The folly of backing first timers, especially three-year-olds against older horses this early in the season, was driven home at Scottsville yesterday as hot favourite Mela Stregata came up a nose short in the opening maiden.
A year older and racing in blinkers for the first time, Tuulikki was the first of a quick hat-trick for Garth Puller as Mandla Ntuli kept his mount going just long enough to hold off the favourite.
“She has been disappointing,” said Puller of Tuulikki. Blinkers, declared after the publication of the official form guides, appeared to have done the trick.
Anton Marcus, who got home in the next two races for Puller, was nonplussed. “I got beaten on my best ride,” he said after winning comfortably aboard the first timer, but four-year-old Mashari in the third.
“She was green and hanging in,” said beaten trainer Duncan Howells of Mela Stregata. “She will also need further.”
Marcus was made to work just as hard on the odds-on favourite Dyno Man. The grey looked a beaten horse 50m out as Merlin From Berlin tried for a bit of magic, but Marcus pulled out all the stops and Dyno Man rallied gamely for the win. He’s a horse that looks as if he will go a trip as this was only his second outing and he only got into gear late.
Mashari, coming of two barrier trials, was also send out odds-on for the third but was hard-pressed at the death to hold off the attentions of Wildly In Love, the runner-up a little unlucky as she took a knock out of the pens and then the scenic route home.
It’s been nearly a year between drinks for World Mission but Keagan De Melo got the better of his wayward tendencies in the Sikalele Projects Handicap although he was all over the place in the drive for the wire. “He’s not the easiest,” said De Melo of Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding. “He’s looking for a trip but doesn’t settle.”
“He has ability but hasn’t brought it all to the racecourse yet.”
De Melo eased punters pain when getting favourite Ronnie Rocket home for Pat Lunn in the Just Property Handicap after 25-1 shot Komeshans Flight under apprentice Eric Ngwane for Yogas Govender lead to a boil-over in the exotics.
Warren Kennedy, successful for Kom Naidoo in Kimberley on Saturday, has got his season off to a cracking start, successful on Bangkok in the fifth who Gavin van Zyl feels “still has a lot to learn”, and then riding a driving finish on Just Vogue to get the better of Gratuity in the Wayne’s Scrap Metal Handicap for a stable double.
Mark Khan is becoming a regular visitor in KZN of late and rounded off the day by getting Shadow Hunter home with a late effort for Lezeanne Forbes.
By Andrew Harrison
