The South African national jockeys championships is heading for an exciting conclusion, while Sean Tarry looks unlikely to be caught for the trainers championship after enjoying a good day on Vodacom Durban July day.

Justin Snaith’s win with Do It Again in the R4,25 million Vodacom Durban July and his second and third places with Oh Susanna and Snowdance in the R1 million Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes saw him sneaking past Mike de Kock into second place on the trainers log.

However, Sean Tarry won the R500,000 WSB 2200 with Shenanigans, finished one-two with Eden Rock and Putontheredlight in the R600,000 Durban Golden Horseshoe and won the R1 million Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes with Celtic Sea.

Tarry is now on R24,886,825 which is just over R2,5 million clear of Snaith on 22,347,663, who is a mere R3,600 ahead of De Kock who is on R22,344,063.

The only major race day left on the calendar is Gold Cup day, which includes the R1,25 million eLan Gold Cup, the R1 million WSB Champions Cup, the R1 million Mercury Sprint, the R750,000 Premier’s Champions Stakes, the R750,000 Thekwini Stakes, the R400,000 Gold Bracelet, the R300,000 Umkhomazi Stakes, the R300,000 The Debutante as well as two R150,000 Listed races.

Snaith or De Kock would have to win a number of the biggest stakes races on that day to stand a chance and Tarry would have to have a bad day, which is unlikely considering he will probably have Eden Rock and Put On The Red Light in the Premier’s.

Meanwhile defending champion Lyle Hewitson reached the 200 winner mark for the season on Sunday at Turffontein with a double.

Closest rival Muzi Yeni had one winner and is now six behind on 194. Anton Marcus now has a mountain to climb as he is 18 behind on 182.

Tack And Ball have Hewitson at 11/20, Yeni at 17/10 and Marcus at 4/1.

Luke Ferraris, on 77 winners, is 17 clear of Dennis Schwarz in the Apprentice Championship.

Chris van Niekerk owns all of Shenanigans, Eden Rock and Putontheredlight so forged ahead in the Owner’s Championship on Saturday. His nearest rival Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s chances were dented by the unfortunate scratching of Hawwaam from the Vodacom Durban July.

Van Niekerk is on R15,030,913 and the Sheikh is on R12,101,788.

Maine Chance Farms sire Silvano has wrapped up the Sires Championship. This will be his third title in succession and his fourth overall. His earning of R20,261,425 is just over R4,5 million clear of the late Captain Al on R15,729,938. Var is in third place on R13,439,988.

Mary Slack and Jessica Gell’s Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud operation have wrapped up the Breeders Championship. Their earnings of R27,557,153 are well clear of defending champions Klawervlei Stud on R19,835,888. Summerhill Stud are in third place on R15,845,600.

By David Thiselton

Adrian Todd, who said on Winning Ways five months ago, that he was aiming to have South Africa opened up for direct equine exports to Europe by June, has now put back his sights to later in the year.

The all-important stepping stone to the pot of gold that lies at the end of this particular rainbow is an audit of the present protocols by the European Union’s veterinary officials.

Todd said: “We have asked them if they want to come and do an audit, and our application is in. My money is that they will want to. It is considered a trade issue and it is being finalised now but we already have the risk control measures in place.

“I am very encouraged. It has all been a long time coming and it has been tough but I am confident that we will get it this year.”

Asked specifically whether “it” means the audit or the opening up of direct exports, Todd replied: “Both.”

Todd, managing director of South Africa Equine Health and Protocols, has been working on this project for almost two years and has recently been encouraged by the work and advice of a European-based expert that he has engaged to steer him through the bureaucracy and requirements of the relevant departments of the European Union. He also has the support and assistance of the South African government.

Opening up the protocols would transform the fortunes of the South African breeding industry because our horses are cheap by the standards of Australia and other Southern Hemisphere countries and are proven on the international stage.

For the first time samples were taken from all the runners in the Vodacom Durban July on the day before the race – not, as some cynic suggested, in case the post-race ones were hijacked again but as an improved integrity measure. The first three were also sampled as in previous years.

There will be similar pre-race testing for the Sun Met and senior racing control executive Arnold Hyde said: “We are looking to up our game although we won’t get the results until this week whereas in Japan and Hong Kong, where they have bigger budgets, they get them before the race. We have already done this for a few of the big races at Turffontein but there we took the samples on the morning of the race.”

Walter Smoothie, Stuart Pettigrew’s first winner of the DStv Gold Vase, is to be gelded after running in the eLan Gold Cup on July 27.

