The gutsy six-year-old Kahal gelding No Worries, due to compete in the R500 000, Grade 3 SABC Gold Vase next weekend, thundered through from off the pace to beat the top three-year-old colt Rabada, in the KwaZulu-Natal Breeders Million Mile at Greyville on Sunday.
Like No Worries, Rabada also has an engagement at Greyville on the biggest racing day of the year but in his case his mission is the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.
No Worries won the Million Mile two years ago and was presented on Sunday in perfect condition by assistant trainer Gareth van Zyl for the strong Gavin van Zyl stable and ridden to perfection by stable jockey Warren Kennedy to score a runaway win for popular owner Brian Burnard.
On Rabada’s record, which includes victory in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 at his last start, he looked hard to beat in the 1 600m event with the two runners from the Sean Tarry stable, Malak El Moolook and Intergalactic, appearing his main dangers with the light weights.
Anton Marcus settled Rabada in fourth place one off the rail in the early stages as Roy’s Winter Patch set the pace ahead of Humidor and Malak El Moolook. Turning into the straight Marcus brought Rabada smoothly down the outside and looked set for victory until about 100m out when No Worries swooped through between the leading runners and raced clear for an easy win.
Rabada stayed on for second place under his 59.5kg with Malak El Moolook and Humidor staying on for the minor placings.
After the race Kennedy said it was a super win particularly as No Worries was “the darling of the stable” and one of Brian Burnard’s favourite horses. He said he tracked Rabada in the early running as that was the horse to beat and said the gelding won with authority.
An emotional Gareth van Zyl was over the moon for the win and said that as Mr Burnard, whose horses are all conditioned by Gareth, had allowed him to make decisions about No Worries’ racing plans, he had decided to run him on Sunday just six days before competing in the SABC Gold Vase on Saturday.
Also completing a KZN Breeders Day double was the six-year-old Mogok gelding Kingston Boy from the Doug Campbell stable. The gelding flew through under Anthony Delpech from off the pace to win as he liked in the Flying The Flag KwaZulu-Natal Breeders 1 200, the race he and Delpech won for Campbell last year.
Two races later, Campbell won the Piemonte Stud KZN Breeders 1600 with the Visionaire filly Lala under a perfect ride by Anton Marcus.
Sean Tarry had a good day winning three races, the last being in the day’s finale when favourite Witchcraft led a Tarry trio across the line with Enchanted Silk and Avonturine in close attendance.
