Mercantour ready to defend Poly title

Jack Milner

Right now it is the calm before the storm. The old season is over, all the awards have been handed out and many of the top horses are given a break before we head full steam ahead into the 2026/27 season.

As a result, the local racing is somewhat mundane, so while there are four race meetings this weekend, the only centre to hold a feature event is the Eastern Cape. In fact, it is the start of Nelson Mandela Bay Poly Challenge on Friday. The three legs are raced over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m respectively and there is a R250,000 bonus for the connections of any horse that manages to win all three legs.

Only two horses have managed to scoop that bonus, the first was Glen Kotzen-trained King Regent in 2024. The second was Mercantour, who did the deed last season. Trained by Alan Greef, the seven-year-old Var gelding will attempt to become the first horse to win the Challenge twice.

It is tough to find any runner who can win over all three distances with most sprinters at their best up to 1400m. On the other hand, many milers are capable of winning over 1400m and 1600m, but find themselves outpaced in Leg 1.

Mercantour has clearly lost none of his zip as he continues to notch up victories and is unquestionably at his best over 1200m over which he has won five of his 10 starts. His record on the Polytrack is even more impressive as he is unbeaten in three starts over the course and distance and in total, he has been victorious in seven of his nine starts and finished third in the other two events.

Speaking to colleague Danie Torien during the week, Greeff said: “The Poly Challenge was always part of the plan.

“He does face stiff competition in the first leg, so we will have to wait and see.”

There are two obvious dangers, headed up by Dean Smith-trained Cruise Control.

Cruise Control is at his very best on the grass, but his form on this surface is not too shabby. Always in the first four in all 10 starts is a proud record.

His record over the course and distance reads two wins, three seconds and a fourth-place finish.

Jockey Craig Zackey also knows the gelding well and has been aboard him for both his successes this year.

Interestingly, there was very little between Cruise Control and Mercantour when they last met over this course and distance back in May. Mercantour won by a head and the weights stay the same as that day.

Mercantour has the advantage of jumping from pole position but speedy Cruise Control, from a No 4 draw, likes to lead and has every chance of attempting start-to-finish tactics and that is his problem.

“The problem is that he really doesn’t see out 1200m and does get caught out late in the race. I just hope he can keep going this time,” said Smith.

Regular rider of Mercantour, Richard Fourie, is still away, so Aldo Domeyer gets the opportunity to get a 14th victory out of the seven-year-old Var gelding.

The race does not stop there, as Fairy Knight is usually not too far behind. He has a victory over Cruise Control in December and was touched off by stable companion in the first leg of this challenge a year ago.

He has not been as lethal as he can be of late, and a wide draw will not make it easy for him, but he will be doing his best work at the finish.

The second leg will be run on Friday 25 September and the final event on Friday 16 October.

The NMB Racing Poly Challenge was first run in 2016. That first year saw the Jacques Strydom-trained Gogetthesheriff win the first two legs but fall short by just 0.50 lengths in the final event.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 8 TP Thunderchild, 2 Lovely Dancer, 9 Moon Girl, 3 Tipsy

Race 2: 1 Rules Of Conduct, 2 Iced Marmalade, 6 Winteronthegreen, 4 Truly Magical

Race 3: 3 Harpa, 2 Queen Of Castille, 4 Green Point, 7 Dead Poets Society

Race 4: 4 Too Late My Mate, 2 Above The Horizon, 1 Laguna Verde, 7 Vila Vicosa

Race 5: 4 Qondanekukhanyeni, 1 Fantine, 5 Golden Croc, 2 Woman In Gold

Race 6: 3 Mercantour, 1 Cruise Control, 2 Fairy Knight, 5 Guy Gibson

Race 7: 4 Genovefa, 2 Lady Bomber, 3 Lotus Silk, 8 Iona Castle

Race 8: 2 Inspiration, 7 Powerofpeace, 5 Alex Miller, 3 Icy Lancaster

 

BEST BET

Race 6: 3 Mercantour

VALUE BET

Race 8: 2 Inspiration

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 2×4

 

BIPOT

R144

Leg 1: 2, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2, 6

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 2, 9

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 3

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 2, 4

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5

Leg 5: 3

Leg 6: 2, 4

Leg 7: 2, 5, 7

 

PICK 6

R1500

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 8

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

 

JACKPOT 1

R60

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 8

 

JACKPOT 2

R100

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7