The Sean Tarry trained Trip To Heaven (Trippi) stamped himself as arguably the top sprinter in the country at the moment with an impressive win in Saturday's Gr2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes.

A horse known for being slow away at the start, Trip To Heaven was fairly well away in Saturday's 1200m sprint.

Early on the field separated into two groups, with recent Merchants winner Search Party (Captain Al) and Red Ray (Western Winter) leading the inside group and the Marshall runners Victorious Jay (Jay Peg) and Exelero (Western Winter) 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 off an impressive turn of foot and quickly left his hapless rivals in his dust as he drew off to register a stunning 3.75 length win.

The ever green seven-year-old Tevez (Caesour), winner of the recent Listed Southeaster Sprint, put up another commendable effort back in second with the front running Search Party confirming the merit of his last out Gr2 World Sports Betting Cape Merchants win bakc in third.

Brilliant Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray (Western WInter), who was making his first start since July, was fourth, ahead of Captain Alfredo (Captain Al).

Bred by Highlands Farm, Trip To Heaven set a time of 71.56 for the race and provided his champion trainer with yet another big race win in the Cape (Sean had previously landed the Gr1 L'Ormarins Queen's PLate just one week earlier with Legal Eagle).

It was a fourth graded win for Trip To Heaven (who was also controversially demonted from first in last season's Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge) , who has now won his last three on the bounce. The gelding has won seven of 17 outings in total and has amassed R 1 564 750 in prize money.

Out of the Cee's Tizzy mare Helleborus Blue, Saturday's Diadem Stakes hero is a half brother to the former Tarry trained Gr1 winner The Hangman (Jallad).