He said, “The type of racing in Johannesburg suits some horses who prefer long straights and the program up here is also more suited to staying types. I sent two horses up here, Marchingontogether (Pathfork) and Don’t Look Back (Judpot) (who both went to St. John Gray’s yard), and their turnaround in form made me look like a bad trainer, so I had to nip that in the bud and come up here to set the record straight!”

Since his arrival his string has had 43 runs for 9 wins at a rate of 20.93%, which is the highest strike rate on the Highveld this season, marginally ahead of Mike de Kock’s 19.16% and log leader Paul Peter’s 19.09%.

Some of his charges excelled on the galloping tracks with their long straights, as he had predicted, notably Capetown Noir filly Admire Me, Global View gelding Tabebuia and Ideal World gelding Donald McDonald. 

Admire Me, who waltzed in by 3,75 lengths over 1600m under the lights at the Guineas meeting, is being aimed at the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m on Champions Day April 30. 

The four-year-old filly should relish the step up in trip being out of a Mark Of Esteem half-sister to Durban July winner Eyeofthetiger (Royal Academy). In fact her three-year-old full-sister Capetown Beauty was recently stepped up to middle distances by the Wayne and Barbara Badenhorst yard and won by 2,50 lengths over 1900m before winning by 4,20 lengths over 2000m, both on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly.   

Tabebuia will run in the Grade 1 WSB SA Derby on April 2 having won his maiden by 7,25 lengths when stepped up to 2000m on the Turffontein Inside track. 

He followed up with a good 3,50 second to the promising Litigation (Greys Inn) in the Listed Derby Trial to earn some black type. 

Tabebuia will now be 3kg worse off with Litigation in the SA Derby but Van Zyl said on the plus side he would “definitely stay the trip and is improving all the while.”

“I am expecting a very nice run,” he added. 

In fact he reckoned a worthwhile longshot each/way double to take on the day would be Tabebuia in the Derby and Evening Primrose (Flower Alley) in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks. 

The latter is one of two horses he is taking care of at Turffontein for his son Gareth. This big filly out of a stamina influential sire should stay the trip and will be “cherry ripe”.

Tomorrow Gavin runs the Grade 1 Allan Robertson fourth-placed Crimson Causeway (Gimmethegreenlight) in a Graduation Plate over 1160m which,with the scratching of Remember When, will have only five runners.

He said her poor last run was due to a combination of not enjoying the blinkers, the very soft going, and being drawn on the wrong side. The blinkers are now off and she will have the standside draw but the going might be rain softened again.

He said, “She has lost that cheap speed she used to have, so is not quite the same horse and I am a bit on the fence with her – I need to see her come back with a good run.”

Gavin’s sons Gareth and Chesney seem to have the same good understanding of horses he himself has had for a long time.

In fact Gareth is on his way to a family first as he is well clear in the KZN Trainers Championship.

Gavin fell just one winner short of winning the Transvaal Jockeys Championship on two occasions.

He rode for the like of champion trainer Jean Heming (nee Barnard) and was one of the famous ‘Vans” in the 1980s and 1990s, himself, Rhys van Wyk, Tobie van Booma and Cecil van As, who were all top echelon jockeys on the Highveld.

Gavin got Transvaal colours and attained Springbok colours riding for his country against an overseas team which included the like of Willie Carson and Greville Starkey.

Gavin thus “understands what the deal is” up on the Highveld, especially considering he had a successful satellite yard run by Chesney at Turffontein for a good few years. 

He has campaigned out of Turffontein again, although not from the same yard, and will keep a satellite yard there through the winter. 

“That will give us the best of both worlds,” he said. 

He has 35 horses in total so will be able to split them 20-15 between Summerveld and Turffontein.

He said he was blessed to have a fine team which includes his highly experienced and accomplished assistant Opensea Mphlamvu and he said Gareth also keeps an eye on things at Summerveld when he is away.  

Look out for any runners Gavin has on Saturday April 9 as that is the anniversary date of his first ever winner as a trainer, Laser Fan, who won over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on that date in 2007.   

Picture: Tabebuia wins his maiden by over seven lengths (JC Photos).