Runners from the stables of Sean Tarry and Mike de Kock dominate the final field in both the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas and R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Between them they have seven of the 10 runners in the Guineas and nine of the 19 final acceptors in the Fillies Guineas.

The fields for both Grade 2 races over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 4 March have attracted some top runners.

The Guineas is the joint first leg of the SA Triple Crown while the Fillies Guineas is the joint first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara. The Grade 1 Cape Guineas and Fillies Guineas are also considered for the first leg of both events.

The R7-million SA Triple Crown for three-year-olds is the richest series of races in Africa. The other two legs are the R2-million SA Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 1 April and the R2-million SA Derby (Grade 1) over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday 6 May.

A bonus of R2 million will be paid to owner of any horse who can win all three legs. So far three horses have achieved this – Horse Chestnut in 1999, Louis The King in 2014 and Abashiri last year.

The other legs of the Triple Tiara are the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m and the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (Grade 2) over 2450m. These are run on the same day as the Classic and Derby respectively.

A bonus of R1 million will be paid to the owners of any filly who wins all three legs of the Triple Tiara. Two fillies have earned the bonus – Igugu in 2011 and Cherry On The Top in 2013.

De Kock might be kicking himself after the final fields were announced as he had entered fillies Ektifaa and Orchid Island in both races and they drew badly in both. In the end he opted to run them in the Fillies Guineas which comprises a full field of 16 runners so Ektifaa ended up with No 14 draw and Orchid Island at No 7.

However, only 10 runners accepted for the Guineas and Ektifaa, who was one of the highest rated runners in both fields, would have ended up with a decent draw.

She beat the colts in the Tony Ruffel Stakes and would have been competitive in that field.

De Kock still has three strong contenders in the Gauteng Guineas, including both highest rated runners in Heavenly Blue and Janoobi. Heavenly Blue will be ridden by Callan Murray and jumps from barrier No 10 while Janoobi will have Piere Strydom in the irons and they are drawn No 7.

De Kock's third runner is Daffiq who has Randall Simons up and they are drawn No 3.

Tarry also has a potent hand and he saddles Matador Man, unbeaten Al Sahem, Furiosa and Tilbury Fort.

It is interesting to note that stable jockey S'manga Khumalo has opted to ride Furiosa, who was an impressive winner at Turffontein recently.

Secretariat Stakes (Listed) winner Matador Man will be ridden by apprentice Lyle Hewitson, Anthony Delpech rides Al Sahem while Raymond Danielson is aboard Tilbury Fort.

One of the other strong contenders will be Doosra from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard. He will be ridden by Gavin Lerena and is drawn No 8.

The Grade 2 Fillies Guineas looks interesting because the best runners are badly drawn. Tarry-trained Safe Harbour is the best handicapped runner but she is drawn No 16.

Weichong Marwing has been tasked to overcome that hurdle.

Khumalo has the ride on Redberry Lane who looked moderate until fitted with blinkers and then won her maiden by 8.80 lengths. She is a full sister to Solo Traveller who won the Cape Guineas and a half-sister to Starship Legacy, who sold for R4.5 million at last month’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

Final field for the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2)(1st Leg SA Triple Crown) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 4 March

1 - 10 HEAVENLY BLUE (M F De Kock) C Murray 60.0 - 100

2 - 7 JANOOBI (M F De Kock) P Strydom 60.0 - 100

3 - 8 DOOSRA (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 60.0 - 98

4 - 9 MATADOR MAN (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 60.0 - 96

5 - 1 CHILI CON CARNE (M N Houdalakis) M V'Rensburg 60.0 - 94

6 - 2 UNAGI (G M Alexander) A Fortune 60.0 - 94

7 - 4 AL SAHEM (S G Tarry) A Delpech 60.0 - 93

8 - 5 FURIOSA (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 90

9 - 3 DAFFIQ (M F De Kock) R Simons 60.0 - 88

10 - 6 TILBURY FORT (S G Tarry) R Danielson 60.0 - 84

Same Trainer: (1,2,9) (4,7,8,10)

Final field for the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2)(1st Leg Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara) over 1600m

1 - 16 SAFE HARBOUR (S G Tarry) W Marwing 60.0 - 108

2 - 14 EKTIFAA (M F De Kock) C Murray 60.0 - 103

3 - 4 MALEFICENT (A G Laird) R Simons 60.0 - 99

4 - 15 ANNA PAVLOVA (R R Magner) J P v'd Merwe 60.0 - 93

5 - 9 BABBLING BROOKE (O A Ferraris) P Strydom 60.0 - 93

6 - 7 LAST CHIRP (S J Gray) A Fortune 60.0 - 93

7 - 10 ORCHID ISLAND (M F De Kock) A Delpech 60.0 - 93

8 - 6 AL HAWRAA (M F De Kock) M Yeni 60.0 - 91

9 - 5 BEING FABULOUS (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 60.0 - 91

10 - 19 SMILING BLUE EYES (S G Tarry) ............... 60.0 - 89

11 - 1 POOL PARTY (R R Magner) J Penny 60.0 - 88

12 - 12 SANTIBURI (R R Sage) C Maujean 60.0 - 87

13 - 18 VISUALITY (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 60.0 - 87

14 - 2 ELUSIVE STRIKE (S M Ferreira) M V'Rensburg 60.0 - 86

15 - 13 BELLE ROSE (M F De Kock) R Munger 60.0 - 85

16 - 3 REDBERRY LANE (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 84

Reserve Runners

17 - 11 BIBLICAL SUSAN (M F De Kock) Reserve 1 60.0 - 82

18 - 17 ORIENTAL OAK (R R Sage) Reserve 2 60.0 - 80

19 - 8 MY FRIEND LEE (M N Houdalakis) Reserve 3 60.0 - 78

Same Trainer: (1,10,13,16) (2,7,8,15,17) (4,11) (12,18)

Press release from: Phumelela