TUTUZELA HAS A CUPPA

Tutuzela has a cuppa with Garth Puller
(Photo : David Thiselton)

“Clairwood’s most loved Racehorse”

David Thiselton
Gold CircleTutuzela is probably Clairwood’s most loved Racehorse, although it would seem that he doesn’t realise he was bred primarily to perform at high speeds.

While most racehorses are fraught with high energy and are eager to get back to their boxes after a workout, Tutuzela is happy for his trainer, Garth Puller, to first pop in at the track’s little clubhouse for a chat or a cup of tea or even just to take shelter from the rain. Tutuzela doesn’t bat an eyelid as Puller rides him around the clubhouse and onto the paved area where trainers and jockeys enjoy their tea.

He can even be left unattended and usually partakes in refreshments with a cup of water and a bunch of grass. Jockeys, trainers and the work force all know him and he will get a few friendly greetings during the day. The eight-year-old gelding won one race over 2400m as a four-year-old and was retired as a one-time winner about a year later; but that doesn’t tell the full story of his worth.

He is used to accompany difficult horses down the start on racedays and is also used for the same purpose at morning workouts. “He works up to four times a day,” said Puller. “I will use him and then another trainer might ask if he can borrow him. Not once has he pressed back his ears or refused to co-operate. He is just the most lovely natured horse and would not be capable of harming anybody or anything. He is able to have a calming influence on the most nervous of horses. He is also used to accompany nervous horses during practise or qualifying sessions at the starting stalls as they are required to jump in pairs or as a threesome.”

Tutuzela is such an easy ride that he is the perfect for the newcomer to workriding. He has, therefore, been used to introduce every apprentice for the last five years or so who is making his or her first visit to the Clairwood racing tracks.

Visitors love him too as young kids are able to sit on Tutuzela and if Puller mounts behind them he is able to canter obediently around the ring with the toddler holding the rein.

Tutuzela, who was bred and named by Champion Breeders, Summerhill Stud, has an appropriate name as it is a Zulu word referring to the action of a mother lying her baby on his or her stomach and massaging his or her back.

Extract from The Sunday Tribune

DURBAN JULY GALLOPS 2011 : THE ROYAL COUNTDOWN

VODACOM DURBAN JULY GALLOPS
Greyville Racecourse
Thursday, 23 June 2011

The Royal countdown has started and it will be your last chance to see your big race fancies in action before they step out at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 2, to contest Africa’s Greatest Horseracing event, the R3million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.

That will be at Greyville Racecourse this Thursday morning from 7am when they take part in the annual “July Gallops”, a tradition that has, apart for a few years, been a popular part of the build-up to this famous race for decades.

All the big race candidates based in the Durban area must appear at the gallops while those based in Gauteng will have completed timed gallops in their home region - these gallops to be televised at Greyville on completion of the official gallops in Durban.

A Sangoma will be in attendance at the racecourse to read the bones after the gallops and this will be followed by a panel discussion at 9.15am featuring Gold Circle’s COO Graeme Hawkins, trainer and Tellytrack presenter Paul Lafferty, former July winning jockey and now trainer Garth Puller and the globe-trotting, humorous and outspoken king of the saddle, Kevin Shea. 

For the ladies who have not yet decided on their “Royal Attire” for the big day, fashion will also play a part in the gallops so for inspiration pop down and soak up the glamour. 
As always, the traditional free sticky buns and coffee will be available and a special gallops breakfast, at a cost of R50, will be available from 6.30am to 9am in the Durban View Room. For reservations contact Gail on 031-314 1780.

The gates open at 6.30am and the Vodacom Durban July racecards and entry tickets will be on sale in the shop on the ground floor.

Extract from The Mercury

www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za

THE CATALOOCHEE TRAIN KEEPS ON PUFFING...

 

Chatanooga Chuchu
(Photos : Gold Circle)

“SEE THEM GALLOP” 
FRIDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2010

There are more of these from the leading Freshman Sire
at the Emperors Palace Ready To Run.

Position	Horse	Trainer
1st	CHATANOOGA CHUCHU	Garth Puller
3rd	JUNE BUG	Michael Azzie

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
SUNDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2010 

For more information please visit :
www.tba.co.za

WE KNOW IT'S SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD...

