| It Was No Worries For The Burnards In The KZN Breeders Million Mile |
It was another outstanding Winter’s day at Clairwood which saw the third running of the KZN Breeders Million Mile, the second time it has been held at Clairwood racecourse.
It has been very pleasing to see the attendance of the KZN Breeders Race Day growing immensely, with the Panoramique Room filled to capacity with breeders, owners and trainers whilst the course attendance was also visibly increased by punters on what is one of Gold Circle’s biggest race days of the year – a day which sees a stake of over R2,6 million spread over 10 races exclusively for the winning KZN-bred racehorse. A ‘KZN-bred’ is defined as a horse registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme.
It was a pleasing day for both the Scott Bros, Summerhill Stud, breeder-owner-trainer St John Gray and KZN’s recently deceased Champion sire Kahal who stood at Bush Hill Stud, having six horses competing in the showstopper of the day – the KZN Breeders Million Mile.
Des and Robin Scott sponsor the magnificent Floating Trophy for the KZN Breeders Million Mile, and it was most appropriate that amongst the first four races on the card, three were taken home swiftly by horses born off the Scott Bros’ Highdown Stud. The first race saw a son of Mogok, Mynameisbond, win by three quarters of the a length from two well-bred imported horses, each by Commands and Galileo. The second race was won by Miesque’s Approval’s appropriately named Miss Argentina – winning by a nose in the Backworth Stud KZN Breeders 1200 for juvenile fillies and mares, while the fourth race – the Piemonte Stud KZN Breeders 1200 for fillies and mares saw African Dream, by Mogok out of Rhumba In Space by Spaceship, win comfortably by a length and a half. Congratulations to the Scott Bros on a wonderful achievement on this special day.
Summerhill Stud achieved a lovely ‘double’, with the first two horses past the post in their own sponsored race, the Summerhill Stud KZN Breeders 1200 for three year olds and older colts and geldings. Muhtafal’s very consistent son Showmetheway won by almost two lengths, with Kahal’s Flyfirstclass finishing second. Kingston Boy (Mogok) and Coffee Sheik (The Sheik) finished respectively. Summerhill also took home the ninth race with Admire Main’s best performed daughter, the Gr1 placed Admiral’s Eye winning the Kildonan KZN Breeders 1600 for Fillies and Mares.
Rathmor’s Split The Breeze, a talented juvenile by Brave Tin Soldier, grabbed his second win from four starts in The Fort Stud KZN Breeders 1200 Juvenile for colts and geldings. Rathmor recently imported a magnificent son of Unbridled’s Song, Noble Tune, a dual Group winner standing at Rathmor this season.
Another stalwart supporter of KZN Breeding, the Gauteng-based racing yard of St John Gray saw double success with two grey horses by Sarge, each taking home the seventh and tenth race. St John has his breeding base, Graystone Stud, based at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud in Mooi River.
Everest, a three year old colt by Sarge out of a Kilconnel mare, gave them a galloping lesson to win the Noble Tune (USA) KZN Breeders 1900 for Colts and geldings under Anton Marcus by two and half lengths. Spin A Coin and Auction King, both by Miesque’s Approval, placed respectively with Joshua’s Crown finishing fourth. St John finished a successful raiding day off in the 10th race with a double – again both sons of Sarge (a full brother to Hadlow resident sire Announce) with Norgay taking the win and Form Up placing second by three lengths in the Balmoral KZN Breeders 1600 for colts and geldings.
Kahal’s double on the day, a pleasing sight for the now sadly deceased champion sire, saw two chestnuts fly the flag for him in the sixth and main eighth race. Three daughters of Kahal won and placed in the Spring Valley Stud KZN Breeders 1900 for fillies and mares, Enchanted Silk by a dominating three lengths from another Kahal in Alesh Naidoo’s Nisa’s Love (a full sister to Gr1 winner Love Struck), whilst Miss K finished fourth behind Dynasty filly Desroches.
The attraction of the day, the KZN Breeders Million Mile, attracted a top quality field of KZN-bred horses and No Worries (Kahal) stormed to victory by three and half lengths for owner Brian Burnard, a keen supporter of the KZN-bred racehorse and winning a part of the series last year with Chili Pepper. Distinguished, another Bold Black Type by Kahal finished in second place whilst Clifton’s Bezanova (Bezrin) finshed third and Silva Hawk (by Silvano) in fourth. Champion breeders’ Summerhill Stud bred three in the first four placings.
The Sportingpost.co.za reports on the KZN Breeders Million Mile: “And while it is something of an indirect longshot, the strength of the older generation now doesn’t look half bad. Bezanova’s recent proximity, for example, to the likes of Legislate and Rake’s Chestnut, versus No Worries’ performances against a champion like Capetown Noir may have sent ripples of nervousness through the July pro-youth brigade.
“Distinguished led early as Keagan De Melo brought No Worries across very economically from his wide draw.
“Into the home run Distinguished galloped relentlessly as No Worries tracked him with Bezanova appearing to be going very well two lengths adrift in third. They came to the outside at the 400m marker and Marcus looked to have a little up his sleeve as Distinguished kept on. But in a matter of strides De Melo steered No worries inside of the pacemaker and cruised past. It was obvious at the 200m that the race was only on for second.
“No Worries galloped strongly all the way to the line to draw away and beat Distinguished by 3,25 lengths in a time of 95,23 secs. The winner started at 9 to 2. Keagan De Melo rode a great race and said afterwards that Anton Marcus had tried to ‘catch’ a march on him. “But I kept an eye on him. As Uncle Brian (Burnard, the owner) said: No Worries is back!”
“Trainer Gavin Van Zyl recalled No Worries’ great effort in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate under Striker Strydom when he had charged off to the front.
“In the light of that run, one had to believe that dropping 6kgs in this race he had to be a big runner. The Cape trip didn’t work out and we have battled to get him back to best. We tried to get him into the July but that didn’t happen. But we know more about him now and that helps. All credit to Brian (Burnard) who was adamant that Keagan had to ride him forward. Well done to all. You can’t do it without a partnership. As they say, together we stand, divided we fall. A big word of congratulations to Summerhill and we are saddened by the huge loss to the industry of his stallion, Kahal.””
No Worries’ magnificent grey half-sister by Visionaire sold at Nationals for R1,4million earlier this year. A graduate of the Summer Ready To Run Sale, selling for R420 000, No Worries only achieved his third win yesterday but has placed in top company over a consistent career – last year he finished a nose off Vercingetorix in the Gr1 Daily News and gave Capetown Noir a galloping lesson – the latter finishing third to No Worries. No Worries then went on to place fourth in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July by three and half lengths to Heavy Metal. He has since placed – never more than four lengths off – behind the likes of Jackson, Beach Beauty, Ice Machine and Master Of My Fate.
Congratulations to trainer Gavin Van Zyl and jockey Keagan De Melo on a wonderful achievement.
We would like to thank the breeders, owners and trainers who supported our beautiful black and white KZN Breeders Race Day and we look forward to seeing you all at the KZN Yearling Sale this week at Suncoast.
– extract sportingpost.co.za