Richard Fourie labelled it a ‘fun gallop’ but a R375 000 first cheque for a shade over 99 seconds of exertion is not half bad in anybody’s book!
Sean Tarry’s one-time Equus champion juvenile Mrs Geriatrix brought the curtain down on her 3yo term in the best manner possible with a good win in the R600 000 KwaZulu-Natal Breeders Mile at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Raced by the Magical Lady Syndicate, Mrs Geriatrix has personified the roller-coaster of racehorse ownership, winning her first six starts and making the whole ownership thing look easy!
Mrs Geriatrix (Richard Fourie) scores her first win over a mile (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
But a trip down South earlier this season saw 7 runs without a win, and the abortive Cape Town trip really set her back.
But her after some regrouping and clam heads from the Sean Tarry team, Mrs Geriatrix (1-1) found her winning stride again in clinical fashion on the big day for the local breeders, when she cut through her field and showed the benefit of the decision to drop in class and regain her confidence.
She beat the 33-1 Prince Of Taranto by 0,90 lengths, clocking 99,22 secs, with Noble City (7-2) a further 2,60 lengths back in third, in the only turf contest of the restricted racing afternoon.
“She’s elegant, classy and just lacks a bit in size. We took the decision to run her here rather than the Ridgemont Gr1 Garden Province Stakes next Saturday. I think she will train on and I’m pleased she stayed the mile,” said Sean Tarry, who trained 3 winners on the afternoon.
A R200 000 2022 National Yearling Sale graduate, the Clifton-bred Mrs Geriatrix is by Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the Kahal mare Velvet Glove, whose breeder Peter Blythe described as ‘not too good’.
A winner of 7 races with 4 places from 13 starts, Mrs Geriatrix took her stakes earnings to R1 784 750.
Clifton Stud bred two winners on the afternoon.
