TARRY STARS AT STUD
THUNDERSTRUCK
An increasing number of colts hailing from the Tarry yard are going to stud, with a number having already made their mark at stud.
THUNDERSTRUCK
2019 h Rafeef-Varikate
A son of top-class sire Rafeef (himself out of the Tarry-trained champion National Colour) and the Var sired G2 Post Merchants winner Varikate, Thunderstruck was a top-class galloper and G1 winner at both two and four.
He won two of three starts at two, with Thunderstruck showing his class with a convincing win in the G1 Gold Medallion. After winning his three-year-old debut, Thunderstruck went on to catch the eye when finishing runner-up in both of that season's G1 Golden Horse Sprint and G2 Post Merchants.
Thunderstruck ended his sophomore campaign with a third-place finish in the G1 Mercury Sprint, where he was beaten just over half a length by champion Isivunguvungu—subsequently a stakes winner in the US.
At four, the classy Thunderstruck proved better than ever. After finishing second, behind subsequent G1 winner Main Defender, in the G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, Thunderstruck would go on to win or finish second in each of his final six starts. After downing 2024 G1 Mercury Sprint winner Surjay over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Thunderstruck went on to best Isivunguvungu in the Franschoek Motor Museum Winchester Sprint Cup.
A runner-up effort in the 2024 G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship, when beaten less than half a length, was the last time that Thunderstruck would be beaten. He would win all of his last three starts, including the G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint and G2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes, confirming himself as South Africa's top sprinter in the process.
Standing his first season at Ridgemont this year, Thunderstruck was crowned Equus Champion Sprinter of 2023-2024. He retired to stud having won eight of 18 outings and earned R2 541 938.
CELESTIAL CITY
2018 h Silvano-Halfway To Heaven
There are fewer better-bred young South African stallion prospects than Celestial City. A R7 000 000 purchase from the 2020 National Yearling Sale, the classy bay is a son of six-time South African Champion Sire Silvano.
The latter left behind 112 black-type winners, including five Durban July winners, Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding, and an outstanding stallion in the form of Vercingetorix.
Bred on the highly successful Silvano/Jet Master cross, Celestial City is one of five winners produced by G3 Prix du Cap/Listed Off To Stud Handicap winner Halfway To Heaven, Equus Broodmare Of The Year in 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
A daughter of Jet Master, Halfway To Heaven's first three foals (by three different stallions), Rainbow Bridge (by Ideal World), Hawwaam (by Silvano) and Golden Ducat (by Philanthropist), were all multiple Grade One winners, with Rainbow Bridge South Africa's Horse Of The Year in 2020-2021. His half-brother Golden Ducat won both the G1 ARF Commemorative Cape Derby and G1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup (where Golden Ducat vanquished his half-brother Rainbow Bridge into second place).
Arguably, however, Halfway To Heaven's most exciting runner was champion Hawwaam, a Silvano full-brother to Celestial City. Equus Champion 3YO Colt of 2018-2019, Hawwaam won ten of just 13 starts and earned more than R6.7 million in stakes.
The Tarry team did a great job with Celestial City, who showed plenty of ability in a brief racing career. He won or placed in 12 of 15 starts, and won from 1400m to 1600m during his career.
An eye-catching winner on debut, Celestial City went on to finish second or third in each of his following four starts before winning decisively over 1600m on the Turffontein inside track. He would go on to reel off three wins in a row between May 2023 and July 2023 before producing a smart performance to finish runner up in the 2024 Listed Kings Cup. The winner of the Kings Cup, Narina Trogon, would go on to frank that form when he subsequently won the Listed Compendium Insurance Brokers Thukela Handicap.
Celestial City stands his first season at Summerhill Equestrian in 2024.
EDEN ROC
2016 h Var-Townsend
A half-brother to champion Sandringham Summit, Var's son Eden Roc was one of South Africa's best two-year-olds of 2018-2019. He won his first three starts including both the G1 Gold Medallion and the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe.
Eden Roc trained on well to win the G2 Post Merchants at three, where he accounted for such high-class performers as Warrior's Rest, Ultra Magnus and African Warrior, among others. The colt again showed high-class form as a four-year-old when Eden Roc ran second in both the G3 New Turf Carriers Merchants and G1 Golden Horse Sprint. His runner-up effort in the 2021 Golden Horse Sprint saw Eden Roc finish ahead of such G1 winners as MK's Pride, Chimichuri Run, Kasimir, Warrior's Rest and Bohica.
A winner from 1160m to 1400m, Eden Roc, a son of twice South Africa's Leading Sire of 2YOs Var, retired to stud having won six times and earned more than R1.4 million in stakes.
Out of the Captain Al sired G2 Fillies Championship winner Townsend, Eden Roc is a half-brother to five winners, notably Sandringham Summit, Equus Champion 2YO Colt of 2022-2023 and currently a stallion standing at Varsfontein Stud.
The Tarry yard has enjoyed plenty of success with Eden Roc's family, with the yard having also saddled Townsend's G1 winning half-brother Regal Ransom.
The well-bred Eden Roc is currently standing at Clifton Stud in KwaZulu-Natal.
CHIMICHURI RUN
2015 h Trippi-Spiced Gold
The blue-blooded Chimichuri Run shares his champion sire Trippi with a slew of high-class horses, including such Equus Champions as Charles Dickens, Jet Dark, Winchester Mansion and Hammie's Hooker.
