Trainer Gareth van Zyl showed a rare display of emotion at Scottsville yesterday and the horse which had caused it was the highly promising Australian-bred two-year-old filly Mygirldownunder.

Meanwhile, Michael Roberts now looks to have two strings to his bow for the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint as his Argonaut gelding Natal obliterated a strong Graduation Plate field over 1200m.

Mygirldownunder was backed into 12/10 in her debut over 1000m in yesterday’s first race and never looked in danger of defeat under Anton Marcus.

She had the odds-on favourite Ebtihaal off the bit a long way out and just had to be shaken up to win by 4,75 lengths. She was receiving only 0,5kg in actual weight from the runner up, whose 2,5kg claimer alleviated some of the 3kg penalty she had earned for her impressive debut win.

Van Zyl had followed this filly’s pin-hooking auction in last year’s Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Sale with keen interest, as she had been consigned by his chief client Brian Burnard. Upon seeing her knocked down for a sales-topping R2 million, he presumed she would soon have new connections and a new trainer. However, he was overcome to discover Burnard had bought her back and was sending her back to him.

Gareth also thanked his father Gavin for allowing him the opportunity to train all of Burnard’s horses on his own under the banner of the now compartmentalised Van Zyl yard.

“It has changed my life,” he said.

Marcus vouched for the amount of work which had gone into preparing Mygirldownunder for her all important debut, describing her as perhaps too precocious, meaning she had at one stage been headstrong. He had even on occasion seen Gareth himself aboard her on the training tracks.

Burnard has had the biggest monetary win of his career since Gareth took over the reins, landing the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m at Kenilworth with Budapest last November. Mygirldownunder could well repeat the dose next November. However, races like the Gr 1 Allan Robertson are likely to be on the agenda before then.

Later, Natal showed high cruising speed, allowing Brandon Lerena to sit still on him in front. He came away to beat the decent Bunker Bill by four lengths, despite conceding him 3,5 kg.

Natal had shown a blistering turn of foot from off the pace when winning his previous start over 1000m by 2,25 lengths off a merit rating of 96, so is by no means a one-dimensional sort.

The Nick Labuschagne and Benji Jonsson-owned Cheveley Stud-bred gelding was knocked down for just R60,000 at the KZN Suncoast Yearling Sale. This was despite her USA-bred dam having produced a number of winners, including a Listed winner. The cheap price might have been due to sire Argonaut having fallen completely out of favour.

Roberts’ older sprinter Muscatt broke the Scottsville 1000m course record last weekend and the yard, which had gone through a bleak spell, has turned the corner in no uncertain terms.

By David Thiselton