The four-year-old gelding, Grey Arrow, controversially eliminated from next week’s R2-million Gommagomma Summer Cup at Turffontein, is among the six horses nominated by trainer Mike de Kock for the R1,5-million, Grade 1 J&B Met to be run over 2 000 metres at Kenilworth on January 29.
All but three of the runners in next week’s big Turffontein race have been entered for the Western Cape showpiece including the favourite, four-year-old sensation, Tyson.

Geoff Woodruff returns to the scene of his great success last year with Yard-Arm with a formidable entry of nine horses including joint second favourite for the Summer Cup, Saddlewood. The other members of his team include Bushra, Off Guard, Watta Smasher, Royal Approval and Promisefrommyheart – all top-class performers.

In addition to Grey Arrow in the Mike de Kock contingent of six there are Bless This Day, Gang Related and Ilha Da Vitoria while Charles Laird has entered stalwart Amphitheatre and Hold The Fort, the latter having also been eliminated from the Summer Cup.

Champion Western Cape trainer, Joey Ramsden, has nominated five horses including Sports Warrior and Winter Solstice, two of the mere 14 out of 49 nominees which have a merit rating of 100 or more.

Only five horses from KwaZulu-Natal have been nominated for the race and one from Port Elizabeth with just 15 from the Western Cape and the other 28 coming from Gauteng.

Cape trainer Mike Bass’s Sharief Song on 108 is the highest rated entry with Superwood (107) and Promisefrommyheart (105) next highest in the ratings.

As the J&B Met is a conditions race, merit ratings are of little consequence and handicapping is related to age, sex and penalties received for wins in graded races since August 1, 2002.

The final field is chosen by the Gold Circle selection panel that reserves the right to exclude any horse which, in its opinion, does not warrant inclusion in the race.