Holland aims to reign in Tiara
It comes as no surprise to find Rain In Holland, winner of the first two legs of the SA Triple Tiara, among the entries for the third and final leg, the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks.
The Grade 2 race over 2450m will be run alongside the Grade 1 World Sports Betting SA Derby over the same distance and the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m, on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday 2 April.
Rain In Holland, trained by Sean Tarry, has been an impressive winner of the first two legs – the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and the SA Fillies Classic – and should be hard to beat in the final leg.
In fact, she has been priced up at 7-20 to claim the R1-million bonus and join Igugu (2011), Cherry On The Top (2013), Summer Pudding (2020) and War Of Athena (2021) as the country’s Triple Tiara champions.
Tarry confirmed yesterday his charge was well and her preparation so far has been excellent.
With two different winners in Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic there will be no Triple Crown winner this season but there is R1.5-million in stake money up for grabs and the connections of Safe Passage, who won the Guineas and finished runner-up in the Classic, and Red Saxon, winner of the SA Classic, will no doubt be delighted to pick up the winner’s cheque.
The Horse Chestnut Stakes also sees the Highveld debut of Durban July and Cape Town Met champion Kommetdieding.
Kommetdieding has been stabled with Roy Magner at Randjesfontein and yesterday had his first gallop at Turffontein.
Trainer Michelle Rix is in Joburg to oversee his preparation and both she and jockey Gavin Lerena were delighted with his track work.
There will also be a Pick 6 carryover at the meeting of R1 million with the pool likely to reach R5 million.
Supplementary entries for the meeting close at 9am on Monday with declarations closing at 11am on Tuesday 29 March.
Entries for the R1.5-million WSB SA Derby (Grade 1) over 2450m.
8 ABLUEAZURE (P A Peter) 60.0
1 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) 60.0
11 LITIGATION (S G Tarry) 60.0
10 LONDON ROADS (P A Peter) 60.0
6 PLATINUM SKY (S G Tarry) 60.0
4 RED SAXON (J A Soma) 60.0
2 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) 60.0
9 SUPER EXCITED (P F Matchett) 60.0
7 TABEBUIA (G H Van Zyl) 60.0
3 WITH PLEASURE (D Sham) 60.0
5 ZEUS (F P Habib) 60.0
Entries for the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m.
8 AL MUTHANA (M F De Kock) 60.0 13 ASTRIX (P A Peter) 60.0
9 BINGWA (D Sham) 60.0 11 CHIMICHURI RUN (S G Tarry) 60.0
6 DONALD MCDONALD (G H Van Zyl) 60.0
5 FLYING CARPET (S G Tarry) 60.0 4 KOMMETDIEDING (H/M Crawford/Rix) 60.0
3 MK'S PRIDE (P A Peter) 60.0 2 PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren) 60.0
12 WARRIOR'S REST (S G Tarry) 60.0 1 CAPTAIN LANNISTER (A B Fortune) 57.5
10 PYROMANIAC (S G Tarry) 57.5 7 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) 57.5
Entries for the R750,000 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (Grade 2) over 2450m.
2 CLAFOUTIS (M F De Kock) 60.0 11 ETERNITY RING (B/Y Botes / Vosloo) 60.0
5 EVENING PRIMROSE (G van Zyl (Jnr)) 60.0
3 GO DREAM MACHINE (D Nieuwenhuizen) 60.0
4 GREENGROWTHELILACS (D Kannemeyer) 60.0
6 LIGHT OF THE MOON (B/Y Botes / Vosloo) 60.0
10 ONTHEVERGE (C Dawson) 60.0 8 PERFECT WITNESS (C Dawson) 60.0
1 PRINCESS KESH (A B Fortune) 60.0 7 QUIET REBELLION (S T Pettigrew) 60.0
9 RAIN IN HOLLAND (S G Tarry) 60.0