Trainer Tyrone Zackey looking forward to Cape Town
Turffontein-based Trainer Tyrone Zackey cringed and shook his head when he heard that CTS ambassador Morgan Deane Smith had popped the helium balloon and unfurled a piece of paper with number 16 on it at the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes draw function at the sponsor’s magnificent Stellenbosch hotel on Thursday afternoon.
But the seasoned horseman and trainer of Paulo Do Carmo’s Mogok filly Pennington Sands philosophically shrugged off the ‘bad balloon’ as one of ‘those uncontrollables.’
“It goes without saying that when travelling almost 2000 km by road to a foreign racing centre with a young filly, we would ideally like to have every possible angle stacked in our favour. But we have a good jockey aboard in Gavin Lerena, our girl is fit, ready and she is good and talented – and the main thing is we have a ticket, so we have a chance!” he laughed.
And she is in excellent hands.
Tyrone took his training licence out relatively late in life in the year 2000 after over 30 years as a succesful breeder and owner. He enjoys looking after a small string at Turffontein.
“A few years ago I had a bit of good fortune with one of Paulo’s mares that was standing on a farm. I managed to get a place and a win out of her and then sent her back to him into retirement as a broodmare. Paulo remembered me and I was very happy to get the call when he allocated Pennington Sands”
Gavin Lerena – good jockey and knows the filly
“She won her maiden at her fourth start and then followed up with two great runs before a creditable fifth behind Same Jurisdiction in the Gr1 Thekwini on Super Saturday. She had a small op and needed her first run back on 11 October when finishing well for second. I probably asked too much of her at that time at her next start when she faced Majmu in the Starling Stakes. But check the times – she can’t be too bad based on that level seeing it was a second run after a rest!” he said enthusiastically.
Tyrone confirmed that the Ready To Run golden carrot had been a target for the filly’s owner since her excellent run on Super Saturday.
His own last trip to Cape Town was some two years ago when he brought the gallant Kahal gelding Smanjemanje down for a tilt at the J&B Met.
“He was a big horse and didn’t enjoy the track. And we bumped Igugu at her best. But he came out of that and improved further – who can forget his July run? But Cape Town is always a great city and a hospitable place – win or lose,” he said.
Pennington Sands will leave Turffontein by road shortly after 10 am on Tuesday morning with her groom and workrider.
“I have a top head groom and workrider and she will settle in at Kenilworth Racecourse – I will fly in on Thursday and she will have a look at the track as she would not have seen the left-handed turn yet,” he said.
“We are looking forward to the challenge!”
