For Sean Tarry, the last day of the 2010/2011 racing season will go down as one of his most memorable in a career which is already replete with big moments. He saddled the first two finishers to the Canon Gold Cup, at odds of 45/1 and 35/1 respectively, emulating the 2009 feat of Stephen Page, who saddled the winner Mokaro and runner-up Noblewood in that particular renewal of South Africa’s premier long distance race.
Same-stable “Exactas” were the order of the afternoon at Greyville on Sunday. Little more than half-an-hour after Sean Tarry sent out the first two finishers to the Canon Gold Cup, Gavin van Zyl pulled off the same trick when The Apache and Bulsara occupied the first two places in the Champions Cup.
Amanee stepped up to 1600m for the first time and showed considerable improvement on her previous form when she won the Thekwini Stakes for two-year-old fillies at Greyville on Sunday.
Beach Beauty stepped beyond 1600m for the first time and it took to it like the proverbial duck to water when easily landing the Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Greyville on Sunday.
Will the Golden Slipper form stand up? Ratings for the Gr1 race for 2yo fillies on July day were difficult to arrive at, with Princess Victoria a very easy winner and few of those close up with much previous excellence to speak of.
Three of the four of the highest MR-rated runners in the Champion Stakes are Australian imports, and only two of the top-eight are locally bred. Chances are that, as in the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe on July day, the spoils will fall their way.
With four Gr1 events taking place on Canon Gold Cup Day as well as our two top jockeys battling for supremacy, a thrilling climax to the season looks sure to be had this weekend….
Proven stamina is never a bad thing, but it’s not everything and Safwan could prove a touch too classy for his opposition if he copes with the step up in distance.
Beach Beauty and Emerald Cove are the only three-year-olds in a field of nine for the Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Greyville on Sunday.
Very few horses get the chance to win the same Graded race twice in one season, but a slight reshuffling of the Western Cape programme allowed A Daughters Legacy to do exactly that when she captured her second successive .
Gold Cup Day Final Fields – 4 Gr1 races at Greyville closes the season on 30 July
