Trainer Sean Tarry and jockey Richard Fourie continued on their big day winning streak at Turffontein on Saturday when the newly blinkered Varsfontein Stud-bred Lucky Lad came from a near impossible position to cut the opposition down late and win the R500 000 Jehan Malherbe Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes.
Lucky Lad (Richard Fourie) ran on strongly to beat the eye-catching I Am Giant (Louis Mxothwa) by 0,40 lengths (Pic – JC Photos)
At this stage of the game, Tarry had 5 on the board with Fourie on 4, and two races still to run!
The only jockey to have ever partnered the smart 3yo, Richard Fourie had Lucky Lad some way off the speed as Rulership and Swing Upon A Star cut out the fractions.
Halfway through the 1160m contest, Lucky Lad looked to be fortunate to even run a place.
But Fourie knew what he had under him, and switching the smashing colt in, there was fireworks as the smashing-looking I Am Giant also unwound down the middle.
In an extraordinary back-to-form moment, Lucky Lad (15-10) ran on strongly to beat the eye-catching I Am Giant by 0,40 lengths in a time of 66,09 secs for the 1160m.
Bred Crawford made it a 2-3 when Surjay found some of his better form, a neck away in third, with the filly Winter Greeting (13-2) rounding off the quartet, a further 0,40 lengths back.
Winning jockey Richard Fourie said that Lucky Lad had jumped ‘clumsily’.
“They were on top of us, but I thought earlier that he needed further. But Mr Tarry is the master as we tried the blinkers and they worked. Lucky Lad looked beaten under me, but he exploded and produced a fantastic effort,” added Fourie, as he recorded his 272nd winner of what is set to be a vintage season.
Trainer Sean Tarry, as he has done so often over the years, was the ‘man of the match’ in the words of caller, Nico Kritsiotis.
“It’s a great team effort. I am truly happy for my owners, my team and my family. A great day. This horse had a wind op, and few come back from that. This was a mind-blowing win,” added the multiple former national champion.
An R850 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Lucky Lad has now won 5 races with 2 places from 8 starts for stakes of R1 312 500.
Bred by Varsfontein, he is a son of Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the twice winning Caesour mare, Imperial State.
The race was a commendable gesture by 4Racing to honour Cape commentator Jehan Malherbe, after his recent retirement following 44 years of calling races.
