Former Zim star Oden bids for second SA win

There is no question that 2002 Durban July Handicap winner Ipi Tombe is Zimbabwe’s most famous equine export, but fouryear-old Oden is doing his best to fly the flag for his country too.

Ipi Tombe was bred at Peter Moor’s Golden Acres Farm in Marondera in Zimbabwe and fetched Z$50,000 at its 2000 Yearling Sales in Harare.

The filly won four of her five starts when trained by Noelene Peech before moving to Mike de Kock’s stable in SA. When she won the July, he said: “It certainly is a dream come true for Zim and the whole country.”

Oden also won four races in Zimbabwe before the decision was made to race the son of Oratorio in SA. It looked a good move when the gelding won his first start at the Vaal last November. However, trainer Gokhan Terzi has seen his charge beaten in four subsequent outings and will be hoping Oden can pick up the winning thread in the sixth race at Turffontein on Tuesday.

Oden’s chance in the 1,200m race has been made easier by the defection of Candice Dawson’s four-year-old Epic Dream, who won at the Johannesburg track last Saturday.

Now Oden faces eight rivals including De Kock’s well-bred three-year-old BattleofTrafalgar who bids to get his career back on track after a fruitless trip to the Cape.

The son of Captain Al — coowned by Irish breeding magnate John Magnier — won impressively at Tuesday’s track in November and is set to receive 4kg from Oden.

Sean Tarry had four winers at

Turffontein last Saturday and he will saddle two runners, Culture Trip and Pidgeon Rock. With Luke Ferraris booked for the first-named, the Pomodoro gelding may prove the pick of the duo.

Tarry will saddle 13 runners at the meeting and Cals Crush (fifth race), Sally Called (seventh race) and Tigermil (eighth) have solid each-way chances in their respective events.

Cals Crush, a Captain Al mare, has recouped only a third of her R900,000 purchase price, but she stayed on well to finish fourth on her most recent start and should give her backers a good run for their money.

Ice Eater, the mount of S ’ manga Khumalo, has been placed in his last two outings and enters calculations with Stuart Pettigrew’s runner King Of Delta, who is unbeaten in two starts over Tuesday’s course and distance.

Sally Called carries bottomweight of 52kg in the seventh race where the filly — bred by Gary Player — clashes with some talented females including Stage Dance and Paul Peter’s Pathfork mare Promise.

Stage Dance will be tough to beat if Callan Murray can overcome a wide draw, while Promise is reunited with this season’s leading rider Warren Kennedy. His mount, Cut Loose, will be an absentee in the eighth race and the finish may now chiefly concern Kisumu, Fire Flower, Miss Khalifa and Tarry’s filly Tigermil.

After three consecutive third placings, Fire Flower is overdue for her first win and it is surely a pointer that De Kock has entered her for a handicap while she is still a maiden. (1) Anatura (3) Pucker Up (2) Riqaaby (5) Majesty Rhea

8 is the number of rivals Oden will have to beat to win the sixth race at Turffontein on Tuesday

(1) Chasing Green (2) Caerphilly (8) Exultant (3) Set And Match

(9) Barak (14) Nordic Queen (1) Bartholomeus (13) Take The World

(2) Super Duper (3) Dance Class (1) Daphne Du Maurier (5) Curvation

(4) Cals Crush (5) Ice Eater (2) King Of The Delta (3) Pillaroftheearth

(5) Oden (9) BattleofTrafalgar (4) Old Man Tyme (7) Culture Trip

(5) Stage Dance (12) Sally Called (4) Promise (2) Florida Quays

(10) Fire Flower (7) Tigermil (11) Kisumu (6) Miss Khalifa