OFF THE RECORD #71

The Explosive Brilliance of Mythical Flight

Above: Mythical Flight beats Rebel King in the Computaform Sprint (photo: JC Photos)

Among the many stars to pass through the yard of multiple champion trainer Sean Tarry, three stand out in his mind: National Colour (National Assembly), Princess Calla (Flower Alley), and Mythical Flight (Jet Master). Tarry remarked earlier this week: “These were three horses that stormed the barn down. They had pure class and speed. We couldn’t just let them loose in work; we had to hold them back!”

Saturday marks the second running of the R150,000 Betway Mythical Flight Sprint (formerly the Gold Rush Sprint), named in honour of Tarry’s 2007 Equus Champion Sprinter - his second of four Grade 1 Computaform Sprint winners.

Mythical Flight was purchased at the 2005 Equimark Vintage Sale, held almost exactly 20 years ago at the Spier Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. He was bred by Philip Kahan at The Alchemy Stud and presented by Lionel Cohen. Tarry recalled: “He was an outstanding specimen, one of two yearlings from The Alchemy we were determined to buy that day. We got Mythical Flight for R500,000 and Ethereal Lady for R350,000.”

The ownership of Mythical Flight was secured by Chris van Niekerk and Markus Jooste, a partnership that would produce many top-level winners over the next decade. On his own Van Niekerk, with his focus on championships and major races, was in the process of stocking Tarry’s yard with a variety of well-bred horses. In 2006, the popular owner’s grey speedster, National Colour, swept aside all her opposition and was being considered for an international campaign. She had already captured both the Equus Joint Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old awards in 2006.

Tarry recalled: “When Mythical Flight and Ethereal Lady arrived in the yard that year, I thought there was no way we could have anything as good as National Colour in the stable again, especially while she was still around. Yet, Mythical Flight quickly proved himself a sprinter of the highest calibre, and Ethereal Lady was a good filly in her own right. Both of them followed in National Colour’s footsteps, winning Equus Three-Year-Old Awards in 2007.”

Mythical Flight was unbeaten in his first seven starts, all over 1000m. They included a Listed race, a Grade 3 and two Grade 1 contests. Tarry said: “Not once were we in the slightest doubt that he’d win, even in the Grade 1’s. He was that good.”

Above: Mythical Flight wins his debut at Clairwood Park (photo: Anita Akal)

Mythical Flight burst onto the scene with a dominant debut at Clairwood Park on 10 June 2006. He followed up with victory in the Listed Falcon Sprint at Turffontein, then added two more wins to his tally that year - a Graduation Plate and the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint. In the latter, one of the final feature races held at Newmarket, he powered past that year’s Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint winner, Let’s Rock N’Roll, by an emphatic 4.25 lengths.

Next up: the deep end. Just a month later, Mythical Flight was thrown into the big league with a trip to Cape Town in January 2007 for the prestigious Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship - a race rarely won by three-year-olds. It was the same test where Gauteng’s 2003 sprint star, National Currency, was beaten by older rivals. But Mythical Flight made light work of his task, leading from start to finish for a 1.25-length success over Mocha Java.

There were critics who claimed Mythical Flight had faced a substandard field and that the form from this renewal of the Cape Flying Championship would be questionable. But what made this win remarkable was that Mythical Flight had spent 24 hours on the road to Cape Town after the truck had encountered traffic problems. Tarry said: “When he arrived on the Wednesday prior to the race, he was exhausted and lay down to rest. He only got up on the Friday afternoon, looked relaxed and happy again, and raced on the Saturday.”

Tarry’s blazing chestnut silenced them all in the 2007 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on 27 May. Lining up against a high-quality, 15-runner field, he delivered a statement win. Among his rivals were Charles Laird’s lightning-fast Nursery winner, Rebel King, and a powerful contingent from Buddy Maroun’s yard, including Graded stakes winners Vega and Byblos - a horse Maroun had boldly called the best sprinter he’d ever trained.

