Tarry big on Whiteline Fever
EAN Tarry reckoned Whiteline Fever had a “massive chance” in the Grade 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2 000m on Saturday and also felt E-Jet had “a shout.”
He also runs Heavy Metal and Baracah, who have harder tasks according to the official merit ratings.
Tarry revealed, when questioned, that Anton Marcus did not phone for any of the rides, which could be considered surprising.
Marcus has ridden Whiteline Fever on five occasions and gave E-Jet a fantastic ride last time out to win the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes. However, on Saturday he will ride the Mike de Kock-trained Mujaarib, who finished third in his last start in the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1 600m, just under a length behind second-placed Whiteline Fever.
Mujaarib has won over 1 800m before, but failed in the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup over 2 000m in his only try over Saturday’s course and distance, despite being well weighted and starting 2-1 favourite.
He finished twelfth in that race, five lengths behind Whiteline Fever from whom he received 5,5kg.
On Saturday they will face each other on level terms.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe replaces Raymond Danielson aboard Whileline Fever and Tarry said, “Whiteline Fever has had a fantastic preparation, everything has gone smoothly, and it’s
Snow all up to Bernard.”
There are some that doubt the fouryear-old Right Approach gelding’s stamina capacity and they might have felt vindicated when Slumdogmillionaire rallied back to snare him on the line in the Horse Chestnut. However, Whiteline Fever was actually very unlucky in last season’s Vodacom Durban July over 2 200m as he was baulked when staying on strongly. He has a great draw of four on Saturday.
Tarry has always held the improving E-Jet, a four-year-old Jet Master gelding, in high regard. Marcus described him after the Colorado King as a horse “with a lot of scope.”
Tarry said E-Jet had enjoyed a good preparation, like all four of his charges, and gave him “a shout over this trip.” Karis Teetan rides from draw nine.
Heavy Metal disappointed Tarry with his last start when eleven lengths back in a 1 160m event. However, the last time he went over further than 1 450m was in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1 900m at Greyville on Super Saturday last season and he showed a touch of class in that race, getting up to beat Taipan by a length, although he was receiving 2kg.
Heavy Metal is 3,5kg under sufferance with Whiteline Fever, who is the joint best in at the weights together with Knock On Wood and Galileo’s Destiny. Summer Cup-winning jockey S’Mango Khumalo rides him from pole position.
Tarry said Baracah, a four-year-old King Of Kings gelding who is 5,5kg under sufferance with Whiteline Fever, was “fine”, but he did emphasise that he preferred the chances of Whiteline Fever and E-Jet above his other two. Baracah will be ridden by Danielson from draw eleven.
Tarry singled out She’s A Stunner as one of his best runners on the day. Anton Marcus rides this four-yearold Toreador filly in the Matekor Grade 2 Camellia Stakes over 1 160m. She has always struck as a classy sort and this is only her second start for the Tarry yard.
Nursery
Tarry reckoned the two-year-old events would be “very interesting” and reckoned all three of his charges, For The Lads in the SA Fillies Nursery and Arabian National and Willow Magic in the SA Nursery, had chances. “They are fit and well,” he said.
That news would bear most relevance to the speedy National Emblem colt Arabian National, who won well on debut, but was clearly above himself next time out after a three month layoff.
He likely needed that run, when fading away tamely to finish fifteen lengths behind Olympic Owen in the Grade 3 Protea Stakes over 1 100m, so considerable improvement can be expected. However, Strydom will be aboard Tarry’s other runner, Willow Magic.
This Australian-bred Dubawi colt lost a couple of lengths in the Protea Stakes, but ran on well to finish 2,25 lengths back in fourth, and he then came out and won a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1 000m in facile fashion on April 6.