Tarry’s BSA NYS G1 Alumni
The National Yearling Sale has provided Sean Tarry Racing with some truly outstanding horses, with numerous Tarry-trained stars sold off this sale, including such champions as Aslan, Bless My Stars, Celtic Sea, Legal Eagle, Mrs Geriatrix, and Thunderstruck. The recent G1 TAB SA Derby winner Legend Of Arthur is the latest G1 winner for the yard to have been purchased off the National Yearling Sale.
Long established as an outstanding source of champion racehorses, the National Yearling Sale is set to take place at the TBA Complex in Germiston on April 10th and 11th, with each day of trading set to commence at 10:00 AM sharp.
Almost all the top farms in South Africa have drafts on this year's auction, with the National Sale set to yearlings by such outstanding stallions as Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate, One World, Querari, Rafeef, Trippi and Vercingetorix, to name a few.
Sean Tarry Racing's BSA NYS graduates – G1 Winners:
LEGEND OF ARTHUR:
Lancaster Bomber – Grail Maiden
The half-brother to G1 SA Derby winner Hero's Honour showed great promise at two, when finishing third on debut before winning his next two starts by an aggregate of ten lengths. He ended his two-year-old campaign with a fifth-place finish in the G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes and duly progressed at three.
Legend Of Arthur put up a mighty performance when coming from nowhere to finish third in the G1 TAB SA Classic and duly picked up a well-deserved first G1 success when he won the G1 TAB SA Derby. Richard Fourie produced the colt with a furious finish, which saw Legend Of Arthur fly up late to win by a neck.
NYS Price: R925 000
Earnings: R1,213,125
COSMIC SPEED:
Querari – Cosmic Dream
One of the top two-year-olds of his year, Cosmic Speed won twice at two, including the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe, and also ran second, to champion stablemate Proceed, in the G1 Gold Medallion. He has already shown top-class form at three and, in his penultimate start, downed a top-class field to land the G1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut. In landing the Horse Chestnut Stakes, Cosmic Speed defeated such high-class rivals as Greaterix, Barbaresco, White Pearl, and Lucky Lad.
NYS Price: R725 000
Earnings: R1,748,750
MRS GERIATRIX:
Vercingetorix – Velvet Gove
Mrs Geriatrix enjoyed an outstanding campaign at two and was named Equus Champion 2YO Filly of 2022-2023.
The filly won all five of her starts at two, when Mrs Geriatrix swept to victory in all of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship, G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, G2 World Sports Betting SA Fillies Nursery and Listed Ruffian Stakes. One of the filly's most impressive performances came when Mrs Geriatrix ran out a near three-and-three-quarter-length winner of the Golden Slipper. Runner-up to Mrs Geriatrix in the Golden Slipper was none other than Rascova, winner of this season's G1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes. Other high-class performers beaten by Mrs Geriatrix at two included Egyptian Mau, White Pearl, Winter Cloud and Troppo Veloce.
NYS Price: R200 000
Earnings:R1,784,750
LUCKY LAD:
Gimmethegreenlight -Imperial State
Lucky Lad was a top-class two-year-old who won his first four starts by an aggregate of more than eight lengths. After making a winning debut over 1160m, the colt went on to land the G3 Protea Stakes, G2 World Sports Betting SA Nursery and G1 Gold Medallion. The last race saw Lucky Lad put a performance of sheer class, when he drew off to win as he liked by over five and a quarter lengths. He trained on well at three, when Lucky Lad finished second, to paternal half-brother and champion Sandringham Summit, in the G2 TAB Hawaii Stakes. The top-class Lucky Lad finished that effort up with a courageous win in the G2 Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes, and he then claimed his second G1 victory when Lucky Lad picked up the 2024 G1 Golden Horse Sprint. Remaining in training, the classy Lucky Lad finished third in the 2025 G1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship.
