Prep runs for Tarry’s young guns

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Nikita

National Champion Trainer elect Sean Tarry has a strong hand in both the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville on Saturday.

He is running his top class filly Siren’s Call in the Daily News and this makes good senses as not only has this season’s three-year-old fillies crop been seen as exceptional compared to the dubious reputation of the three-year-old males but the race carries a total stake of R2 million compared to the R1 million of the Woolavington. Furthermore, with a merit rating of 109 and a 2,5kg female allowance she will need to win the Daily News by a street to attain a merit rated raise, while she could risk a merit rated raise in the Woolavington by merely running close to the 114 merit rated Majmu.

However Tarry did add that the Daily News is part of the Vodacom July preparation for both her and stablemate French Navy. He said, “There will still be a little bit to come from both of them, but they should still run well. We have left a little bit to work with for all of our July horses.”

Both Siren’s Call and French Navy will love the 2000m distance, having won the Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic and Gr 1 SA Classic respectively in very soft going over the tough Turffontein Standside 1800m. Interestingly, Siren’s Call’s time was 0,11 seconds quicker than French Navy’s that day, despite her having to make her finish on the inside of horses, which was the inferior going on the day. Both horses have won in fast going before so clearly go on any ground and both are known for their strong finishes from off the pace, so they should enjoy Greyville.

Tarry has two Woolavington contenders, Tamanee and Trophy Wife, and he said, “Tamanee is very well, but there could be slight improvement after this run. Trophy Wife is probably at her best.”

Tamaanee ran a cracker last time out when stepped up to this distance for the first time in the Gr 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes and her time was actually 0,43 seconds quicker than Woolavington favourite Majmu’s on the same day, despite the fact that she was carrying 2,5kg more. That was a brilliant performance and this improving type could well finish in the first three on Saturday.

Trophy Wife, the perennial bridesmaid to Siren’s Call, has also continued to improve throughout the season and appears to be ultra-tough. She was doing her best work late last time out in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and looks likely to appreciate the step up in trip.

Tarry said an improvement could be expected from his stayer Kolkata, who runs in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m, although he could still come on further for the run. He said, “There are one or two things we have got on top of with him.”

By David Thiselton

Picture: Siren’s Call (JC Photo)

Majmu sets the standard

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Nikita

Mike de Kock’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 fancies Majmu and Pine Princess and his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 contender Ertijaal arrived at Summerveld last week and have all been doing well.

Meanwhile, he will try Jayyed in blinkers in the Daily News 2000, after his disappointing unplaced run in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900.

The champion Majmu will be hard to beat in the Woolavington and her exceptional turn of foot coupled with her powerful, sustained finishing run should see her taking well to the tight Greyville track. She was beaten over this 2000m distance last time out in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge against older males at Turffontein but was carrying a Gr 1 penalty, so on paper she put up at least as good a performance as the winner Wylie Hall, who was only carrying a Gr 2 penalty. Furthermore, that was her second race after a layoff and might have been a slightly flat run.

Majmu’s world class performance in the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas, which she won with contemptuous ease by 2,5 lengths, remains the best form race of the season. Runner up Inara, who subsequently won both the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m and the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m, will likely be Majmu’s chief rival on Saturday and has the advantage of a pole position draw, course experience and she should also relish the trip, but she still has a bit to do to reverse the form.

De Kock’s Gr 1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess has also been doing “very well” and De Kock said she had improved. She is a courageous sort who showed a fine turn of foot in the Oaks to make up the leeway quickly at the top of the straight and she later fought back when headed to deny Siren’s Call the Triple Tiara. It would be no surprise to see her going handy from a wide draw and making a bold bid down the straight, although over this sharper than ideal trip she will probably be vulnerable to the closers like Majmu.

De Kock confirmed that Ertijaal would appreciate the likely firmer ground and, having watched him quicken very well in the Gr 1 SA Derby before “falling in a hole”, he believed the 2000m trip was his optimum. He is versatile in running style, but hasn’t run on firm ground since his impressive pillar-to-post win in the Investec Cape Derby over 2000m. His draw of ten hasn’t done him any favours, but jockey Anthony Delpech knows the course well and will be riding him for the third time.

De Kock said that Jayyed had to be “pushed along” for most of the journey in the Betting World 1900. He also appeared to show little interest in the straight. This Jet Master colt has had a successful breathing operation and before that had advertised his talent with a narrow second in last season’s Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m. Hopefully the blinkers will reignite him and if it does he will be a contender in an open race from pole position with champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo up.

