Alec Laird and Sean Tarry look strong for Finale day.
Champion sprinter Buffalo Storm Cody heads a list of 26 entries for the 1160m TAB Senor Santa Stakes (Grade 2) which headlines The Championships Finale race meeting at Turffontein on Saturday 25 April.
Such healthy numbers for the prestigious sprint will offset some disappointment at just 12 entries (with one already scratched) for the main supporting feature on the day, the 2000m TAB Colorado King Stakes (Grade 2).
The top end of the Colorado King looks strong, but quality drops away after the first few names on the list and critics will no doubt say the Finale fixture looks a bridge too far for an otherwise highly successful Joburg autumn series.
The Senor Santa is named after one of South Africa’s legendary speedsters and the 2026 cast is fittingly fast, with 23 of the 26 nominees boasting merit ratings of 100 or more.
Buffalo Storm Cody shares the 62kg top weight with evergreen seven-year-old William Robertson, while smart horses Cosmic Speed, Truth and Ziyasha carry 60kg.
Other notables among the aspirants are Bustopinhounslow, I’m A Fireball, Miami Mountain and Charming Cheetah.
Trainer Alec Laird looks likely to play a big hand in the Colorado King, with his crackerjack Fire Attack getting top weight and pole position and stablemate and erstwhile Summer Cup and Charity Mile winner Atticus Finch among the adversaries.
Both these horses love Turffontein and, if in the mood on the day, will take some beating by the likes of The Ultimate King, Choisaanada and Field Marshall.
Trainer Sean Tarry – in hot form at the moment – always targets big race meetings like this, so punters should keep an eagle eye open for ante-post betting opportunities among the Randjesfontein master’s likely runners.
ENTRIES
TAB Senor Santa Stakes R500,000 (Grade 2) 1160m (open):
26 Buffalo Storm Cody (Accepted) (4G) 62 132 BA Tony Peter
13 William Robertson (7G) 62 124 JA Corne Spies
22 Cosmic Speed (4G) 60 120 AT Sean Tarry
14 Truth (4G) 60 119 A Candice / Tammy Dawson
7 Ziyasha Accepted (5G) 60 118 AT Clinton Binda
18 Anuschka’s World (Scratched) (4G) 58 114 HA Kelly Mitchley
25 Mount Pinatubo (Accepted) (4G) 58 113 A J A Janse van Vuuren
20 Busstopinhounslow (4G) 56 110 BAT Grant Maroun
11 Whistle The Tune (4F) 55.5 116 CA Candice / Tammy Dawson
15 Zalatoris (3G) 54 110 A Tony Peter
3 I’m A Fireball (3G) 54 108 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
10 Miami Mountain (3C) 54 107 BA Mike / Mathew de Kock
8 Anfields Rocket (6G) 54 106 BA Grant Maroun
19 Chapbook (3C) 54 106 BAT Clinton Binda
6 Charming Cheetah (3G) 54 106 AT Robyn Klaasen
24 Cosmic Star (6G) 54 105 A e J A Janse van Vuuren
2 Karate Kid (4G) 54 103 BA Paul Matchett
17 Chasing Happiness (Scratched) (5M) 53.5 110 A J A Janse van Vuuren
9 Kaalvoet (3G) 52 102 A Clinton Binda
5 Speedman (3G) 52 102 A Sean Tarry
4 The Last Duke (Accepted) (3G) 52 102 A Paul Matchett
23 The Specialist (4G) 52 101 HAT Sean Tarry
16 Jerusalema Rain (5G) 52 100 BAT Sean Tarry
21 Banff (4G) 52 97 A Sean Tarry
1 Pop Chart (Scratched) (3G) 52 95 A Dean Smith
12 Magic Tattoo (6G) 52 93 BAT Sean Tarry
TAB Colorado King Stakes R500,000 (Grade 2) 2000m (WFA + pens):
1 Fire Attack (4C) 60 124 A Alec Laird
9 Atticus Finch (6G) 59 127 BAT Alec Laird
6 Choisaanada (4G) 58 121 A Erico Verdonese
10 The Ultimate King (4G) 58 117 A Tony Peter
2 Field Marshal (4G) 58 110 A Nathan Kotzen
4 Bad Medicine (Scratched) (4G) 58 100 A Kelly Mitchley
12 River Romeo (6G) 58 94 A Mano Pandaram
8 Olivia’s Way (4F) 56.5 114 CA Roy Magner
3 Callmegetrix (5M) 56.5 113 AT Sean Tarry
5 Gerbera (4F) 55.5 98 CAT Sean Tarry
7 Bakwena (4F) 55.5 97 A J A Janse van Vuuren
11 Copper Eagle (3G) 54.5 97 CA Robyn Klaasen
TAB Senor Santa Stakes R500,000 (Grade 2) 1160m (open):
26 Buffalo Storm Cody (Accepted) (4G) 62 132 BA Tony Peter
13 William Robertson (7G) 62 124 JA Corne Spies
22 Cosmic Speed (4G) 60 120 AT Sean Tarry
14 Truth (4G) 60 119 A Candice / Tammy Dawson
7 Ziyasha Accepted (5G) 60 118 AT Clinton Binda
18 Anuschka’s World (Scratched) (4G) 58 114 HA Kelly Mitchley
25 Mount Pinatubo (Accepted) (4G) 58 113 A J A Janse van Vuuren
20 Busstopinhounslow (4G) 56 110 BAT Grant Maroun
11 Whistle The Tune (4F) 55.5 116 CA Candice / Tammy Dawson
15 Zalatoris (3G) 54 110 A Tony Peter
3 I’m A Fireball (3G) 54 108 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
10 Miami Mountain (3C) 54 107 BA Mike / Mathew de Kock
8 Anfields Rocket (6G) 54 106 BA Grant Maroun
19 Chapbook (3C) 54 106 BAT Clinton Binda
6 Charming Cheetah (3G) 54 106 AT Robyn Klaasen
24 Cosmic Star (6G) 54 105 A e J A Janse van Vuuren
2 Karate Kid (4G) 54 103 BA Paul Matchett
17 Chasing Happiness (Scratched) (5M) 53.5 110 A J A Janse van Vuuren
9 Kaalvoet (3G) 52 102 A Clinton Binda
5 Speedman (3G) 52 102 A Sean Tarry
4 The Last Duke (Accepted) (3G) 52 102 A Paul Matchett
23 The Specialist (4G) 52 101 HAT Sean Tarry
16 Jerusalema Rain (5G) 52 100 BAT Sean Tarry
21 Banff (4G) 52 97 A Sean Tarry
1 Pop Chart (Scratched) (3G) 52 95 A Dean Smith
12 Magic Tattoo (6G) 52 93 BAT Sean Tarry
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