Tail Of THe Comet makes his reapperance on Saturday at Turffontein Inside (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Tarry Readying His Elite Troops
Sean Tarry comes off one of the most astonishing seasons in recent times.
Last September he put 60 horses from his yard on the Sean Tarry Fast Track Sale.
Although some of the horses stayed in his yard after being sold to new connections, most pundits expected Tarry to have a season of relative “midtable mediocrity”.
They believed it would take him a few seasons to build up into the powerful yard he was when his chief client Chris van Niekerk was buying for him.
However, it was soon clear he was going to be anything but mid-table.
He won seven Grade 1’s during the season and collected five Equus Horse Awards, including Princess Calla being named Horse Of The Year.
Even with all that success it came as a surprise to all and sundry when Graeme Hawkins announced on the last day of the season that Tarry was within one good race result of taking the title, having started the day R2 million behind eventual champion Justin Snaith.
The impossible came within a hair’s breadth of happening.
Tarry is currently second favourite with bookmakers, behind Snaith, to take the title for a sixth time.
His campaign begins in earnest at Turffontein Inside on Saturday, albeit with just one runner on the day.
He brings out the promising Gimmethegreenlight colt Tail Of The Comet in a Graduation Plate over 1450m where he has draw in pole position and will be ridden by S’Manga Khumalo.
However, he pointed out there was no grass tracks at Randjes at the moment due to spring treatement and added, “So he is not fully wound up and this a prep run for the Ready To Run race in Cape Town at the end of October. But obviously he is good enough to have a chance.”
Tail Of The Comet impressed on debut when winning by 5,30 lengths over 1200m on debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and next time out he was done no favours when shuffled back to last in the Gr 2 Umkhomazi around the turn over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville. In the straight he had to be switched right to the outside and his strong finish was not enough to reel in Outlaw King and Ready To Charge. However, he looks likely to enjoy the step up to 1450m.
Tarry said about the Equus Horse Of The Year Princess Calla, “Her short term target is probably the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes. I don’t know about the Met, we will have to just see how we go.”
He said last season’s Equus Champion Three-year-old filly Bless My Stars was a Betway Summer Cup possibility. He added, “It is easy to go from the Summer Cup to Cape Town, but I don’t think the right races are in Cape Town for her.”
He added about the R5 million Betway Summer Cup, “Well done to Betway for putting that kind of money down, that is what wakes the industry up.”
He said about the potential for the money to attract out of province raiders, “It is a big stake that. If that does not enourage them nothing will.”
He said last season’s Equus Champion Two-year-old filly Mrs Geriatrix would “possibly” go for the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas but added, “I haven’t finalised it yet.”
Among the stayer he said Nebraas might go down for the Gr 2 Western Cape Stayers over 2800m on WSB Met day, where he finished second last year, but he said that a possible option for Equus Champion Stayer Future Pearl would be to run him in the Summer Cup and then build him up for the staying races at the end of the season.
Tarry is planning to have a team of about ten to 12 horses in Cape Town to start with and then hopes to build the string up to about 18.
The public will also be looking forward to seeing the like of Lucky Lad, Thunderstruck and many others from the yard of the maestro trainer.
Trois Trois Quatre is a Betway Summer Cup possibility. His legendary trainer Mike de Kock has won the Summer Cup nine times (JC Photos).
Trois Trois Quatre, A Betway Summer Cup Possibility, Faces Acid Test
Mike de Kock is giving the progressive Hollywood Syndicate-owned Trois Trois Quatre the acid test on Saturday at Turffontein Inside by putting him in a strong Pinnacle Stakes event over 2000m and it will tell him whether the Rafeef gelding is good enough to go for the lucrative R5 million Betway Summer Cup.
Kauto Star, pictured with regular pilot Ruby Walsh up after winning his second Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2009, is one of the five horses in line to be named the Racing Post’s People’s Champion (Picture: Turf Talk Ed)
Jumps Horses Proven More Popular In Britain
Jumps Racing is frowned upon from afar by many, but attending a jumps meeting in Britain or Ireland and the old adage “Never judge a book by its cover” surfaces almost immediately.
A visit to a jumps meeting in Britain quickly dispels the notion that it is a cruel sport.
Jumps trainers are genrally salt of the earth farmer types who are true horse people.
They love being with horses and earn their living by sending them out to race.
But to say they send them out without caring for them is so far divorced from the truth as to be laughable and without going in to too much detail this is what becomes so apparent so quickly when atending a jumps meeting.
