Photo by Gold Circle
Monday, 6 February 2012: The Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old Pomodoro staked his claim as a contender for the upcoming SASCOC Triple Crown races with a facile victory in Saturday's G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes on the Turffontein inside track.
With stable jockey Robbie Fradd opting to ride Heavy Metal, many assumed he was the stable preference.
However Pomodoro, ridden by Chad Little who substituted for Weichong Marwing, pounced and easily drew off to beat Governor General by 2.25 lengths.
Little is one of those “back-room' jockeys that when the opportunities do arise he rarely lets them get away from him.
“This is really a smart horse. He gave me such a good feel," Little said.
"I work him back home, but he is not the same horse as he is in a race.
“He is the type of horse that you are only going to see at his best when he goes over 2000m or so.
"He is still very dumb and immature, although he actually won without me even doing anything.
"He got there and did it himself – and he still had lots in the tank."
Tarry pointed out that Pomodoro was the highest-rated horse in the field.
“He's got a lot of scope – he's got a top female line and being by Jet Master, he's going to be progressive.
"I think this is a serious horse.'
The G3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m went to the Leon Erasmus-trained Go Indigo.
The filly charged strongly from the back of the field to hold off a challenge from favourite Extra Zero by 1.5 lengths.