De Kock also runs Kingston Mines and Raees in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. Both of them won their last respective starts over this trip. Kingston Mines, as the winner of the Gr 2 J&B Urban Honey Stayers and the Gr 3 Caradoc Gold Cup, has likely booked his place in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup already, so is likely to be viewing this as a preparation run, while Raees will need to go all out for victory off his lowly 86 merit rating, which sees him 0,5kg under sufferance.

By David Thiselton

Indaba faces a tough task

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Nikita

The very much in-form Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer was realistic about the chances of his Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 contender Indaba, although he said she would definitely strip fitter this time than she did for her last run when finishing tailed off last in a Conditions Plate over 1400 at Greyville.

Kannemeyer said, “She is a nice filly, but she still has a lot to prove. She was badly in need of her last run. We were on the back foot with her when we arrived in KZN and have been playing catch up.”

The Dynasty filly’s three wins have all been over 1600m and she ran a decent third in the Gr 3 Victress Stakes over 1800m. She should get this 2000m trip, but off a merit rating of 96 against some of the best from a vintage three-year-old fillies crop she faces a tough task, especially when considering it is her second run after a layoff. She is drawn eight in the twelve horse field and Stuart Randolph rides.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Dean Kannemeyer

All about the race

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Nikita

DATE: Saturday, 30 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: 3 Year Old Fillies at Level Weights over 2000m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee: R 2280

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 22 May 2015 – Fee R 9120

WEIGHTS: Friday, 15 May 2015
Weight to be carried: 60kg
Northern Hemisphere allowance applies.

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 25 May 2015 – Fee R 9120

2014 WOOLAVINGTON 2000 (Grade 1)

Horse: In The Fast Lane

Jockey: Richard Fourie

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Owners: Tony Phillips & Wood Hall Stud Limited (Nom: Andrew L Cohen)

Breeder: Hallmark Thoroughbreds

ABOUT WOOLAVINGTON 2000 (Grade 1):

The final “classic” tests for three-year-olds, the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, make Daily News day at Greyville on Saturday, May 31 the country’s premier meeting for the young potential champions and very importantly, give them a final opportunity to secure a place in the country’s greatest event, the R3,5-million Vodacom Durban July.

The quality of the three-year-old crop is the barometer for the international status of a country’s racing industry and with many outstanding young locally-bred horses having proven themselves on the international stage, the South African industry has gained enormous overseas respect and interest.

The three-year-olds have been dominant in the country’s big races in recent years and have won no less than 10 of the last 18 runnings of the great race. The Woolavington 2000 which is confined to fillies, are two of the most important races on the calendar and are followed with great interest by the racing public and international buyers.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

In The Fast Lane

2013

Confined to three-year-old fillies, the Woolavington 2000 has been run in tandem with the Daily News 2000 and was given a major stakes boost from R250 000 to R500 000 when it was elevated from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status in 2005. In addition to its importance for the top fillies to make it into the big race on July 5, it is a major boost for the paddock value of those that feature in the result.

Great fillies have won this race including the mighty Ipi Tombe who went on to win the Vodacom Durban July then become an international star in Dubai.

2012

In the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 De Kock’s SA Oaks winner Ilha Bela was the outright favourite but had to settle for second place behind stable companion Viva Maria who led from the break and never looked like losing.

Under Anthony Delpech the Jet Master filly stayed on strongly to win by four lengths from Ilha Bela with the Australian-bred filly Dubai Gina from the Vaughan Marshall stable just over a length further back in third place.

2011

Woolavington 2000 – This race saw the potential brilliance of the Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred filly Igugu who led throughout to win as she liked in a time only fractionally slower than that set by The Apache. She finished ahead of the Justin Snaith-trained Emerald Cove and her own stable companion Berry Blaze who had raced at the back of the field after a slow start until the home straight.

Igugu, who had only been beaten twice in her previous seven races, went on to win the Vodacom Durban July, the Ipi Tombe at Turffontein and the J&B Met and will be returning to contest the Vodacom Durban July again this year.le, taking the KZN Guineas, the Daily News 2000 and then the Vodacom Durban July.

2009

WOOLAVINGTON 2000

Confined to three-year-old fillies, the Woolavington 2000 has been run in tandem with the Daily News 2000 and has been given a major boost this year with the stakes being increased to R1-million. In addition to its importance for the top fillies to make it into the big race on July 5, it is a major boost for the paddock value of those that feature in the result.

Great fillies have won this race including the mighty Ipi Tombe who went on to win the Vodacom Durban July then become an international star in Dubai.