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Trainer Sean Tarry is preparing a major assault on the South Africa's biggest sand race, the G2 Emerald Cup over at the Vaal on September 22.

Tarry won the 1450m race last year with The Mouseketeer and the leading Highveld trainer has agins et that horse for a repeat.

However he is also preparing a number of others for a tilt, including the highest rated sand specialist in the country Mr Tobin as well as Across The Ice, Follow The Piper, Always Al and Buy And Sell.

Mr Tobin, a seven-year-old Argentinian-bred gelding, has been a revelation since switching to sand.

In nine starts on the sand he has won eight times and finished second once. He now has a sand merit rating of 111, 35 points higher than his 76 turf rating.

The Mouseketeer, who is rated 102 on both surfaces, was defeated by Mr Tobin by 4,25 lengths over 1600m on the Vaal sand in February but will be 6,5kg better off in the Emerald Cup.

Tarry was loath to separate the pair.

"Mr Tobin will have to carry 60.5kg which is always a worry, and The Mouseketeer will have a nice galloping weight," he said.

"I will wait for the noms and see how they draw but everything is going well with them."

Across The Ice and Follow The Piper have sand merit ratings of 95 and 101 respectively.

Follow The Piper won her first four starts on sand and has won once and finished placed three times in seven starts since.

Across The Ice has only had five sand starts and has placed three times, including finishing a narrow second to The Mouseketeer in last season’s August Stakes.

Always Al has only raced on sand twice for a win over the Emerald Cup course and distance and a third place over that same trip.

The nine-year-old Buy And Sell is yet to make his sand debut but could adapt well as horses that have the ability to stay on from handy or front-running positions usually make a positive switch from turf to sand.

He showed in his second place finish in the G3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Clairwood in June that this is his ideal style.