After his best season jockey De Melo’s services are in demand

After his third-place finish in last season’s jockeys championship, Keagan de Melo is quoted at 9-2 to win his first title in the 2022/2023 campaign. He has seven booked rides at Turffontein on Tuesday, and most have winning chances.

In the seventh race, trainer Roy Magner has booked De Melo to partner his improving four-year-old, Kotinos. Last time out, the gelding was given a good ride by Piere Strydom to win on the Turffontein inner track.

Somewhat surprisingly, Strydom hasn’t got the ride again, and is carded to partner Ballon D’Or for the Botes/Vosloo partnership. The six-year-old can only be given a place chance and, on form, looks unlikely to beat Admiral Dooley.

Kabelo Matsunyane has been among the winners at the start of the season and he’ll be pleased his regular mount, Admiral Dooley, will jump from a favourable draw.

Another jockey whose career is on an upward curve is Kaidan Brewer and he partners Sound Of Hounds for trainer St John Gray. The colt’s second behind Tuscan Winter is useful form and the colt warrants inclusion in all exotic bets.

De Melo’s second race mount, Flow Forever, has an each-way chance but looks unlikely to beat Brett Crawford’s runner, Clap Of Thunder, possibly Matsunyane’s second best ride at the meeting.

Probably Matsunyane’s best chance of success lies with Gilded Butterfly who is set to start favourite for the sixth race over 1,600m. This daughter of Flower Alley is proving a bargain buy and has already recouped three times her purchase price of R50,000.

Stuart Pettigrew has engaged De Melo to partner Gilded Butterfly’s stablemate, Quiet Rebellion, and the filly can earn a cheque if producing her best form.

Rachel Venniker will be delighted to have seven rides for champion trainer Paul Peter and Flame Flower’s weight is reduced to 58,5kg due to the youngster’s gender allowance. Peter realises the advantage of making use of Vennikers claim.

Peter also runs Willow Lane who is returning from an 11-week rest. The market will be the best guide to the chance of this daughter of Willow Magic.

The final leg of the jackpot presents De Melo with another winning opportunity as his mount, Big Eyed Girl, drops in class and could notch the third win of her career.

Once again it is the Peter-Venniker combination which stand in De Melo’s path as four-year-old Droghiere ran a creditable second last time out and looks the likely favourite. Kaidan Brewer’s ride, Twice As Splendid, also comes into the mix.

Gary Player is co-owner of De Melo’s ninth-race mount, Player, but the colt is still a maiden and faces a tough task in his first venture into handicap company. The horse which makes most appeal is Grant Maroun’s filly Twice As Wild.

Though Puerto Manzano didn’t shape in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, De Melo won the Jubilee Handicap on the Argentinian import and will be looking forward to riding his half-brother, Puerto Plata, in the first race.

This looks a weak maiden plate and — if the market vibes are right — the three-year-old could make a winning debut.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: No Selection

2nd Race: (3) Pottinger (4) Sir Tallin (1) King Arthur (6) Toto’s Dream

3rd Race: (1) Clap Of Thunder (2) Flow Forever (4) Global Breeze (5) Main Mission

4th Race: (5) Sacred Valley (4) Stunning Kitten (1) Mirren (3) Saint Anastasia

5th Race: (5) Electric Gold (1) Bey Suyay (7) Silly Fella (4) Indus Knight

6th Race: (2) Gilded Butterfly (1) Flame Flower (5) Willow Lane (6) Quiet Rebellion

7th Race: (7) Kotinos (3) Admiral Dooley (8) Sound Of Hounds (4) Ballon D'Or

8th Race: (1) Big Eyed Girl (4) Droghiere (3) Twice As Splendid (5) Chyavana

9th Race: (1) Twice As Wild (4) Var Park (9) Cocao Hill (8) Irrevocable Dream