NYS Price: R850 000
Earnings: R2,412,500
BLESS MY STARS:
Gimmethegreenlight -Star Express
A close-up third in the G1 Thekwini Stakes at two, classy filly Bless My Stars progressed well at three to show high-class form. After a sixth place finish in the 2023 G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Bless My Stars was given a fine ride by S'Manga Khumalo to land the G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic by a short-head over the talented Feather Boa. Bless My Stars would clinch an Equus Award after finishing third in the G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and landing the G2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet. She has been exported and is currently racing in North America.
NYS Price: R250 000
Earnings: R2,391,250
THUNDERSTRUCK:
Rafeef -Varikate, by Var
Now standing at Ridgemont, the blue-blooded Thunderstruck emulated his Computaform Sprint-winning sire when he won the 2024 G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint. 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 upped his game to beat the gallant filly Golden Sickle by 0,30 lengths. Winner of the G1 Gold Medallion at two, Thunderstruck retired to stud having won eight of 18 starts and was the Equus Champion Sprinter of 2023-2024, with the bay winning five of his final six starts.
NYS Price: R1 000 000
Earnings: R2,541,938
CELTIC SEA::
Captain Al – Ireland
One of the most durable and talented members of her generation, Celtic Sea was Equus Champion 3YO Filly of 2018-2019 and Equus Champion Older Filly/Mare of 2019-2020. The Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bay won or placed in 23 of her 27 starts and earned R3,364,413 in stakes. Celtic Sea, who raced for Antony and Angela Beck, won eight graded races, with the champion winning graded races at two, three, four and five. Celtic Sea's three Grade One victories featured back-to-back runnings of the G1 South African Fillies Sprint as well as the G1 2019 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes. The latter race saw Celtic Sea account for Met winning champion Oh Susanna by nearly a length.
A R325 000 purchase from the 2017 National Yearling Sale, Celtic Sea is one of 105 stakes winners for late champion sire Captain Al (also sire of the yard's wonderful filly Carry On Alice). Celtic Sea is out of the twice winning Mark Of Esteem mare Ireland, whose other progeny include Listed Michaelmas Handicap winner Donald Mcdonald and Cashel Palace, third in both the G3 Hi-Fi Corporation Fillies Mile and G3 Acacia Handicap. Celtic Sea had a Starspangledbanner colt entered for the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale but unfortunately the colt was withdrawn.
NYS Price: R325 000
Earnings: R3,364,413
EDEN ROC:
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 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 G1Golden 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.
NYS Price: R340 000
Earnings: R1,410,050
LEGAL EAGLE:
Greys Inn -Young Sensation
The mighty Legal Eagle was Horse Of The Year in both 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, with Legal Eagle landing no fewer than 8 Equus Awards during his career. The son of Greys Inn won 15 races and earned more than R12 million in stakes. Legal Eagle won eight Grade One races during his illustrious career, with the gelding's tally including a trio of wins in the G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate and G1 Horse Chestnut Stakes. He won Grade One races from 1600m to 2450 metres.
The Tarry team did a tremendous job with this champion, with Legal Eagle winning black type races for five seasons.
NYS Price: R425 000
Earnings: R12,199,625
LIEGE:
Dynasty -Lyrical Linda
The blue-blooded Liege was sired by top racehorse and sire Dynasty, while his dam, Lyrical Linda, won eight races including the G1 Garden Province Stakes. Liege showed promise at three when he followed up his maiden win by finishing second in the G3 Graham Beck Stakes. He ended his sophomore campaign with a convincing win in the G3 Jubilee Handicap. At four, Liege finished second in the G2 Victory Moon Stakes and fourth in the G1 Sansui Summer Cup, where he was beaten under five lengths. Liege made amends for that defeat when he ran out a two and a quarter length winner of the G1 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup in 2017. In landing the Summer Cup, Liege accounted for a field which included the G1 winners Coral Fever, Orchid Island, French Navy, Abashiri and Master Sabina. He would later add to his tally of wins when winning the G3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup of 2019.
