Turf Talk Newsletter – 3 April, 2025

Tarry Plotting Champions Season Routes For His Stars

Sean Tarry with jockey Craig Zackey and Kevin Sommerville of Drakenstein Stud after they had combined to win the Gr 2 TAB SA Nursery with Green Diamond. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Sean Tarry has won the July with a SA Derby winner before, but he said he said the route his current SA Derby winner Legend Of Arthur takes into the Hollywoodbets Durban July will depend on a number of factors.

He also spoke about future plans for some of his other stars.

At present Legend Of Arthur is merit rated 117, which is the perfect merit rating for a Hollywoodbets Durban July-bound three-year-old male to have at the moment.

If the July were run tomorrow Legend Of Arthur would sneak in with the minimum weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg and he would not be under sufferance, going on 127-rated See It Again being topweight.

So the Daiily News 2000 might not be a good option if the like of 127 rated Eight On Eighteen and 126 rated Fire Attack are going to be running as there will then be the risk of a sizeable merit rating increase for Legend Of Arthur.

However, if an older horse does incur a significant merit rated increase between now and the Daily News 2000 and looks likely to be a July runner with a merit rating higher than 130 then the Daily News then might still be an option.

It might still be an option too if the like of Eight On Eighteen and Fire Attack don’t run.

Even that carries risks though, as was seen last year in the case of Green With Envy.

The latter was the highest rated runner in the Daily News, but such was the way the race panned out that he still ended up copping a four point raise from 123 to 127 and thus had to carry a tough 56kg in the July.

Tarry said he was not convinced Legend Of Arthur would be suited to Hollywoodbets Greyville.

He said, “He can quicken, but we have seen him to good effect at Turffontein, so it’s hard to say Greyville’s going to be great for him. As a juvenile (in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes) he was caught wide but ran on best of all, so I don’t think he is going to have a problem with the course, let’s put it that way.”

Looking at Legend Of Arthur’s three-year-old Highveld contemporary Fire Attack, he said the HKJC World Pool Champions Stakes race had not overly impressed him and he felt Fire Attack’s ten point raise to 126 was a “massive penalty.”

If the July was run tomorrow, Fire Attack would have to give Legend Of Arthur 4kg, so the Lancaster Bomber colt is in a good position and his original 33/1 ante-post odds are looking to be a steal for those who took it (he is now an 8/1 chance).

Tarry only just missed claiming the Derby/Oaks souble on Saturday as World Of Alice failed by a shorthead to catch the odds on favourite Fiery Pegasus, who opened up a big lead and held on.

Tarry said, “It was a cracking run and I think it was a little bit unlucky that those horses in front of her let Fiery Pegasus get away just a bit too far. They thought she was doing too much, but when you have Richard Fourie aboard a pacemaker you can’t assume the horse is going to come back that easily.”

Tarry won the Gr 2 SA Nursery on Saturday with the Gimmethegreenlight filly Green Diamond and in the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery he was runner up with One Fine Winter (What A Winter).

He said both of those would be targeted at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville festival Of Speed meeting, although whether they took part in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship (for fillies) or the Gr 1 Gold Medallion remained to be seen.

Tarry has won 20 Gr 1s at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, which makes him the most successful trainer in the course’s history.

One of his wins last year was with Lucky Lad in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, which has now been changed to a Gr 2 with a benchmark. The benchmark is 52kg = a nett 106 merit rating.

Lucky Lad will thus have to carry 61kg off his current 124 merit rating, but he will be there.

Tarry said about Lucky Lad’s 1,90 length fifth in the Gr 1 TAB Computaform Sprint over 1000m on Champions Day at Turffontein, “The 1000m is just a touch quick for him. I thought that his preparation was a little bit impeded by all the rain. Obviously, we say we’re all in the same boat, but his weight (body weight) picked up significantly, and I battled to get him in at an acceptable weight. So he was maybe just needing it and had the wrong draw over the too sharp 1000m, so those three things weren’t in his favour and he only got beaten 1,90 lengths, I thought it was a smashing run.”

Winter Greeting is another one who was a bit heavy in body before her last run and then was a bit above herself and too handy. The SA Fillies Sprint is a target for her and Tarry said, “She’s still got a way to go to get fit, but at least she’s had a run under the belt and we’ve still got time.”

Another one who might be at Hollywoodbets Scottsville is the new acquisition to the yard, Rascova, the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes winner and arch rival to Double Grandslam. Tarry said, “She had a temperature a few weeks before the Empress Club and missed some work so it would not have been right to run her. I will keep the SA Fillies Sprint as a consideration, we will see how things progress, but obviously her best form is around the turn and the Garden Province is an obvious target.”

