THE contenders for both the SASCOC Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara have accepted to race in the Grade 1 SA Classic and Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic respectively.

The Geoff Woodruff-trained Tellina, who won the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, is in the line-up for the R2-million SA Classic while Cherry On The Top, winner of the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, will contest the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic. Both races will be run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 30 March.

The Triple Crown carries a R2-million bonus for any horse who can win the Guineas, Classic and SA Derby while the Triple Tiara will carry a R1-million bonanza for any filly who can prevail in the Fillies Guineas, Fillies Classic and Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks.

Tellina came from last to win the Guineas and certainly gave the impression that 1800m is well within his grasp. With the exception of American Storm, who was scratched from the Guineas, and Bay Of Bengal, Tellina beat the rest of his rivals and will be expected to do so again.

War Horse finished just 0.50 lengths behind him and should have come on well from that outing. The Corne Spies-trained runner did not have an ideal preparation for the Guineas and as a result, looks the main threat to Tellina.

Cherry On The Top is in a similar situation in the Fillies Classic. She scored a facile 2.25-length victory over Do You Remember in the Fillies Guineas, even though she had to overcome draw No 13. This time the Ormond Ferraris-trained runner is perfectly drawn at No 3 and looks to hold all of the runners she beat last time.

There is a new face in the race in the form of unbeaten Orator’s Daughter. The Australian-bred filly is unbeaten in three starts and has been impressive.  However, Alec Laird’s charge has yet to take on this class of runner and it will also be her first race around the turn.  

SA CLASSIC (Grade 1) (2nd Leg of SASCOC Triple Crown)) R2 million 1800m

1 – 8 FRANCOIS BERNARDUS (T Zackey)  …………… 58.0 – 101

2 – 7 TELLINA (G V Woodruff) R Fradd 58.0 – 100

3 – 4 LOVE STRUCK (P V Lafferty) G Lerena 58.0 – 99

4 – 16 KILLUA CASTLE (G V Woodruff) M Odendaal 58.0 – 98

5 – 9 WAR HORSE (C Spies) S Chambers 58.0 – 98

6 – 3 GITIANO (A G Laird) A Marcus 58.0 – 97

7 – 11 NO WORRIES (G H Van Zyl) P Strydom 58.0 – 97

8 – 17 FANTASTIC MR FOX (P F Matchett) R Simons 58.0 – 96

9 – 19 GRAY’S CHAMP (G H Van Zyl) B Lerena 58.0 – 95

10 – 15 SABADELL (G V Woodruff) B Fayd’Herbe 58.0 – 94

11 – 5 EMERALD APPROACH (M F De Kock) K Neisius 58.0 – 93

12 – 14 SWIFT AND STRONG (S G Tarry) R Danielson 58.0 – 93

13 – 2 ALEXANDRA PALACE (M F De Kock) K Shea 58.0 – 92

14 – 12 ROCK OF ARTS (W H Marwing) G Hatt 58.0 – 92

15 – 18 AMERICAN STORM (R P Lerena) I Sturgeon 58.0 – 91

16 – 10 BAY OF BENGAL (M G Azzie) K Zechner 58.0 – 89

Reserve Runners

17 – 6 SAFE HOUSE (M G Azzie)  Reserve 1 58.0 – 91

18 – 1 ROCK COCKTAIL (M F De Kock)  Reserve 2 58.0 – 88

19 – 13 TEQUILA SUNRISE (M F De Kock)  Reserve 3 58.0 – 86

Same Trainer: (2,4,10) (7,9) (11,13,18,19) (16,17) 

WILGERBOSDRIFT S A FILLIES CLASSIC (Grade 1) (2nd Leg of SA Triple Tiara)) R1 million 1800m

1 – 3 CHERRY ON THE TOP (O A Ferraris) N Juglall 58.0 – 104

2 – 9 DO YOU REMEMBER (G V Woodruff) B Fayd’Herbe 58.0 – 100

3 – 7 KING’S TEMPTRESS (K Naidoo) R Fradd 58.0 – 99

4 – 13 FIRE WHEEL (S G Tarry) G Lerena 58.0 – 95

5 – 1 JET BELLE (R R Sage) G Wrogemann 58.0 – 94

6 – 5 DYLAN’S PROMISE (C Laird) K Shea 58.0 – 91

7 – 10 ORATOR’S DAUGHTER (A G Laird) A Marcus 58.0 – 91

8 – 12 NEGEV (L W Goosen) P Strydom 58.0 – 90

9 – 2 SKY PIRATE (W H Marwing) M Odendaal 58.0 – 88

10 – 4 AL KINDI (M F De Kock) K Neisius 58.0 – 87

11 – 8 CAT’S GAME (S M Ferreira) M V’Rensburg 58.0 – 80

12 – 11 SECRET OBSESSION (G V Woodruff) J Sampson 58.0 – 80

13 – 6 WALKING ONTHE MOON (W H Marwing) G Hatt 58.0 – 78

Same Trainer: (2,12) (9,13)

Headline photo: Emerald Approach, Gr1 SA Classic runner.