Tail Of The Comet leaves them in his wake (Wayne Marks)
At this time last year the strength of the three-year-old male crop lay with Western Cape-trained horses, but that is not the case this season and the Sean Tarry-trained Tail Of The Comet illustrated that point at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday when slamming them in the Cape Racing Sales The Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m despite the race not panning out well for him.
He joins Sandringham Summit (Highveld), Main Defender (Highveld), the sidelined Lucky Lad (Highveld), GimmeAnotherChance (Highveld) and the Frank Robinson-trained unbeaten pair Sovereign State and Mexican Pete as the most taked about male sophomores to date.
The Western Cape’s winter was blighted by record rainfalls which might have hampered the preparation of some of their best three-year-old males. Good ones are sure to emerge from that powerful region sooner or later.
However, the highest rated entry in the Gr 3 Cape Classic this weekend is the 101-rated Dean Kannemeyer-trained Green With Envy, who won his first two starts well but then only managed fifth in a handicap off his current mark.
Tail Of The Comet was uncomfortable in the early stages of Saturday’s race as he was quite far back and the horse in front of him was battling to keep up with the fair temp.
Richard Fourie eventually switched Tail Of The Comet, so he was briefly running wde withiut cover around the turn, but he did then manage to slot him in again.
In the straight the progressive Gimmethegreenlight colt turned it on in superb style to win by a commanding 4,25 lengths from the useful Candice Dawson-trrained filly Just Be Lekker, to whom he gave 2,5kg.
He was rated 106 beforehand while Just Be Lekker was rated 97, but he did look to have plenty left when crossing the line.
Earlier in the day on the Highveld, Zinovi franked his form when winning a Progress Plate over 1450m by 4,75 lengths against decent older horses.
Tail Of The Comet had beaten Zinovi by 6,40 lengths when they met at level weights in a Graduation Plate over 1450m.
That augurs well for his chances of becoming a star.
Fourie described him as “an interesting horse”, because he has never before been on a Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas prospect who has not come in via the normal classic horse route..
Tail Of The Comet’s merit rating might well change if Just Be Lekker is made the line horse. She was coming off a fine 1,30 length third in the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m with only top older horses Feather Boa and Captain Peg ahead of her and Graded winners Emirate Gina, Marigold Hotel and Gimme A Shot behind her. So she is no slouch and Tail Of The Comet won easing up without having had the best trip.
The Eric Sands-trained 87-rated Querari gelding Sail To THe Moon stayed on well for a 5,25 length third and he was followed home by the Piet Botha-trained 77-rated Potala Palace filly Easy Money and the Glen Kotzen-trained 82-rated Querari gelding Paschendaele.
Time will tell how good the Nadeson Park Stud-bred Tail Of The Comet is, but he certainly looks the part.
Karel Miedema’s raceform awarded him an ability rating (AR) of 103 for Saturday’s effort, ten points higher than anything he had achieved in three previous runs.
That rating can be compared to Charles Dickens AR of 109 for his Cape Classic run over 1400m a year ago and to the 106 AR Main Defender was awarded by Miedema in his demoloition job in the Gr 2 Betway Jo’burg Spring Challenge over 1450m.