NYS Price: Withdrawn
Earnings: R2,093,800
BULL VALLEY:
Toreador -Star Of Liberty
From the same family as the Tarry-trained champion Bless My Stars, Bull Valley was a very classy performer. After reeling off wins in his first two starts, Bull Valley went on to land the G3 Man O' War Sprint on just his fifth start. After a break, he came back to win the Listed Golden Loom Handicap at his first start at four, before finishing second, to the top-class Tarry runner Trip To Heaven, in the G2 Merchants. A fourth place finish in the G2 Senor Santa Stakes preceded back to back G1 wins. Bull Valley's first G1 triumph came in the 2017 Tsogo Sun Sprint. The son of Toreador pulled clear to beat dual Merchants winner Search Party convincingly by a length and a half. He followed that win up with a one-length win, again at the expense of Search Party, in the G1 Mercury Sprint.
NYS Price: R180 000
Earnings: R1,625,875
HEAVY METAL:
Silvano - Percussion
Champion Heavy Metal took three starts to get off the mark before a luckless run in the G1 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Guineas. Returned to Gauteng, Heavy Metal went on to finish fourth in both the G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes and G2 Gauteng Guineas. After finishing second in the Egoli Mile, Heavy Metal ended his three-year-old campaign with back-to-back wins, including the Listed The Darley Arabian of 2012. At four, Heavy Metal preceded his G1 Vodacom Durban July win with a convincing success in the G1 Champions Challenge. Under S'Manga Khumalo, the son of Silvano defied his 40-1 starting price with a fluent one and three-quarter-length triumph. Bred by Bosworth Farm, Heavy Metal's Champions Challenge win was described by his jockey as, "I just sat on him and he has a short burst. I followed Shogunnar through. He did it easier than I thought."
NYS Price: R250 000
Earnings: R3,774,780
POMODORO:
Jet Master – Golden Apple
A son of champion Jet Master and G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Golden Apple, Pomodoro was as versatile as he was talented. He showed plenty of courage when dead-heating for first, with Royal Bencher, in the 2012 G1 SA Derby, with Pomodoro having finished a close second in the G1 SA Classic prior to that Derby effort. The bay would go on to confirm his class when he provided the Tarry yard with their first July success when Pomodoro won the 2012 Vodacom Durban July. On that occasion, Pomodoro accounted for such high-class performers as Solo Traveller, Gold Onyx, Beach Beauty, Pierre Jourdan, Top Seller, and Jackson. Retired to stud, Pomodoro became South Africa's Leading First Season Sire of 2017-2018, and he has sired the likes of Return Flight, Russian Rock, Black Thorn, Cirillo, Golden Belle, Epsom Girl, Mount Pilatus, and Pomodoro's Jet.
NYS Price: R325 000
Earnings: R4,080,125
ASLAN:
Silvano – Cry For The Lion
The classy Aslan was as versatile as he was talented. Not only did he win the G1 Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein but Aslan also triumphed in the G1 Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville. After fair runs in his first two starts, Aslan won three races in a row, before he ran third in the 2009 G2 Gold Circle Derby. (In the Derby, Aslan was beaten just a neck by subsequent G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup winner Lizard's Desire). After two preps at four, Aslan picked up his first G1 win when he bested Magical in a thrilling finish to the Summer Cup. Further back in running, came the likes of Lion's Blood, Oracy, and Buy And Sell. In 2011, Aslan struck again in a major race. Under Gavin Lerena, Aslan bested his stablemate Kolkata to give the Tarry yard a memorable 1-2 finish in the G1 Canon Gold Cup.
NYS Price: R250 000
Earnings: R2,245,380
REGAL RANSOM:
Caesour-Palace Gossip
Leading up to the 2010 G1 Champions Challenge, Regal Ransom had won five times and finished third, to stablemate Golden Chariot, in the Listed Drum Star. Allowed to start at 11-1 for the R2 000 000 contest, the Caesour gelding showed plenty of courage to defeat 2008 G1 Steinhoff Summer Cup winner Rudra by a length. Further back in running came such G1 winners as Smart Banker, Buy And Sell, Bouquet-Garni, and Strategic News.
Regal Ransom, whose G2 winning half-sister Townsend produced the Tarry trained G1 Gold Medallion winner Eden Roc, would go on to win eight of 29 starts and would retire having earned R1,637,025 in prize money.
