Varsfontein stallion Master Of My Fate should see plenty of interest in his four lots at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale.
The son of Jet Master demonstrated his versatility at Turffontein on Saturday with a female stakes winner over 1000m – and then an equally gutsy performance by his gelded son Gift For The Gap in the 2000m Listed Derby Trial.
Master Of My Fate – top class
A winner of six of only eight races, the good looking Master Of My Fate – South Africa’s Leading First Crop Sire in 2017-2018 by individual winners – has four well related lots on offer at the 2019 March Yearling Sale and his progeny continue to catch the eye.
Tyrone Zackey is a master with the staying types that require patience and his daughter Nadine’s astute eye found Gift For The Gap at the National Yearling Sale – a perfect fit for her Dad.
After Lumber Jackaroo had shown the way to Flash Burn and Nimcha early, the in-form Marco van Rensburg had Gift For The Gap nearer last after abandoning plans to place his mount.
“I set off trying to place him but they all went that fast I opted to drop him out. He settled well and we followed the favourite in the run for home,” he said afterwards.
And after Hollywood’s Seattle Force and the favourite Protea Paradise had looked dangerous, it was Gift For The Gap who came storming up the outside, hotly pursued by Sean Tarry’s unbeaten Last Of The Legend.
In the run to the wire, the 15-1 Gift For The Gap finished the better and he beat Last Of The Legend comfortably by half a length in a time of 126.22 secs.
Master Magic caught the eye, making up lengths to be beaten under a length into third, with Seattle Force showing that he had benefitted from the change in scenery to be beaten just a length into fourth.
The favourite Protea Paradise flattered briefly but ran 7th, beaten 2,75 lengths and had no visible excuses.
Trainer Tyrone Zackey – Derby prospect
A thrilled Tyrone Zackey said that from day one ‘the winner had a mind of its own’.
He said that he realised the ‘Derby is hard’.
“But Marco van Rensburg rode a good race and we will take our chances – they only get one shot at the SA Derby,” he quipped.
An Oldlands Stud-bred gelding out of the one-time winning Fort Wood mare Idler, Gift For The Gap has won 4 races with 4 places from 13 starts for stakes of R315 687.
