Young assistant trainer Gareth Van Zyl would have been thrilled with the manner in which his soldier No Worries came through his Gold Vase ‘prep’ at Greyville on Sunday. The 6yo son of Kahal blew Mike Azzie’s July hope Rabada away in a matter of strides to win the KZN Breeders Million Mile in fine style.

Although it came as no surprise to hear later that No Worries will probably be scratched from his July day commitment and aimed at the Champions Cup on Super Saturday rather, it was a great plan come together with jockey Warren Kennedy proving again that he has the nerve to carry the big days.

And for an owner there can’t be many better preps than a mile stretch for a cheque of R625 000 – but that is what Brian Burnard was banking after Kennedy produced No Worries late to beat the highly vaunted Daily News 2000 winner going away.

It was No Worries’ second victory in the generously endowed restricted race after he had won it during Clairwood’s dying throes in 2014, and then ran fourth behind Bezanova last year.

The KZN Breeders big stakes day was a massive success again with Summerhill breeding the winners of five of the nine races, including a top two finish in the feature.

Despite Rabada being out at the weights, Mike Azzie’s classy son of Brave Tin Soldier Rabada was backed into 18-10 favourite and the promising 3yo ranged up looking a winner inside the 350m.

With Rabada looking a winner in the closing stages, Warren Kennedy didn’t panic and switched No Worries as the big chestnut found his stride and grabbed the youngster just inside the 200m to win going away by 1,50 lengths in a time of 98,47 secs.

Rabada ran his heart out and was full value for his runner-up berth. With the Million Dollar target into the July having gone awry, it will be interesting to see whether Rabada makes the final July line-up at all

The ever conistent Malak El Moolook, by King’s Chapel and born and raised at Bush Hill Stud, stayed on for third.

No Worries was bred by Summerhill Stud and is a 4yo gelded son of Kahal out of the eleven-time winning Rambo Dancer mare, Coastal Waltz.

He has won 6 races with 15 places from his 40 starts and stakes of R2 877 075.

Alesh Naidoo’s Kingston Boy, a son of Mogok, also took home the same race twice in a row whilst recent Gr3 winner Witchcraft ran to an easy victory in a 1-2-3 for Sean Tarry.

The honours roll on KZN Breeders Day:

Last Chirp (Announce-Wise Wren)

Bred by Graystone Stud

Trained by St John D Gray

Count Von Count (Visionaire – Dream Starling)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Tony Rivalland

Strategic Move (Strategic News – Giant’s Jewel)

Bred by JJ Snyman

Trained by Sean Tarry

Kingston Boy (Mogok – Star Of Calypso)

Bred by Sugar Hill Stud

Trained by Doug Campbell

Hyaku (Admire Main – Halfaa)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Sean Tarry

Lala (Visionaire – Hlabelela)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Doug Campbell

No Worries (Kahal – Coastal Waltz)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Gavin Van Zyl

Penhaligon (Daylami – Victoria Bay)

Bred by Yellow Star Stud

Trained by Alyson Wright

Witchcraft (Kahal – Deceptive Charm)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Sean Tarry

Extract: Sportingpost.co.za

The final field for the exclusively KZN-bred field galloping for the stake of R1million has been announced, and includes recent Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner, Rabada. The KZN Breeders Million Mile is now in its fourth year, previously known as the KZN Breeders 1600 Listed.

The Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt is also among the entries for the country’s premier event on July 2, takes on some top horses in this annual event sponsored by the KZN Breeders Club and on his form is likely to start favourite for the
1600m clash. Owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste, the Summerhill-bred son of Brave Tin Soldier will be seeking his sixth career victory. He carries 59,5kgs and will jump from stall five.

Two previous winners will also be contenders, with No Worries and Bezanova entered and draws of ten and two respectively.

No Worries, a son of Kahal has found good recent form and he is reported to be back to his best. The six year old gelding recently finished just a length off in second place behind Balance Sheet in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and carries 58kgs under Warren Kennedy on the day.

The consistent son of King’s Chapel, Malak El Moolook, will represent the Sean Tarry stable along with Intergalactic, a daughter of Kahal out of a Galileo mare who enjoys a mile. Intergalactic was only beaten 1.4 lengths by top Cape filly Inara at Turffontein.
Malak El Moolook placed third behind Abashiri, only two lengths off in the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and has been knocking on the door for a big win. He carries 52,5kg under S’manga Khumalo from a fourth draw.

Garth Puller’s consistent son of Mogok, Way Of Light, shoulders the heaviest weight of the field with 60.5kgs. The winner of the Listed Sledgehammer where he defeated the likes of It Is Written and Balance Sheet, the six time winner jumping from a draw of six has to be a major contender under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Backworth Stud’s big and powerful son of Miesque’s Approval, Humidor, will be attempting the mile for the first time at Greyville. He has had a previous run only once over 1400m on debut and placed fourth, being out of a Jallad mare Lewinsky’s Lover, seeing out the 1600m distance should not be an issue.

The fast gelding set a hot record at Scottsville earlier this year when he blazed to victory at Scottsville over 1200m in a time of 66.98 in an MR 86 Handicap, defeating Kildonan’s record set when running the Gr1 Gold Medallion. The lightly raced four year old has won four times from six starts, and placed once.

Three year old gelding Just Like Magic, trained by Robbie Hill and by Just As Well, defeated Vodacom Durban July contender Ten Gun Salute by a length to win at Scottsville over 1600m, has placed six times to date from his 10 starts – three of them close seconds. Over the course and distance, he has finished three lengths off to Abashiri previously on the turf. Just Like Magic carries 52,5kgs and comes off a draw of eight.

All the races at the meeting on Sunday are restricted to horses registered as being KZN-Bred and the eight other events on the card over distances from 1 200m to 1 900m will each carry a stake of R200 000.

Bookings are available in the Durban View Room at R325 per person, with 25 pairs of Vodacom Durban July tickets and other goodies to be won by racegoers. We look forward to seeing everyone there dressed in their black and white!

The Final Field below:

Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T Jockey Trainer Breeder

1 WAY OF LIGHT 60.5 99 ( 99) 6 B A B Fayd’Herbe Garth Puller Estate Late Mr LG Werner (by Mogok)

2 RABADA 59.5 106 (103) 5 A A Marcus Mike Azzie Summerhill Stud (by Brave Tin Soldier)

3 NO WORRIES 58.0 101 (101) 10 B A T W Kennedy Gavin van Zyl Summerhill Stud (by Kahal)

4 BEZANOVA 58.0 99 ( 99) 2 B A W Marwing Alec Laird Clifton Stud (by Bezrin)

5 HUMIDOR 56.0 82 ( 82) 3 A P Strydom Tony Rivalland Backworth Stud (by Miesque’s Approval)

6 ROY’S WINTER PATCH 56.0 78 ( 78) 7 A S Veale Dennis Drier Roy Moodley (by Western Winter)

7 MALAK EL MOOLOOK 52.5 97 ( 94) 4 A T S Khumalo Sean Tarry Bush Hill Stud (by King’s Chapel)

8 JUST LIKE MAGIC 52.5 78 ( 75) 8 B A F Herholdt Robbie Hill Anton Procter (by Just As Well)

9 SON OF SILVER 52.5 75 ( 72) 9 A M Yeni Frank Robinson Scott Bros (by Mogok)

10 INTERGALACTIC 50.0 94 ( 91) 1 A T J P v’d Merwe Sean Tarry Summerhill Stud (by Kahal)