Tarry’s two-year-old depth confirmed
SEAN Tarry (pictured) might have been out of luck in the July but he underlined the strength in depth of his two-year-old talent when taking both the juvenile Grade 2s.
S’Manga Khumalo went clear from over a furlong out on Desert Rhythm in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper and reported: “I thought she was going to be very hard to beat but when we came out of the pens Richard Fourie on Gee Whizz screamed for the lead and I thought ‘OK, let him go.’ Mine picked up by herself.”
But in the Durban Golden Horseshoe Khumalo on the fancied Captain And Master had to be content with third behind 20-1 stable companion Purple Diamond ridden by Nooresh Juglall.
Unlucky
Tarry, who felt that Captain And Master may have been a bit unlucky, said: “The cash was on offer for Purple Diamond in Cape Town but he wasn’t ready in time. He is going to be better over a mile and he will run in the Premiers Champion on July 29. Desert Rhythm could run in the Thekwini that day – we will see how she is drawn.”
But the really unlucky horse in the Golden Horseshoe was Ancestry who was beaten only a short head with Joey Ramsden explaining: “He lost his offfore shoe and it hung away from him. I don’t know about the Premiers Champion – he has been busy in the last few weeks.”
Objections on July day somehow seem to have the power to evoke fascination – or fear if you think you are going to lose - and there were shades of the 2014 LegislateWylie Hall controversy in the SABC Gold Vase.
Captain Splendid (61-10), trained by Legislate’s handler Justin Snaith, beat 32-10 favourite Hermoso Mundo from the stable of Wylie Hall’s trainer Weiho Marwing by a short head but only after drifting some six metres off a straight line into the runner-up – and this time it was the stipes who lodged the objection.
Interference
The interference looked minimal – but so was the winning margin – and Piere Strydom on Captain Splendid had his whip in his right (ie wrong) hand.
He knew that if he put it down he would lose the race.
The alternative, which he opted for split-second in the heat of battle, meant the boardroom.
But not only did he lose the race but he was suspended for ten days.
Karl Zechner, on the promoted winner, complained: “I was hampered a lot.
“I had plenty of horse under me and I was just coming there when I was bumped.”
The pair are likely to meet again in the Gold Cup and Marwing fancies his chances of following up, saying: “My horse will be better over the extra distance and he is maturing into a nice sort.”