Sean Tarry’s coupling of Trip To Heaven and Bull Valley have been priced up at 7-2 and 4-1 respectively to win Saturday’s Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville.

Trip To Heaven, arguably the best performer not to have a Grade 1 victory in his CV, looks a worthy favourite as he is by far the best handicapped runner, 2.5kg better weighted than stable companion Bull Valley. He has run four times at Greyville, twice over 1600m in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, and twice in this race. Trip To Heaven was first past the post in the 2016 Gold Challenge but was relegated to second in the boardroom for causing interference to Mac De Lago. This year he ran on well to run a 1.50-length second behind Captain America.

His two 1200m races have resulted in his finishing unplaced but according to Tarry there were excuses. “Two years he got a very poor ride and should have finished a lot closer. Last year, as far as I remember, it was a slow-run race and I was happy with the run,” said Tarry yesterday.

It was also his first run after having been gelded but, as Tarry points out, Trip To Heaven has done little wrong since he was gelded.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

He’s drawn at No 7 but that is not a concern for Tarry. “He loses ground at the start so it’s really irrelevant where he’s drawn. Obviously, the faster they go the better. We know the weights are never his problem, just the gates.

“I really believe this horse deserves a Grade 1 win.”

S’manga Khumalo takes the ride on Trip To Heaven while Karl Zechner rides Bull Valley.

Bull Valley will be looking for his second successive Grade 1 win after coming out on top in the Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville in May. “It was a big win,” said Tarry. “He was primed for that race and he stole it from a long way out.”

Third favourite at 6-1 is Search Party, who finished a 1.50-length second to Bull Valley at Scottsville and then won the Post Merchants over this course and distance in June. In that race he beat Talktothestars (at 9-1 along with Kangaroo Jack) by a neck but the pair will have to overcome draws No 14 and No 13 respectively.

Opening betting on the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville on Saturday:
7-2 Trip To Heaven; 4-1 Bull Valley; 6-1 Search Party; 9-1 Talktothestars, Kangaroo Jack; 10-1 New Predator; 11-1 Brutal Force; 12-1 Attenborough; 14-1 London Call, Sergeant Hardy; 16-1 Champagne Haze, Rivarine; 20-1 Victorious Jay, Gulf Storm

– TABNews