Sean Tarry has a powerful string for the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting on Saturday including five runners in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m.
Gavin Lerena was retained for the ride on Chimichuri Run but Lyle Hewitson had the choice of the other four and interestingly opted for Ikigai.
Chimichuri Run, the defending champion, ran a 1,25 length third last Saturday in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein.
Tarry said “backing up” horses in this manner was not unusual around the world with the most classic example being horses running in both of the traditional Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, The King Stand Stakes over 1000m on the opening day and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 1200m on the last day.
Tarry said, “Chimichuri Run has come out of the run well enough. It is not ideal being backed up but it’s a long time until the Mercury Sprint so why not. The 1000m in the fast winter going at Turffontein was definitely too sharp for him last weekend.”
The four-year-old Trippi colt in fact has a half-a-length second to One World at level weights over 1600m at Kenilworth to his name in the Grade 2 Concorde Cup, so it not surprising that with the speed he also possesses that his best career run has been over the tough Scottsville 1200m. Last year as a three-year-old off a merit rating of 112 he carried 54,5kg to victory and this year he has to lug 59kg off a merit rating of 126. However, five of the eleven horse field are under sufferance, which makes his task easier, although in Invidia’s case he is only under sufferance because the connections opted to not take a penalty for his runner up finish in the Post Merchants (he would otherwise be carrying 52,5kg instead of 52kg).
Ikigai’s program has been affected by COVID-19 otherwise he might have taken part in either the WSB Guineas and Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, or both. Tarry thus thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of this race where he gets weight, instead of running on weight for age terms, and the fact he had not raced for a while would make the 1200m distance suitable for a fresh start.
He added, “He is well and has a lot of speed.” He carries 54,5kg.
Tarry said last year’s Gold Medallion winner Eden Roc was a different horse this season as he had strengthened a lot and he was now a 1200m to 1400m type.
He added, “He is in top shape.”
Eden Roc comes off an impressive win in the Post Merchants which makes him two from two over the Golden Horse Sprint course and distance. He was given a five point raise but still carries a light weight of 53kg and is a leading contender. His Post Merchants jockey Stuart Randolph retains the ride.
Warrior’s Rest is known for his courage and resolute galloping style and Tarry said, “His run was pretty good last time (1,90 length fourth in the Post Merchants over course and distance). He comes in with a low weight and is also in top shape.” He carried 52,5kg and will be ridden by Callan Murray.
Tarry said about Wonderwall, “He is a kilogram-and-a-half under sufferance and would probably prefer the bend, but he has earned his place and has won four out of his last six starts (the last one over this trip and the other three from 1400-1450m).”
Ant Mgudlwa rides.
Tarry runs another defending champion, Celtic Sea, in the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness.
He said, “She has had a good prep and is doing well.”
The yard are expecting her to be right there in her bid to retain her title despite being second favourite behind Run Fox Run.
Gavin Lerena has ridden her all season and stays aboard.
In the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Tarry runs Ecstatic Green and Dubawi Princess.
He said, “Ecstatic Green comes from the strong Springs Of Carmel formline. She won very well last time and is a filly who seems to be improving.”
He continued, “Dubawi Princess will step up big time over this tough 1200m and will go even further, although this is a tougher race than she has experienced to date.”
He concluded by saying the pair were “very close” and he did not want to attempt to separate them.
Hewitson is aboard Ecstatic Green and Grant van Niekerk rides Dubawi Princess.
Tarry runs the filly Slalom Queen in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Medallion and said, “The outside draws could turn out to be disadvantageous so it made no sense to run three horses in the fillies race all from outside draws so I’ve put her in here (where she has a low draw of four).”
Slalom Queen ran a head second to Mount Pleasant at Turffontein over 1100m when giving him 0,5kg and the latter then came out and won the Grade 2 SA Nursery.
Slalom Queen subsequently ran a 1,10 length second in the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m, which gave her valuable experience of Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
However, Tarry cautioned, “She is a speedy filly and the Scottsville 1200m might be a bit tough for her.” Hewitson is aboard.
Tarry runs Tilbury Fort in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1750m.
He comes off a 13,25 length sixth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein.
Tarry said, “He is fine, he has a tough task at the weights but I expect him to improve from that last run and he has quite a good record with Lyle. We can’t be bullish but I think he will run well.”
Tarry has in recent SA Champions Seasons travelled his horses back and forth between Randjesfontein and KZN and that option became open to him again with the latest COVID-19 regulations, but he has decided rather to keep his string at Summerveld as he was mindful that the regulations could change and he also did not want to be caught on the wrong side of a rules misinterpretation again.
Sachdev Scratched from VDJ
Sachdev has been scratched from the Vodacom Durban July after not pulling up well after his disappointing run in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 on Sunday.
He will be rested for the remainder of the season.
Another scratching is the Gary Alexander trained son of Ato, Chijmes.
By David Thiselton
