The Robbie Sage-trained Coral Fever was left out of last year’s Vodacom Durban July but virtually booked his place for this year’s big race with a scintillating win in Saturday’s Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m at Turffontein under Muzi Yeni.
Later, the Gorkan Terzi-trained Tandava put up his hand for a place in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint with a fine win in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m under Jarryd Penny. The eleven race meeting, which innovatively included the Dubai World Cup in its second Jackpot, was an ominously good one for reigning national champion trainer Sean Tarry, who will need to have huge success in the rest of the Highveld Autumn season in order to catch the current log leader Justin Snaith.
Last year the now five-year-old Judpot gelding Coral Fever won the traditional Highveld July pointer, the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m, and was consequently supplemented for the July in the same week as the final field selection. However, he had won that race off only an 89 merit rating so was left out. Punters also ignored the merit of that win as he has continually flown under the radar this season.
Coral Fever (JC Photographics)
On Saturday he started at generous odds of 9/2 and was dropped out as usual from a draw of six of nine. He then produced his usual good turn of foot and resolute finish to win going away by a comfortable 1,25 lengths. How much punishment he will receive from the handicapper will as usual depend on who is selected as the line horse. He was officially 1,5kg under sufferance with the second-placed horse Fort Ember, who had beaten him narrowly in the Sansui Summer Cup, but the latter did use up a lot of energy early on Saturday when overcoming a wide draw. The third placed horse was the Tarry-trained King’s Cup winner Social Order and Coral Fever was 3,5kg well off with this horse and beat him by 1,75 lengths, while he was 2kg well off with the two-length fourth-placed Wind Chill. Coral Fever’s merit rating on Saturday was 110, although the recent six point across the board raise should be taken into account when assessing how that will determine his July weight. One thing for sure is he will be suited to the tight Greyville track as he is a type who can be easily switched off and he then has a fine turn of foot. He has duly shortened from 75/1 into 40/1 for the July. Fort Ember is also a 40/1 shot, while Social Order is at 67/1. Saturday’s fifth-placed Abashiri is a 17/1 chance for the July and this is likely on the grounds that bookmakers are scared he will recapture his three-year-old Triple Crown-winning form.
Coral Fever has been highly consistent this season, which will be a factor in his favour when the July final field panellists make their selections in late June. At 11/1 odds he lost the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on the head bob in early November despite jumping from draw nine of twelve. Then at odds of 36/1 he flew from the back of the field for third in the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup where he jumped from draw 19 of 19. Next up was the Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m and he finished third at odds of 9/1. He was an optimistic entry in the Sun Met considering the weight for age conditions and wasn’t disgraced in 12th beaten 7,2 lengths. He returned home and was well drawn in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes in his penultimate start over 1400m. He was left flat-footed halfway down the straight over the too sharp distance but then picked them off one by one and was a strong finishing second.
Tandava looks like a sort who will do well at Scottsville, as he is a big, strong and tough handicapper who can produce a resolute finish from a long way out. He has won over 1800m before but proved he is best at sprints in February when flying home to win a 1000m handicap at the Vaal and then finishing a decent fourth in the Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m at Turffontein. The saddle slipped in his penultimate start and he took no interest so paid a winning Tote dividend of R55.50 on Saturday. He relished the extra 160m and won full of running despite jumping from an unfavourable low draw by trends. The big five-year-old chestnut gelding by Century Stand has a big heart and was being pushed along as far out as the 600m mark. He steadily made up the leeway and burst through close to home to win by 0,25 lengths from Pure Blonde, who put up a fine display considering he jumped from draw one. Tandava carried only 52kg as his merit rating of 98 was in the lowest band. If he does get into the Tsogo Sun Sprint he will come in with a nice low weight. Pure Blonde was giving the winner 2kg so also put his hand up for a place in the Tsogo Sun.
Tarry and Lyle Hewitson won the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint with Myfunnyvalentine, the Listed Oaks Trial with Chariots Of Fire and a MR 100 handicap with Tilbury Fort and they finished a narrow second in the Listed Derby Trial with Afewdollarsmore. The meeting also heralded the return of S’Manga Khumalo from knee surgery and in his only ride he made a fine comeback to finish a 1,05 length fourth on the Tarry-trained Wonderwall in the Senor Santa. Tarry is still over R5 million behind Snaith on the log.
By David Thiselton
