Sean Tarry was not overly concerned by French Navy’s failure at short odds at Turffontein on Saturday, despite obviously being disappointed.
By the end of the big day, the reigning national champion trainer had surged into the lead in the Championship race for the first time this season and with plenty of firepower looks a racing certainty to land his second title.
French Navy – ‘we eased up on his work and he came in fresh’
He said about star gelding French Navy, “He pulled up with a little niggle, but nothing serious.”
He added he had let it be known before Saturday’s 1800m Pinnacle Stakes event the yard had eased up on the big Count Dubois gelding and brought him into the race fresh.
However, he had hoped the stable companion Stonehenge would set a faster pace. Instead the front-running Diesel Jet set slower fractions than he normally does and French Navy thus travelled more strongly than ideal.He consequently “emptied out” in the straight and could only manage fourth place.
“I am not too phased, it’s not a train smash,” said Tarry.
The classy bay remains firmly on course for the Gr 1 R4 million President’s Champion Challenge over 2000m on April 30.
Trip To Heaven – ‘didn’t work out and he didn’t run a bad race’
Tarry was also not concerned by Trip To Heaven’s 1,75 length fifth in the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes, where he started 3/1 second favourite.
He had an awkward stride shortly after the start and he then had to come from near the back off a slow pace.
Tarry said, “It didn’t work out and he didn’t run a bad race at all.”
Tarry said the Trippi colt would either go for the Gr 2 Senor Santa Handicap over 1200m on March 26 or the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m on April 2 next, either of which will be his second run after a three month layoff.
His ultimate targets come in the South African Champions Season, the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m and the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m, both at Greyville.
Tarry said of his Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas runners on Saturday, “Malak El Moolook ran a brilliant race, Liege was restless in the stalls, Rikitikitana needs gelding and Lunar Approach’s saddle slipped.” They finished third, seventh, 15th and 16th respectively. Tarry added, ‘I was glad to just have got a piece of the pie.”
Tarry also won the Gr 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m on the day with the progressive four-year-old Jet Master filly Off The Mark, who came from some way back under JP van der Merwe to record her third win on the trot.
Well-bred 4yo Off The Mark grabs a first stakes win
She had snuck into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52kg off her 81 merit rating and can progress further considering she is out of the good broodmare Sport’s Chestnut (Sportsworld), who won the Gr 1 Cape Fillies Guineas.
Off The Mark is a full-sister to Gr 1 runner up Sports Coach, who was very highly regarded by Charles Laird and Anton Marcus but was unfortunately plagued with issues.
Tarry was about R200,000 behind pace-setter Justin Snaith on the National Trainer’s log on Saturday morning but by the end of the day was R432,125 ahead of Snaith and R944,875 ahead of third-placed Mike Bass.
Tarry will go into the richest race between now and the end of the season, the R4 million President’s Champion Challenge, with a strong hand, including the likes of Legal Eagle and French Navy, and that could be the day on which the proverbial champagne is put on ice.
However, as a thorough professional he will only likely pay attention to the championship when the trophy is in his hand and at the same time will be planning for the next season.
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