Cosmic Speed Shows His Class In Horse Chestnut Win
Sean Tarry Racing had a big day at Turffontein on Saturday. Not only did the stable send out top-class three-year-old Cosmic Speed to land the G1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, but the team also saddled the mercurial Hotarubi to win the third race on Classic Day.
Given a fine ride by Craig Zackey, Cosmic Speed raced just off the pace early on, before Craig Zackey bought his mount with a strong run 150m from home.
From there, the Querari gelding kept going strongly to win by a length and three quarters.
Bred by Maine Chance Farms, the ultra-consistent Cosmic Speed has only once been out of the first three placings in eight starts.
Raced by Mrs Heinrich Kuhn, Mr Krishen Naidoo and The Hon Mr Justice Kruger, Cosmic Speed showed plenty of pace and promise at two, when he won the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe and ran second in the G1 Gold Medallion.
Sean paid tribute to Heinrich after the win, with Heinrich having sadly lost both his father and brother recently.
Out of the Silvano mare Cosmic Dream, Cosmic Speed is a full brother to the Kuhn-raced G2 The Debutante winner Cosmic Light.
Hotarubi received a great ride from Piere Strydom to win Saturday's Jermaine Craig Memorial Graduation Plate (1400m) in scintillating fashion.
Appearing well beaten close to home, Strydom managed to extricate more from Hotarubi and the pair flashed up to win by a neck, with Hotarubi's stablemate The Africa House running a good race back in third spot.
Owned by Kestorm Investments, the four-year-old showed plenty of ability at three, where Hotarubi's efforts included runner-up finishes in both the G2 TAB Gauteng Guineas and G2 TAB Colorado King Stakes.
Hotarubi, who was bred by Oldlands Stud, is a son of Vercingetorix and the Var sired Listed Olympic Duel Stakes winner Hanabi.
A number of the Tarry yard's charges put up fine performances on Saturday. The highly regarded Legend Of Arthur put up a very impressive performance when coming from nowhere to run third in Saturday's G1 TAB S A Classic, with stablemate World Of Alice filling the same position in the G1 Wilgerbosdrift S A Fillies Classic.
Classy four-year-old Let's Go Now bounced back from a disappointing effort last time out to run second in Saturday's Listed Wilgerbosdrift Acacia Stakes, while two-year-olds Green Diamond, second on debut in Saturday's Listed Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes, and One Fine Winter and Reigning Alice, second and third in the Listed TAB Storm Bird Stakes, also caught the eye at Turffontein.