Judicial storms clear to win the Victory Moon Stakes (JC Photos)
Turffontein-based trainer Tyrone Zackey has less than twenty horses in his string but can hold his own with the best of them on any day. He saddled the Miesque’s Approval gelding Judicial to win the R400 000 Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes at Turffontein and he looks set for a big few weeks ahead.
Zackey has an outstanding strike rate from his limited runners and one can only imagine what the affable and likeable horseman could achieve were he given more ammunition.
He had Judicial stripped and fit and the result was never in doubt as his charge stormed clear to an easy win at 16 to 1.
Consider the Zackey form at the moment.
Judicial was registering his third win on the trot and while not in the top twenty of the latest big race log, stepped directly into the Sansui Summer Cup limelight after an emphatic win.
Trainer Tyrone Zackey – in form and in the news
He was the second leg of a Zackey Turffontein winning double on Saturday after Front Rank booked his Dingaans berth with a runaway victory to give champion Piere Strydom winner no 4996 in the second race.
Zackey also travels to Cape Town next week with his smart filly Pennington Sands to contest the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes on Saturday.
Interestingly, and possibly even coincidentally, all of the mentioned three bright stars are Scott Bro’s products!
So no mean achievement for a small trainer with a small string.
Fourteen horses lined up in a race that has become a traditional last hope for Summer Cup marginals and after the heavens opened again after a few days of rain, the going came up soft and the 1800m was to prove a genuine test of stamina.
Visiting jockey James Doyle had the grey Everest out early to show the way and he set the pace from the hard-pulling Jet Jamboree, with The Hangman and Rushmore River further back in running.
Karl Zechner – nice feature double at Turffontein
Turning into the home dash, Everest continued to lead as they drifted across to the outside with The Hangman and Rushmore River looking dangerous.
Everest stuck to his task with Killua Castle also moving well down the outside but Karl Zechner had been unwinding on Judicial and he hit the front at the 300m.
Running powerfully and enjoying the going, Judicial was chased all the way to the line by Earl Of Derby and Everest, who eventually stayed on gamely for third.
Judicial won by 0,75 lengths in a time of 115,15 secs.
Alec Laird’s Earl Of Derby caught the eye in a form return from a wide draw under Richard Fourie.
The Mike Bass-trained Mountain Master was backed into 15 to 4 favourite but was never in the hunt and ran 19 lengths behind.
Yer-Maan, The Hangman and Jet Jamboree all finished a distance behind the winner.
As already observed, like Front Rank and Zackey’s Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes candidate, Pennington Sands, Judicial was bred by Scott Bro’s.
The 4yo gelding is by Miesque’s Approval out of the one – time winning Dolpour mare, Lady Advocate.
Judicial is a R280 000 Emperors Palace Ready To Run graduate. He ran a creditable third behind the filly Winter Star in the 2013 RTR Cup.
He was registering a third win on the trot and now boasts 4 victories from 14 starts with 6 places and R 875 750 in stake earnings.
Jockey Zarl Zechner enjoyed a feature double on the day when he steered the Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred Trippi Filly Ha Lucy to win the Listed Gardenia Handicap earlier in the day.
Lucky Houdalakis trained the runaway winner for Heinrich Rix.
