Sean Tarry is almost unstoppable in his charge to a second National Trainer’s Championship and Newyorkstateofmind can add to his already burgeoning tally at Greyville tomorrow.

The gelding took an age to shed his maiden but once that was behind him he was quick to reel off a further two victories. He has been campaigned relentlessly with at least one outing per month since October last year and although he lost a little of his form after his last win back in November, he is now showing a glimpse of his better form. He was third in a stronger handicap field at his last start and with Anthony Delpech taking over in the saddle Newyorkstateofmind can give Eddie Sweat a run for his money.

Eddie Sweat, named after the groom of the legendary Triple Crown winner Secretariat, has been out of the winner’s box for some time now and although the five-time winner is hardly in the league of ‘Big Red’, Frank Robinson has been patient and the gelding’s time could come again this afternoon.

It has been over two years since his last victory but the handicappers have finally relented and the gelding’s rating has been dropping rapidly from a high of 94 to 67 and to a point where he now looks competitive again. He is also showing signs of a return to form.

Although Eddie Sweat can hardly be backed with any confidence Robinson looks to have picked the right race for him. He has seldom been far off the winner even though his losing streak stretches back 780 days he was staying on nicely in the soft ground at Scottsville last time out when three lengths behind Great Value.

He is well suited – like many of the older brigade – to the more forgiving and even poly track surface and although he takes on some fairly promising younger rivals, today could be his day.

Belinda Impey survived a savage attack by a disgruntled former employee a fortnight back but her stable hands and her Ashburton colleagues stepped into the breech to help out while she was in hospital and she will be back to saddle her smart mare Kept Secret, winner of both her recent starts. In form apprentice Ashton Arries, aboard Newyorkstateofmind last time out, has stuck with Kept Secret and a winning hat-trick will be welcomed by all.

Seatops and Damali look pick of the younger brigade but Eddie Sweat could provide for a good priced winner in what looks to be another tricky card.

In the Lightning Shot Handicap, Mr Mcsteamy comes into this race holding his form and does his best over course and distance. He takes a slight drop in class and Anton Marcus is back aboard. Toonani was well supported in the market last time out but may have been short of a run after returning from a break. He should improve on that showing and looks a threat. Of the balance, Roy Royale is back over his best surface and is down in the ratings while All True Man improved last run and has his third start after a break.

Ideal Duel is a recent maiden winner but has improved with every outing, shedding her maiden at third time of asking. She appears to have some scope and meets little of note in the SA Racing App Handicap.

By Andrew Harrison

Piet Botha has come out of retirement and rides two horses for Glen Puller at Kenilworth on Saturday – Love To Fly in the Juvenile Plate and Jay Rock in the Racing Association Maiden.

Botha, 40, said yesterday: “I resumed riding work on December 27. I wanted to ride one horse and see how it feels. I haven’t looked back since, and I aim to continue for as long as I stay fit and healthy. My weight is pretty good – I was 56kg when I stepped on the scales last Saturday.”

A bad fall at Summerveld in 2010 ended his career the first time round when a broken rib caused endless pain and led to his being medically boarded with supposedly-permanent nerve damage.

He rode two Grade 1 winners in Mauritius and has a string of Grade 2 and 3 winners in Cape Town to his credit including the Green Point and Matchem on Roman Charger, Peninsula Handicap (Dunford),  Chairman’s Cup (Selous trained by Puller), Odessa ( Joshua’s Princess), Sceptre (Joshlin) and J & B Reserve Stayers.

Since his retirement he has been concentrating on building up his coffee machine business.

By Michael Clower

Summerveld trainer Paul Lafferty is enjoying a fine run at present, especially with his juveniles, and despite having a string which totals just 45 horses he said there were more promising youngsters waiting in the wings.

Lafferty has one of the most exciting two-year-old fillies in the country, Touch Of Magic, who was landed for a bargain price at a Magic Millions Sale in Australia last year.

On debut over 1000m at Scottsville on March 1, this strongly built bay sat in behind the leaders, showing good cruising speed, and after being switched out by Diego De Gouveia quickened effortlessly to win by 3,75 lengths. The runner up Rose Hill finished a close second next time out to frank the form.

Lafferty described Touch Of Magic as a “real machine” and was thrilled for owners Brian Riley, Michael Leaf and Sherwin Jerrier, whom he described as “absolute gentleman to train for.”

He added, “The Allan Robertson is her aim. She is a bomb and we are just keeping her ticking over. If we find the right race she could come out before then, but I wouldn’t worry at all about sending her straight into the Allan Robertson.”

Touch Of Magic already has considerable paddock value.

Earlier this year her dam Moccasin Bend, who is by the USA-bred Majestic Light stallion Eternity Range, made headlines.

Her Not A Single Doubt colt fetched Aus$725,000 at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast knocked down to the Shadwell Stud of Sheik Hamdan’s.

Three years earlier new breeder Gary Castledine had bought Moccasin Bend, a Gr 2 W A Guineas winner, for Aus$135,000 in foal to four-time Gr 1-winner Sepoy. The latter was both the champion two-year-old and three-year-old colt in Australia.

