Make sweet music with Pistolero and Jam Tart

26 August 2016 - 10:43 By Staff Reporter

Horses like a nice tune. More specifically, music has a calming effect on highly strung thoroughbreds. This was revealed to me way back by a wily old trainer, who swore by a battered ghetto-blaster and the mellifluous strains of Classic FM. For you can't hang a man for killin' a woman / Who's tryin' to steal your horseHe experimented with various types of music. Gentle classical worked a charm on the animals, as did country and folk ditties; rock 'n' roll had no effect, while rap just wound up the poor creatures.Now scientific studies in Britain and France have confirmed exactly what that wizened horseman told me all those years ago - right down to the varying effectiveness of different musical forms.It's being suggested that racehorses be kitted out with earphones and soothing sounds before a race. If Chad le Clos & Co can chill to favourite tunes before a race, why not my colt?So, what numbers to select for the nag's playlist?He's sure to like country music songs that are actually about horses, so old faves like Back In the Saddle Again and Horse With No Name might go down well. Or Johnny Cash's Tennessee Stud and the Rolling Stones' Wild Horses.Willie Nelson sings of horses, one memorable warble being Beer For My Horses ("Whisky for my men, beer for my horses"). But his personal favourite was Red Headed Stranger, which recounts the tale of a dude from Montana, who rides into town on a ragin' black stallion with a pretty little bay in tow. The filly was once the mount of his love, now lying dead in a hillside grave.The warning goes out: "Don't cross him, don't boss him / he's wild in his sorrow / He's ridin' and hidin' his pain." But a "yellow-haired lady" in the local saloon tries to nick the bay and the stranger shoots her dead. Then the climactic line: "The yellow-haired lady was buried at sunrise / The stranger went free, of course / For you can't hang a man for killin' a woman / Who's tryin' to steal your horse."What horse wouldn't be happier after hearing something uplifting like that?Earphones aren't allowed on racecourses - yet. But still we must find winners from among the skittish critters out there.The biggest race this weekend is the Jockey Club Stakes over 2000m at Fairview today.I'm opting for the choicely bred Jam Tart - not least because she'll be ridden by Greg Cheyne, who has bounced straight into winning form after a lengthy injury break. Acrostar, raiding from Cape Town, is the obvious danger.Tomorrow the action's at Turffontein, where a modest 1200m handicap tops the bill. Le Clos is in the small field, but trainer Mike Azzie's four-year-old won't be allowed earphones and might lose focus.Duke Nukem has been a consistently good performer, but must carry top weight from the widest draw on the inside track bend. Pistolero, by contrast, has a featherweight and pole position. Also, he puts me in mind of the red-headed stranger.On Sunday, Scottsville hosts a pinnacle sprint. Believe it or not, there's an Unbelievable Chad among the runners. No earphones, no chance.Apart from a dubious name, Asstar has much in his favour in this event, though any of Executive Power, Natal and Highway Explorer could nab it."Don't fight him, don't spite him / Just wait till tomorrow / Maybe he'll ride on again."..

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