HEAR THE DRUMS hits 25th Career Victory

Hear The Drums
(Photo : Summerhill Stud) 

“THE BEST OF TIMES IN THE WORST OF TIMES”

Our memories this Tuesday morning are not quite as sharp as we’d like them to be, but we seem to recall that it was somewhere in the Tale of Two Cities that Charles Dickens wrote of “the worst of times, and the best of times”, quoting a man on his way to the guillotine.

History is bound to judge the current economic times among the toughest in history, so good news, though rare, is always welcome. On Friday last, a R42,000 graduate of the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run, Hear The Drums, chalked up his 25th career victory, making him South Africa’s winning most racehorse of the past 30 years. That he’s on his way to earning his second million is a tribute to a horse who knows no bounds when it comes to courage, soundness, and, of necessity, class.

What a tribute to his trainer, “Choppies” McLachlan as well, and of course to his indomitable owners, Peter and Gail Fabricius, long-time clients of Summerhill and some of our most ardent Ready To Run supporters. Their association with this farm has already yielded three Eastern Cape Horses Of The Year in Brigadier Parker, Hear The Drums, and Paris Perfect (who made the world sit up with his third place in the richest race on earth, the Dubai World Cup, in March).

Peter has a knack when it comes to the buying of horseflesh which goes beyond the norm, and he’s forged an association of trust with Summerhill which leads him instinctively to the acquisition of horses on the whim of a phone call. He and Gail know how to win, but critically, they also know how lose, and the Eastern Cape is more than fortunate to have them among their most ardent backers. No surprise they’ve been Owners Of The Year more often than not in recent years.

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Comments

[Alan Magid]

Horses have tails but Dickens had a TALE of 2 Cities.What you need is a reliable proofreader- but of course reliable proofreaders come expensive. On the other hand, as a token of old (or, if you prefer it, long-standing) friendship, I'd be prepared to do the job for a fairly nominal fee.