Strydom and Tarry team up in fourth

It is a jockey booking that will raise eyebrows Piere Strydom engaged to ride a horse for champion trainer Sean Tarry.

That is the scenario at Tuesday’s holiday meeting at Turffontein when two of the biggest names in the sport team up in the fourth race.

Tarry has engaged Strydom to partner his lightly raced fouryear-old Captain’s Reward.

The son of Captain Al won his only start last term in fine style and in August, with Kabelo Matsunyane in the saddle, finished a close third behind The Fifth Wave.

Bookies’ reaction to the booking has been to price up Captain’s Reward at 19-10 with Mike de Kock’s filly Gin Fizz quoted at the same price.

A big future was predicted for Gin Fizz when she skated home by seven lengths on her debut in February, but the daughter of Soft Falling Rain has failed to add to that success. Tuesday will be her first appearance since early May.

Trainer Gary Alexander will be delighted that Mount Laurel kept her unbeaten record at the city track on Saturday, and he relies on another useful filly, Gaian Glory.

Though this daughter of Visionaire will have the Emperors Palace Ready-To-Run Cup on November 2 as her main objective, Alexander will be happy

to collect Tuesday’s R65,000 first prize. Gaian Glory is quoted at 3-1 in early betting.

Another runner who should be involved in the finish is Joe Soma’s Comaneci. The fouryear-old finished fractionally behind Captain’s Reward when the two met in August.

Muzi Yeni was seen at his best on Abelie last Saturday and Varnica (third race) and Scent Of Evening (fifth) look two promising rides for the title-chasing jockey at Tuesday’s meeting.