Sean Tarry was unhappy with Nebraas’ exclusion from the top 20 in the Hollywoodbets Durban July but still has two chances of landing the big race for the third time with Rain In Holland and Bless My Stars, who are two of ten Gr 1 winners in the field.

 

Nebraas is first reserve and will have to rely on a horse being scratched before 08h15 on Friday to get in.

 

Tarry said about the draw of 17 for last year’s Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara heroine and this year’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Rain In Holland, “I can’t say I’m happy with the draw, but I think we can make good with a draw like that with the right ride.”

 

He said about Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic winner Bless My Stars’ pole position draw, “I  think for her it is a really nice draw. She is a little bit under sufferance so whatever advantage can be found for her from a draw point of view would help her a lot. She’s in a really good space and if we can just be economical from the gates I think she will fire up in the straight.”

 

S’Manga Khumalo rides the Drakenstein Stud-homebred Duke Of Marmalade four-year-old filly Rain In Holland.

 

Khumalo will be going for a third July win too and his first, on Heavy Metal in 2013, was for Tarry.

 

Last year the key to his win aboard the Mike de Kock-trained Sparkling Water was the bee-line he made from draw 12 to snatch the rail, from where he ultimately ended up in the box seat.

 

Tarry, asked whether he envisaged Khumalo trying to repeat that move, said, “I think she is maybe not the right filly to do that with because if you fire her up early she could over-race and then that would be a problem, but there are definitely options from that draw and we’ll do a bit of homework and I’m sure we will come up with the right plan.”

 

Tarry won both of his Julys on the old wider track, in 2012 with Pomodoro (Jet Master) ridden by Piere Strydom and in 2013, as mentioned earlier, with Heavy Metal and Khumalo.

 

Pomodoro was in fact drawn 20 out of 20 and Heavy Metal was drawn 11 out of 20, while on the new narrower track only three single figure draws have won in nine runnings.

 

Tarry has been very happy with the two horses’ preparations at Randjesfontein.

 

He spoke of the different methods trainers have going into a race like the July.

 

Some like to have their horses ready as far out as two-and-half weeks before the big race and then just keep them ticking over.

 

However, he himself likes them to reach their peaks a lot closer to race day, so he said at the final field and draw ceremony that his pair would be given proper workouts in their official Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops.

 

He said he would take it easy on them after those gallops.

 

Bless My Stars, in her July gallop, was given a lead by her work companion and moved past her effortlessly in eyecatching style.

 

Rain Holland was was given a lead by the decent one-eyed entire Ndlamu and also moved past him effortlessly.

 

Both fillies are looking full of well-being.

 

However, Rain In Holland, who has developed into a horse with plenty of substance and has a powerful look about her, was the stand out.

 

The pair will travel down to Summerveld the day before the July on Friday.

 

Tarry revealed that the pressure on July trainers is at its highest from the day of the final field ceremony onward and this is just in ensuring that the well-being and good health of the horses is maintained.