Pettigrew explained: “He is a rig and sometimes his testicles worry him. That is why he is not as consistent as he should be but he is a really good stayer and the pace last Saturday was just right for him.”

However Justin Snaith is beginning to despair of finding a winning opportunity for third-placed Strathdon who made much of the running but has not won since December 2017.He has been placed in six of his 11 subsequent starts.

“He had 52kg on his back when he won that December 2017 race and ever since he seems to have had one of the top weights in staying races. On Saturday he ran his heart out under 60kg and he could hardly stand after the race. It’s very disappointing. I will speak to the owners (Alec and Gillian Foster) and see what they think.”

Toby Spies and his son Corne are targeting the Thekwini Stakes (July 27) with both Cockney Pride and What You Are, first and second in the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper.

The winner was little backed at 17-1 but Corne said: “We were expecting a good run but we were worried about how she would take the bend. My father would love to have come on Saturday but my mother Annatjie is not too well so he stayed in Jo’burg.”

Odds-on Eden Roc and well backed (20-1 to 9-1) stable companion Putontheredlight, first and second in the Durban Golden Horseshoe, are both under consideration for the Premiers Champion Stakes.

Sean Tarry, who also won the Golden Horseshoe with Purple Diamond two years ago, said: “I am going to leave them both in Durban, study the draws and then decide but the runner-up is definitely looking for the mile.”

By Michael Clower

Former Summerveld-based trainer Chesney van Zyl has landed the position of private trainer to luxury jewellery and watch retailer James Kennedy in Australia and as an accolade to his horsemanship skills he was handpicked by the legendary “horse whisperer” Monty Roberts.

Van Zyl will be based at a new training centre and racecourse called Pakenham Racing Club, which is about an hour outside of Melbourne.

This brand new facility was built by Racing Victoria in response to overcrowding in the city which prevented the expansion of existing training centres and the building of new ones.

Kennedy Racing has spared no expense in an operation whose key characteristic will be Monty Roberts’ influence on the development of the horses.

All of the staff have been handpicked by Roberts, including an understudy who has been with him for eleven years.

After applying for the job Chesney was first interviewed by James Kennedy and then by Monty Roberts.

Chesney’s father Gavin believes it was Chesney’s impressive CV which secured him the position.

Gavin said, “Chesney did a sterling job training our horses in Johannesburg with multiple Group success. He is also an accomplished rider who work rides his own horses and he won a Workrider’s race at Turffontein in 2010 on River Lodge. He is also a qualified farrier, and an accomplished one. He is an all round horseman.”

Kennedy commissioned Roberts to be part of the early schooling and breaking in of all of his horses.

The Roberts methods are new to Chesney but he is being tutored by the legend in the breaking in of horses and the ground work. He will always be working closely with Roberts.

Kennedy has bought “very nice” young horses and will grow the operation year by year.

The facilities Chesney has includes hot and cold water showers for the horses, an industrial vacuum for the stables, rubberised stables and barn, his own starting stalls to school horses in, a horse walker, a lunging arena and cameras in every box.

Gavin said, “The whole operation is based on the well-being and schooling and grounding of the horses being absolutely perfect. Chesney has a team and he is the head trainer. It is a wonderful opportunity to start afresh and he will be able to concentrate on training horses without the stress of having to find new owners and running the yard’s finances.”

Kennedy and Roberts are looking for a stable jockey and at present it seems a suitable one might be sourced from the Laffit Pincay jockey training academy in America.

Chesney will reside in a brand new house with his wife and young son and daughter.

Gavin said, “They are very happy and I am sure they will make a success of it.”

By David Thiselton

Frank Lloyd Wright, who came good in a 1 400m handicap here 17 days ago, looks the best of champion Lyle Hewitson’s seven rides at Kenilworth today and he should be able to collect in the Interbet.co.za Handicap.

Hewitson is beginning to take command of this season’s title race and he went into Fairview yesterday on the 200-winner mark, six in front of Muzi Yeni, with Anton Marcus now looking almost out of it on 182.

Frank Lloyd Wright has been raised five points for that last win but the Justin Snaith-trained gelding had come down a lot in the ratings and the way he won – going to the front after 300m and making the rest to score by two lengths – suggests he can go in again.

True, he is drawn seven out of seven but more to the point is that he has shown that he can handle softish ground and that is a vitally important quality today.

The Computaform Express racecards show every horse’s record on ground softer than good – look for the Wet figures, eg in Frank Lloyd Wright’s case Wet:1-2-4 indicating that he has run four times on it, winning once and being placed twice. You get the same information on the free TAB Sheet racecard on the tabonline.co.za racecard.