Cosmic Speed went close in the Gr 1 Gold Medallion last year, but Tarry said it would be pointless taking this Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes winner to Hollywoodbets Scottsville when there was the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes and Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge as obvious targets.

He was not sure of the next step for Gr 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes winner Green Sapphire and was not getting ahead of himself with her, commenting that with a 104 merit rating she bad a long way to go to reach the level of the like of Fatal Flaw.

Some good news is that Cousin Casey is back in training and is on track for the July. He loves Hollywoodbets Greyville and finished second in last year’s July.

Litigation and Future Pearl are other July possibilities.

Zackey Double Puts Him On Top Before Meeting Abandoned

Craig Zackey won both races held at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday and the opening race saw an eyecatching win by the Sean Tarry-trained The United States colt Tin Pan Alley. (JC Photos).

Craig Zackey was five behind the leader in the intriguing race for the national jockeys title after the weekend, but he has responded with a double on Monday at Hollywoodbets Greyville, a treble on Wednesday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and he won both races before today’s (Thursday’s) Vaal Classic meeting was abandoned.

He is now leading the title race by two.

He has 178 wins scored at a strike rate of 18.86%, to Richard Fourie’s 176 at 26.47% and Gavin Lerena’s 174 at 26.20%.

Zackey won the first race today over 1200m on a promising Sean Tarry-trained two-year-old called Tin Pan Alley.

This United States colt pulled away to win by two lengths having been backed in from 4/1 to 2/1.

In the second race over 1000m Wings Of Ice was backed in from 10/1 to 3/1 and looked the winner when she suddenly fell 70m from the line.

This allowed Zackey to get up on the Lucky Houdalakis-trained first-timer called Miss Novax, who had been backed in to 15/10.

She is by Flower Alley, so it was interesting that both winners in the soft going were by stamina influential sires.

Wings Of Ice got up after falling and ran through the line, while Philasande Mxoli reportedly had no serious injuries and was walking around later on.

The meeting was abandoned due to inconsistent going and divots.

Byerley Turk Winner Highlights Some National Yearling Sale Lots

Oxalis Gold was a comfortable winner of the Byerley Turk on Monday. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Cape Breeders

The Birch Bros’ resident stallion Gold Standard enjoyed big-race success at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday.

The former G2 Selangor Cup winner’s daughter Oxalis Gold claimed her biggest win to date when she landed the G3 Byerley Turk in convincing fashion.

Trained by Mathew and Mike De Kock, the three-year-old made it win number four, from ten starts, when she won Monday’s R300 000 contest.

Under a well judged ride from Kabelo Matsunyane, Oxalis Gold hit the front close home and powered away to win by two lengths.

Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud, Oxalis Gold is out of the Galileo mare Serruria.

Monday’s winner has a Rafeef half-brother (Lot 271) on offer at the National Yearling Sale.

Her sire Gold Standard made a great start to his stud career with his small first crop unleashing the graded stakes winners Golden Hostess and Hold My Hand.

Oxalis Gold hails from her sire’s third crop, with this crop also responsible for Listed Ibhayi Stakes runner up Golden Link.

Gold Standard has a single lot on offer at the National Yearling Sale -a half-brother (Lot 127) to G3 Victress Stakes winner Fresnaye, with this colt very closely related to the Trippi sired G2 Cape Punters Cup winner Hluhluwe and to the Trippi sired dam of recent HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap winner All Out For Six.

Romantic Warrior Poised For Dubai Thriller

HKJC

Hong Kong racing phenomenon Romantic Warrior faces ten rivals in Saturday’s (5 April) G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) and everything looks right for another mighty exhibition over the same course and distance which saw him shatter the track record in January’s G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m).

But his jockey James McDonald sees this as a strong field, quipping at trackwork this week: “I wish it was a bit weaker!”. Like trainer Danny Shum, he envisages most danger coming from the four-strong Japanese contingent.

Of those, McDonald, who has ridden Romantic Warrior to nine of his ten Group 1 wins, picks out Yuga Kawada’s mount and Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island: “I believe she has had a better lead-up here than prior to her run at Sha Tin in December,” said the New Zealand-born rider referring to Liberty Island’s preparation before her late-closing one and a half lengths second to Romantic Warrior in the 2024 HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

Of Romantic Warrior’s own Meydan preparation, McDonald said: “He seems more relaxed than he was in Saudi and the guys who live and breathe him every day say that he hasn’t missed a beat. They are very happy with him.”

