Trip To Heaven – bids for Diadem Double
Tabnews reports that the Sean Tarry-trained six-year-old and Search Party have to give weight to the rest of the field as they are both Gr2 winners.
Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables’ trainer Dean Kannemeyer will not be represented.
This is one of the few top Cape Town features that Justin Snaith has never won but he has a strong contender in Sergeant Hardy who, despite having well-documented breathing problems, won the Listed Southeaster Sprint over 100m less than this two days before Christmas.
Sergeant Hardy – gallant galloper
“The Diadem is a bit tougher at the weights but Sergeant Hardy is such a game horse and, because of the programme, he is having quite a lot of races on top of each other,” says Snaith who has half an eye on the Cape Flying Championship on Sun Met Day and has also nominated the smart Bishop’s Bounty.
Others that stand out include last year’s Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Talktothestars, Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge, Brutal Force (third in the Southeaster), Lanzerac Ready To Run second Bold Respect and stable companions Dutch Philip and Tevez who were second and fourth in the Grade 2 Cape Merchants at the beginning of the month.
Flobayou wins the Diadem 23 years ago
The race has been won by a string of top horses in the past including Flaming Rock (twice), Flobayou (three times), Captain Al, Nhlavini (three times), Past Master and What A Winter (twice).
Supplementary entries close on Wednesday 3 January at 11h00.
Declarations are due on Thursday 4 January at 11h00.
Entries for the R400 000 1200m Gr2 Diadem Stakes
| 16 | Al Mariachi | Brett Crawford | 101 | |
| 18 | Always In Charge | Vaughan Marshall | 108 | |
| 17 | Attenborough | Joey Ramsden | 104 | |
| 9 | Barrack Street | Sean Tarry | 91 | |
| 12 | Bishop’s Bounty | Justin Snaith | 101 | |
| 19 | Bold Respect | Brett Crawford | 100 | |
| 15 | Brutal Force | Joey Ramsden | 108 | |
| 7 | Dutch Philip | Candice Bass-Robinson | 109 | |
| 14 | Lord Balmoral (AUS) | Vaughan Marshall | 94 | |
| 11 | Macduff (AUS) | Joey Ramsden | 94 | |
| 2 | Mujaafy (AUS) | Mike de Kock | 92 | |
| 3 | Rock Of Africa | Vaughan Marshall | 90 | |
| 8 | Search Party | Brett Crawford | 112 | |
| 1 | Sergeant Hardy | Justin Snaith | 112 | |
| 10 | Speedpoint | Joey Ramsden | 92 | |
| 5 | Talktothestars | Coenie de Beer | 106 | |
| 4 | Tevez | Candice Bass-Robinson | 108 | |
| 13 | Trip To Heaven | Sean Tarry | 118 | |
| 6 | Wonderwall | Sean Tarry | 100 | |
| (19) | ||||