What the figures do not tell you is how soft the ground was on those occasions. It may have been just good to soft or it could have been heavy but they are still a most helpful guide because the majority of horses produce a different level of ability in the soft to what they show on good or faster.

Waiting For Rain, who is running for the 75^th time, sometimes lives up to his name and probably represents the main danger while in the preceding Tellytrack.com Pinnacle Stakes Milton looks tempting at 13-2 with Bernard Fayd’Herbe in the irons. This 1 800m is the distance over which he won last season’s Premier Trophy but, although he has won in the soft, his record in it (one win from eight starts) suggests that his usual front-running tactics might not enable him to last home. I prefer Man About Town.

Fayd’Herbe may, however, win both the two-year-old races. Gold Medal is untested in the soft but he ran well enough on debut to suggest he can get the better of Quintay and Hardfallingrain in race two.

Stable companion Sailing Ship started favourite for the Perfect Promise and, while nothing she has done before or since warranted that, she went close last time and makes more appeal than Hewitson’s mount La De Da and Kelpie in race three.

By Michael Clower

Do It Again wrote himself into the record books as he became only the fourth horse in the 126-year history of the Vodacom Durban July to win back-to-back races, emulating El Picha at the turn of this century, Milisia Pride 1949/50 and Campanajo who won the first two running’s back in 1897/98?

It was a superb performance from a super racehorse who stamped himself as head and shoulders above his peers.

Justin Snaith declared his hand early and would not hear of defeat for his champion in the build-up. “He’s the best horse in the country at weight for age and now he’s shown that he’s the best horse in the country which ever way you look at it.”

Earlier in the week he declared, “I think 4/1 is a crazy price (about Do It Again). There is no ways he is a 4/1 shot in any race in South Africa you put him into. You can give him 65kg and he should be 2/1.”

Prophetic words as Richard Fourie gave him the perfect ride, staying out of trouble and giving his mount a clear run to the line to hold off the challenge of Rainbow Bridge with Twist Of Fate third and Eyes Wide Open fourth.

Mike Rattray, one of the doyens of South African racing, will have to wait another year for a win in the race he has most wanted to win. Rainbow Bridge was game in defeat but found one too good. “When a pressed the button I thought I had the race,” said jockey Gavin Lerena. “He ran all the way to the line but we just couldn’t get there.”

The race was not without drama. Favourite Hawwaam’s hot temperament is well documented and all seemed to be on track as he paraded without fuss. The last to be bundled into the starting stalls, he rushed the front gate and was release from his stall.

Anton Marcus was quick to jump ship and Hawwaam was backed out. It was evident to all that Hawwaam was feeling the effects of his antics and the course vet Roehann Sutherland had no choice but to withdraw him from the race. A clearly upset Sutherland said, “We are here to put on a show and entertain, but I had no choice.”

“It was the right decision,” said a sporting Mike de Kock post-race. “The best horse won and I hope this doesn’t make all the headlines.”

It was poignant win for owners Bernard Kantor and Nick Jonsson and Helga Mitchell, whose husband Jack having passed away a month or two back.

With under a month to go, in a relatively tight battle for the trainer’s championship, Sean Tarry extended his slender lead over De Kock and Snaith with victory in the Gr Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes as Celtic Sea gave Tarry back-to-back wins in the race. Redberry Lane gave current champion jockey Lyle Hewitson his first Gr1 victory as she touched off favourite Snowdance last year and yesterday he gave Celtic Sea another tremendous ride, shooting up the inside rail to hold off favourite Oh Susanna and the luckless Snowdance.

Earlier Tobie Spies showed why he is a master at preparing two-year-olds with a one-two in the Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper. Cockney Pride caused something of an upset as t 18/1 shot was given a copybook ride by Craig Zackey. He tracked the early pace, took a split through the middle of the pack and never looked like losing in spite of the attentions of stable companion What You Are.

Not to be outdone, Sean Tarry emulated the feat in the Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe as the well fancied Eden Roc got the better of stable sibling Putontheredlight and Invidia.

By Andrew Harrison

The July In Jozi meeting is always fun and well attended so there should be a good atmosphere on course at Turffontein tomorrow.

The Vodacom Durban July will be contested by the best field seen in Durban for a long time and should be a thriller.

