Tarry quick on Champs Day draw

If racing fans ever needed confirmation of how important the draw is in races around the long, uphill turn at Turffontein, leading trainer Sean Tarry provided it this week.

Tarry supplemented two of his Champions Day runners into the 29 March meeting’s headline race, the Premier’s Champions Challenge, after they drew wide in their original targets for the day.

Three-year-old colt Legend Of Arthur, drew 13 among the 17 early entries for the 2450m TAB SA Derby, while four-year-old filly Let’s Go Now got 12 out of 15 in the 1600m TAB Empress Club Stakes.

Tarry has given himself options for when final declarations for Day 3 of the Highveld’s Championships series are made midway through next week.

Decisions, decisions

A few other trainers also have horses nominated for more than one race on the feature-packed card.

For example, Joe Soma has his red-hot Fiery Pegasus in both the Empress Club and the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks; Fabian Habib can choose between the Champs Challenge and the Derby for his rising star Confederate, and Roy Magner between the Derby and the Oaks for Miss Olivia.

Intriguingly, Miss Olivia has drawn 12 for the Oaks, among her own sex, but No 1 as the sole filly among the Derby potentials. Decisions, decisions.

Defending champion Royal Victory tops the ratings among the World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge. The raider from the KwaZulu-Natal yard of Nathan Kotzen loves it at Turffontein and will have plenty of supporters.

His provincial compatriot Imilenzeyokududuma travelled to the Big T recently, for the Horse Chestnut Stakes, and also showed a liking for the course, running into third at long odds. Trainer Gareth van Zyl must suspect his charge will handle the 2000m upcountry – even though he’s never tried the trip before.

ENTRIES FOR CHAMPIONS DAY, 29 MARCH

Premier’s Champions Challenge, Grade 1, R2m, 2000m, WFA:

11 Royal Victory (5G) 60 124 A Nathan Kotzen
8 Purple Pitcher (4C) 60 123 A Robyn Klaasen
9 Atticus Finch (5G) 60 121 AT Alec Laird
7 Son Of Raj (5G) 60 119 BA Tony Peter
5 Imilenzeyokududuma (6G) 60 114 BAT Gareth van Zyl
6 Hotarubi (4G) 60 112 CAT Sean Tarry
1 Navajo Nation (4G) 60 102 BA Weiho Marwing
4 Silver Sanctuary (4F) 57.5 117 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
3 None Other (5M) 57.5 115 A Lucky Houdalakis
2 Confederate (3G) 55.5 118 A Fabian Habib
12 Fire Attack (3C) 55.5 116 A Alec Laird
10 World Of Alice (3F) 53 108 BA Sean Tarry
0 $Let’s Go Now (4F) 0 113 AT Sean Tarry
0 $Legend Of Arthur (3C) 0 109 A Sean Tarry

TAB SA Derby, Grade 1, R1.25m, 2450m, 3YO:

4 Parisian Walkway (3G) 60 121 A Alec Laird
12 Confederate (3G) 60 118 A Fabian Habib
13 Legend Of Arthur (3C) 60 109 A Sean Tarry
6 Grey Jet (3G) 60 108 A Weichong Marwing
8 Chestnut Bomber (3G) 60 104 A J A Janse van Vuuren
3 Bacchus (3G) 60 101 HA Fabian Habib
2 Don’t Cry For Me (3G) 60 101 A Sean Tarry
10 Wild Intent (3G) 60 99 A Lucky Houdalakis
9 Immediate Edge (3C) 60 94 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
7 Towers Of Gold (3G) 60 93 A Paul Matchett
17 Diwali Rocket (3G) 60 91 CA Mano Pandaram
16 Zip Code (3G) 60 89 HAT David Nieuwenhuizen
14 One More Star (3C) 60 88 AT Sean Tarry
11 Casus Belli (3G) 60 83 A Paul Matchett
15 Panning Gold (3G) 60 80 BA Alson Ndzilana
5 Count Huhtikuu (3G) 60 79 A BJ Crawford/JI Crawford
1 Olivia’s Way (3F) 57.5 112 A Roy Magner

Computaform Sprint, Grade 1, R1m, 1000m, WFA:

10 Dyce (6G) 60 128 HA Lucky Houdalakis
15 William Robertson Accepted (6G) 60 128 JA Corne Spies
2 Lucky Lad (4C) 60 125 BAT Sean Tarry
16 Cruise Control (5G) 60 118 HA Gavin Smith
17 Mover And Shaker (5G) 60 112 A Fabian Habib
8 Golden Sickle (4F) 57.5 121 A Tony Peter
7 Cosmic Speed (3G) 57.5 120 A Sean Tarry
9 Greaterix (3C) 57.5 120 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
18 Chocolate Soldier Accepted (3G) 57.5 115 HA Corne Spies
4 Pistol Pete (3C) 57.5 115 A Tony Peter
5 Truth (3G) 57.5 115 A Candice Dawson
3 Time Fo Orchids (5M) 57.5 107 A e J A Janse van Vuuren
14 Winds Of Change (3C) 57.5 107 AT M G Azzie/A A Azzie
6 Karate Kid (3G) 57.5 106 A Paul Matchett
1 Taxi To The Moon (3C) 57.5 104 A Tony Peter
11 No Filter (4F) 57.5 103 A Tienie Prinsloo
12 Wild At War (3G) 57.5 102 A Candice Dawson
13 Roman Agent (3G) 57.5 98 A Kumaran Naidoo

TAB Empress Club Stakes, Grade 1, R1m, 1600m, F&M at WFA:

2 Rascova (4F) 60 122 HATe Sean Tarry
9 Silver Sanctuary (4F) 60 117 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
1 Beating Wings (4F) 60 116 A Stuart Pettigrew
5 White Pearl (4F) 60 114 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
12 Let’s Go Now (4F) 60 113 AT Sean Tarry
15 My Soul Mate (4F) 60 106 BA Candice Dawson
7 Lady Fallon (4F) 60 102 A Lucky Houdalakis
13 Minogue (4F) 60 102 A Candice Dawson
4 Fiery Pegasus (3F) 57 119 A Joe Soma
10 Spumante Dolce (3F) 57 119 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
8 Vj’s Angel (3F) 57 119 BA e Tony Peter
14 Fatal Flaw (3F) 57 115 A BJ Crawford/JI Crawford
6 Willy Meet Again (3F) 57 107 A Lucky Houdalakis
3 Queen Of Love (3F) 57 99 A Roy Magner
11 Miss Scaletta (3F) 57 98 A Paul Matchett

Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks, Grade 2, R750,000, 2450m, 3YO fillies:

5 Fiery Pegasus (3F) 60 119 A Joe Soma
12 Olivia’s Way (3F) 60 112 A Roy Magner
4 World Of Alice (3F) 60 108 BA Sean Tarry
3 Gerbera (3F) 60 99 HA Sean Tarry
8 Care Forgot (3F) 60 98 A Barend Botes
7 Hat’s Queen (3F) 60 96 A Tony Peter
9 Todoque (3F) 60 92 A Paul Matchett
1 Cocomelon (3F) 60 90 CA Sean Tarry
10 Ancient Wisdom (3F) 60 88 BA Tony Peter
11 Fetching Flyer (3F) 60 88 A Paul Matchett
13 Key Worker (3F) 60 84 A Stuart Pettigrew
2 The Mightiest (3F) 60 78 A Weiho Marwing
6 Party Punch (3F) 60 77 A Phillip Labuschagne