The quality of past performers in Saturday’s Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes at Kenilworth is highlighted by Equus Champion Sprinter Carry On Alice, who retired to stud in Australia after winning the 2017 Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Carry On Alice – flashback to 2015
The daughter of Captain Al won the Southern Cross Stake in 2015 and was narrowly beaten by Jo’s Bond last year.
Her 11 career wins, with 13 places from 29 runs, included Gr1 successes in her 2,3,4 and 5-year-old seasons for owners Klawervlei Stud, Chris van Niekerk and Dr John and Mrs Jill Warner.
Sean Tarry, who trained Carry On Alice and saddles Green Plains in today’s feature, said that he had been privileged to work with a mare of Carry On Alice’s talent.
He is on record with an interesting philosophy about his approach to training:
Sean Tarry – prefers them workmanlike
“There are trainers who prefer to race their fillies lightly for black type and early retirement, I like them workmanlike and battle-hardened. For example the mare Grecian Gale raced just about every second week until she was seven, for the late Buddy Maroun. She produced a top filly for us in Wendywood. Our champion sprinter National Colour didn’t race as often as that, but she was active and racing all over the world nearing six years of age and she’s been an absolute star at stud in Australia.”
Carry On Alice’s top-level wins included the 2014 Gr1 SA Nursery, the 2015 and 2017 renewals of the prestigious Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint, the 2016 Gr1 Computaform Sprint and the 2017 Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
Out of the Western Winter mare, Carry On Katie, she was a R475 000 buy from the CTS Premier Yearling Sale and went to stud with a bankroll of R4,6 million.
