Sean Tarry has a powerful string for the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting on Saturday including five runners in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m.

Gavin Lerena was retained for the ride on Chimichuri Run but Lyle Hewitson had the choice of the other four and interestingly opted for Ikigai.

Chimichuri Run, the defending champion, ran a 1,25 length third last Saturday in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein.

Tarry said “backing up” horses in this manner was not unusual around the world with the most classic example being horses running in both of the traditional Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, The King Stand Stakes over 1000m on the opening day and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 1200m on the last day.

Tarry said, “Chimichuri Run has come out of the run well enough. It is not ideal being backed up but it’s a long time until the Mercury Sprint so why not. The 1000m in the fast winter going at Turffontein was definitely too sharp for him last weekend.”

The four-year-old Trippi colt in fact has a half-a-length second to One World at level weights over 1600m at Kenilworth to his name in the Grade 2 Concorde Cup, so it not surprising that with the speed he also possesses that his best career run has been over the tough Scottsville 1200m. Last year as a three-year-old off a merit rating of 112 he carried 54,5kg to victory and this year he has to lug 59kg off a merit rating of 126. However, five of the eleven horse field are under sufferance, which makes his task easier, although in Invidia’s case he is only under sufferance because the connections opted to not take a penalty for his runner up finish in the Post Merchants (he would otherwise be carrying 52,5kg instead of 52kg).

Ikigai’s program has been affected by COVID-19 otherwise he might have taken part in either the WSB Guineas and Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, or both. Tarry thus thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of this race where he gets weight, instead of running on weight for age terms, and the fact he had not raced for a while would make the 1200m distance suitable for a fresh start. 

He added, “He is well and has a lot of speed.” He carries 54,5kg.

Tarry said last year’s Gold Medallion winner Eden Roc was a different horse this season as he had strengthened a lot and he was now a 1200m to 1400m type.

He added, “He is in top shape.”

Eden Roc comes off an impressive win in the Post Merchants which makes him two from two over the Golden Horse Sprint course and distance. He was given a five point raise but still carries a light weight of 53kg and is a leading contender. His Post Merchants jockey Stuart Randolph retains the ride.    

Warrior’s Rest is known for his courage and resolute galloping style and Tarry said, “His run was pretty good last time (1,90 length fourth in the Post Merchants over course and distance). He comes in with a low weight and is also in top shape.” He carried 52,5kg and will be ridden by Callan Murray.

Tarry said about Wonderwall, “He is a kilogram-and-a-half under sufferance and would probably prefer the bend, but he has earned his place and has won four out of his last six starts (the last one over this trip and the other three from 1400-1450m).”

Ant Mgudlwa rides.

Tarry runs another defending champion, Celtic Sea, in the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness.

He said, “She has had a good prep and is doing well.”

The yard are expecting her to be right there in her bid to retain her title despite being second favourite behind Run Fox Run.

Gavin Lerena has ridden her all season and stays aboard.

In the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Tarry runs Ecstatic Green and Dubawi Princess.

He said, “Ecstatic Green comes from the strong Springs Of Carmel formline. She won very well last time and is a filly who seems to be improving.”

He continued, “Dubawi Princess will step up big time over this tough 1200m and will go even further, although this is a tougher race than she has experienced to date.”

He concluded by saying the pair were “very close” and he did not want to attempt to separate them.

Hewitson is aboard Ecstatic Green and Grant van Niekerk rides Dubawi Princess.

Tarry runs the filly Slalom Queen in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Medallion and said, “The outside draws could turn out to be disadvantageous so it made no sense to run three horses in the fillies race all from outside draws so I’ve put her in here (where she has a low draw of four).”

Slalom Queen ran a head second to Mount Pleasant at Turffontein over 1100m when giving him 0,5kg and the latter then came out and won the Grade 2 SA Nursery. 

Slalom Queen subsequently ran a 1,10 length second in the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m, which gave her valuable experience of Hollywoodbets Scottsville. 

However, Tarry cautioned, “She is a speedy filly and the Scottsville 1200m might be a bit tough for her.” Hewitson is aboard. 

Tarry runs Tilbury Fort in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1750m.

He comes off a 13,25 length sixth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein.

Tarry said, “He is fine, he has a tough task at the weights but I expect him to improve from that last run and he has quite a good record with Lyle. We can’t be bullish but I think he will run well.” 

Tarry has in recent SA Champions Seasons travelled his horses back and forth between Randjesfontein and KZN and that option became open to him again with the latest COVID-19 regulations, but he has decided rather to keep his string at Summerveld as he was mindful that the regulations could change and he also did not want to be caught on the wrong side of a rules misinterpretation again.

Sachdev Scratched from VDJ

Sachdev has been scratched from the Vodacom Durban July after not pulling up well after his disappointing run in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 on Sunday. 

He will be rested for the remainder of the season.

Another scratching is the Gary Alexander trained son of Ato, Chijmes.

By David Thiselton

Over the years, the World Sports Betting Cup Trial (Gr 3) has shifted from Clairwood to Hollywoodbets Greyville and on Saturday to Hollywoodbets Scottsville for the first time given the programme revamp due to the dreaded Covid-19.

All 12 runners in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Cup Trial are entries in the big race and the sponsors have Justin Snaith pencilled in to add another runner to his current six-horse compliment come Saturday, July 25.

The World Sports Betting Cup Trial is the dreaded last-chance saloon for most and given the competitive nature of the contest, the market spread is not wide.

