Irwin on Team Valor's SA interests

USA-based Team Valor has had a close relationship with South African racing for many years now and recently bought four fillies who have run with much success in South Africa.

- Jack Milner

One of those is Frances Ethel who is second favourite for Saturday's R6-million Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein.

Barry Irwin, founder and CEO of Team Valor, kindly answered a few questions about his organisation and their plans for the four fillies, three of which are already in the USA.

1-Over the years Team Valor has purchased a number of South African-bred horses. How did this get started and what has brought you back to buying from this country for such a lengthy period?

Our first South African runner was the Summer Cup winner Delta Form, which we bought in partnership with South African-born Gary Barber. He won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap for us. However, when we bought into Ipi Tombe in partnership with WinStar Farm and her existing partnership of fellows from Zimbabwe, that opened my eyes about how much international potential existed for horses bred and racing in Africa.

The year Ipi Tombe won the Duty Free in Dubai, I attended my first National Yearling Sale in South Africa and went for several years in a row. When the Markus Jooste incident tainted the South African racing industry, I took a hiatus. But I missed racing in South Africa, so I am back again. It's fun racing in South Africa and occasionally they produce horses good enough to cut it anywhere on the planet, so that intrigues me.

2-What did you see in the breeding and performances of Frances Ethel that enticed you to purchase her?