Hotarubi set for consolation win

Trainer Sean Tarry has opted to hedge his bets with three-year-old Hotarubi. The son of Vercingetorix is the second reserve for Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July but with no withdrawals so far and the reserve runners to be scratched this morning, his place in Durban race looks unlikely.

Hotarubi will only need one runner to be withdrawn to book his place after Justin Snaith scratched Without Question, but as back up Tarry has shrewdly declared the gelding to run in the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes for three-year-olds over 1800m on the Standside track at Turffontein.

Obviously, the Durban July would be first prize but if Hotarubi does run in the Sea Cottage Stakes he looks perfectly positioned to claim his third career win.

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Placed in a number of three-year-old features, including the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Derby, as well as runner-up to Barbaresco in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes, Hotarubi comes into this race as the best weighted runner by quite a margin.

As all but filly Donna Mo (57.5kg) carry 60kg, Tarry’s charge comes into this race at least 8.5kg better off with his closest rivals, he looks hard to beat and stands out as the best bet on the card, especially with Richard Fourie in the irons.

Tarry looks set for a good day as Legend Of Arthur in Race 2 stands head and shoulders above his rivals while Lucky Lad returns to sprinting in Race 6, and although not the best weighted runner, looks hard to oppose in this Pinnacle Stakes over 1100m.

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