cup and Bracelet

K Shea not coming home for the races?

As expected, champion Pocket Power’s name was not amongst those runners named at final acceptances for next Saturday’s R1,2 million Canon Gold Cup (Gr 1) at Greyville Racecourse but the country’s premier race for stayers has still attracted a top field.



Headed by the grey Equal Image, a full field of 20 will face the starter on Saturday, August 1.



In spite of the absence of Pocket Power, trainer Mike Bass still holds a strong hand with four runners, all proven stayers. Bill Of Rights, Thundering Jet, Meteor Shower and former Canon Gold Cup winner, Diamond Quest will do duty for the stable.



Diamond Quest in particular showed a welcome return to form on Vodacom Durban July day when winning the Schweppes Gold Vase (Gr 2) over 3000m.



By the time of the Canon Gold Cup, Charles Laird will have been crowned the country’s champion trainer and will be looking to launch his new season with a bang in the form of Senor Versace, owned by his principle patrons Ingrid and Markus Jooste.



Apart from Equal Image, Mike de Kock has SA Derby winner Bouquet-Garni in the line-up while Glen Kotzen, who has had a dream Champions Season, will be pinning his hopes on Sudden Storm who made a smashing return to form at Clairwood recently.



Paul Lafferty will saddle the filly Steady Chat while rare Cape Town visitor to KZN, Stephen Page, has two runners in Mokaro and Noblewood.

i am shocked that pocket power has not accepted to run in the gold cup..his sole purpose to accept for the race would have given his stablemates a distinct advantage at the weights..for the person who wrote this press release to SAY THAT AS EXPECTED POCKET POWER WAS NOT AMONGST THE FINAL ACCEPTORS FOR THE GOLD CUP just shows how damn ignorant they are or they trying to pull the wool over our eyes...do you tink he was nominated for fun

Pocket Power's absence favours Diamond Quest, but not Bill Of Rights. Is there a message from the Bass yard in there somewhere?