Tara’s Halls always looked some way off top class during his racing career — but he has certainly been a revelation at stud. Already the sire of grade-one winner De Los Rios and Cape champion juvenile Dance Of Diamonds, his reputation could be further enhanced in the R125 000 grade-two Odessa Fillies Championship over 1 400m at Kenilworth in Cape Town on Saturday.
Tara’s Touch, a full sister to Dance Of Diamonds, has barely put a hoof wrong in her five runs to date, suffering defeat only at the hands of last season’s boom filly, Zolaroyale.
Returning from an eight-month rest early in October she slammed a novice field by almost eight lengths. Ten days later she landed prohibitive odds, winning a graduation plate.
That last victory seemed to indicate that Tara’s Touch now needs more than a sprint and she ventures beyond the 1 000m for the first time in her career. She should relish the extra ground and will be at her peak in her third run after her long rest.
Trainer Joey Ramsden also sends out two useful-looking fillies in Slinky Malinky and Catalina. Slinky is on a four-run winning streak and just held on from top-class Sport’s Chestnut in the Diana Stakes over the distance in her past start, while Catalina made it two in a row from just three runs when winning over 1 200m at Durbanville.
Promising apprentice Melvin Winnaar was aboard all three in their most recent triumphs and it must be noted that he has chosen Slinky.
It is hardly a Ramsden benefit, though: Port Elizabeth trainer Alan Greeff raids with Blushing Fairy and victory for this six-time winner would not be the slightest surprise.
The last of the major contenders for top honours must be Justin Snaith’s R300 000 Fort Wood filly Secret Heart. This one has raced against the best of her generation but was a costly failure at her past two starts. She might also prefer slightly more ground.
Stable companions Tara’s Touch and Slinky Malinky are selected to lead the way home from Blushing Fairy and Secret Heart.
In the seventh race, a graduation plate over 1 200m, Vaughan Marshall’s West Man colt Beamer could take some beating if ready after a six-month rest. He showed great promise when winning his first two before suffering an injury.
Raise A Ratoon, another promising raider from the Dennis Drier stable, might pick up the pieces if the Beamer breaks down.
At Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg Jack Straw, with Gavin Howes aboard, could win the second for trainer Cyril Naidoo. He was just 4,5 lengths behind the very useful Trance in his only run to date. Swoon was a warm favourite to win his debut but suffered a slipped saddle before finishing third. Improvement seems certain here and he is sure to fight out the finish.
The Naidoo-Howes combination can also land the fourth with Gather-thegold, who made a huge improvement in his first run at this course.
Vaal best bets: Forest Trogon (race 4); Paraca (race 6); Pacific Blue (race 7)