It was in February’s G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) that the world’s most valuable horse race also provided one of the most unforgettable contests when Romantic Warrior – having his first start on dirt – was grabbed in the shadows of the post by Forever Young.

And in the spectacular finale to Saturday’s Meydan card, Yoshito Yahagi-trained Ryusei Sakai-ridden four-year-old Forever Young has a first-class chance of following up that Saudi Cup victory in the 11-runner G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m, dirt).

Like Romantic Warrior, he is unbeaten at Meydan having dominated the closing stages of the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt) at this meeting last year.

Also on this meeting last year, Tony Cruz-trained California Spangle led almost throughout to win the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m), and John Size-trained Howdeepisyourlove, to be ridden by McDonald, will be one of the favourites to gain a follow-up victory in this Group 1 charge up the Meydan straight.

The six-time winner will need to overcome a clutch of highly accomplished UK-trained speedsters including Believing, paired with William Buick, who came close to winning a European Group 1 on each of her last three 2024 starts, and West Acre, who has thrived since arriving in Dubai, showcasing explosive acceleration to win a Meydan Group 2 in January – lowering the track record – and Group 3 here last month. Those were both at 1000m but jockey Callum Shepherd has gone on record saying he thinks the progressive George Scott-trained gelding, the only three-year-old in the race, could be even better over the 1200m of the Al Quoz Sprint.

Frankie Lor-trained Sword Point, also pairing with McDonald, encounters a fiercely competitive and cosmopolitan field for the G2 Godolphin Mile (1600m, dirt). One of the favourites is expected to be California-based and Frankie Dettori-ridden Raging Torrent, a decisive winner of Santa Anita’s G1 Malibu Stakes (1400m, dirt) last start.

Luna Halo Will Be Hard To Beat

Picture:Luna Halo is tipped to win the fourth race. (Pauline Herman Photography).

Fairview Turf Friday Formguides and Selections

R1 (3) BONJOUR LA VILLE has run some smart races recently and will be a huge contender. (7) MIND FREEZE is making good progress with every start and should be respected, plenty scope to go well. (5) IVY can get much closer after making progress in the last start however was beaten by a big margin. (8) OLIVE OYL is another who has scope to improve and should be respected. (2) AUGUSTA ROSSO is one to watch, the yard have been in top form with their juveniles and any market support must be taken seriously. (Devonne Govender 3-7-5-8-2)

R2 (8) WINTER WARFARE is holding solid form, he ran behind a smart sort and will take some beating if reproducing that last effort. (2) BLOWN AWAY ran well in the last start and a lively challenger to the top selection, respect. (10) SECRET CHOICE has scope to get much closer and should be respected. (1) ACTION AMERICA will benefit from that first run and should make improvement. (Devonne Govender 8-2-10-1)

R3 (3) GRAND ALLEGRO was beaten by the second selection in his last start however he was making his provincial debut hence he should be a huge contender. (1) ASINANTANGA has been narrowly beaten in the last two starts and must be respected, big chance. (5) CHEERFUL CHARLIE B wasn’t far behind the top two selections and will be in the mix. (6) MR FOX was beaten odds on favourite in the last start and is capable of much better, so respect. (Devonne Govender 3-1-5-6)

R4 (1) LUNA HALO packs plenty of class and will be tough to beat here hence she is a banker in all bets. (2) GIMME’S LASSIE is very capable and can make the frame, that last run is best ignored. (3) ESSENTIAL is capable of getting into the placings, she is a very honest type. (4) AS FATE HAS IT may be able to sneak into the quartets. (Devonne Govender 1-2-3-4)

R5 Open race. (1) STRATA won a gutsy race in the last start and will be a huge runner once again. (2) DECREE is capable of much better and cannot be ignored here, he’s back on turf and will be there in the mix. (6) GUARDING THE WALL is holding consistent form having run second in the last start and a win prior to that, big chance. (8) WORDSWORTH is never far back , his recent form is very good and he will be a lively challenger. (Devonne Govender 1-2-6-8)

R6 (4) SEE YOU IN A BIT is holding form well, her last run was good and she will be the narrow first selection in a very open race. (7) SMASHING is knocking on the door for another career win, her form speaks for itself so is a must include in all bets. (6) DRESSEDTOTHENINES makes the provincial debut but has scope to go well, include in everything. (12) KOMESANS PASSION ran a cracker at big odds and is worth including again. (Devonne Govender 4-7-6-12)

