When Tuesday’s race caller at the Vaal enthusiastically announced that Tipsy Tarragon was ‘breezing into the lead’ at the 300m-mark of Race 3, there were supporters of the smart favourite, Orarari Gold (Oratorio), who briefly soiled their undergarments.
But Muzi Yeni, riding Orarari Gold, must have sensed the feverish support from behind the microphone for the Tony Peter runner and decided to nip things in the bud on behalf of his own guv’nor, Corrie Lensley. He had no ground to make up, really, because the only breeze on the day was a mild one blowing in from the trees to the north of the old grandstand. Orarari Gold just dug in, stuck to her lead and held off her admittedly dashing challenger, a filly who will win her races on the Highveld for her new stable.
“She’s a good filly and we’ll be going for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas next and then we’ll look at the Fillies Classic,” said Lensley about Orarari Gold. “She’s got black type already and we won’t be going into the Guineas as underdogs. Orarari Gold has beaten a top filly like Feather Boa and she ran Canadian Summer to 1,70-lengths in the G1 Thekwini on July Day. She came from second last that day and didn’t have a clear passage in the home run, it’s a race I fancy she could have won.
“Muzi wasn’t particularly hard on her at the Vaal, he said she had extra in the tank. We’ll be looking forward to the Guineas, though Muzi hasn’t committed yet. He has to choose between Orarari Gold and Miss Cool. I’m hoping we’ll get the nod.”
Orarari Gold was bred by Jan Mantel at Millstream Farm. She and her dam, Goose Valley (Right Approach), were later relocated to Stilbaai, where Lensley was invited to view her. The trainer recalls: “I liked her and took her, had to put the ownership together and found support from my staunch patrons Graham and VJ Palmer. I am pleased they’ve had success with her and we’re now crossing fingers for more black type. Orarari Gold has had to race from poor draws a few times, her race record would’ve looked even better if not for that.”