Stimela (Johannesburg - Opera Etoile)
(Photo : Gold Circle)

NINE WINNERS LAST WEEK,
NINE AGAIN THIS WEEK.

All graduates of the
Summerhill Ready To Run programme.

#	Horse	Trainer
1st	ECOLE MILITAIRE	Des McLachlan
1st	OFF THE HOOK	Barry Steenkamp
1st	BLUE VOYAGER	Charles Laird
1st	VA VA VOOM	Mike de Kock
1st	BELLAGIO	Mark Dixon
1st	CHATANOOGA CHUCHU	Garth Puller
1st	AREWEHAVINGFUNYET	Sean Tarry
1st	STIMELA	Mike Bass
1st	WINDMILL THEATRE	Sean Tarry

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

OR CALL

Kerry Jack 
082 782 7297
kerry@summerhill.co.za 

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
SUNDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2010 

ANOTHER WEEK IN PARADISE

Click above to watch Double Dash on Cape debut
(Footage : Tellytrack)

COMPLIMENTS TO THE STRENGTH OF LAST YEAR’S READY TO RUN DRAFT

The 2008 version of the Ready to Run sale came off an unprecedented high a week ago, with exceptional performances from the four chief protagonists for this year’s Emperors Palace Ready to Run Cup, which at R1,5 million has maintained its status as the fourth richest race in the nation. There must’ve been those who’d been lulled into a sense of believing they were a cut above anything else in the field, and that they could reasonably expect to take home a major share of the spoils. Meaning it just wasn’t possible to see a repeat.

Just as we were beginning to believe that the compliments to the strength of last year’s draft had all been paid, and that the next big statement on the quality of Summerhill breds would be the ‘Cup’ itself, the events of this week turned everything on its head.  First, Charles Laird stepped out a R1 million graduate in Muhtafal’s son, Blue Voyager, who strode away on his race course debut by three lengths, relatively unextended. 

As soon as the “Voyager” put his hand up, Charles took another to the track on Thursday in the form of Bhusende, and while he cautioned punters before the race that the horse was probably three weeks off ready, as the son of Australian champion sire, Flying Spur, set foot on the track, you could see the class. He came home under a hand ride from Anton Marcus, putting away some well-fancied sorts in the process, and he also joins the fray next Saturday.

Before the meeting was out, Ernie Anderson stepped out Ivan Snyman’s Labeeb colt, Nyakatho, who flattened some fair form by eight lengths, in the process telling us that whatever Blue Voyager and Bhusende had done during the week, he could do just as well. No doubt, when the judges meet on Tuesday to settle the final field, they’ll have him among them.

But that wasn’t the end. Richard Fitzgerald has been nothing if not an exceptional customer of Summerhill, and he was unfortunate following the 2008 sale to lose the Labeeb half brother to the Gold Cup hero, Desert Links, in a float collision a day later.  Determined to turn that around, Richard put up his hand at R410 000 again last year, this time for another Labeeb from the family of Pick Six and Bridal Paths, and on Saturday, Garth Puller sent out Double Dash at Kenilworth against some excellent form, for the first time over a mile. Young Chris Puller never moved on him riding him hands-and-heels, as he strode away in impressive style. Lamentably, this one’s not destined for the “Cup”, but like the other three, he looks like a “Black type” horse in the making.

We know that customers already have consummate faith in the product we send to the Ready to Run, so we’re not trying to prove that point. What is encouraging from the events of this week, is the strength and depth of the horses that’ve stepped out since the sale, many of them indicating their worth as potential big race performers. For the record, thus far we’ve had 26 individual winners from the Summerhill draft alone, and there are at least 18 among the placed horses thus far, who look like they could become “motor cars” in the future.

We know you’re expecting this, but there are more where those came from. We look forward to your visit to Block A during the course of this week, where it will be our pleasure!  

 

R1,5 MILLION EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP
7 NOVEMBER 2009

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
8 NOVEMBER 2009

For more information please visit :
www.tba.co.za and www.summerhill.co.za