Puller the early leader

Garth Puller leads the KZN trainer’s championship at this early stage of the season.

He said while he was always striving to improve and build his clientele he was realistic enough to admit he did not have the firepower yet to hang on to this lead.

“We usually have a good run at the beginning of the season but I know how these things change and we don’t have the top horses to compete with the big yards in the Champions Season.”

The former jockey great has 68 horses at present although a lot of them are youngsters. He has had 15 winners this season from 100 runners, so his strike rate is 15%.

Among the promising ones is the three-year-old Gimmethegreenlight filly Travelling Light, who won by 4,80 lengths on debut last season before finishing unplaced in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship. She has had two starts since in a handicap over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville for a narrow second and a win in a Graduation Plate over that same course and distance. Her merit rating is 99. She is currently resting on the farm after being given her African Horse Sickness vaccinations.

“She is very fast and will be back in training in three weeks’ time,” Puller said

Puller’s long-striding fouryear-old Jackson gelding Jack Of Hearts has won his last two starts over 1950m and 2200m respectively. The Jacksons are starting to shine throughout the country and Puller rates Jack Of Hearts “an improving stayer.”

His promising three-year-old colts Bay Tibbs (Bold Silvano) and Brass Bell (Pathfork) are both owned by Hong Kong residents and Puller expected them to soon be on their way overseas to Tony Millard’s yard.

Puller is hard working and arrives at Summerveld at 20 to four every morning and only leaves at half-past six in the evening. –