Old School. HR ‘Cash’ Truter is one of a dying breed
When the 3yo gelding Educated Guess won the third race at Turffontein on Monday at 100-1, the victory not only signalled a little-known stallion getting off the mark, but also demonstrated good old-fashioned perserverance at play.
Trained by Wallace Tolmay, Educated Guess powered through a narrow gap under Karl Zechner to catch and beat the far more fashionably bred and fancied, Giro Jet in the shadow of the post. Punters breathed a sigh of relief that the Maiden Plate run over 2450m was not a leg of the Pick 6 or Jackpot.
Educated Guess is owned and bred by H R ‘Cash’ Truter and was a first winner for the deceased stallion Fort Boyard. The winner is out of the one-time winning Goldmark mare, Pre Tax
A commodity trader and farmer, and the fifth generation Truter to breed racehorses, Cash told us that when he started his operation in Kroonstad in the Orange Free State almost forty years ago there were thirty-six registered breeders in the Province.
In what can only be described as a sign of the times, he is the last man standing as 2012 draws to a close.
Fort Boyard was trained by Ernie Cox and ran 4 times at 4 and 5. He retired a maiden and is a half-brother to the 2002 Listed Breeders Guineas She’s All That(Western Winter).
Calculated! Educated Guess (Karl Zechner) gets up to win the Maiden 2450m at Turffontein on Monday. Third placed Governors Club is on his inside
She produced the very talented three-time winning Group-placed Kilcoy Castle, trained by Sean Tarry.
Fort Boyard’s first dam She’s A Treat, won the SA Fillies Guineas and was a winner of five races in total from 1000-1600m.
Fort Boyard was acquired by the Truter family on a Clyde Basel Sale ‘many years ago’, as the breeder put it.
“He was a very well-bred horse, who stood at 17,5 hands. The only problem was that his offspring were either too big or had wind problems,” said Mr Truter.
Fort Boyard went to stud in 2005 and sired 31 foals, with 6 runners. He has sadly moved on to a paddock in the skies.
The Truters recently took over Martinelli from Klawervlei and also stand Kiwi Hero, Counter Action, War Lord and Mon Sang.
Says something for an educated guess, doesn’t it?