R7 (2) BOURNEMOUTH is holding top form and will be a big runner once again in a race where many have chances. (3) ZATARA MAGIC is a very game front runner, he will be dangerous if allowed to dictate once again. (4) JOY AND PEACE is another classy individual, stable jockey Richard Fourie has interestingly chosen to ride her so this speaks volumes. (1) FIREALLEY is holding consistent form and will be in the mix once again. (Devonne Govender 2-3-4-1)

R8 (2) NOTHINGELSEMATTERS is holding consistent form and will have a huge winning chance, his last run was extremely good hence he is the top selection. (1) HAARLEM wasn’t far in the last start, he will be there again. (14) FUTURE OF ENERGY has the ability to pop up in a race of this nature respectively, although he has a tough draw he will be running on strongly. (8) FEARLESS BADGER wasn’t beaten far in the last start and can get into the quartets. (Devonne Govender 2-1-14-8)

Frankie Dettori Was Worth £18m – This Is How He Went Bankrupt

Picture: Frankie Dettori, known for his glittering success in the saddle and flamboyancy, was also flamboyant off the course but was unable to keep the lid on his financial problems.

Frankie Dettori is likely the world’s most famous jockey and his descent into financial ruin followed a period in which he had his own brush with what has become known as “the Streisand effect.”

He was at one stage worth £18 million, but he recently declared himself bankrupt.

Click here to read The Telegraph article on how it happened

Grand National Memories: Richard Pitman on Crisp v Red Rum

Picture: Lightweight Red Rum catches topweight Crisp in the shadow of the post and wins the 1973 Grand National going away. (Picture: Sporting Life).

Crisp is regarded as the greatest chaser to have never won the Grand National and his 1973 run in which he was caught late by the great Red Rum , to whom he was giving a whopping 23 pounds, is probably the greatest run in the the history of the iconic event.

Back in 2023 on the 50th annniversary of probably the National’s most celebrated renewal, Crisp’s rider recalled the epic race (watch video or read below):

Click here to watch Richard Pitman’s account of the 1973 Grand National

By Cornelius Lysaght (Sporting Life)

Horse Racing

Sat April 01, 2023 · 2y ago

The story of Crisp and the 1973 Grand National

Richard Pitman has his own place in Grand National folklore. He never rode the winner. But he enjoyed probably the greatest and most famous ride over the then fearsome fences.

He finished second on Crisp in the 1973 renewal, beaten by Red Rum.

He went into the race aboard the Australian import after winning the Champion Chase at Cheltenham after proving himself the leading chaser in his homeland.

He was a prodigious talent but carrying top weight and stepping up significantly in trip at Aintree.

Let Richard take you through the race.

Richard Pitman on Crisp v Red Rum

“I’m quite embarrassed that people still want to talk about it, all these years later. Youngsters who hadn’t seen it are amazed by the bold jumping, front-running tactics from the ‘black kangaroo’ from Australia.

“People love to bear bait me about the awful things I did wrong – I will only admit to one of them – but it’s still alive, that race. I live for the National. I haven’t missed it since I first rode in it in 1967 either as a jockey, or working for the BBC, and it’s a race that keeps me going.

“If Crisp had won it would have been a fantastic story but Red Rum went on to be such a good horse. We beat him, you know, at Doncaster the next season in a match race, carrying 12 stone each. We won by eight lengths, but then poor old Crisp got a leg (injury).

“Going into the 1973 National the trip was such an unknown, we were going into a fog. How would anyone know if we were going to stay? These days the course is slightly easier and the ground hasn’t been heavy for years and you get a mass of horses completing which I’m pleased about.

“I thought if I can hang onto him for long enough he has so much class that it will take a very good horse to beat him. I rode for a sporting stable, never had a bet in my life, but I heard at the start Michael O’Hehir on the Public Address system saying Red Rum had been backed into joint-favouritism.

“It’s amazing what you pick up and I thought that’s interesting so I had a look at him and thought well he’s seven inches shorter than us but he’s robust and a good little horse, so I’ll keep my eye on him.

“Well I didn’t keep my eye on anything. I jumped off in front on the inside, Grey Sombrero was up with me but on the complete outside so I wasn’t away from the field straight away. We were miles apart and when Crisp jumped the first I felt fine – he loved it. You get the feel straight away whether they’re going to take to it.

“I couldn’t wait for the next fence and when we got to Becher’s for the first time I looked over to Bill Shoemark on Grey Sombrero and shouted out ‘how are you going Bill?’