Hawwaam still has something to prove as this is the first time he will take on top class older horses, but he strikes as being something special and it speaks volumes that Anton Marcus chose him ahead of Rainbow Bridge. He has quirks and the noise on the day and the hustle and bustle of the race might get a reaction from him but hopefully it will not blunt his chief weapon, his exhilarating turn of foot. If he is within striking distance he can justify favouritism.

Last year’s winner Do It Again has developed into a magnificent specimen who just gets better and better and he will be a tough nut to crack. If he wins again, this time carrying topweight of 60kg, he can justifiably be called world class.

Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge, who is Hawwaam’s half-brother, also has an electrifying turn of foot and on pedigree will relish this trip. He also has his quirks but trainer Eric Sands said his sometimes nervous demeanour appears to be diminishing.  He should be in the shake up from a good draw.

Twist Of Fate appears to have a lot of class and a big engine and has been prepared by a fine trainer. This R20,000 purchase is 2kg better off with Hawwaam for a 1,60 length beating and should be thereabouts, although he does have a tough draw to overcome.

Eyes Wide Open has come back to himself and has been looking in fine shape. Considering he beat Do It Again as a three-year-old at level weights in the Grade 1 Cape Derby and is now receiving 7kg he has to be a big runner.

It is tough to choose just one more for the all important sixth place as there are so many good horses involved.

However, the vote goes to the big-striding Head Honcho, who has enjoyed a good preparation and is probably continuing to improve.

It was tough to leave out Made To Conquer, Barahin, and Doublemint as well as three rank outsiders Lady In Black, Roy Had Enough and Camphoratus.

The Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m is another away race to look forward to and Snowdance might upset Oh Susanna as she might well be effective running from the front. Front And Centre is also top class but due to her tendency to lug in will likely have to be dropped out from a wide draw before flying down the inside.

At Turffontein punters should get off to a good start in the first race over 1160m with Magic School, an impressive specimen who was unlucky last time. He should be too strong for this field.

Later in the eighth race Running Brave should have too much class over 1400m in an Assessment Plate and can be bankered.   

The Sunday meeting at Turffontein sees some classy racing and particularly interesting is the return of the exciting prospect Buffalo Bill Cody. This horse has won all three of his races over a mile in comfortable fashion and can beat the classy Cirillo, who is not as well drawn. Soldier On is a useful sort whose form has been standing up well and he could fill third place.

By David Thiselton

Mike de Kock pretty well summed up this year’s Vodacom Durban July as probably the toughest he has seen and he’s been around a few years.

The four-time winning trainer said mid-week. “Barring Soqrat, all the best horses in the country are there.” The race will be run over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow.

He also had a little dig at the jockeys who he says will dictate the tempo of the race. Speaking to TABnews he said, “What has happened previously in the race is that many of them are duped into following the leader rather than judging the pace they need for their own mounts.”

“I think whoever sizes it up properly early on, who gets his horse into a good position, will have the advantage. The race can be won and lost over the first 200m.”

Justin Snaith, who saddled the first three past the post last year, saddles last year’s winner Do It Again. Although Do It Again shoulders top weight his form is impeccable and from a good draw he should be right there. His was one of the stand-out gallops last week and is obviously in a good space. He is second favourite in the ante-post betting and Snaith is supremely confident.

De Kock saddles two runners, ruling ante-post favourite Hawwaam and Barahin. The latter is off the minimum mark for a three-year-old colt and is probably still under the radar as far as the handicappers are concerned. He came from a long way back to win the recent Jubilee Handicap and he has won at Greyville. “Barahin is a one-dimensional horse,” De Kock surmised. “He’ll relax near the back of the field and run on late.”

Hawwaam on the other hand is a different kettle of fish. He is all the rage in the market and beaten only once in his career. However, De Kock was sceptical of his short ante-post price. “18-10, you must be joking,” he said on Tuesday. “That’s just hype.”

“Hawwaam is not straightforward. You don’t know what he’s going to do – whether he will jump slowly, or whether he will pull. This is also the first time he is running in an 18-horse field so we don’t know how he will cope.”

There is no doubt that he is a top contender and is well in at the weights with a good draw. But as De Kock alluded, his one concern is his temperament. He can be difficult in the preliminaries and a big crowd could upset him. He also has an inside draw in what is invariably a rough race which could set him off. That said, he was perfectly behaved when winning the Daily News 2000.

Eric Sands has given Rainbow Bridge the perfect preparation and this race has been his target since the day he was bought by Mike Rattray after the winning the Sun Met. He has done everything right for Sands and a win will not be out of turn.

