Punting first timers is a risky business even at the best of times and there were more than a few anxious moments come the first at Scottsville yesterday as the heavily supported Varallo made equally heavy weather of the opener.
Among the general public, the word out was ‘impossible’, those closer to the favourite were seemingly not that confident and as the race unfolded it became clear why.
Keagan De Melo (Nkosi Hlophe)
The expensive yearling purchase was backed in to 5-10 favourite but was all over the racecourse under Anton Marcus, racing like a horse that had never see a racetrack before. “He’s a laid-back horse,” said Charles Laird and Marcus later made light of his mounts antics. “If he had got beat it would not have been a train-smash.”
Cold comfort for those that had plunged!
The value of racing experience was shown as Hoppertunity, the only runner with a race under his girth, kicked on for second.
Owner Alesh Naidoo, who races under the moniker The Fire Trust Racing, was later the recipient of the Gold Circle Owner of the Month, an award richly deserved.
Much of the ra-ra surrounding the first two foals to make the course out of the superb race mare Val Da Ra, in spite of their lofty breeding, have not made an auspicious start to their racing careers. That may all change in an instant but first foal Dream De Ra was never in the hunt on debut as Rainbowinthesky showed her mettle from a tricky draw to land the second ahead of the rank outsider Khetiwe that was having her first run for Paul Lafferty.
The going down the centre of the Scottsville track appears to be as good as anywhere but Keagan de Melo had no intention of taking chances on Duncan Howells’s runner and immediately headed for the inside fence from the widest draw.
He was pressed all the way to the line by Khetiwe, only getting the upper hand late, but the balance of the field were well beaten.
Hot favourite Midnight Man gave supporters some anxious moments as he gave some cheek at the gate but eventually won well enough for Mike Miller although Rebel Circus pushed him to the line.
With two scratchings, the fifth cut up into six runners with everyone for themselves come the top of the straight. Pacemaker Heir Line kept finding to hold off Mr O’Neill and Cockade but it was a strange race and one where the form is likely to prove suspect. Roman Emperor appeared more attracted to the water lilies in the racecourse dam than racing as De Melo struggled to keep in straight while the balance made their own way to the line spread across the track.
A strange finish indeed.
By Andrew Harrison