Out of the Kahal sired G1 S A Fillies Classic winner Spiced Gold, the striking chestnut more than lived up to expectations on the racetrack, with Chimichuri Run winning three graded stakes and finishing first, second or third in five grade one contests.
Chimichuri Run showed great promise at two, winning second time out before finishing third in both the G2 SA Nursery and G1 Gold Medallion. He would end his two-year-old campaign with a triumph in the G3 Haval Motors South Africa Umkhomazi Stakes. The chestnut followed that win up with a sparkling, four and a quarter-length victory in the G3 Spring Spree Stakes, where his beaten rivals included champion Talktothestars.
Chimichuri Run's biggest win came, however, in the 2019 G1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, where the handsome colt beat the G1 winners Undercover Agent, Bold Respect, Attenborough and Van Halen.
He retired to stud having won eight times and earned more than R2.25 million in prize money, with Chimichuri Run having downed such stellar performers as Attenborough, Belgarion, Jet Dark, MK's Pride, Pacific Trader, Rivarine, Trip To Heaven, Undercover Agent and Van Halen during his career.
Chimichuri Run is currently standing at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds in KZN.
LANCE
2010 h Jet Master-Lyrical Linda
The blue-blooded Lance showed plenty of ability in a brief racing career, winning two of just six starts, including the Listed Secretariat Stakes. In landing the 2013 Secretariat Stakes, Lance thrashed subsequent Triple Crown/Summer Cup winner Louis The King by no less than three and a quarter lengths.
Always held in high regard by the Tarry stable, Lance is a Jet Master half-brother to the yard's G1 Gauteng Summer Cup winner Liege, with his dam Lyrical Linda having won eight races, including the G1 Garden Province Stakes.
Lance made an impression with his small first crop, consisting of just two runners, including two winners headed by the smart Kuuma. The latter finished second to subsequent G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Dyce in the 2021 G2 Epol Umkhomazi Stakes. Lance's second crop, again made up of just two starters, contained the smart Silver Tudor, but it was Lance's fourth crop that truly underlined his merits as a stallion.
This crop unleashed the superb Quid Pro Quo, one of the most brilliant two-year-old fillies to grace the South African turf in many a year. The Lance filly, named Equus Champion 2YO Filly for 2023-2024, won five of seven starts at two, including all of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship, G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, and G1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes.
Lance stands at Heuningfontein Stud.
WILLOW MAGIC
2010 h Dubawi-La Willow
A son of one of the world's greatest stallions, Willow Magic shares his triple G1 winning sire Dubawi with such outstanding performers and sires as Ghaiyyath, Night Of Thunder, Zarak, New Bay and Too Darn Hot.
He proved a top-class and versatile racehorse, with Willow Magic winning from 1000m to 1600m and earning more than R1.6 million at two.
Willow Magic came to hand early, winning twice at two including the G1 SA Nursery, where he accounted for subsequent G1 Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray by a length and three quarters. He would go on to finish second in the G1 Tsogo Sun Medallion, fourth in the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe, and third in the G1 Premier's Champion Stakes at two. Willow Magic showed brilliance at three, running out a two-length winner of the G2 The Dingaans before putting up a scintillating display to score by three and a half lengths over 1000m next time out.
At stud, Willow Magic left his mark as the sire of multiple graded stakes winner MK's Pride (whose wins included the 2022 G1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Opppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes), who himself is now standing at stud.
He currently stands at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds.
POMODORO
2008 h Jet Master-Golden Apple
The versatile Pomodoro, a daughter of the Tarry-trained G2 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas winner and subsequent Broodmare Of The Year Golden Apple, provided the yard with their first July win when he captured the 2012 G1 Vodacom Durban July. Pomodoro, who won from 1160m to 2450m, also dead-heated for first place in the 2012 G1 SA Derby and 2012 G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes. In total, Pomodoro won eight and placed a further nine times in his 24 starts, which saw him amass more than R4 million in prize money. He also finished a close second in the 2012 G1 SA Classic and third in the 2013 G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate.
Retired to stud in 2014, Pomodoro became South Africa's Leading First Season Sire in 2017-2018. His notable performers include the Tarry Yard's champion and G1 Thekwini Stakes/G1 SA Fillies Classic winner Return Flight, R5 million plus earner Cirillo, and G1 Cape Racing Presents The Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock.
Other notable performers sired by Pomodoro include the graded stakes winners Black Thorn, Epsom Girl, and Golden Belle, as well as the likes of Caralluma, Cornish Pomodoro, Leopold and Rule By Force.
Pomodoro currently stands at Heversham Park.
SKITT SKIZZLE
2008 h Jet Master-Ice Floe
Like Lance and Pomodoro, the late Skitt Skizzle was a son of seven-time South African Champion Sire Jet Master. A half-brother to G1-winning two-year-old Zeeno, as well as the dam of current smart performer Meridius, Skitt Skizzle won by ten lengths on debut. He would go on to score twice more and also finish fourth in the G2 Senor Santa Stakes.
Another held in high regard by his connections, Skitt Skizzle would go on to make his mark at stud, despite not getting the best of opportunities. His seven strong first crop included Listed Secretariat Stakes winner Cordillera as well as the high-class G1 galloper Tierra Del Fuego. The latter earned more than R800 000 and finished second in the 2020 G2 Hawaii Stakes.
Other notable gallopers sired by Skitt Skizzle included Castle Tankard queen True Beauty, G3 Sycamore Sprint queen Tropic Sun, and Listed Bauhinia Handicap runner-up May Queen.