Rain In Holland has always looked hard to oppose in Saturday’s Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein, but her chances were further buoyed by the withdrawal of Perfect Witness at Tuesday’s declaration stage.
As a result, Rain In Holland, who is owned by Drakenstein Stud and trained by Sean Tarry, is now trading at 1-4 to win the Oaks and in doing so claim the Triple Tiara and the R1-million bonus that goes with it.
Trainer Sean Tarry is convinced his charge will see out the distance and will go on to become the fifth Triple Tiara winner. The daughter Duke Of Marmalade looks as close to the proverbial “good thing” as one will ever find and she looks a banker in all bets.
There was another shock for racing fans when Safe Passage, winner of the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and runner-up in the Grade 1 SA Classic, was pulled out of the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m.
The field has been reduced to nine runners but while Safe Passage will not be there, Mike de Kock will still have Aragosta in the field. While he disappointed in the SA Classic, the son of Rafeef is far better than that run and could put his best forward on this occasion.
But this is now wide open as there is doubt on his breeding as to whether SA Classic winner Red Saxon will see out the Derby distance.
Red Saxon stood his ground and as a result Joe Soma’s charge is now the 2-1 favourite to win the SA Derby.
Perhaps Tarry could notch up a feature-race double as he saddles Platinum Sky and impressive Derby Trial (Listed) winner Litigation with Gavin Lerena up.
Many eyes will be on Lerena in the Grade 1 race of the day, Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m where he rides Grade 1 Durban July and Grade 1 Cape Town Met winner Kommetdieding, who will be making his debut in Johannesburg.
He will be very hard to beat if at his best and has been in Johannesburg for three weeks in an attempt to overcome the change in altitude.
His main, and perhaps only, danger looks to be De Kock-trained Al Muthana.
Clive Robinson
