Tarry in 2013. Heavy Metal wins last year’s President’s Champions Challenge
Trainer Sean Tarry has nominated seven runners for the R2-million President’s Champions Challenge to be run over 2000m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 26 April.
The Champions Challenge forms part of Champions Day which will also see the running of four other Grade 1 races – the SA Derby over 2450m, the Computaform Sprint over 1000m, the SA Nursery over 1160m and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, which will be run as a Grade 1 event for the first time and will carry prize money of R1 million.
There were 20 horses nominated for the President’s Champions Challenge and it is clear that Tarry, Geoff Woodruff and Mike de Kock will all hold strong hands in the race.
Topping Tarry’s entry is 2012 Vodacom Durban July winner Pomodoro, who last Saturday at Turffontein had his first run back following a 238-day layoff. He contested the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m and performed well enough to finish six lengths behind stable companion Whiteline Fever.
Tarry said last week that Pomodoro would be aimed at the Champions Challenge and as long as the horse pulled up soundly, the trainer would no doubt be happy with the comeback effort.
Tarry’s other runners are The Hangman, Halve The Deficit, Whiteline Fever, Baracah, E-Jet and Cagiva, a winner last Saturday.
Woodruff has been one the hottest trainers on the Highveld this season and on Saturday he already bagged a Guineas double with Arcetri Pink and Louis The King. He has entered Yorker, Master Sabina, Tellina and Killua Castle, who finished first, second, third and fifth respectively in the Sansui Summer Cup over the course and distance, as well as Lockheed Jetstar.
Mike de Kock has only nominated three runners – Ilha Bela, Espumanti and Captain Lars – but there are two more entry dates so there could still be more to come.
Second entries close at 11am on Monday 24 March and third entries at 11am on Wednesday 9 April after which the weights and draws will be announced.
Declarations close at 11am on Wednesday 16 April.
Nominations for the R2-million President’s Champion Challenge (Grade 1) to be run over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 26 April.
BARACAH (S G Tarry); CAGIVA (S G Tarry); CAPTAIN LARS (M F De Kock); E-JET (S G Tarry); ESPUMANTI (M F De Kock); GITIANO (A G Laird); HALVE THE DEFICIT (S G Tarry); ILHA BELA (M F De Kock); KILLUA CASTLE (G V Woodruff); KNOCK ON WOOD (O A Ferraris); LOCKHEED JETSTAR (G V Woodruff); MASTER SABINA (G V Woodruff); PESSOA (A G Laird); POMODORO (S G Tarry); SEAL (G H Van Zyl); TELLINA (G V Woodruff); THE HANGMAN (S G Tarry); WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry); WYLIE HALL (W H Marwing); YORKER (G V Woodruff)