Mythical Flight led the dash from gun to tape, putting Rebel King under pressure a full 500m from home. He cruised to victory by 2.25 lengths - stopping the clock in a blistering 54.96 seconds, a then South African record. “The track was fast that day, and jockey Brett Smith didn’t have to move a muscle,” said Tarry. “I still wonder what Mythical Flight’s time might have been if he was asked to extend himself.”

Smith enthused: “I’ve never sat on a sprinter like this. He is phenomenal. His cruising speed is amazing. It is a tremendous feeling!”

KZN’s flagship sprint, the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint on 27 May,2007, was next on Mythical Flight’s radar. It marked his first attempt over 1200m at Scottsville - a testing, undulating track notorious for undoing top horses on their first visits to Pietermaritzburg.

Tarry recalled: “I was sitting in Mike de Kock’s office at Randjesfontein on nominations day, debating whether to enter Mythical Flight in what was shaping up to be a tough race. He’d have to carry top weight against a field stacked with seasoned older sprinters. I believed he was good enough - and it was Mike who gave me the final push. He said, ‘You’ve got a top horse here. What’s going to beat him?’”

Ironically, it was De Kock’s own runner, Kildonan, who handed Mythical Flight his first defeat. In a tactically run race, Kildonan prevailed by 0.80 lengths. Herman Brown’s promising import, War Artist, finished third, with Rebel King in fourth. Tarry reflected: “Brett Smith felt it might be better to hold on to Mythical Flight that day, given it was his first try over 1200m. Perhaps he should’ve been allowed to stride using his normal rhythm, like he would have done over 1000m. But we were beaten fair and square. I’m not offering excuses.”

Mythical Flight returned to action in December 2007 with a smooth comeback win in the Grade 3 Lebelo Handicap. But in a surprise upset, he was beaten into second by O’Ceasour while attempting to defend his title in January’s 2008 Cape Flying Championship. He returned from the race breathing heavily - something that had never happened before. He was examined and later treated for Thumps, a condition caused by an electrolyte imbalance, and made a good recovery.

Tarry, along with Mythical Flight’s owners, made the decision to take him to Dubai. “We knew he had the talent to compete internationally, and it was a time when South African runners were achieving significant success overseas. There was confidence all round.”

For his last South African run in May 2008, Mythical Flight was entered in the Computaform Sprint with the hopes of a follow-up win, but he ran well below his best and finished unplaced. But he’d had a testing campaign, was entitled to an off day and would be rested for several months while travelling en route to Dubai.

Above: Media attention in the saddling enclosure at Sha Tin, Sean Tarry with owner Chris van Niekerk and jockey Kevin Shea (photo: supplied)

Mythical Flight made his international debut in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint on Champions Day at Sha Tin, 14 December 2008. He had a hick-up in his prep, but still gave a good account of himself in seventh, beaten just over two lengths by Inspiration, with Australia’s top sprinter Apache Cat just ahead of him. Tarry said: “That was his first run on the bend and he was in contention throughout, though not at his best.”

Tarry decided to bypass the Dubai Carnival. Mythical Flight was shipped to the UK for a tilt at the 2009 Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, a race in which his stablemate National Colour was narrowly defeated in 2008. He was not at the peak of his powers, turned in two lacklustre performances and returned to South Africa.

“Mythical Flight was still enthusiastic in his work and physically fine, but he’d lost his blistering pace,” Tarry recalled. “Still, he managed a solid third place to Noble Heir in the 2010 Computaform Sprint, though his time was nearly a second slower than his SA record.”

Mythical Flight was retired early in 2011 and spent his remaining years at Klawervlei Stud. “He was a leader to our young horses, living a happy life until his passing in 2023,” said the farm’s John Koster.

Tarry concluded: “Looking at his overall record, Mythical Flight was a true champion. He won a Grade 1 within his first five starts, took seven in a row, and set an SA sprint record. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t show his best overseas, but he held his own with dignity against the world’s best. I believe that the 2007 Lebelo Sprint, a race he doddled under 62kg, was the last time he truly performed at the peak of his ability.”