SA champion trainer Sean Tarry will be on a deserved high after his sensational L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate victory last Saturday and he could follow up and literally ‘carry on’ at the same venue this weekend. He saddles a hot pair that includes the outstanding sprinter Carry On Alice, in the prestigious R400 000 Gr2 Sceptre Stakes.
Carry On Alice – proven class performer
Only good girls win this top sprint contest and except for the odd clanger every few years, the honour roll makes for satisfying reading and some truly great memories.
The race carries the branding of the day’s co-ordinating benefactor charity in Horses For Causes – read more about that on page xx.
Only nine fillies will line up at the 1200m marker on Saturday, and at the risk of hammering a cliché, the contest really does make up in quality, for what it lacks in pure numbers.
Sean Tarry saddles a power pair of accomplished Gr1 speed performer Carry On Alice and the gutsy Bichette.
Sean Tarry – strong hand
Off her official rating of 115, Carry On Alice looks more than extremely attractive at the weights.
The daughter of Captain Al has her second run down in Cape Town this term after winning the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes in a scramble of a finish at her opener.
She bumps five of the ladies that she beat there again on Saturday on much of a muchness at the weight turnaround and even over the extra 200m, she looks very difficult to beat.
While only one of her victories have been over 1200m, it is worth noting that that was a Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint win beating the more than accomplished Alboran Sea over the Scottsville straight.
The four-time winning Cuvee Brut was the low-flyer that almost popped up to upset the odds in the Southern Cross Stakes, when she took off late under Anton Marcus to be beaten a whisker by Tarry’s Alice on the photo.
She was subsequently slow away under topweight of 61kgs in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes when failing to produce anything like that run and ran 2,35 lengths behind Victoria Lavelle.
The course and distance winner looks to be held again by the Tarry flyer.
Another smart filly involved at close quarters in the Southern Cross Stakes was Dean Kannemeyer’s Trippi 4yo, Real Princess.
Real Princess – could get there over the extra
A four-time winner from 11 starts, she has placed regularly in her last three starts over shorter and has run on when the race is over.
She seems like a decent sort who would probably enjoy 1400m – but word is that Grant Behr is expecting a big showing over the extra on Saturday, and he will just have to manage the likely buffeting south easterly wind from her 1 stall-gate.
Trainer Glen Kotzen is another man who literally saw the ‘light’ on Queen’s Plate day, courtesy of a massive Met prep in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap by Light The Lights.
The Paarl-based outfit saddle two here and it is the Captain Al 3yo Princess Royal, who could be the most interesting, after reverting to what looks her preferred stretch when failing to stay in the Choice Carriers Championship.
Princess Royal – back over sprint trip
The Listed East Cape Nursery winner, a half-sister to champion Princess Victoria, showed her real ability when runner-up behind the admittedly subsequently disappointing Entisaar in the Gr1 Alan Robertson Championship last season, and cannot be taken with a pinch of salt in this company.
She ran handily when under a length back in fourth in the Southern Cross Stakes and may enjoy being given a chance here by Anthony Andrews.
Her stablemate Night In Tahiti, a decent looking daughter of Kildonan, won on her debut but has not been far off since.
She ran on and looked dangerous in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes when under two lengths fourth behind Victoria Lavelle. She has plenty to do on these terms, but Grant Van Niekerk sticks with her and she must fancy place money again.
Two daughters of Querari make up the balance of the 3yo challenge.
Duncan Howells’ Gr2 The Debutante winner Cosmic Light was unbeaten from three starts when going into the Southern Cross Stakes after a 14 week break from race action.
Cosmic Light was not disgraced last time
She was not disgraced when running 1,65 lengths off Carry On Alice in fifth and can only improve with greater fitness levels.
Eric Sands has been the ghost conditioner of some of the big visiting feature winners recently and he gets a chance to step into the limelight with the lightly raced Champers – another daughter of Querari.
She won 2 from 3 starts as a 2yo and then ran on doggedly after a seven month rest to chase Victoria Lavelle home in the Laisserfaire Stakes.
If improving further, she could challenge for place money and is a speedster who can be followed in her next few starts in lesser company.
The second of the Tarry attack is the Gr2 Camellia Stakes winner Bichette, who didn’t show much at her opening Cape run when 6,60 lengths behind Lanner Falcon in the Diadem Stakes.
Bichette – paralyses her Gr2 Camellia Stakes field
Andrew Fortune takes the ride on the daughter of Western Winter, who should finish behind her more highly vaunted stablemate – but still cannot be discounted.
Mike Bass trained Fly By Night has beaten the boys at Gr1 weight for age terms over the sprints and showed a welcome spark again when chasing her stablemate Lanner Falcon home in the Diadem Stakes.
She has tended towards inconsistency at times but would give Carry On Alice a serious go for her money if coming racing in the right frame of mind.
Carry On Alice may carry too many guns and she is the selection to hold Real Princess and Princess Royal. Fly By Night and the KZN 3yo Cosmic Light could fight for the scraps.
There won’t be much in it when it counts.