As for the horses, the chasers are generally big, strong, magnificent beasts and it is a sight to see them approaching the first fence in a bunch with ears pricked and jumping it as if it is second nature, with some of them brushing the birch twigs, which adds to the powerful associated sounds and images.
The chief wish of trainers, owners and the adoring fans is that their horses get home safely and winnning is a bonus.
Hurdlers are sometimes more athletic, like flat horses, but in fact all four of the aforementioned jumps horses made their names as chasers.
Of course the legendary Frankel needs no introduction and could beat them all to the title.
Below is a pen picture of the finalists:
DENMAN: Everyone knows about the stellar Cheltenham Gold Cup win, the two Hennessys under a saddle full of lead and the bloodless RSA Chase victory, but what cannot be conveyed in the form book is the manner in which Denman marched to steeplechasing’s summit. Click here to read more.
DESERT ORCHID: Looking at your nominations for the People’s Champion, what’s very apparent even at first glance is that those of you who plumped for Desert Orchid viewed him not just as an astonishing racehorse but as a part of your lives, a hero, a role model, an inspiration and even a close friend for nine unforgettable years. Click here to read more.
FRANKEL: Where to start? That’s the dilemma confronting any attempt to chronicle what made Frankel resonate with the public. The multitude of strands leaves us spoilt for choice. Click here to read more.
KAUTO STAR: Two little words do not dare to tell the whole story of Kauto Star, but, in their own strange way, offer a glimpse into the finest steeplechaser to have graced the sport since the immortal Arkle. Click here to read more.
RED RUM: Recency bias is an accusation often hurled at polls like this one, mostly by old-timers with an axe to grind, but it is hard to dispute that they have a point. Yes, we all remember last week’s Group 1 superstar and quite possibly last season’s Gold Cup winner, but even the best horses finally fade from the memory, and the longer ago they ran the less likely we (especially those pesky, disrespectful youngsters) are to vote for them. Click here to read more.
- Having seen three of the above in action and experienced the hype around them i.e. Desert Orchid, Kauto Star Denman, my vote goes to Desert Orchid. He would probably not have been the best racer among them but he was one of those greys who was almost white so stood out from the crowd and he had bottomless courage. The public adoration for “Dessie” was astonishing. He had a fan club bigger than most football teams could boast. One article I recall reading had it that he used to receive bagfuls of letters, some of them even asking him for advice! (Turf Talk Ed).
Fairy Knight, who runs for the Halo Syndicate (Pauline Herman Photography).
Back to Poly – Eyes on Fairy
Tab4Racing
EYES ON FAIRY KNIGHT – It will be a huge test for Fairy Knight but he could start his three-year-old career on a winning note at the Fairview Polytrack on Friday.
The consistent son of Global View will be a popular banker in many bets when he attempts the mile for the first time in the 4Racing.tv MR 80 Handicap, race four on the card. Fairy Knight (race 4 no 7) should love the step up in distance and with regular pilot Richard Fourie aboard for the Alan Greeff stable, he is the horse to beat.
It won’t be easy for the three-year-old colt against some tough older opposition and it should be very interesting to see how Fairy Knight handles the challenge. The expected strong head wind will make things difficult on the Poly but the Greeff yard looks set for a good day.
Back For More (race 5 no 1) and Hasta Lavista Baby (race 6 no 3) are also big runners for the stable. Back For More is the favourite in a FM 66 Handicap but the three-year-old filly won’t have it easy as she will have 61kgs on her back.
The Kelly Mitchley stable is in fine form and can start the meeting with a winner in the first race at 12:40 with Launch Code (race 1 no 3). The first race is also the first leg of the Bipot. It is a competitive start to the Place Accumulator with the second race at 13:15 but Mitchley has a very strong hand in the third race which is the first leg of the Pick Six (off at 13:15). Grand Destiny and Beau Kala are the Mitchley runners and both are in very good form.
The first Jackpot starts with race four at 14:25 where all eyes will be on Fairy Knight. The first leg of the second Jackpot is race 5 at 15:00 where Greeff will saddle Back For More.
Greeff, Mitchley and Gavin Smith look like the trainers to follow on Friday but Captain Cassanova can strike for Sharon Kotzen in the seventh race. He won two of his last three starts and loves the Poly.
Then, as is usually the case at Fairview, the meeting ends with a very tricky eighth race. Take a look at our tips at Henk Se Wenk and attack the Quartet in this one where 15 runners will go to post at 16:45.
