Sean Tarry’s yard can do little wrong in their first championship winning season, so it would be no surprise to see him walk away with more trophies at Saturday’s important Rising Sun meeting at Greyville.
He runs Halve The Deficit and Willow Magic in the weight for age Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m.
He said about the four-year-old Australian-bred Dubawi colt Willow Magic, “He is well and I’ve been waiting to go this type of distance. He recorded a good time when winning his comeback over 1000m and the Horse Chestnut was coming a bit soon so we elected to keep him to sprints to see if he could pick up one or two features. But I think he is clearly looking for this ground. I think Greyville could be his best course from the good draw he has. He is way out at the weights with the top two but over his right distance he may not only be a 104 (merit rating).”
Willow Magic won the Investec Dingaans over the tough Turffontein 1600m in commanding fashion as a young three-year-old and will be at his peak on Saturday, unlike a few other runners who are having preparations for the July. Furthermore, there will be no concerns about his merit rating being raised, because as a sprint-miler his future largely lies in weight for age races. Piere Strydom aboard from draw three is a further plus.
Tarry said about the six-year-old Right Approach gelding Halve The Deficit, “He is very well, I’m very happy with him.”
Halve The Deficit was overlooked in the first Vodacom Durban July log, despite finishing a decent fourth in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m, but was promoted to 14th place on the second log due to a decent win in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m on the Turffontein Inside track. He quickened well from a handy position in that race and not only displayed his liking for tight courses like Greyville but also beat another top 18 July log incumbent, Tellina, by 1,15 lengths at level weights. He is drawn well in four on Saturday and will be ridden by Raymond Danielson, who is fresh from his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 victory on the Tarry-trained French Navy.
Tarry runs Gold Onyx, Whiteline Fever and The Hangman in in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.
He said, “Gold Onyx is a small horse who doesn’t take a lot of work, so I was reluctant to get him ready for this race, because we will need something to work with going into the July. He will only be 80% fit and if he finishes five or six lengths back I will be satisfied, anything better I will be upbeat. I could have avoided this race to ensure his place in the July, but the right thing to do in order to get him spot on for the July is to run him here.”
The seven-year-old Black Minnaloushe gelding has enjoyed a new lease of life since being partnered by Grant Behr and earned his lofty position of tenth on the July log through his excellent L’Ormarins’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met runs.
Tarry said that the six-year-old Right Approach gelding Whiteline Fever could be excused for running out of steam in the last 100m of the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 as he had run wide throughout and then made up a lot of ground in the straight.
He said, “He is doing well and has a nice weight and good jockey (Strydom). From this better draw he will be able to follow them in and pounce in the last 300m, that’s the way that suits him best. It’s very open but he has a chance.”
Whiteline Fever will need a big run to get into the July and could well do so having been lowered two merit rated points after that last run.
The five-year-old Jallad gelding The Hangman was also a Dingaans winner, but subsequently fractured a cannon bone and had to be laid off for over a year.
Tarry said, “His prep has gone well and his last run in the Pinnacle Plate (1600m at Greyville) was very good. I don’t think the distance will be a problem provided he gets the right positon early on.” Danielson, rides The Hangman from a tricky draw of nine.
Halve The Deficit was due to travel from Randjesfontein to Summerveld today (Thursday). The rest of the runners have all been prepared out of Summerveld.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Halve The Deficit (Nkosi Hlophe)
