Flaming luck in the Year of the Fire Horse
· Citizen
How is the New Year treating you? Of course, we’re talking about the Chinese New Year, which arrived a week ago, ushering in the Year of the Horse.
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You’d imagine this would be a very auspicious time for horse racing and racing devotees, but it’s not yet clear if this is the case for all of us. Trainer Sean Tarry’s doing well, but his current winning streak did start before New Year on 17 February. Names that spring to mind in terms of a swing of fortune include Candice Bass, Tara Laing, Des McLachlan, Wayne Agrella and Nicholas Patel.
When it comes to punting strategies to follow in the Year of the Horse, there’s precious little to guide us.
Complicating the explanations of the year’s secrets is the fact that there are not only animals to consider.
Within the cycle of 12 creatures – rat, goat, snake etc – there is also an annual rotation of five elements – water, wood, metal, earth and fire. So, we’re in both Horse and Fire right now – and there’s also yin and yang factors to consider; oh, and about 60 heavenly bodies.
‘Just don’t tempt fate’
So, as with all divination and prediction, it’s easy to hedge bets. The problem comes when you actually want to place a real bet. News giant CNN turned to Thierry Chow, a Hong Kong-based feng shui consultant who blends traditional Chinese geomancy with modern elements.
“Bing represents the big sun, and the horse, as a zodiac animal, is also a fire sign. So this is probably one of the most fiery years you will get,” declared Chow.
Fiery well describes the current row over the handicapping of the recent TAB Gauteng Guines, which has seen two appeal panels tinkering with merit ratings and prominent trainers, administrators, journalists and lawyers getting stuck into the argy-bargy.
Racing people are not short of strong opinions and are generally loath to admit that they harbour fanciful notions about luck, charms and alignments of stars. But, secretly, many of them are wildly superstitious.
Many a successful trainer or owner would not set foot on a racecourse without their lucky socks or under-rods and often have a favourite spot to watch races from (“just don’t tempt fate”). Do not even think of wearing green in their presence!
Indeed, many racing folk – not all – are very like Chinese people when it comes to superstition. For the latter, the number 8 is very lucky, whereas 4 is a no-no. Red is a good colour for warding off evil – and is fortuitously aligned with the Fire Horse we are riding. Whatever you do, don’t give anyone a watch or clock as a gift this year or any year.
But where does all this leave us if we are looking for betting guidance? In the same place we always are after consulting sangomas, dream catchers and tarot cards: back with the Computaform and our own brain power.
That strategy will be grinding into gear for this weekend’s Derby day at Kenilworth and for Classic day at Turffontein on Saturday 7 March.
Entries for the feature races at the big T – at one of the great fixtures on the calendar – were unveiled this week and a quick glance at the lists of names is enough to conjure up excitement and expectancy.
Superstition be damned.
HF OPPENHEIMER HORSE CHESTNUT STAKES (Grade 1), R1.5m, 1600m, for all horses at weight-for-age.
[draw, name, (age&sex), kgs, MR, equipment, trainer]
8 Main Defender (5G) 60 130 A Tony Peter
14 See It Again (6G) 60 130 A Justin Snaith
13 The Real Prince (5G) 60 128 A Dean Kannemeyer
3 Atticus Finch (6G) 60 127 BAT Alec Laird
6 Sail The Seas (4C) 60 127 A Justin Snaith
12 Cosmic Speed (4G) 60 124 A Sean Tarry
11 Fire Attack (4C) 60 124 A Alec Laird
1 Texas Red (6G) 60 119 A Robyn Klaasen
15 Pressonregardless (5G) 60 109 HA David Nieuwenhuizen
9 Solar Sail (4G) 60 109 A Mark Khan
10 Radicchio (6G) 60 100 A Robbie Sage
4 Callmegetrix (5M) 57.5 113 A Sean Tarry
2 Tin Pan Alley (3G) 57 117 AT Sean Tarry
5 Grand Empire (3G) 57 108 A Sean Tarry
7 Trust (3C) 57 107 A Candice / Tammy Dawson
SA CLASSIC (Grade 1), R1.5m, 1800m, for 3yos (2nd Leg of SA Triple Crown)
4 Jan Van Goyen (3C) 60 118 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
11 Tin Pan Alley (3G) 60 117 AT Sean Tarry
10 Splittheeights (3C) 60 109 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
2 Grand Empire (3G) 60 108 A Sean Tarry
3 Trust (3C) 60 107 A Candice / Tammy Dawson
8 One Eye On Vegas (3C) 60 106 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
12 Yippee Kiyay (3G) 60 105 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
5 All Systems Go (3G) 60 102 A Dean Smith
9 Copper Eagle (3G) 60 102 BA Robyn Klaasen
7 Errol Flynn (3G) 60 96 AT Joe Soma
6 Radio Star (3G) 60 95 A Mike Azzie
1 Diogenes (3G) 60 78 A Weichong Marwing
WILGERBOSDRIFT SA FILLIES CLASSIC (Grade 1), R1.25m, 1800m, for 3yo fillies (2nd Leg Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara)
5 Hazy Dazy (3F) 60 117 HA Corne Spies
8 Golden Palm (3F) 60 115 A Alan Greeff
10 Charge It (3F) 60 113 A Alyson Wright
12 Lowveld Lily (3F) 60 109 A Justin Snaith
14 Littlemissmillion (3F) 60 107 A Tyrone Zackey
2 Daisy Jones (3F) 60 106 AT Mike Azzie
7 Drumnadrochit (3F) 60 105 BA Mike / Mathew de Kock
9 Tina Lovelace (3F) 60 97 HAT Sean Tarry
1 Scarlett Heart (3F) 60 91 BA Fanie Bronkhorst
4 Merryweather (3F) 60 88 A J A Janse van Vuuren
11 Into Dancing (3F) 60 83 BA Stuart Pettigrew
6 Surprise Party (3F) 60 83 Ba Paul Matchett
13 Alta Capitana (3F) 60 82 BA Sean Tarry
3 Frangipani (3F) 60 81 A Robyn Klaasen
15 *Trip Of Faith (3F) 60 0 A Robyn Klaasen