Durban July entry Heavy Metal continued his good form for big race jockey S'manga Khumalo with a confident victory at Turffontein last weekend.
The Sean Tarry-trained Heavy Metal won the G1 President’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein last month and continued his seemingly ideal Durban July prep when he scored an emphatic victory in a good quality Pinnacle Stakes over a mile.
Currently at number 4 on the Durban July log, the son of Silvano registered his fifth win in 18 starts when produced late by Khumalo to win going away by 1.25 lengths.
Gary Alexander’s talented Meissa ran a cracker after a seven month rest to run second ahead of Dominic Zaki’s Jet Jamboree.
Tarry looks to have a strong July hand at this early stage with Pomodoro, Heavy Metal and Whiteline Fever in the top 20 qualifiers and E Jet in the top 30.
Tarry said he would probably enter Heavy Metal in the G3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m on the Turffontein standside track on June 9.
Meanwhile Justin Snaith is not sure whether True Master, his G3 East Cape Derby winner, would go to Durban to try and qualify for the July.
“They’ve got him way down the list on the July log so I’m not sure whether it's worth bringing him," he said.
"I have to discuss it with all of the connections.’’
The three-year-old colt has won five of his eight starts but is only merit rated 95.
“All of the jockeys rate him. You don’t win five out of eight if you’re not good.
"He is my Met horse for next year. I don’t think he’s a true 2400m horse that’s for sure.’’
Snaith said True Master would likely go for the G1 Daily News 2000 on June 4 if his connections decide to send him to Durban.
The Gavin Van Zyl pair Shogunnar and Seal are likely have one race in Johannesburg before running in the Durban July and then the Gold Cup.
At present Shogunnar is merit rated 106 and Seal is on 108.
