Dawson-sisterhood ready for action on Sunday

Danie Toerien

While working on the Computaform racecard for Sunday 7 December at Turffontein, 4Racing tipster Brendan Gaillard noticed an anomaly: trainer Candice Dawson is no longer C Dawson, but C/T Dawson.

A quick phone call produced clarity.

Candice has officially been joined by her sister Tammy in the training ranks, as of Monday 1 December.

According to Candice, Tammy passed her trainers exam about a year ago, and the pair have decided that it's about time they join forces officially.

Tammy, a former assistant-trainer to Mike de Kock and Geoff Woodruff, has been been Candice's assistant for a number of years, but this coming Sunday the Dawson sisters will be saddling their first runner together - hence the C/T Dawson reference in the ComputaForm.

"Tammy was an assistant to Mike de Kock for 5 years," said Candice on Tuesday. She was also assistant to Geoff (Woodruff) for around a decade.

"She has been involved in racing for as long as I have - around 24 years - but I have now finally decided it's time we walk the road together," said Candice.

In a earlier interview a few years back, Candice described her sister as a natural horsewoman and a great judge. With De Kock and Woodruff respectively, she was part of a team that claimed 10 champion trainer titles between them.

On Sunday, the sisters will saddle Power Of Pearls in Race 4, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1160m.

This three-year-old Pathfork filly will be the first runner to go to post for the new Dawson-sisterhood, and Muzi Yeni will have the honour of taking instructions from two women.

They will also send out Jury's Out in Race 6, a MR82 Handicap over 1600m, and Wild At War in Race 7, a MR96 Handicap over 1160m.