Have a `Cherry’ Jubilee

For Tellina and Cherry On The Top the race is just that – a preparation run – but for Halve The Deficit there could be a lot more at stake. Sean Tarry’s charge is right on the cusp when it comes to qualifying for the R3.5-million race to be run over 2200m at Greyville on 5 July.

As a result, victory in this event will go a long way to securing the five-year-old son of Right Approach a place in the race.

When the weights came out on Tuesday Tellina was allotted 58kg, Cherry On The Top 56.5kg and Halve The Deficit 55kg and in terms of the regulations no penalties shall be incurred after the publication of weights, so a raise in their merit rating will not result in more weight for the Durban July.

Cherry On The Top won an excellent race in the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg over 2000m at Turffontein on Champions Day, beating Espumanti by 0.75 lengths. The runner-up went on to win the Grade 2 Greyville 1900, in which she had Halve The Deficit 2.30 lengths back. On paper that puts Cherry On The Top a little ahead of Halve The Deficit. Tarry’s charge, however, will have the services of Piere Strydom.

Tellina finished 12.50 lengths ahead of Cherry On The Top in the Sansui Summer Cup but the four-year-old filly was reported to be fatigued after the race. A better assessment is probably on Champions Day when Cherry On The Top completed her 2000m in 124.77secs with a time per metre of 0.06219 while Tellina, who ran in the Champions Challenge, recorded a time per metre of 0.06229.

Geoff Woodruff’s charge will have to concede 1.5kg to Cherry On The Top so on that basis she could have the advantage. Trainer Ormond Ferraris has engaged Weichong Marwing to ride the daughter of Tiger Ridge while Gavin Lerena is on Tellina.

Of the horses who are not going to run in the Durban July, the best looks to be Brooks-Club. On paper he should run very close to Tellina, based on their performances in the Champions Challenge. Tellina finished second behind Yorker, beaten 3.25 lengths, while Brooks-Club ran 10 lengths behind the winner. However, Mike Azzie’s charge is now 7kg better off and carries just 52kg. With the stable in hot form and Raymond Danielson riding at the top of his game, Brooks-Club has to be respected.