CONFORMATION

“For sheer depth of hindquarter,” said Barry Irwin, “I thought this filly was exceptional. She has full, round quarters, without being overdone. Although they are huge, they fit well into the entire package.

“I bought her for one reason and one reason only, which is that I found her to be the first yearling in three years at the sale by the sire of Tara’s Touch that actually looked like Tara’s Touch. Let’s hope she can run like her!

“I thought she would bring a lot more than this, but her sire is not very consistent and I think locals have grown tired of trying to figure out which ones can run.”

PEDIGREE

Click here for pedigree of Hip 267 - Wild On Tara

SIRE - Tara's Halls

Tara’s Halls ran only 4 times and won a 7-furlong race. He was sent to stud because he is a son of Fairy King, the unraced full brother to Sadler’s Wells who has become one of the world’s most successful sires, and sire of sires. Among those sired by this Northern Dancer horse is Encosta de Lago, who vies for sire leadership in Australia with Redoute’s Choice. Encosta de Lago is standing in Ireland this season, in which Team Valor is breeding two mares.

Tara’s Halls is best known as the sire of Tara’s Touch, a mare that became Champion Sprinter at 3, when she was first across the line in the Fillies Guineas, only to be relegated to second behind Perfect Promise. A Grade 1 winner in her own right, Tara’s Touch won Graded and stakes races for Team Valor in North America before having to be humanely destroyed following a paddock accident shortly after being retired.

FAMILY

Rock and Roll, dam of Wild on Tara, has had 2 winners from 2 runners, both by Casey Tibbs, a son of Sadler’s Wells.

She was a half-sister to Nilgiri, an 8-time winner of a pair of Listed stakes and fourth in a pair of Graded events.

This is the family of French Group winner Persian Ruler.

BROODMARE SIRE - Rakeen

Rakeen is as well-bred as a horse can be. He is a son of Northern Dancer and Glorious Song. The former won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and became the greatest sire in the history of the breed. The latter was Horse of the Year in Canada, Champion Filly in North America and has foaled successful sires and racehorses (Singspiel, earner of nearly $6 million) and Rahy.

Rakeen was a Grade 2 winner and runner-up in the Grade 1 Durban July Stakes in South Africa. At stud, he is best known as the sire of the sensational Jet Master, the only horse in South African history to win 8 Grade 1 races and currently on his way to becoming the first native-bred stallion to lead the general sire list in decades.

NOTES

Wild on Tara was bred and consigned to the sale by Hymie Maisel, whose son-in-law Vidrik Thurling is the Deputy Chairman of Gold Circle, one of the two racing association in South Africa. Seated next to Thurling at the sale was ex-Champion jockey Basil Marcus, who fell in love with the filly and encouraged his client to keep bidding against Team Valor. The two bidders were locked in head-to-head battle from the beginning until the final bid, as it rose a paltry $3,000 at a clip.

Barry Irwin chanced to meet Maisel the next morning at breakfast, where the breeder strongly suggested the filly be sent to Marcus. This did not happen, but Marcus was sent another horse by Team Valor.

TRAINER

Mike Bass will train this filly. Born in England, raised in South Africa and residing in Cape Town, Bass has long been recognized as one of the nation’s premier trainers.

In the last few years, he has developed some of the best horses to grace the South African Turf.

Currently he conditions the best older runner in Pocket Power, winner this season of the J & B Met, and Sun Classique, the top-rated 3-year-old filly.

Horses trained by Bass that have made their way into the Team Valor string include the likes of Crimson Palace, Delta Form and Super Brand.

Bass is ably assisted by his daughter Candice Robinson, as well as his wife.

“Mike Bass is a down-to-earth gentleman of considerable charm,” said Barry Irwin.