GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT (GRADE 1) Handicap 1200m – R 850000
GIMME A PRINCE
Trainer: Dean Kannemeyer
Jockey: Keagan De Melo
Winner: GIMME A PRINCE
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Real Princess by Trippi (USA)
BRED BY: Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
OWNED: Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
GOLDEN HORSE MEDALLION (GRADE 1) – R 700000 – 1200M
LUCKY LAD
Trainer: Sean G Tarry
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Winner: LUCKY LADGimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Imperial State by Caesour (USA)
BRED BY: Varsfontein Stud
OWNED: Mr A R & Mrs A B L Beck
ALLAN ROBERTSON CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE 1) – R 700000 1200m
MRS GERIATRIX
Trainer: Sean G Tarry
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Winner: MRS GERIATRIXVercingetorix – Velvet Glove by Kahal (GB)
BRED BY: Clifton Stud
OWNED: Magical Lady Syndicate (Nom: Natalie Turner)
SA FILLIES SPRINT (GRADE 1) – R750000 – 1200m
PRINCESS CALLA
Trainer: Sean Tarry
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Winner: PRINCESS CALLAFlower Alley (USA) – Princess Royal by Captain Al
BRED BY: Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
OWNED: Mr M J A Ferreira
Gimme A Prince crowned king
Andrew Harrison
It was the Sean Tarry, Richard Fourie show at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday. The combination raked in three of the four Gr1 races and finished runner-up in the Golden Horse Sprint as Gimme A Prince lived up to his billing and name.
Remarkably, both Mrs Geriatrix, winner of the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship, and Lucky Lad, successful in the Gr1 Gold Medallion, went into their races unbeaten and Princess Calla rounded off the Tarry treble.
Given a decent draw in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint, Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding Gimme A Price will be a hard nut to crack. Carrying top weight of 60kg along with William Robertson, he had all who watched on course in agreement that he was a serious racehorse.
Run out of it by Trip Of Fortune in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m from a difficult draw, he put the record straight with a commanding win in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint. Being a handicap, he gave weight to all, except one.
Champion jockey elect Keagan de Melo rode a confident race, tracking the pace from his outside draw, confident in his mount, and pressed on to a comfortable win.
It was a bun-fight for second but Thunderstruck, winner of the Gold Medallion last term, edged out Surjay and Bartholdi.
There is not much to Mrs Geriatrix as far as the measuring stick goes but she has everything in the right place as the Clifton Stud-bred filly put them all to bed in the Gr1 Allan Robertson.
The race was billed as a match race between favourite Winter Cloud and Gr1 SA Fillies Nursery winner Mrs Geriatrix and so it proved but it was never a two-horse race. Aldo Domeyer was content to sit back on Winter Cloud and follow Mrs Geriatrix, but although finishing off her race, she was never a threat to the winner.
Tarry has a knack of priming his charges for the big occasion. Mrs Geriatrix won the Filles Nursery and Lucky Lad the Gr1 SA Nursery on the same afternoon. It was another one-two as Lucky Lady showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Gr1 Gold Medallion and Tarry will need to dust off his dress suit for the Equus Awards dinner.
Lucky Lad cruised to a comfortable win and given his pedigree, manner of victory and a draw, he will take some beating in the final two Graded features that round off Champions Season should he contest them.
Princess Calla has done her rounds as far as different trainers are concerned but the daughter of Flower Alley is in a class of her own. There were a few anxious moments as Fourie hunted a passage up the inside of the course as the field concertinaed but once clear, there was not stopping.
Winner of the Gr1 Empress Clun Stakes over 1600m last season and given a good draw, the Gr1 —- Garden Province Stakes will be at her mercy – “why not” was Tarry’s parting shot.