Lafferty liked the look of the resultant foal, Touch Of Magic, and with Brian Riley accompanying him secured her for what now looks a bargain Aus$75,000.

Lafferty has five young Judpots in his string as he regards him as an excellent value stallion.

On Sunday his Judpot colt Sniper Shot won a Juvenile Plate over 1200m at Greyville from pillar to post under 4kg claimer Ashton Arries, beating among others the smart Cape colt Sir Frenchie into third by 1,5 lengths.

That was his second win in succession and Lafferty said, “He is useful and speedy. Our Captain Al colt Freddie Flint, who finished fourth in the Sentinel Stakes, is also promising. But we have some unraced two-year-old colts who are better than them, including a couple of Australian-breds and one by Count Dubois.

He hoped some of his two-year-old males would prove to be Gr 1 class, although he recognised the strength and depth of the Cape and Gauteng campaigners among the crop.

The yard’s Elusive Fort filly Crymeariver “could be anything” after winning a Juvenile Plate over 1200m at Scottsville on debut, beating the well regarded winner Neptune’s Rain. On paper her form compares favourably with her Maiden Juvenile Plate-winning stablemate, the Rebel King filly Simply Scrumptious. However, Lafferty believes these fillies are not up to the class of Touch Of Magic.

Lafferty has sent out eleven winners since March 1 at a strike rate of 27,5%.

His puts his recent success down to team effort and also made particular mention of the benefit of a Faradic Machine. This impulse therapy machine treats horses every day at the yard. It has double benefit to owners, who are not charged for its use, as it keeps the veterinarians at bay. An example of its positive affect can be seen in the filly Pearl Emblem. She was transformed from a battling one-time winner into a horse who won a further six races in the space of six months.

Lafferty’s horses have been turned out in magnificent condition lately and he attributed this partly to the two very good “clippers” (who could be termed equine hairdressers) he has working for him.

By David Thiselton

Cape Town handicapper Ken Nicol, handed the retrenchment red card by the National Horseracing Authority, aims to stay in racing either as a handicapper overseas or as a journalist.

He said yesterday: “I’ve been in racing for quite a while, firstly in computers and as a jockey’s agent. I also owned a couple of horses and spent five years with the Sporting Post before becoming a handicapper in 2010. Now I want to continue my involvement with the game.”

Nicol, 55, will be a serious loss to the local handicapping scene. He made a point of going into the parade ring before each race to study the horses, see which were fit and which weren’t, and which were playing up, showing signs of nerves or anything else that might stop them running up to their best. Those taking over his job from TV screens in their offices in Johannesburg and Durban won’t find this so easy.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal has an eight race meeting tomorrow and punters look to have some fair chances.

The first over 1000m is full of intrigue as it sees a number of two-year-olds taking on older horses in a maiden. The first-timer two-year-old from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard, Radiant Cut, is the only filly in the field but being by Var and a half-sister to the useful Gr 3-winning sprint-miler Brilliant Cut she should have a fine chance from a plum low draw. She only has to carry 54,5kg.

Imperial Past has the advantage of being a three-year-old who only has to give his male two-year-old rivals here 3kg as opposed to the 8,5kg he would have to give them if it were a weight for age race. He showed good pace over 1200m on debut and should have come on from the run. He was over racing early and was reported to have made a breathing noise, so should relish the step down in trip too.

Captain Kangaroo is an interesting two-year-old male here. He was well beaten on debut over 1160m, but he showed excellent early pace in a decent field and should come on from the run. Significantly, Gavin Lerena has stuck with him.

Bravo Zulu wouldn’t be described as a scopey sort, but has some pace and was quite close to Laurent du Var last time and the latter went on to finish second in a Gr 3. The three-year-old Jet Sailor can earn on his best form, while the first-timer Brigtnumberten is speedily bred being by Eightfold Path out of a mare who won by 5,5 lengths on debut over 800m.

The Great Duchess has been chosen as the value bet of the day and she runs in race two, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m. She is a big, improved horse who will be staying on strongly from her unfavourable high draw. She is against her own gender here after running well in a mixed maiden field last time.

The best bet of the day, Guns And Roses, runs in race three over 1475m. She was slow away on debut over 1160m, but ran on strongly and the form has worked out well. She will enjoy the step up in trip on pedigree and is drawn on the right side in a moderate field. However, Sean Tarry has two first-timers, Miss Evolution and Gypsy Jazz, and considering the exceptional strike rate this yard has with first-timers, any money for them must be respected.

The rest of the races are handicaps, so will be more competitive.

In race five the topweight Whosethebossnow looks to possess class and should start coming into his own now. He is well drawn and should appreciate the step down to 1700m after disappointing over 2000m last time in the Listed Derby Trial. Blue Diamond Road will be a threat as he has a fair draw over a suitable trip and looks to be off an attractive merit rating at present. Those two have been chosen to be enough to get through the Pick 6.

The last race has been chosen as the other leg to go thin in the Pick 6 as three horses, Movie Show, Hashtag Strat and Lay Of The World look to have the speed, class and scope to be potential victors over a suitable 1000m trip.

By David Thiselton