Prominent KZN trainer Gavin van Zyl and passionate owner Michael Leaf will be targeting both of the US$500 races on Sun Met day together, the CTS Mile and the CTS 1200, with Flying Free and So Var respectively.

Van Zyl has at least five feature race horses to look forward to for the rest of the season, while his son Gareth, also based at Summerveld, has quickly built up his string after parting company with big KZN owner Brian Burnard.

Flying Free could have a shout in the CTS Mile, having been a touch unlucky in the Grade 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m on Turffontein Standside last time out, where he finished a 1,4 length fourth. He was dropped out to last in the Dingaans from a draw of 14 out of 15 and was moving up strongly when his path was blocked. He was forced to switch inward a couple of times and was finishing well on the inside rail. In his previous races he had shown plenty of speed, particularly when only just failing to hold on over 1450m from the highly regarded Broadway Trip, although he was receiving 3kg from the latter. The relatively easy 1600m of Kenilworth should suit Flying Free down to the ground.

So Var and Flying Free were both precocious enough to start their careers in January of their two-year-old seasons.

So Var later won three on the trot from 1000-1160m, and included among these was a two length victory over the classy Alfolk over 1000m despite having to give the latter 2kg. So Var ended his two-year-old season running a decent 2,75 length second to the classy Al Mariachi, to whom he gave 2kg, in the Grade 3 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Greyville. However, he will have to bounce back from a poor run last time out in his second run of the season, where he faded tamely and finished last over 1200m.

Van Zyl will find one more run for each of the pair before they head for Cape Town.

Van Zyl travelled Budapest down to Cape Town four days before he won the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m in 2015, and he will use the same travelling strategy with Flying Free and So Var.

On Saturday the Van Zyl-trained Harlan County gave cheek to the classy Surcharge in the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m before going down by 0,6 lengths. The Pathfork gelding was receiving 8kg from the winner, but it was his first run out of the maidens, He is out of Al Mufti mare Al Nibari, who produced Grade 1 winner Little Miss Magic and Grade 3 winner Without Malice. He will go for next year’s Gauteng Triple Crown races.

Van Zyl-trained Black Minnaloushe gelding Blackball carried 59kg in The Secretariat and finished a 6,45 length seventh. However, Van Zyl was upbeat about his future  as he is a half-brother to Rocketball, who ran a close second in the SA Derby for the yard two years ago.

Van Zyl also has a promising three-year-old in Await The Dawn filly Pilgrim’s Progress, who has won three on the trot from 1800-2000m.

“She is very decent,” he said. She showed a fine turn of foot last time when winning a three-year-old handicap over 1800m off an 83 merit rating. She will continue to improve and looks tailor-made for the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and the SA Oaks.

Meanwhile, the yard are hoping their classy four-year-old Bella Sonata will eventually land a good draw. She proved she is Grade 1 class over a mile last season, running second to Nother Russia in the weight for age Empress Club Stakes from draw 14 of 15 and third to Bela-Bela in the Garden Province Stakes from draw 8 of 14. This season she has won the Grade 3 Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m when drawn well and has been undone by wide draws in two Grade 2s over a mile, the Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile and the Ipi Tombe Challenge, although she was only 1,3 lengths behind Nother Russia in fifth place in the latter race when receiving only 1kg.

The journey to the CTS Million dollar day started when Leaf pointed out two Maine Chance Farms-bred sons of Var he liked on pedigree at the CTS Premier Yearling Sale of 2016 and asked Van Zyl to look at them.

Flying Free is out of Frequent Flyer, who won the Listed Stormsvlei Mile and was twice placed second in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m. Frequent Flyer is the daughter of Grade 1 November Handicap winner Fov’s Fancy.

Van Zyl said, “Frequent Flyer was a very good racehorse and Flying Free was a well put together yearling.”

So Var is out of the seven time-winning Wolfhound sprinter, Surabi, who won the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes and the Listed Gardenia Handicap. Furthermore, Surabi is a half-sister to the top class dual Grade 1-winner Gypsy’s Warning, who held her own in the USA.

Van Zyl said, “Surabi had been threatening to throw a nice horse. This one was by Var and was also a nicely put together horse”.

He added, “I managed to buy both of them within the budget.”

Flying Free was the first foal of Frequent Flyer and Van Zyl clinched her for R450,000 on behalf of Leaf. He had earlier secured So Var for R500,000.

Meanwhile, Gareth has been well supported by some top owners and already has a string of 34. Among them are three Silvano’s, two Var’s, a Captain Al, a Judpot from a top mare and an Oratorio.

By David Thiselton