Summer Cup runneth over with Mocha Blend surprise

JOHANNESBURG – The sun shone brightly, the crowds packed in, the betting was great and it was like old times at Turffontein but, unfortunately for punters, some of the results did not match the jolly atmosphere.

More pointedly, the outcome of the ZAR6 million (S$454,000) Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup (2,000m) was a bit of a train smash.

The race was won by $143 shot Mocha Blend, trained by Frank Robinson and ridden by Tristan Godden.

She came from near-last in the early stages to beat another outsider, Olivia’s Way (Andrew Fortune) for Roy Magner, by a half-length for a filly 1-2 finish in South Africa’s richest race.

The Tony Peter-trained Ultimate King (Muzi Yeni) was a further 1½ lengths back in third with Busstopinhounslow (Rachel Venniker) in fourth for Grant Maroun.

With that result, it came as no surprise the quartet paid 355,690 rands (S$27,000) in South Africa. There was no winner on the Singapore Tote equivalent bet.

Obviously, not everyone was glum at the winners’ enclosure.

“It doesn’t feel real, it still doesn’t feel real,” said a delighted Godden after claiming his first Grade 1 victory.

“I know a lot of people didn’t like her, but I did. People asked me what I was backing in the Summer Cup and I said I’m backing myself. You’ve got to come into races like this thinking you’ve got a chance.

“Realistically I thought she would run in the first four, but at the back of the quartet.”

That was a similar notion expressed by Robinson, who just like Godden, was also at his maiden Grade 1 salute.

“I was quietly confident she would run into a place because I rate her,” said the Durban trainer.

“I knew 2,000m is what she wanted and I think the conditions were ideal for her.”

A four-year-old filly by Ideal World, Mocha Blend is owned by Mauritzfontein – in whose famous yellow-and-black silk she races – and Wilgerbosdrift, whose principal owner Mary Slack was on course to cheer home the winner.

Though completely snubbed in the market, Mocha Blend was, incidentally, recording her third win in nine starts, of which she finished out of the placings only once – a record, which with the benefit of hindsight, did clearly not justify her three-figure odds.

Among the top fancies, second favourite The Equator (Gavin Lerena) finished the best in fifth for Peter, beaten 4.90 lengths.

The Gavin van Zyl-trained favourite King Pelles (S’manga Khumalo) and defending champion, Alec Laird’s Atticus Finch (Calvin Habib) did not fire a shot, finishing down the course in 12th and 18th spot respectively.

Five of the first eight past the post went off at 100-1.

In fairness, there had been buckets of rain on the Highveld over the past few days and the going was on the soft side.

It might not have suited many of the runners, with a number of trainers also having faced problems working their contenders. JACK MILNER FOR 4RACING