Champion racemare Carry On Alice showed her courage and blue chip ability when withstanding a towering late challenge from her stablemate Trip To Heaven and the top-class Red Ray to win the R1 million Gr1 Cape Flying Championship at Kenilworth on Saturday.
S’manga Khumalo keeps Carry On Alice at her task to beat stablemate Trip To Heaven in a great finish (Pic – Wayne Marks)
A Gr1 winner at 2, 3, 4 – and now as a 5yo- Alice’s record speaks volumes of the longevity and character of a sprinter who has mixed it with the best of the males of her generation, and come out tops, more often than not.
And she didn’t disappoint her fans on Saturday, getting her act together after a few off colour performances, to remind us just how good she really is.
SA Champion trainer Sean Tarry was expected to dominate the race and he did, with the winner’s stablemate and favourite running a cracker to get second.
Regular rider S’manga Khumalo had Carry On Alice just off the early pace towards the centre of the track as Captain Alfredo and Jo’s Bond made the running.
‘Bling’ pressed the launch button at the 300m and Carry On Alice came forward with Jo’s Bond running the race of her life.
After a slow start, Trip To Heaven could be seen making ground but was way out of range.
At the same time Red Ray was moving up on the inside and Trip To Heaven was gathering his momentum and weaving through traffic.
Into the final 100m, Red Ray and Trip To Heaven came at Carry On Alice, but the magic mare had too much in reserve and she went on to a great win by 0,30 lengths in a time of 58,22 secs.
S’manga Khumalo – strong bond with the mare
Trip To Heaven ran a ‘sensational’ race in the words of his trainer after his slow start to pip Red Ray for second.
Snaith’s speed filly Jo’s Bond ran out of her skin for a 1,15 length fourth.
The Wilgerbosdrift-Mauritzfontein sponsored Khumalo said that the winner had needed her last few runs. “She is a special mare and a real champion,” he added.
Tarry explained that he had prepared Carry On Alice differently to last year, when she had finished third. He had brought her down earlier and got her fit through racing. The tactic worked!
“It is a real privilege to train a horse that has won a Gr1 every season,” he said.
Sean Tarry – Gr1 exacta
Carry On Alice has won four Gr1 races, the SA Nursery at Turffontein as a two-year-old, the SA Fillies Sprint at Scottsville as a three-year-old, the Computaform Sprint at Turffontein as a four-year-old and now the Cape Flying Championship aged five.
Carry On Alice was bred by Klawervlei Stud and is by champion sire Captain Al, who had sired four of the first six winners on the big day.
The winner is out of the four time winning Western Winter mare, Carry On Katie. Her dam was a multiple Gr1 placed Gr2 winner as a 2yo.
Carry On Alice has now won 9 races with 12 places from 26 starts and R3 941 250 in stakes.
She was purchased for R475 000 on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 and races in the interests of Chris Van Niekerk, UK-based Dr J Warner and his wife Jill, in partnership with her breeders.
_________
Gr1 Cape Flying Championship (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 28, R1 million, 1000m, turf, good, 58.22
1 – CARRY ON ALICE (SAF), 57.5, b m 5, Captain Al (SAF) – Carry On Katie (SAF) by Western Winter (USA). Owner Mr C J H van Niekerk, Dr J A Warner & Klawervlei Stud (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr J P Koster); Breeder Klawervlei Stud; trainer SG Tarry; jockey S Khumalo
2 – Trip To Heaven (SAF), 60.0, b g 5, Trippi (USA) – Helleborus Blue (USA) by Cee’s Tizzy (USA)
3 – Red Ray (SAF), 60.0, b h 6, Western Winter (USA) – Nacarat (SAF) by Pas De Quoi (SAF)
Margins: 0.30, 0.10, 0.75
