A remarkable feat of training and jockeyship delivered the goods in the R1 million Jonsson Workwear Gr1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on Saturday when the Avontuur-bred Thunderstruck registered his second elite success and endorsed his steely ability and the scintillating versatility of his top sire, Rafeef.
Rafeef, a champion son of Redoute’s Choice, won the Computaform Sprint in 2017, and also sired the 2022 winner Master Archie, who now stands at Winterbach Stud.
A remarkable feat of training and jockeyship from Thunderstruck and Richard Fourie! (Pic – JC Photos)
It was Sean Tarry’s fourth Computaform Sprint success after Carry On Alice (2016), Mythical Flight (2007) and National Colour (2006), and Richard Fourie’s third after the recently exported Isivunguvungu won last year, and another Avontuur product Attenborough raised the rafters in 2018.
“He could make a stallion one day,” remarked delighted owner Mary Slack as she complimented trainer Sean Tarry on the feat of getting the Gr2 Diadem Stakes back into the winner’s frame, less than 6 weeks after a courageous win at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
After the fillies Iphiko and Golden Sickle had gone hammer and tongs out front, Thunderstruck encountered a bump or two before ghosting up and finding his best stride under the professional guidance of Richard Fourie.
In a drive to the wire, Thunderstruck (18-10) upped his game to beat the gallant filly Golden Sickle (7-2) by 0,30 lengths in a time of 57,46 secs.
The runner-up’s stablemate Rulership (8-1) ran the race of his life in third.
Winning owner Mary Slack labelled Suzette and Basie Viljoen ‘the best sports in the game’, after they were the first to congratulate her. The Viljoens own the runner-up, Golden Sickle.
A BSA Online Auction recordbreaker at R1 241 000 as part of the Javett Dispersal, the Avontuur-bred Thunderstruck was originally acquired for R1 million BSA National Yearling Sale in 2021 by Form Bloodstock.
Thunderstruck has now won 7 races with 7 places from 17 starts for stakes of R2 466 938.
A son of Ridgemont’s former freshman champion Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) the winner is out of Avontuur’s late super sire VAR (Forest Wildcat) five-time winning daughter Varikate, a winner of the Gr2 Post Merchants.
