Chantyman, a touch unlucky on debut after a tardy start and wide throughout, was an emphatic winner of the first at Scottsville yesterday. “It wasn’t Alec’s fault, it was just one of those things,” opined Dennis Bosch but the son of first season sire Oratorio certainly stamped himself as a horse with a future after his seven-length romp.

Joey Ramsden has had numerous winners at Scottsville but he revealed surprisingly that he had never had a winner when on course.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

That change when Anton Marcus booted home hot favourite Rock My Soul, giving him the first of his treble. Rock My Soul is by leading first season stallion Twice Over. “I think he’s a serious sire,” said Ramsden. Rocky My Soul, a rig before being gelded ahead of his season opener, battled hard for victory but speaking to Ramsden post-race Marcus said, “I he’s a fighter. He’s got plenty of guts. I don’t think he will stop here.”

A string of winning favourites had bookmakers shedding tears and they took further punishment when Miziara landed the odds for Duncan Howells in the fourth. “She’s still green and all over the course,” said Keagan de Melo demonstrating with his hands.

Stretched to a more suitable trip, the daughter of Kahal was always travelling comfortably and inched Howells into a two-winners lead in the battling for the KZN trainer’s championship over perennial rival Dennis Drier.

In spite of fighting off the symptoms of a heavy cold, De Melo was also successful on the well supported Marsala for Michael Roberts in the second, getting the better of another debutante, the Andre Nel-trained Parade’s End.

Love Lyric brought some relief for the bookies as Yogas Govender’s 10-1 shot denied Roberts a double in a tight duel with Wonder Worker.

The relief was short-lived however, as New Fort under Marcus kept up his exception form for Glen Kotzen, winning his fourth race from five starts for his new stable and Marcus added further salt to the bookmakers dwindling profits when riding an inspired finish on hot favourite Clifton Sunset to finally snap a sequence of runner-up placings although she was hard pressed to collar long-time leader Rainbowinthesky.

By Andrew Harrison