Normanz storms home to win the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint
Trainer Sean Tarry has been in superb form these past few weeks and he displays the temperament of a man brimming with confidence when he marches into Saturday’s R450 000 Gr2 Racing Merchants with a one-time winning 3yo spearheading his attack. The Trippi colt Trip To Heaven only won his maiden last month, but takes on the likes of Gr1 winner Normanz and Louis Goosen’s lurker, One Man’s Dream. It should be a humdinger 68 secs of pure racing pleasure.
Tarry’s booming Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes victory with another smart son of Trippi last Saturday could have set the platform for an assault on this Gr2 prize.
But it won’t come easy – Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint winner Normanz is a speed merchant of note and won’t surrender without a fight. And there are a few others.
All Class
Normanz is a typically classy son of Var and the lightly raced 4yo gelding has had only one outing since his sensational Golden Horse Sprint win in May.
He had a spin on the Greyville polytrack and ran handily before getting tired and fading to 2,55 lengths behind Showmetheway.
He meets the latter on 1,5kgs better terms but the relevance of that form may be less constructive than their Golden Horse Clash, where Normanz beat him 5,40 lengths but is now 1kg worse.
A really exciting prospect that could mow them all down is the Sean Tarry 3yo Trip To Heaven who won his second start by 7,75 lengths and then went straight into the Graham Beck Stakes, where he faded late for 2 lengths behind Harry’s Son.
If sprinting is his game, then this lightly weighted colt could run them ragged.
Dream Boat
I have a dream – Louis Goosen saddles the Greys Inn gelding One Man’s Dream
Piere Strydom teams up with Louis Goosen to partner the Greys Inn gelding One Man’s Dream, who has come into his own with three consecutive victories at his last three starts.
He takes a step up in class here but gets weight from most of the serious runners, and could confirm his improvement in headlines.
Doug Campbell is back from the KZN Midlands for another try with Kingston Boy.
The son of Mogok ran a good third last year and has delivered two good runs this season. He is probably a lot stronger and mature campaigner this season and has had something of a similar good prep to last year.
Raider
Another KZN visitor is Craig Eudey’s Flyfirstclass who is surely capable of producing a long overdue feature performance.
He may just hold Kingston Boy at the weights on their last clash, but that was on the poly and this will be a different ball-game.
That said, Flyfirstclass is nicely weighted on 52,5kgs and is the sort capable of causing an upset if things go his way.
Sand Storms
JP van der Merwe rides Isphan and has formed a good relationship with Azzie
The Kahal gelding Vulcan is a model of consistency and has not been out of the top 3 at his last 10 starts – of which he has won thrice.
A lot of his form is sand demoninated though and he does take a jump in class.
The Captain Al colt Precursor has won his last three on the sand and flopped at his only attempt at turf Group race competition as a 2yo.
He is very fast though and is another lightly weighted sprinter who could stretch them.
Sean Tarry’s Blazing Al is a most consistent 5yo who has won 3 from 11 but appears to have his problems.
Mike Azzie and JP van der Merwe have been in good form in recent weeks and Isphan must be a place contender at his best off a galloping weight of 52 kgs.
The son of Tiger Ridge is yet to assert himself at this level but has the speed to go with them.
Power Play
Deliver The Power
Dominic Zaki’s Deliver The Power is a solid 6yo sprinter and enjoys a 3kg turnaround with the fast improving One Man’s Dream for a 2,75 length beating at his last jump. He was scratched ‘off feed’ last time and will need to be at the top of his game.
Alec Laird’s Chekilli went very flat towards the end of his 3yo season. He returns from a 27 week break and if not in need of the run could puzzle a few as he is very fast and has won 4 sprints.
The now 7yo Snowdon ran on decently at his last start when the top mare Jet Belle escaped inside the 200m and he chased vainly to be beaten 1,75 lengths. He ran a cracker in this race last year when going down narrowly to Here Comes Billy, but looks held by Normanz on their Gr1 clash.
Loaded
Emerald champ Tommy Gun – has had a few issues but very fast
Emerald Cup champion Tommy Gun was changing legs in the Charity Mile and consequently finished close on 30 lengths down the field.
He is quick enough on the turf to be competitive and looks to be a horse which we could still hear plenty from as he progresses through his 4yo term.
Johan Janse Van Vuuren saddles the Miesque’s Approval gelding, Approval Rating, who has his first start out of Zimbabwe after a 17 week break.
He is difficult to assess but should need a run or two to settle down on the new track.
The Hangman is yet to recapture his top early 3yo form and comes in over a distance short of his best after a poor effort in the Victory Moon Stakes.
Quality
The field is a high quality bunch with genuine raw speed in abundance.
Trip To Heaven is lightly weighted and showed smart pace behind champion Harry’s Son recently. Normanz is a Gr1 winner and together with Kingston Boy, One Man’s Dream and Flyfirstclass have the ability to go all the way.
The jets will be on from the break and that could make the weight tell.
