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The Sean Tarry trained Trip To Heaven stamped himself as arguably the top sprinter in South Africa with an impressive win in Saturday's G2 Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth.
A horse known for being slow away at the start, Trip To Heaven was well away in Saturday's 1200m sprint.
Early on the field separated into two groups with recent Merchants winner Search Party and Red Ray leading the inside group and the Marshall runners Victorious Jay and Exelero going down the outside.Trip To Heaven, covered up nicely by rider S'Manga Khumalo, was always travelling sweetly and threw down a challenge 200m from home.
When Khumalo, who rode a supremly confident race on the 3-1 shot, asked Trip To Heave Ln to quicken, the five-year-old showed an impressive turn of foot and quickly left his rivals as he drew off to register a stunning 3.75 lengths win.The ever green seven-year-old Tevez, winner of the recent Listed Southeaster Sprint, put up another commendable effort for second with the front running Search Party confirming the merit of his G2 Merchants win back in third.
Brilliant Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray, making his first start since July, was fourth ahead of Captain Alfredo.Bred by Highlands Farm, Trip To Heaven set a time of 1.11.56 for the race and provided his champion trainer with yet another big race win in the Cape.
Tarry had landed the G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate one week earlier with Legal Eagle.It was a fourth graded win for Trip To Heaven, who was controversially demoted from first in last season's G1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
He has now won his last three on the bounce for a record of seven wins from his 17 outings.He is a half-brother to the former Tarry-trained G1 winner The Hangman.
• TALENTED 4YO Romany Prince lifted the first graded win of his career in the rain delayed G3 London News Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.The race had been due to run last week but inclement weather forced its postponement to Saturday.
One of three winners on the day for jockey Gavin Lerena, the Ormond Ferraris trained gelding recorded his fifth win in 18 starts. His previous biggest win came when successful in last year's Listed Drum Star Handicap.Romany Prince is a third graded winner for his exceptional dam Gypsy Queen, having also produced US G1 winner Gypsy's Warning and G2 winner Surabi.