The Chris van Niekerk red and blue flag and trainer Sean Tarry have been a dominant factor in the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes and the combination looks set for another big day today.
Barrack Street steps up in trip
The R2,5 million 1400m race restricted to qualifying graduates of the CTS 2016 sales has attracted a quality line-up with a host of stakes perfomers in the play.
While local powerhouses Glen Kotzen and Brett Crawford offer some resistance, Tarry holds the aces and makes it his business to win these big money contests.
Tarry’s top trio are all feature winners.
The Dynasty colt Barrack Street, a half-brother to top international star Jay Peg, gets the services of Anton Marcus as he goes the 1400m for the first time. He has his issues – not striding out and respiratory noises being cautionary notices at his last two starts – but should strip fit and ready after two sharpening sprints.
Gr2 winner Wonderwall will be fit – he ran just a fornight ago in the Emperors Place Ready To Run Cup when fourth to stablemate Big Bear after showing pace and could enjoy the winter track.
Wonderwall – interesting runner
Var’s Gr2 winning son Purple Diamond was 7 lengths behind Wonderwall there and would have a say on his best 2yo form.
Brett Crawford saddles inaugural Kuda Sprint winner Bold Respect, who gave Wonderwall – then still a maiden – 2kgs and a short head beating on Met day. Bold Respect ran a cracking prep behind Sergeant Hardy at the end of last month and but for his awful draw, would be a first choice at home.
Justin Snaith’s Sir Frenchie improved after a disappointing patch when staying on for fouth in the Cape Classic recently. He may enjoy the course and distance again but is drawn out wide.
Another with an awful draw is Glen Kotzen’s Pack Leader, recent runaway winner of the Listed Racing Association Stakes on the Fairview poly. This handsome Philanthropist colt could be the dark horse amongst the top-rated echelon.
Glen Kotzen’s Pack Leader
It looks tough for the balance, but surprises are possible.
Second of the Snaith duo, Trippi filly Miss Katalin never quite got into things when beaten 8 lengths by her stablemate Snowdance in the Western Cape Fillies Championship. She is stakes placed and must have a shout with her 2,5kg sex allowance.
Drawn widest of all, Var gelding Virtue was unplaced in the Cape Classic and faces a stiff task of finding his winning form in this line-up.
Phelan Lucky is stablemate to Bold Respect and while a game sort would need to improve lengths to challenge the big guns.
The same applies to Joey Ramsden’s Stagelight filly Wine Festival, a course and distance maiden winner who has pulled a good draw. But it is difficult making a case for her.
Strategic Power should enjoy the step up in trip but is another who steps up a good few rungs in class at unfavourable weight terms on what he has shown so far.
The Aldo gelding Apollo Star has won twice in ten starts but his wide draw deters.
Big Mistake should relish the extra and has been staying on nicely over shorter.
Endofmarch looks likely to be looking for further and does not have the form to win.
Sunday Falls produced a fair post-maiden run when chasing Liquid Dynamite home, despite a slipped saddle last time.
Sean Tarry’s recent maiden winner Visigoth has pulled a pole position draw but will need to up his game straight out of the maidens into this company.
The Sean Tarry pair of Barrack Street and Wonderwall take on the local hotshots Bold Respect and Pack Leader. It would be nice to see a Cape trainer getting a slice of the big money action for a change. It should be a terrifically hotly contested affair. Beyond the top five, there are not too many others who look capable of winning it.
