08 January 2018 | Paul Courts
WITHOUT doubt the best line-up assembled for a South Australian Cup has been put together for next Saturday night’s fantastic Globe Derby program.
Inter Dominions, Hunter Cups, Miracle Miles, Derbys, records upon records…the 14 runners have won and done it all.
Sadly it’s a race which will never happen, but forward thinking from Harness Racing SA has seen a fantasy field of SA Cup winners collated to determine which is the greatest in the Group One’s 79-year history.
On number of Cup wins, The Legends SA Cup is a match between Gammalite and Smoken Up, which won the feature an amazing four times.
Then there is Bandbox, the first dual Cup winner, and Minor Derby the first pacer to successfully defend his Cup title.
Add in the likes of the first triple Inter Dominion champion Our Sir Vancelot and last year’s Cup star Smolda and the 2650-metre battle is destined to be an intriguing affair.
For my ‘two-Bobs’ worth, Westburn Grant will prevail after drawing barrier three.
With solid gate speed and stamina to match, the champion of the late 1980s and early ‘90s has all the assets required to beat such a field.
Given the likelihood of a solid tempo from a field of predominately stayers look for an opportunist such as Shakamaker to be finishing stoutly along the home straight!
Veteran media man Dennis Browne will call the Cup.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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