Kayf Tara may be pensioned but his offspring are still doing him proud on the track, and in the week in which he officially turned 28 he has been represented by eight winners.
At Kempton’s Christmas meeting, Edwardstone, who is so far the star of the 2021/22 season for Kayf Tara, added the G2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase to his victory earlier in December in the G1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Thirteen-year-old Blaklion rolled back the years to win the Last Fling Handicap Chase at Haydock by 28 lengths. This was the first of two winners for Kayf Tara in two days to have been bred by Mary Morrison, with Filanderer following up on New Year’s Eve at Warwick with a debut success in the bumper in his breeder’s colours. That was one of two winners for Kaya Tara at the meeting after Grand Turina scored for the in-form Venetia Williams stable.
The Pam Sly-bred Rainyday Woman extended her tally to five wins from nine starts for Paul Nicholls with victory in the Listed mares’ novices’ hurdle at Taunton.
On New Year’s Day, Kayf Tara was represented by winners on both sides of the Irish Sea, with Broken Halo becoming another winner for Paul Nicholls, landing the novices’ chase at Exeter by 19 lengths, while at Fairyhouse, Naughtinesse, a half-sister to Cheltenham Festival winner Don Poli and Politesse, won convincingly for Lorna Fowler, having been runner-up on her debut in May.
Kayf Tara, the winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 1998 and 2000 as well as the 1999 Irish St Leger, is seen here in the accompanying photograph in his paddock at Overbury on New Year’s Day, his official 28th birthday.