Made To Conquer, another Snaith runner, was second last year and carries the same weight this year. He been catching the eye of late and big race rider Mark Khan is confident of a big showing. “He will be spot on for the July,” Khan told Snaith in the fourth box after the Cup Trial.

Glen Kotzen appears to have got on top of all the problems that he had with Eyes Wide Open and the colt has come to hand of late. He beat Do It Again in the Cape Derby last season at level weights and is now 7kg better off. But a lot of water has passed under the bridge since their meeting in the Derby.

Lady In Black is a smart filly and Dennis Drier is supremely confident that she will run a big race. “I’m not sure if she can beat the boys but she will be right there,” he said at the gallops. “She’s been crying out for this trip.”

Twist Of Fate was runner-up to Hawaamm in the KRA Guineas and is now 2kg better off with the ruling favourite. Joey Ramsden won this race with The Conglomerate from 20 draw so knows what it takes to win this race.

For my money the bulk of the quartet – that will have a total pool in the region of R16 million – will come from the top seven in the betting with longer priced runners Head Honcho, Lady In Black, Legal Eagle, Made To Conquer and Doublemint all horses capable of a first four finish.

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za  

By Andrew Harrison

Andre Nel is happy with his Vodacom Durban July contender Head Honcho and the sizeable gap between his runs has been part of the plan.

Assistant trainer Byron Foster spoke of how Head Honcho had “definitely” become “sharper” following a gallop three weeks before the July gallops.

Jockeys Keagan de Melo was pleased with his demeanour in the pull up area after the July gallop.

He said he had a good bounce in his step all the way back to the parade ring, suggesting he had recovered well from the workout.

Nel said because Head Honcho was now an older horse he had been able to look back on his career and see what had worked with him and what hadn’t. He said the type of gaps they had given him into this race, seven weeks from his last race which followed a layoff since the Sun Met, had seemed to have worked well for him so that was how they had planned to take him into the July.

He concluded, “He’s feeling good, he’s a sound horse, we’re happy with where we have him at the moment.”

They have Run Red in the Grade 3 Betting World 2200 and said, “Tough race for him, but a lot’s going in his favour. I think he is a decent type of a horse and has a lowish weight and a fair draw. He’s coming into the race pretty well and he will give a good account of himself.”

The yard fancy Red Shift in the last race over 1400m on the poly as he fine form over that course and distance. His last run on turf over 1600m did not pan out at all well and can probably have a line drawn through it. 

They run Q The Music in the Listed Engen Performance Stakes over 1600m and Nel said, “He’s a fair type of a horse and always tries hard enough so he won’t be far off them.”

By David Thiselton

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Justin Snaith said the bookmakers price offered about the defending Vodacom Durban July champion Do It Again was “ridiculous”.

He said, “I think 4/1 is a crazy price. There is no ways he is a 4/1 shot in any race in South Africa you put him into. You can give him 65kg and he should be 2/1. So, I am quite surprised. I think it is that Mike de Kock factor.

“Hawwaam has beaten small fields, three-year-olds and the Champions Challenge wasn’t the strongest field. These horses Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge are phenomenal horses, phenomenal. You have to be world class … which maybe Hawwaam is, maybe, but he’s got to prove it.

“So for me, I think the older horses are still very, very strong in this race, I always have said it and I stick by my guns. Before I came to Durban I thought it and I still think it.”

He said about his four runners, “They are extremely well. When they turn for home they are going to want to take off. All is well, Do It Again is flying, he looks magnificent, I couldn’t be happier. Doublemint, I am really impressed with him so far, all good. Everybody is saying Barahin is well weighted but he’s a three-year-old giving Doublemint weight, why’s he well weighted? Those three-year-olds will have to be phenomenal to give weight away to these four-year-olds who are all carrying 53kg. I’m not saying they can’t win, but they’ve got their work cut out.

“Made To Conquer ran second last year and those three-year-olds must give him weight? Made To Conquer is flying. Even if he doesn’t win the July he’s a runner in the Gold Cup if we decide to go that route. The July is a bit harder than last year but in saying that he’s weighted to run a big race. I don’t think I have ever seen a horse run second in the July and the following year carrying 53kg.

“It will be very hard for Miyabi Gold but she has a nice draw and quite frankly you never know. She’s never far behind the top fillies in the country, she really can compete at Group 1 level with the fillies. I don’t see why she should be counted out then, but she has her work cut out.”

At time of writing Hawwaam was 2,35/1 and Do It Again had drifted out to 5/1 with Track and Ball.

