Tyrone Zackey said that no matter his horse’s price of 100-1
he felt that Singing Sword was a big runner in Saturday’s
Vodacom Durban July.
In fact Zackey, after listening to a bookmaker recently
writing off the chances of his charge, challenged him to
lay 150-1. The bookie then changed his tune somewhat but
eventually agreed to meet Zackey half-way. The result is
that the genial trainer has a healthy wager of R130 000/1000
riding on Singing Sword in the big race.
Zackey felt that it was an honour to have a runner in the
Vodacom Durban July.
The Turffontein-based trainer said yesterday that Singing
Sword had improved since his last run and was thriving at
Summerveld.
Singing Sword is his first runner in the country’s premier
race and it would certainly be an incredible rags to riches
story if he won it.
Zackey’s son-in-law, Kevin Backos, was part of a syndicate
that stood Singing Sword’s unfashionable sire, Prince Of
War.
Backos told Zackey one day that he had a few Prince Of
War yearlings that they were giving away. When the float
arrived at his farm Zackey chose two for himself, including
Singing Sword, although he immediately recognised that they
were not yearlings at all but weanlings. He consequently
took Singing Sword off the float and he stayed on his farm
for about a year before being taken to his yard at Turffontein.
He recalled how he had predicted to trainer Erico Verdonese
shortly thereafter and before Singing Sword had run that
the colt would run in the July one day.
Singing Sword had his gallop on Friday at Summerveld. With
his July jockey Gavin Lerena up he gave Paris To Peking
a two length start at level weights and beat him going away.
Zackey was not too pleased with Singing Sword’s draw of
10.
He said that the colt lacked a bit of pace at the jump
but picked it up well after that. He said the horse was
able to change gears which meant he responded well to whatever
the jockey asked of him.
Zackey believes that it will be one of the fastest Julys
ever as he reckons there will be a lot of horses who will
want to be up there. He said that he would want to avoid
the early hustle and bustle and sit midfield before coming
with a run. He said that in the July not an inch is given
and it is “war” out there. However he added that the false
rail would be set at 10 metres which would mean the horses
would fan out and there would be plenty of time to position
the horse for a run in the straight.
Zackey has no concern about Singing Sword’s stamina and
said that the horse had won easily over 2 000m at the Vaal
before and added that he believed the Turffontein 2 000m
of the Summer Cup and Gommagomma equated to about 2 400m
at most other courses. Singing Sword ran on well for fourth
in both of those Grade I races.
Zackey said he would like it to rain again before the big
day as Singing Sword loved the soft. He doesn’t see that
as being a likelihood but said this wouldn’t be a concern
as his charge is very sound.
Zackey’s only concern is in fact the draw and “luck in
running”.
He pointed out that Singing Sword is the sort of horse
who had only ever really run against the best horses in
the land and had never been disgraced. He praised Gavin
Lerena, the champion apprentice, whom he said had been coming
down two to three times a week to ride Singing Sword in
work and thus knew the horse well.
He said that Pocket Power had caught his eye with the tremendous
“late rattle” he had come with in the Gold Challenge and
believed that he was the one everybody had to beat.
Zackey advised punters to include all his horses in the
Pick 6 on Vodacom Durban July day and singled out Lion’s
Blood as having a definite chance in the Grade I Golden
Horseshoe.