Tarry holds a strong hand
RULING champion trainer Sean Tarry has yet to win the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1 600m but, in Furiosa and Al Sahem, he has two of the favourites for the alternate first leg of the SA Triple Crown at Turffontein this Saturday.
Betting World has priced Furiosa up at 15-4, marginally behind 7-2 favourite Heavenly Blue, with Al Sahem on offer at 4-1. Tarry has two other runners in the race – Matador Man at 5-1 and 25-1 outsider Tilbury Fort.
Asked whether he believes any of his four runners is capable of winning the Triple Crown, which also comprises the 1 800m SA Classic and the 2 450m SA Derby, he replied: “I don’t think it is about a horse being good enough to win the Triple Crown, it’s more about whether they will get the Classic and Derby distances. Furiosa and Al Sahem are suited to all three distances.”
S’manga Khumalo
Furiosa is the choice of Tarry’s No 1 jockey S’manga Khumalo, having won an 1 800m race on the Inside Track at Turffontein three weeks ago. Tarry believes his fitness influenced the rider’s decision because Al Sahem is coming off a break and has missed work because of the rainy weather.
“Furiosa has done very little wrong,” he continued. “He did appreciate the step up in distance to 1 800m and is coming back to 1 600m, but showed a lot of speed early on for us to think he’d win a 1 200m race.
“He’s on the up and hopefully he’s improved enough to get a blow in.”
Al Sahem has won both his races to date in weaker company and Tarry said: “I’m sure everyone would agree he’s a really nice horse. I’m not too fazed about him going up in class – he’s certainly good enough. But coming here off a break is not ideal. Unfortunately it just panned out this way.
“We had to scratch him from a race and he’s missed work in a very important week in terms of race prep.
“Matador Man just didn’t get there in time in a feature on the Inside Track last time out but was beaten by a very good filly in Ektifaa. That was a good prep run after a short break.”
He’s not ideally drawn at No 9 in the 10-horse field, but Tarry is not too concerned, because “he misses the break and comes from off them”.
He will also be travelling this far for the first time, but “the way he ran on in his last start gives me every reason to believe he will get a 1 600m – though I’m not sure he’ll go further.”
He described Tilbury Fort as “a nice horse, maybe not in this class as yet, but certainly on the up. He could get a blow in here.”
His pick? “It’s hard to split Furiosa, Al Sahem and Matador Man. Furiosa has got fitness and a draw, while Al Sahem is also well drawn but is coming off a break and Matador Man doesn’t have a draw.
“All three have chances, but I’m not bullish. It’s an open and competitive race and the opposition needs to be respected. It’s an exciting start to the Triple Crown.”
Tarry-trained Safe Harbour is the highest-rated runner in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the first leg of the Triple Tiara but is drawn “out by Wemmer Pan” in No 16 stall. Betting World have her 4-1 third favourite.
“I would imagine Safe Harbour will be in need of the run,” said Tarry. “Looking at the programme I couldn’t find a more suitable start to her autumn campaign – I would have sidestepped this race if there was an easier route to the SA Fillies Classic. But we know she’s classy and it would be nice if that got her through.”
Khumalo picked the lowest-rated of Tarry’s four runners in Redberry Lane, who frustrated her trainer until blinkers were added to her equipment. Once her concentration was honed, she started realising the potential Tarry knew she had, winning a Maiden Plate by eight lengths.
She is the best-drawn of Tarry’s four runners in No 3 stall and is also among the fittest.
Smiling Blue Eyes has won two races in a row including a 1 600m feature last time out. “She’s a lovely filly and will probably run in all three legs of the Triple Tiara because she’ll improve over the 1 800m of the SA Fillies Classic and maybe even more over the 2 450m of the Oaks,” said Tarry. “I’d be optimistic if she had a decent draw because she can race up there with the pace, but from that wide draw, we’ll have to take our medicine and come from off them.
“But this is a starting point and if you haven’t got a ticket, you haven’t got a chance.”
He said Visuality had “lost her way badly in Cape Town where she didn’t put one decent run together”.
However, he conceded she is being stretched over 1 600m and said “it’s hard to have confidence in her from a stall only one inside Smiling Blue Eyes”.
The other Grade 2 race is the Hawaii Stakes in which Tarry will saddle French Navy and Bulleting Home. “The 1 400m is now a bit sharp for French Navy, but I’m expecting a good run. Bulleting Home has a tough task at the weights, but his last run was good from a deep draw. He’s in good order and should be competitive.”
Other news from the Tarry stable is that talented but temperamental Cloth Of Cloud has had a colic operation.
“Hopefully she’s on the mend,” said Tarry. Cloth Of Cloud last raced in the CTS Sprint over 1 200m on Sun Met Day but missed the break, refused to gallop and cantered home. She then got colic on her way back to Johannesburg from Cape Town.
- TABnews