Considering Snaith believes Do It Again is ridiculously good value and Mike de Kock said on Tuesday Hawwaam was ridiculously short in the betting there might be a shake up in the market before Saturday.

By David Thiselton

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Sean Tarry is leaning towards Legal Eagle as his stable elect for the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday but he said it had not been an open and shut case.

Tarry also runs the G-Bets Summer Cup winner Tilbury Fort and dual Grade 1 winner Return Flight.

He said, “Legal Eagle is certainly the best handicapped of my trio and has had a good prep. He is in a good space. Lyle (Hewitson) does get on well with Tilbury Fort but he also gets on well with Legal and this is the first time he has had a good draw with Legal.”

Some have questioned Legal Eagle’s chances after his last run when finishing 8,75 lengths back in a Pinnacle.

However, while the finishing position was disappointing Tarry pointed out, “Bearing in mind he was drawn poorly carrying 61,5kg there was no choice but to drop him to the back. We expected a good pace to be set by two of our runners, but the pace was a mess. Despite that he still ran a very good last 400m. The time over the last 400m was the same as his win in the sprint at the beginning of the season. So once again he was doing his best work late.”

Tarry was thrilled when Tilbury Fort landed pole position. He said, “He needs a draw because he needs a smooth run, if you go forward with him and try and slot in it doesn’t work, he needs to find a position immediately and then sit.”

Tilbury Fort was in the same Pinnacle 1400m as Legal Eagle and also finished strongly.

In the Premier’s Champions Challenge Legal Eagle caught the eye finishing strongly for a 5,20 length fourth. Tilbury Fort was 16 lengths back that day but a line can be drawn through the run because he was widely drawn and became unsettled when hunting for a position. He was also cut into.

Raymond Danielson is aboard Tilbury Fort and Tarry said, “He has ridden him a few times and gets a reasonable tune out of him. He has had a good prep.”

Tarry said about the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and Grade 2 SA Oaks winner Return Flight, “Besides being crossed at the 300m and pulling a shoe, it wasn’t quite her run for some reason. The two fillies she had beaten in Johannesburg both ran in front of her and she did pull up with a little bit of dry mucus. So she might not have been quite right on the day. However, she has done well since then and has had a perfect prep. Her good draw of two will help. We are not going to be hunting to make the pace but if she does end up in the front that’s fine. If she doesn’t the 2200m is hard enough for her to be coming home strongly. Ryan Munger rode a big race for Yvette Bremner on National Park, he’s a good strong rider and has had a lot of winners this season.”

Legal Eagle carries 55kg, Tilbury Fort is officially half-a-kilogram under sufferance carrying 53kg and three-year-old Return Flight is officially 2kg under sufferance carrying 52kg.

In the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes Tarry has two runners and said, “Celtic Sea is a big runner although I have healthy respect for Oh Susanna and Front And Centre.”

Tarry said a line could be drawn through Celtic Sea’s KRA Fillies Guineas run. Looking at her easy win over 1400m on the tough Turffontein Standside course in March he believed she would get the mile although he admitted it might stretch her.

He added, “Desert Rhythm ran a nice race in the Tibouchina so it’s worth taking a chance.”

Tarry believes his strongest race on the day is the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.

He said, “The extra 200m is definitely in Eden Roc’s favour, he has a good shout. Put On The Red Light is not out of it either, he found trouble over this trip last time and should have been closer. He will appreciate the Grade 1 mile at the end of this month, but I’m not worried about 1400m. Rock The Globe will also run a big race.”

In the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m he also has two runners and said, “They both have poor draws. Cavivar will enjoy the trip and Lyle will ride the race as it unfolds. It might be a bit short for Victoria Paige but I hope she runs on in the straight.”

He said about the WSB 2200, “Zillzaal has a good shout. I would like to see him lying about three or four lengths back from his good draw. I think Shenanigans will run well, he’s had a nice prep and a lot is in his favour. Captain And Master ran well last time when stepped up to 1800m so we are giving him a chance. Silver God is 3,5kg under sufferance but was also under sufferance when running well in the WSB 1900 and Cup Trial. He can’t be judged on his last race which was on the poly.”

In the Grade 3 DSTv Gold Vase he runs Wonderous Climber and said his dip in form could have been expected as it was hard to keep a horse on the boil for so long. He expected a better showing but wondered whether 2400m was his better trip.

He expected Social Order to be a big runner, a nice “roughie” for the day, in the eighth over 1600m, an ideal course and distance.

He has always rated Mythical Bolt, who runs in the 11^th over 1200m, but said this might be his last run before gelding.

By David Thiselton