Gareth Van Zyl pulled off a fine training feat at Greyville yesterday when No Worries recaptured the KZN Breeders Million Mile race he had won as a four-year-old two years ago at Clairwood.
The Summerhill-bred Kahal gelding was coming off three runs between 1950m and 2400m which had yielded a win and two thirds.
Van Zyl somehow managed to freshen the six-year-old up and he ran on strongly from midfield under regular rider Warren Kennedy, despite the race having been run at a crawl,
He overtook favourite Rabada close home before drawing clear to win by 1,5 lengths.
No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)
Twice Gr 1-winning three-year-old Rabada, who is in the field for next weekend’s Vodacom Durban July, carried 59,5kg, but on official merit ratings No Worries, who carried 58kg, was only 0,5kg better off with him. Furthermore, No Worries was officially 2kg under sufferance with third-placed Malak El Moolook, whom he beat by 2,25 lengths.
This confirmed No Worries’ recent good form was not only due to his stamina capacity and he is clearly enjoying a new lease of life.
July watchers might view the race as a further blow to the chances of the three-year-olds, who already have a tough task at the weights.
Van Zyl said the enormous amount of work put in by jockey Kennedy and his assistant trainer Jessica Von Niebel had turned No Worries around.
Kennedy described the chestnut as “the darling of the stable” and owner Brian Burnard called him “a soldier.”
Every one of the other eight races carried a R200,000 stake. Nine-times South African champion breeders Summerhill Stud enjoyed a day to remember.
Sean Tarry scored a treble with the JJ Snyman-owned-and-bred Strategic News filly Strategic Move (S’Manga Khumalo), the Summerhill-bred Admire Main gelding Hyaku (JP van der Merwe); and the Summerhill-bred Kahal filly Witchcraft (Khumalo).
Doug Campbell scored a double. The Mogok gelding Kingston Boy (Anthony Delpech), which he bred and part-owns, repeated his win of last year and his Summerhill-bred Visionaire filly Lala (Anton Marcus) was a deserved winner.
Other winners were St. John Gary with his home-bred Announce filly Last Chirp (Marcus), Tony Rivalland with Summerhill-bred gelding Count Von Count (Lyle Hewitson) and Alyson Wright with Yellow Star Stud-bred Daylami gelding Penhaligon (Delpech).
By David Thiselton
