Judicial puts Zackey over the moon
SMALL string Turffontein trainer Tyrone Zackey has made a habit over the years of mixing it with the big boys in the country's major races and looks set to make an impact again this year after winning the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1 800m at Turffontein on Saturday with Judicial, having earlier watched his colt Front Rank win a highly competitive three-year-old handicap in facile fashion.
Jockey Karl Zechner had a fine day too, not only driving Judicial to victory, but also winning the Listed Gardenia Handicap over 1 000m with the Lucky Houdalakis-trained three-yearold Trippi filly Ha Lucy, who was bred by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and is owned by Heinrich Rix’s Stone Hill Stud.
The going was soft on the day, but Zackey didn't believe this had anything to do with his respective charges’ wins and said, “The horses were nice and fit, if you have an unfit horse in those conditions you've got problems. This is the second time we have won the Victory Moon with a fresh horse (Smanjemanje returned from a five month layoff go win the race in 2011).
“It can be done if the owners give you the time to plan the race. If owners are always on top of you like a woodpecker it can unsettle your mind. I got permission from the stipes to scratch Judicial recently from a Tuesday meeting. On the other hand I thought he might not get into this race, so was relieved when he did, and it was a plan come together.’
Legal dispute
Judicial has always been well regarded by Zackey and his three-year-old year was interrupted by a legal dispute revolving around his gelding, meaning he didn’t run after the Dingaans at the end of November last year until April this year.
The Scott Brothers-bred Miesque’s Approval gelding had always experienced a problem with one of his testicles rising during a gallop and causing pain.
Zackey said, “That’s why he never used to get into the race early and then would finish like an express train.’’
Judicial won his last two starts of last season and was then given a break as well as his vaccinations at the height of winter, a time in which Zackey doesn't like to run his “better horses’’ due to the prevailing hard going.
Zackey said about the riding arrangements on Saturday, “Karl has been a regular riding work for me in the last six months. Whenever I ask him he is there. I felt I would have to give him some rides, so I put him on Augustinus and he won. I kept him aboard Augustinus and he won again. In the five rides I've given him he's won three, so has been lucky for us.’’
Zackey gives a lot of support to his nephew Craig, a promising apprentice. He said, "He has got potential, he just needs experience, and I nearly gave him the ride on Saturday but thought it would be better to hold back a bit from the big races. Karl won the Victory Moon two years ago on the Saeed Mohideen-trained Zambuca and has got a good big race temperament.’’
Zackey’s son in law and daughter Kevin and Nadine Backos had a share in the late great racehorse and stallion Victory Moon, so were thrilled to have won the race named after him for the second time. Judicial, who has also improved since blinkers were applied, had only about three contestants behind him on Saturday after Zechner had expertly eased him in behind horses from a wide draw of ten. He cut through the pack impressively in the straight to hit the front at the 250m mark before staying on resolutely to repel the challenge of Earl Of Derby.
He will be an interesting Sansui Summer Cup runner, although his chances might also depend on the handicapper.
“He ran off a 96 merit rating and although only winning by 0,75 lengths, there was a further 5,75 lengths back to the third horse.
Earlier the impressive 5,5 lengths victory of the three-year-old Mogok colt Front Rank, who was also bred by Scott Brothers, prompted jockey Piere Strydom to get off and say to Zackey, "Where have you been hiding this horse?!’’
Pulverised
He had just pulverised the highly regarded sorts Mutamakkin and Sun On Africa, despite having kicked a tree earlier in the day and then lost a quarter of his shoe during the race.
Zackey said, “There are not many three-yearolds that have won over a mile yet and I just hope he now gets into the Dingaans. This was the first time he had got a draw and he is also drawn three in the Dingaans, so we’re excited. The Dingaans is a race that gives you a good idea of where a horse stands.’’
Zackey has always rated Front Rank. He said, “We ran him in the KZN Yearling Sale Million and Grant van Niekerk said he had given him a really good feel, but was just green in front of the big crowd and under the lights.
He is a different horse now and will be better the further he goes and the older he gets. The feel he gives you at the races reminds me a lot of two of the better horses I’ve trained Galanthus and Warrior Man.’’
Both Judicial and Front Rank pulled up well and Zackey said, “All we need now is some luck in the Summer Cup and Dingaans.’’
Zackey, who is highly complementary about Turffontein as a training centre, only has 19 horses at present and concluded, “It is really nice to know we have some good horses to look forward to.’’