Lucky Lad Avoiding Golden Horseshoe As Tarry Plans For The Future

Lucky Lad romps home in the Gr 1 Gold Medallion (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Sean Tarry has opted to avoid the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe with his unbeaten colt Lucky Lad, whose four wins, including his easy victories in both the Gr 2 SA Nursery and the Gr 1 Gold Medallion, have put him ahead in the race for the Equus Champion Two-year-old male award.

He said he might still run the classy colt in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes on Gold Cup day.

“I would only want to run him one more time this season at the most. There is more value in running him in the mile because it will answer the question about his stamina and help with the planning of the new season. But he is not a certainty to run on Gold Cup day.”

Tarry has had many great days in his career and in 2019 went within a head of landing the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Gr 1 grandslam.

On June 3 this season, he increased his record-holding number of Gr 1 wins at the Pietermaritzburg track by another three, to go to 18 in all, and this time went within a 0,90 lengths of landing the Grandslam.

He said it was certainly the most anxiety-free of all of his career greatest days.

He said, “Each horse, when they popped the question, the race was over. Even though Lucky Lad had the most to do … he looked like he was a length or two further back than he he should have been … when asked the question it was eye-popping.”

Talking about the latter phenomenal performance, Tarry said, “He’s got to be a very good horse. You still want to see how that form works out etc. It’s always hard to know what these juveniles are at this stage, but when they win in that manner it really bodes well for the future.”

Lucky Lad certainly has a classic pedigree. He is by champion sire Gimmethegreenlight and his dam Imperial State, by stamina influence Caesour, won twice over 1600m and was a narrow second in both the Listed Ladies Mile and in a Gr 3 over 1800m. Furthermore, she is a half-sister to Jet Master mare State Coach, who won two listed races over 1600m and 2000m respectively and she went to to produce the Silvano Gr 2 Betting World Derby (2400m) winner Silvano’s Jet, who was also second in the Gr 1 Champions Cup.

Tarry added, “Lucky Lad’s got the temperament to get more as well. He’s quite a relaxed horse and even in the running he doesn’t do much and then when you ask him it’s there instantly. I think everything’s there, but you don’t like to get ahead of yourself. He does get a bit unsettled in the gates. We will need the starter to help us out and load him last or late.”

He also wants to give Mrs Geriatrix only one more run this season. She is entered in the Gr 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on Hollywoodbets Durban July day. This Vercingetorix filly is also unbeaten in four starts, including a narrow win in the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery, followed by an easy win in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship.

Tarry said, “If I did put her in a race it would probably be the 1400m, the mile will probably be stretching her, whereas with Lucky Lad I would be a little more confident to go the mile.”

He added, “I am still processing the decisions and thinking more about how it would impact their future careers.”

Tarry had Mrs Geriatrix on his list at the BSA National Yearling Sale.

He recalled, “I suspected she might not make her reserve and I was correct.”

Breeders Clifton Stud came to see him afterwards and his decision to take her for the reserve price of R200,000 was immediate.

The Magical Lady Syndicate, whose nominee is Natalie Turner, CEO of the Racehorse Owners Association, had previously partnered with Tarry in a horse called Miss Magician. The latter was fortuitously nearing the end of her career and a replacement was being sought.

Mrs Geriatrix, whom the Magical lady Syndicate own outright, became the replacement.

“Most of the ladies stayed in, but unfortunately some of them got out,” said Tarry. “But, there is a lot of new interest too. It is a lovely story for them.”

She has already earned R775,000. It is exciting times for the ladies, who add colour to the course with their pink outfits, which match Mrs Geriatrix’s colours. They also add vibe such is their vocal support.

Lucky Lad, on the other hand races in the famous brown and white Beck silks, owned now by Anthony Beck. The Varsfontein Stud-bred colt cost R850,000 and has earned R900,000.

Mrs Geriatrix has drawn well in five out of 31 entries for the Golden Slipper.

Princess Calla, who has been transformed into a top class sprinter under Tarry’s care this season, will revert to the mile in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes. She won the Gr 1 HSH Princess Charlene Stakes Empress Club Stakes over a mile last season and comes off a facile 3,20 lengths victory in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint. She has drawn eleven out of 20 in the Garden Province and Richard Fourie has already been declared.

If the Flower Alley mare takes her place in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint on Gold Cup day she will be in contention for the Equus Champion Sprinter award.

Tarry said, “Equus Awards are always up to play for and worth considering. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what we hope for, things have to fall into place in terms of draws and preparation.”

Thunderstruck, Gold Medallion winner last year and runner up in the recent Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, has drawn well in the Gr 2 Post Merchants on July day, although he will have a tough task at the weigthts with Golden Horse winner Gimme A Prince.