Summer Cup Betting Tips, Best Bookmakers & Free Bets
The Summer Cup is one of the oldest races on the South African racing calendar.
Some of South Africa's most beloved racing names have won the Summer Cup at Turffontein and we have all the info bettors need for the big race.
Summer Cup history
The Summer Cup is nearly as old as Johannesburg and it's fitting the race is run at a venue that overlooks the city's landmark mine dumps.
The first horseracing in Joburg took place in December 1886 and the inaugural Summer Cup was run the following year as the Johannesburg Handicap.
The race was won by outsider Haco, a five-year-old trained by Mr Du Plessis and ridden by J Bundy. Second, the 13-8 favourite, finished fourth.
In its heyday the Summer Cup was the highlight of the Johannesburg feature-race season and one of the city's social events of the year.
But after Cape challenger King's Guard's victory in 1971, the name of the race was changed to accommodate a sponsor.
As the years rolled by further changes to the name, conditions and date diminished the event's glitter and it eventually became the Champion Stakes, run in April.
In 1999 horseracing and tote betting company Phumelela reintroduced the Summer Cup to the racing calendar in its traditional format and the event is now firmly established as one of the “Big 4” on the country’s racing calendar.
Many famous horses have won down the years and they include Pamphlet (1917), Lenin (1940), Cuff Link (1963), Caradoc (1966) and Home Guard (1970).
One horse who really grabbed attention was Java, trained by Jack Butler. He pulled off a remarkable Summer Cup hat-trick from 1956 as a four-year-old before going on to claim the honours again the following two years.
Summer Cup Betting Tips
We will have Summer Cup betting tips available when the field is released.
Bookmakers always offer a wide-open market due to the popularity of the race.
Summer Cup Free Bets
Bookmakers often have free bets on offer for the Summer Cup, which is a popular thoroughbred race at Turffontein in South Africa.
Check out our recommened bookmakers for the latest offers.
Live Streaming
Bettors can live stream the Summer Cup at Bet365. They show most big South African races and all you need is an account and a bet on the race.
Turffontein Track Info
Turffontein is one of the more popular racecourses in South Africa. Below is the information about both track surfaces.
Turf. 2700m oval track. Races up to 1160m straight course; beyond 1160m clockwise round turn with 800m run-in.
Track rises 12m from 1600m to 800m marks, making it most testing circuit in SA.
Low-number draws favoured over 1400m and to a lesser extent over 1600m.
Turffontein inside surface:
Turf. 2500m near oval circuit inside Standside Track with which it shares a common pull-up area.
All races run clockwise round the turn with run-in of slightly less than 500m. Track rises 10m from the 1400m to the 500m marks.
Low-number draws preferable over 1450m and 1600m.
Summer Cup Field
We will have an updated Summer Cup field when bookmakers release their odds. The field is made up of some of the best thoroughbreds in South Africa.
Summer Cup Day Feature Races
The Grade 1 Summer Cup headlines a great betting card at Turffontein.
The Goldrush Derby and the Tombe Challenge are two popular betting races on the card.
It's one of the better racing days on the South African calendar.
- R2,000,000 The Gauteng Summer Cup 2000m Grade 1
- R450,000 The Goldrush Derby Run Merchants 1160m Grade 2
- R400,000 World Sports Betting Ipi Tombe Challenge 1600m Grade 2
- R250,000 Racing Association Handicap 3200m Listed
- R250,000 Epol Magnolia Handicap 1160m Grade 3
- R150,000 The G-Bets Stakes Gallop Secretariat Stakes 1400m Listed
Summer Cup past winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Tilbury Fort |
| 2017 | Liege |
| 2016 | Master Sabina |
| 2015 | Master Sabina |
| 2014 | Louis The King |
| 2013 | Yorker |
| 2012 | Wagner |
| 2011 | Dancewiththedevil |
| 2010 | Flirtation |
| 2009 | Aslan |
| 2008 | Rudra |
| 2007 | Strategic News |
| 2006 | Matleme |
| 2005 | Ilha Da Vitoria |
| 2004 | Tyson |
| 2003 | Wolf Whistle |
| 2002 | Eventuail |
| 2001 | Ingleside |
| 2000 | Delta Form |