“He looked over mouthed something back – he didn’t say anything. There was me riding an armchair and he was really concentrating on the fence.

Classic Grand National No. 1 – Red Rum (1973)

“After the Chair and I heard on the PA that Grey Sombrero and fallen but I couldn’t hear another horse, nothing. The crowd were roaring as I was joint favourite but when I went out on the second circuit it was odd. It was quiet. Usually it’s noisy as you’re among horses and they’re exhaling and jockeys are shouting but there was nothing and I turned away to the first fence and could see a few holes in the fence where horses had bashed it.

“Then I passed a few jockeys who had fallen and were watching the race leaning against the rail then I passed one holding a bridle too. It was eerie, no sound, and lolloped round to Becher’s Brook and I heard Michael O’Hehir again. In those days there were big crowds at the fence, but I heard Michael say ‘…and Dick Pitman and Crisp are 25 lengths clear with Brian Fletcher kicking Red Rum out of the pack’. And I thought, that’ll do me.

“If he’s kicking and I’m running away then wow wee. The thrill of jumping Becher’s on him was incredible. He landed so far out he didn’t nod on landing as so many horses did because of the 12 foot 9inch drop.

“Then there was David Nicholson between Becher’s and Foinavon, his horse picking grass, and he said ‘Richard, you’re actually 33 and a half lengths clear, kick on you’ll win’. I thought no, that’s the one thing I won’t do. Stamina is key, hold him, hold him, hold him.

“On the second circuit you can see the grandstand from a long way out and I could hear no horse at all. We crossed the Melling Road and Crisp was still pulling and couldn’t get enough of the race.

“But then when we got the second last his legs, instead of going out in front of him, were slightly going out sideways which is the first sign of tiredness.

“Even his ears lost their strength and went down. When you lose the strength in the ears you’ve got to the bottom of the barrel.

“I was starting to slow down and for the first time heard Red Rum, even though I was still clear. It was firm ground and I heard the drum-drum, drum-drum of his hooves.

“He was a high blower, as he exhaled his nostrils flapped and I heard that too. I knew he was coming, it was getting louder. It’s like when we’re kids and have nightmares of running through treacle trying to get away from some horrible person and I knew he was closing.

“We jumped the last OK and the only error I’ll admit to came then. I thought I had to wake him up and gave him a tap with the whip in the right hand. He was 17 hands 2, a huge horse, and when I took my hand of the reigns he fell away from he. I should have kept hold of his head, kept him balanced and got to the Elbow.

“It was a basic error and as he fell away left handed, when I wanted to go right, by the time I’d straightened him up I lost two-and-a-half lengths. In the end I was beaten three-quarters of a length.

“I got him back on course and got to The Elbow where he had a rail to lean on but I could hear Red Rum and Fletcher getting louder and louder. Brian was very clever – he challenged wide because he could see I was out on my feet but if he came close the instinct of a racehorse is to find a bit more when challenged.

“It was only in the final two strides he got to me, two strides from the post. Poor old Crisp gave his all and I went from possible elation to desolation within those two strides. It didn’t last very long, by the time I pulled up, to get the elation back.

“I’m not a McCoy, Scudamore, Francome or Dunwoody who were tunnel vision champion jockeys. I was a happy chappy who loved ridding and I’d just had the ride of my life, something money couldn’t buy. I’d been beaten in the National but was delighted because I had such great ride. It was an amazing roller-coaster of emotions.”

Today's Question

Narrow Gauge was the July runner up 100 years ago in 1925. Why is his name forever linked to controversy?

The picture gives a clue to the answer (Image taken from book about the July by Ernie Duffield).

FIELDS, Thursday, 3 April

Fairview Turf

Today’s Question Answer

Picture: Narrow Gauge, nearest, crosses the line together with Moosme. Judge Harry Solomon controversially awarded the race to Moosme.

Narrow Gauge was July runner up in both 1925 and 1926, but it was the 1926 result which caused great controversy.

The 1926 July result after a tight finish was the biggest controversy in the 29 year history of the race as many were convinced the hot favourite Narrow Gauge had won, but the judge Harry Solomon, with no photo-finish to assist him as it was back then, gave it to Moosme. The crowd was angry and there were ugly scenes, while many letters to the newspaper following with one declaring that “If Narrow Gauge did not win, and by a long neck at that, then the sun, which has never let us down, is a liar.” Newspaperman also sometimes used to refer to Narrow Gauge as the July winner in the ensuing years such was the dissatisfaction with the verdict.