Time Fo Orchids carried 62kg to another impressive victory under Gavin Lerena at Turffontein Standside on Saturday (Picture: Racing Today)
The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Time Thief filly Time Fo Orchids has been supplemented for the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint after recording her fourth successive victory on Saturday at Turffontein Standside and doing it in impressive style.
Her supporters must have been concerned in the MR 96 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m, considering she was in last place going through the 500m mark and not only had a wall of horses in front of her but also, if apprentice claims are included, was giving speedy pacemaker Virgin River no fewer than 14kg.
However, she then scythed through a clump of horses in a matter of strides while still under the hands before running on resolutely to win going away by 1,50 lengths.
She was only running off a 100 merit rating in the MR 96 Handicap, but was carrying a welter 62kg and only a couple of backhanders were required to get her home.
Time Fo Orchids was purchased off a dispersal sale for R850,000 in September 2022 by Rikesh Sewgoolam, who had the R7.5 million Gold Rush in mind at the time.
She finished unplaced in the latter race, but had earlier finished a 0,75 length second in the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m and a 1,80 length fourth in the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m behind the Equus Horse Of The Year Princess Calla.
She was trained by Sewgoolam’s Cape trainer Vaughan Marshall for those runs before having a three run stint with his KZN trainer Alyson Wright and then moving to his Highveld trainer Janse van Vuuren.
The latter has kept her to sprints and it has paid dividends.
She started off with an eyecatching 3,50 length eighth in the Gr 3 Jo’Burg Tourism Carry On Alice Stakes over 1160m and her four subsequent wins have been from 1000m to 1160m.
Gavin Lerena has ridden her in all of those wins and has discovered the key to her is her devastating late burst.
However, she will be considerably under sufferance in the Compuatform Sprint.
The highest rated runner in the race is Dyce on 130.
Time Fo Ocrhids’ merit rating has been increased six point to 106 after Saturday’s win, so even with her 2,5kg gender allowance she will be 9,5kg under sufferance with Dyce.
She is the third lowest runner of the 18 entries still standing with only 102-rated Trompie and 98-rated The Abdicator below her.
The Abdicator won well at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday in a Cape B Stakes race over 1000m, but was only given a two point raise for the run.