The Snaith-trained Nexus is a lukewarm favourite at 28-10 with the sponsors with Herodotus (11-2), Magnificent Seven (6-1) and Cat Daddy (7-1) the only other runners in single figures. But the longest priced runner is Tilbury Fort at 16-1. Snaith saddles both Nexus and Magnificent Seven.

Betting for the Golden Horse Sprint is equally tight with Kasimir, 33-10, at the top of the boards but a host of runners are in single figures in a typically open sprint handicap.

Run Fox Run and Celtic Sea dominated in the market for the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness with the former a narrow favourite at 12-10 with 13-10 on offer about the defending champion.

After four straight wins over the Cape summer, Erik The Red will be tested to the full in the Golden Horse Medallion and is relatively easy to back at 29-10. Tempting Fate, who will give Dennis Drier and unprecedented ninth win in the race, and the Mike de Kock inmate Al Muthana are joint second favourites at 7-2 with debutant Validus in the mix at 7-1.

The Ashley Fortune-trained Validus is obviously an unknown quantity in the Medallion but she saddles hot favourite Winter Smoke in the Allan Robertson Championship. You can get 12-10 about Winter Smoke with Vernichey (7-2) and Delta Queen (4-1) the only other runners quoted in single figures.

By Andrew Harrison

Snaith Racing this morning announced their chief jockey bookings for the Vodacom Durban July.

Stable jockey Richard Fourie will be aboard Belgarion, meaning he will have to slim 1kg from his official minimum riding weight down to 53kg. 

Anton Marcus remains aboard Do It Again, whom he rode last time out to third place in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. Marcus thus has the chance to win a second July on this son of Twice Over, having won on him in 2018, a victory which gave the top jockey a record-breaking fifth July triumph.

Grant van Niekerk will be riding Bunker Hunt.

Keagan de Melo rode Silvano’s Pride to victory in the Grade 2 Tibouchina on Sunday and he retains the ride. 

In other VDJ news the Mike De Kock-trained Queen Supreme was supplemented into the big race yesterday. 

By David Thiselton

Mike and Adam Azzie’s Grade 1 Computaform Sprint winner Rivarine will definitely be raiding Durban on Gold Cup day to take part in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m.

Rivarine is by Var out of the Grade 1 J&B Met winner River Jetez, who is a full-sister to the great Pocket Power.

Rivarine’s full-sister Delta Queen will be attempting to make it two Grade 1 wins in successive weekends for the Var and River Jetez  union as she runs in the Allan Robertson on Saturday. Both siblings were bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm.

Mike Azzie said one of the keys to fulfilling the potential they always knew Rivarine had was they had found a jockey in Devin Habib who was listening to their instruction of holding the athletic horse up. 

The yard had also got on top of some of the now six-year-old gelding’s small niggles and Azzie said this had allowed them to “reach the bottom of him again.”

With his hold up and fast-finishing style he should be suited to running around the turn in the Mercury Sprint.

In fact as a juvenile he won over the Greyville course and distance in fine style, beating the subsequent Grade 1 winner Gunner among others.

In other Azzie yard news Mike said Wylie Wench’s unplaced effort in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes had been “all wrong” and the yard were awaiting results of blood tests before taking their next step.  

Meanwhile, the first son of Var to go to stud, Talk Of The Town, has arrived at Avontuur. 

Talk Of The Town was retired for health reasons from racing after just 5 runs, from which he registered three wins on the trot from his last three starts. He was favourite for the 2018 CTS Million Mile, but was withdrawn and never raced again.

By David Thiselton

St. John Gray is planning the next move for his classy filly Ronnie’s Candy, who deservedly earned Grade 1 status last Saturday when winning the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m, and the KZN Breeders Million Mile or the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m are the most obvious targets.

Gray said she had come of Saturday’s race well.

The four-year-old King Of Kings filly was dropped out to last from a wide draw on Saturday and displayed her devastating turn of foot in the straight under Piere Strydom to beat a good field which included Grade 1 winner Queen Supreme and well performed sorts like Vistula, Saragon, Running Brave, In the Dance and Magic School.  

She is in line for the Equus Older Female Of The Year award now alongside the like of Queen Supreme, Celtic Sea and Clouds Unfold as she has also won the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1600m this season.

Gray said that types like her who come from off the pace could often go further than their optimum distance, with a case in point being his own top class mare Dancewiththedevil, who won the Grade 1 Summer Cup over 2000m on top of her four Grade 1 mile victories.

Ronnie’s Candy looked to be going away at the line of Saturday. 

Gray also pointed out that in her only attempt at 1800m in the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap she had been beaten 4,25 lengths into second by Queen Supreme but had been giving the latter 7,5kg.

Gray races his own homebreds almost exclusively.

Many are mystified by how well he does with such obscurely bred horses as Dancewiththedevil and Ronnie’s Candy, who are by the uncommercial stallions Modus Vivendi and King Of Kings respectively.

He pointed out that he is a firm believer in nicks and patterns and said he would often avoid a commercial stallion if there was no nick.

He admitted though that the nicks and patterns did not always work.

However, they did work in the case of Ronnie’s Candy, whose Jet Master dam Bennie Andthe Jets had provided a “beautiful” mating for King Of Kings.

Looking at her pedigree from an amateur perspective some of the famed nicks which exist on both the male and female sides of the pedigree are Nasrullah/Princequillo and also Sir Gaylord exists on both male and female sides. The latter is an example of a genetic affinity that exists when combining his dam Something Royal, who is also dam of Secretariat, with Royal Charger.

Bennie Andthe Jets is currently in foal to Potala Palace. 

By David Thiselton