Tarry pushes the accelerator on final lap of season

Sean Tarry is not used to playing second fiddle or — as is the case this season — third fiddle. At the end of July, the 53-year-old will finish third in the national trainers championship.

However, rather like a Grand Prix driver doing the fastest final lap without catching the leader, Tarry is ending the campaign with a flourish.

The Randjesfontein conditioner knew he was taking a decent team to HollywoodbetsScottsville last Saturday and — if you had offered him two grade 1 wins before the meeting — he would have taken it.

As it turned out, wins by Thunderstruck and Sweet Pepper — both ridden by Calvin Habib — added to the trainer’s excellent record of grade 1 victories at the Maritzburg track. It is believed the double took his tally to 13.

At the Vaal on Tuesday, Tarry should enjoy more success particularly with three-year-old Platinum Sky who is easily best rated in the fifth race.

Platinum Sky, to be ridden by Gavin Lerena, has a merit-rating of 101 — the horse with the next highest rating is Barney's Pride on 89.

Slalom Queen seems to have lost the zest she showed early in her career, but could place with her low weight in the sixth race.

Probably the Tarry runner with the most appropriate name at Tuesday's meeting is Social Image who runs in the seventh race. Social media had to be abuzz last Saturday night heaping praise on the double-winning trainer and jockey.

With top weight of 61.5kg, a win for Social Image looks unlikely because the right horse looks to be Allez Les Bleu with Kaidan Brewer’s apprentice claim reducing the mare’s weight to just 50,5kg.

Paul Peter had a disappointing Scottsville meeting by his high standards and his three-year-old filly Imposing Angel has to be on the shortlist of possible winners.

Brett Webber has had a good season and his two-year-old ThymeToShine looks the answer to the fourth race in which Full Go rates the main danger. The horse who beat ThymeToShine at Turffontein in May was none other than Tarry's Gold Medallion winner Thunderstruck.

Corné Spies will still be coming to terms with Prophet’s no show at Scottsville, but Flowerbomb could bring the smile back to his face by winning the second race. A daughter of Erupt, the youngster made a promising debut when runner-up on her debut in January.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (1) In The Ether (2) Raising A Storm (7) Silk Garden (3) Leni Girl

2nd Race: (5) Flowerbomb (14) Querari Gold (6) Gimme The Flame (4) Dame Twining

3rd Race: (8) Uncle Ticky Bird (9) Querulous (4) Raffles (2) Fish Eagle

4th Race: (14) TimeToShine (2) Full Go (3) Greenlightforgo (1) Allaroundtheworld

5th Race: (1) Platinum Sky (8) Prairie Falcon (5) Another Level (7) Calibre Crest

6th Race: (2) Naarah (1) Before The Dawn (6) Rozara (3) Casa Inverno

7th Race: (11) Allez Les Bleu (3) Imposing Angel (7) Verinova (8) Love Bite

8th Race: (1) Jet Cat (7) Miss Magician (3) Midnight Badger (8) Abalus

9th Race: (6) Taikonaut (9) Trust The Fire (2) Global Ransom (13) Edward Longshanks