Out Of Competition Testing Case: Prohibited Substance Confirmed Positive
There has been an NHA update in the case of an unrecorded prohibited substance being found in three horses during out of competition testing, which led to them being withdrawn from the races they were due to run in a couple of days later.
The presence of the substance has been confirmed after being analysed in the Hong Kong Jockey Club laboratory, meaning the inquiry into the matter will go ahead.
An August 4 NHA press release following out of competition testing stated:
Pending the results of the NHA Laboratory analysis, on-site observatory evidence along with evidence provided by the Officials and after careful consideration of the contents of the Veterinary Treatment Register (VTR), AXEL COLLINS, NAPOLEAN and YOURE MY SUNSHINE were withdrawn from race meeting on 27 July 2023 at 09h25, in terms of Rule 4.2.18.
The NHA Laboratory, having conducted the requisite screening, has confirmed that specimens collected from AXEL COLLINS and YOURE MY SUNSHINE, revealed upon analysis the presence of four (4) prohibited substances, of which one (1) substance was not recorded in the Trainer’s VTR. An Inquiry will be opened into the one (1) substance that was NOT recorded for each of the respective two horses.
A press release today stated:
Following the Press Release on 4 August 2023 (below), concerning Out of Competition (OOC) specimen collection that took place at Randjesfontein Training Centre and Turffontein Racecourse on 24 July 2023, the NHA confirms that the respective parties associated with AXEL COLLINS and YOURE MY SUNSHINE exercised their rights in terms of the Rules and requested that the respective reference specimens be sent to a Laboratory for confirmatory analysis.
As a result of a lack of consensus pertaining to the selection of a single confirmatory laboratory, the Chief Executive, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 75.7, nominated the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory to conduct the confirmatory analysis on the said specimens.
In terms of the Rules, the reference specimens were dispatched to the nominated confirmatory laboratory on 21 August 2023, and this process was witnessed by Trainer Mr A P Peter, his legal representative and other parties. On 25 August 2023, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory confirmed having received the reference specimens.
The NHA received written confirmation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory on Wednesday, 13 September 2023, that the specimens taken from AXEL COLLINS and YOURE MY SUNSHINE were analysed and the presence of the prohibited substance, Lidocaine was found to be present, unequivocally confirming the initial findings of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa’s Laboratory.
An Inquiry will be held regarding this matter on a date to be confirmed.
Mark Van Deventer Explains Time-Saving Form Analyis Method
This week’s handy hint looks at a type of “short form’ analysis that cuts down on the time spent studying the past performances. The idea is to “punt on profile” – choosing a powerful angle or edge and stick to betting only those horses that meet the specific criteria.
Doing things this way doesn’t work for exotic wagering where you need to have a well-considered opinion/grade for every horse in the race or sequence of races. But it is an effective approach when punting selectively at fixed odds or hooking up a few horses you love in multiples.
Any substantive factor can be used when “punting on profile.” It may be as simple as following a certain high percentage trainer/jockey combination or backing the best weighted entry.
Bear in mind though that the more obvious the factor is (and most published data falls into this category) – the more likely it is already factored into an efficient market price.
So, a slightly more esoteric, yet still practical approach based on historical trends is needed to get a real edge.
Supporting handy/pace pressing types at a speed orientated track like Durbanville is one such smart angle. All the data over many years shows that speed on the rail (or at least the ability to race handy and make an early inside move) is the best way to win races at Durbanville.
Given that Cape racing will be staged over the next three months out at the country course, knowing what riding tactics work best (based on past and present trends,) can quickly help punters label likely winners. And, avoid squandering their cash on horses that are disadvantaged by running against the track bias.
So, this ‘punting on profile’ maxim could be to simply reject any horse that comes from off the pace (even if it seems to tower above the opposition based on ability/collateral form) and look instead for fit horses with proven records/competitive figures at the class level of today’s race that typically go well up front or handy.
Sweeping through a card using a filter like this can be done quickly and may appear superficial, but is a soundly based approach that promotes sensible, selective wagering.
Punters in tune with the Polytrack biases at Fairview and Greyville can come up with their own versions of what is optimal based on the prevailing wind/track configuration and focus on those few horses on each card that qualify with the ‘right’ running style.
Have fun creating your own “punting on profile” filters, fire up your Interbet Fixed Odds account and give it a go!
Khumalo Double
S’Manga Khumalo was the only double scorer at the Vaal today.
He goes to 17 wins for the season at 13.39% and is 22 wins behind the nationa log leader Muzi Yeni.
Today’s Question
Why is June 3 a special day in the life of the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly Tuesday?
