Randjesfontein trainer Sean Tarry made it a 100% victory strike at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday when saddling the winners of both the Tabgold Derby and the R500 000 Tabgold Gr2 Oaks.
Red Maple (Craig Zackey) finishes best to beat Saartjie (Corne Orffer), just visible to the left of the winners (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The Tarry factor on feature days is near legendary wherever we are racing, and the former multiple SA champion produced the goods yet again with just two runners and his race-to-race double paying a healthy R45-30 on the tote.
Tarry’s Highveld colleague Candice Dawson saddled the 3yo My Soul Mate who looked to have plenty in her favour with a nice gate and Richard Fourie in the irons. After a number of placed efforts she really looked overdue and was backed in to 8-10 favourite to take the honours in the Tabgold Gr2 Oaks.
But it was not to be.
Richard Fourie had the lovely filly leading early until she was passed at around the 1000m by Muzi Yeni and Lady Of Power, who led them for home.
As they fanned out, My Soul Mate looked to have a chance but was swallowed up as the luckless Saartjie unwound, while Craig Zackey had Red Maple firing her engines.
In a thrilling drive to the wire, Red Maple (25-1) finished best to beat Saartjie (7-2) by 0,20 lengths in a time of 151,53 secs.
Paul Matchett’s Special Charm (33-1) ran a good race, under a length back in third, with My Soul Mate (8-10) failing to stay on and rounding off the quartet.
Jockey Craig Zackey, who didn’t have the best starts to his day when beaten on the 4-10 favourite in the opener, said that things had worked out well in the end.
“We had a rough start as she was impeded from both sides out of the gate. She was off the bit early. But when I pulled her out, she just had so much to come, despite hanging in.Thanks to Mr Tarry – he has been great to me of late. And to Mrs Slack and the Wilgerbosdrift team,” added Zackey.
Trainer Sean Tarry explained that his charge had not stayed when tried further.
“That was clear from her last two starts. This is a lovely consolation after we had to scratch her from the Woolavington when she bumped her knee,” he added.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, Red Maple is by deceased multiple champion Silvano (Lomitas) out of the Fastnet Rock mare, Cherry Tree Lane.
A winner of the WSB Listed Spook Express last term, she is a winner of 4 races with 6 places from 16 starts for stakes of R639 875.
Mary Slack previously raced Red Maple in partnership with passionate racing man Michael Javett, who passed away at the age of 86 in November 2022.
