Tarquin Norval
You can’t keep a good man down! The South African horseracing community will be pleased to learn that Western Cape Stipendiary Steward Tarquin Norval is well on the road to recovery and chomping at the bit to get back into his daily fitness schedule, after undergoing heart surgery late last week.
Speaking from his Cape Town home, where he is reportedly ‘taking things easy’ after a lengthy and intricate procedure to replace his Aortic Valve, one of Cape racing’s most instantly recognisable, popular and approachable officials said that he was relieved that he had taken the step of going under the knife:
“While my health was not suffering outwardly, I was advised by my surgeon to have the operation before I get any older. The valve was faulty from birth-it is apparently a genetic defect-and it would have become more of a factor as it narrowed with age,” he said.
The fifty-six year old Tarquin, a former horseracing journalist from the glory days of the sport, is also an accomplished horseman and athlete having completed 12 Two Oceans Half marathons, 18 Argus Tours, as well as many other half marathons – the Peninsula, Grape Run, Gun Run, Knysna Half, to mention a few.
He says that he is itching to get back into training: “On my doctor’s orders I will be taking things one day at a time and very slowly for now. I would like to thank everybody, both within and outside of horseracing, who have sent good wishes to me. The care, kindness and interest shown has been truly overwhelming.”
The Sporting Post wishes Tarquin a speedy and full recovery.
