Staying the distances is key to Triple Crown win

Ruling champion trainer Sean Tarry has yet to win the R1-million Bet­ting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m but has the second and third favourites for the first leg of the Triple Crown this Saturday in Furiosa and Al Sahem.

Betting World has priced Furi­osa up at 15-4 behind 7-2 favourite Heavenly Blue, with Al Sahem at 4-1. Tarry has two other runners in the race, Matador Man (5-1) and 25-1 outsider Tilbury Fort.

Asked whether he believes any of his four runners is capable of winning the Triple Crown, which also comprises the 1800m SA Classic and the 2450m SA Der­by, he replied: “I don’t think it is about a horse being good enough to win, it’s more about whether they will get the Classic and Derby distances. Furiosa and Al Sahem are suited to all three distances.”

Furiosa is the choice of Tarry’s No 1 jockey S’manga Khumalo, having won an 1800m race on the Inside track at Turffontein three weeks ago. Tarry believes his fit­ness influenced the rider’s deci­sion because Al Sahem is coming off a break and has missed work because of the rainy weather.

“Furiosa has done very lit­tle wrong. He did appreciate the step up in distance to 1800m and is coming back to the ‘mile’ but showed a lot of speed early on for us to think he’d win a 1200m race.

“He’s on the up and hopefully he’s improved enough to get a blow in.”

Al Sahem has won both his races to date in weaker company and Tarry said: “I’m sure every­one would agree he’s a really nice horse. I’m not too fazed about him going up in class – he’s certainly good enough. But coming here off a break is not ideal. We had to scratch him from a race and he’s missed work in a very important week in terms of race prep.

“Matador Man just didn’t get there in time in a feature on the Inside track last time out but was beaten by a very good filly in Ekti­faa. That was a good prep run af­ter a short break.”

He’s not well drawn at No 9 in the 10-horse field, but Tarry is not too concerned, because “he misses the break and comes from off them”.

He will also be travelling this far for the first time, but “the way he ran on in his last start gives me every reason to believe he will get a 1600m – though I’m not sure he’ll go further”.

He described Tilbury Fort as “a nice horse, maybe not in this class as yet, but certainly on the up”.

His pick? “It’s hard to split Fu­riosa, Al Sahem and Matador Man. Furiosa has got fitness and a draw, Al Sahem is also well drawn but is coming off a break and Matador Man doesn’t have a draw.

“All three have chances, but I’m not bullish. It’s an open and com­petitive race and the opposition needs to be respected.

“It’s an exciting start to the Tri­ple Crown.”

Tarry-trained Safe Harbour is the highest-rated runner in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fil­lies Guineas, the first leg of the Triple Tiara but is drawn “out by Wemmer Pan” in No 16 stall. Bet­ting World have her as 4-1 third favourite.

“I would imagine Safe Harbour will be in need of the run,” said Tarry. “Looking at the programme I couldn’t find a more suitable start to her autumn campaign – I would have sidestepped this race if there was an easier route to the SA Fillies Classic. But we know she’s classy and it would be nice if that got her through.”

Khumalo picked the lowest-rat­ed of Tarry’s four runners, Red­berry Lane, who frustrated her trainer until blinkers were added to her equipment. Once her con­centration was honed, she start­ed realising the potential Tarry knew she had, winning a Maiden Plate by eight lengths.

She is the best-drawn of Tarry’s four runners, pulling stall No 3, and is also among the fittest.

Smiling Blue Eyes has won two races in a row including a 1600m feature last time out. “She’s a lovely filly and will probably run in all three legs of the Triple Ti­ara because she’ll improve over the 1800m of the SA Fillies Clas­sic and maybe even more over the 2450m of the Oaks,” said Tarry. “