NYS Price: R160 000
Earnings: R1,637,025
GIVE ME FIVE:
Goldkeeper -Dance Celebre
A precocious sort, Give Me Five won her first two starts, culminating in a courageous win in the G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship. In landing that Scottsville feature, Give Me Five accounted for a number of smart performers as well as several successful producers, including Fairy Queen, Valeta, Estrel, Onehundredacrewood, and Passive Resistance. After suffering a series of setbacks, Give Me Five bounced back to claim both the G2 Camellia Stakes and G3 Sycamore Sprint in 2011. Winner of four of her 26 starts, Give Me Five went on to produce three foals, all of whom won, including Myfunnyvalentine, who emulated her mother when she won the G3 Sycamore Sprint.
NYS Price: R300 000
Earnings: R704,150
BUY AND SELL:
National Emblem -Trade Enquiry
Buy And Sell was one of three graded stakes winners produced by Flamboyant Stakes winner Trade Enquiry, the Equus Champion Broodmare of 2009. The others were G1 Woolavington 2200 winner Count The Money and G2 SA Oaks heroine Bedloe's Island. In a long and honourable career, Buy And Sell won eight times while earning more than R2.39 million in prize money. He finished first, second or third in four G1 races and also finished runner-up in both the G2 Hawaii Stakes and G3 Cup Trial. After finishing third in the G3 Sea Cottage Stakes at three, Buy And Sell went on to show his class when victorious in the G1 Daily News 2200. In romping home to Daily News glory, the son of National Emblem defeated subsequent high-class Dubai campaigner Lucky Find by three and a quarter lengths. Buy And Sell went on to finish a close up second in that season's G1 Vodacom Durban July. In 2008, Buy And Sell once again showed his class when he downed triple Horse Of The Year Pocket Power to land the 2008 G1 Champions Cup.
WENDYWOOD:
Fort Wood -Grecian Gale
The ill-fated Wendywood showed plenty of ability in a tragically short career. A half-sister to G1 Summer Cup winner Malteme, Wendywood was produced by Foveros' G2 winning daughter Grecian Gale. Wendywood made just three starts before her tragic death. After making a winning debut over 1600m, Wendywood jumped straight into G1 company when she won the 2008 G1 Woolavington 2000 in courageous fashion. Her final start saw the inexperienced filly run eighth, albeit beaten just four lengths, in the 2008 G1 Vodacom Durban July. With her pedigree and talent, one can but speculate what Wendywood may have achieved with a longer career.
NYS Price: R800 000
SUCCESFUL BIDDER:
Jallad -Loyal Linda
A half-brother to champion Gold Flier and fellow G1 winner Trust Antonia, Succesful Bidder was Equus Champion Older Male Sprinter of 2007. As versatile as he was talented, Succesful Bidder won 10 races, from 1160m to 2000m, headed by the G1 Gold Challenge of 2007. In landing the Gold Challenge, Succesful Bidder accounted forsuch standout G1 winners as triple South African Horse Of The Year Pocket Power, globetrotting champion Jay Peg and fellow G1 winners Kildonan, Hunting Tower, and Eyeofthetiger. The classy gelding also won the 2007 G2 Drill Hall Stakes and 2007 G2 Merchant Stakes, with Succesful Bidder running a creditable third, behind Pocket Power, in the 2007 G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate.
Earnings: R1,360,580
NATIONAL COLOUR:
National Assembly -Rainbow Cake
A star both on the track and at stud, the late National Colour was named Joint Horse Of The Year and Equus Champion 3YO Female Sprinter of 2006. The flying grey, who would go on to win in Dubai and finish second in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (one of the world's top sprint features), won seven of ten starts in South Africa, with her four graded wins including triumphs in all of the G1 Computaform Sprint, G1 South African Fillies Sprint and G1 Mercury Sprint. Despite dying young, National Colour enjoyed great success at stud, with her progeny headed by top-class sire and G1 Computaform Sprint winner Rafeef, and Equus Champion Mustaaqeem.