In Other Words, Tarry’s in hot form

With more than R30 million already in the kitty, trainer Sean Tarry has far exceeded the record for stakes in South Africa – and there are still six weeks left in the current 2016-17 racing season, which ends on 31 July.

He can make the record slightly harder to reach in the future by taking the main race at Greyville on Wednesday, a R109,000 MR 98 Handicap over 1400m on the Polytrack.

His representative is In Other Words, the mount of Donovan Dillon, and this five-year-old mare has a lot in her favour. She is drawn at No 1 and loves the course and distance, having won four of her five races over the trip. She is returning from an 84-day rest, but her win here last time out came after a layoff of three months.

Royal Armour beat Royal Life by 0.50 lengths over 1400m at Scottsville in December but now meets him on 6.5kg worse terms and Alistair Gordon’s runner should reverse the form. Royal Life ran only once after that race, when beaten 2.40 lengths by Budapest (2.5kg worse off) over that course and distance. He returns from a rest but could capitalise on a handy galloping weight of 55kg.

Budapest has top weight of 60.5kg but has been running against much stronger opposition in his last two starts and will appreciate getting back into weaker company.

Alaadel might be the safest banker for exotic bets in Race 5, a MR 82 Handicap over 1400m.

Mike de Kock’s runner was more competitive when the handicappers showed a bit of mercy and lowered his handicap to 82 and he was only just beaten by Timeofthevikings over 1400m at Turffontein. Sadly they lumbered him with a four-point penalty for that second but he might find it easier to deal with the additional weight at Greyville, which is an easier track than Turffontein.

In-form Gyre might be the one to pick up the pieces if Alaadel fluffs his lines.