De Melo needs Van Vuuren’s support in jockeys’ title bid
Highveld trainer is sending 14 horses to Turffontein on Thursday, and six of them will be ridden by the 2-1 favourite
21 September 2022 - 15:30
byDAVID MOLLETT
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If Keagan de Melo is to win his first jockeys title, for which he is the 2-1 favourite, he will once again need the backing of highveld trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren and his chief patron, Laurence Wernars.
Van Vuuren had a successful 2021/2022 season, saddling 61 winners and finishing in 11th place in the national trainers log. De Melo partnered many of that total which helped him finish third in the jockeys table.
The Alberton-born rider, who turns 29 on Saturday, has started the new campaign in great form, booting home winners in the three main racing centres. He tops the jockeys log ahead of Muzi Yeni and S’manga Khumalo.
Van Vuuren sends a team of 14 horses to the meeting at Turffontein on Thursday and six of them will be ridden by De Melo.
There is every chance of him making three visits to the number one box as all of Fast Love (second race), Bon Vivant (sixth) and Moonstrike (eighth) have sound chances on form.
De Melo’s fourth race mount, Strange Magic, should also go close with the Candice Dawson inmate looking to have only Brazilian Storm to beat in the first leg of the jackpot.
Bon Vivant has earned owner Laurence Wernars over R350,000 in prize money and the daughter of William Longsword has a low weight and a favourable draw in the sixth race. Last time out the four year-old finished a creditable third behind Miss Daisy.
Yet, punters may want to include a few more runners in exotic perms as Quantum King, Bard Of Avon and Litigation have the ability to feature in the finish. Bard Of Avon looks set to improve on his recent efforts with Muzi Yeni booked for the ride.
Sean Tarry runs the Greys Inn colt Litigation — part-owned by Wernars — and the four-year-old is returning from a 19-week break.
Tarry told Winning Form “he should need the run over the distance which is just short of his best”.
Another of Tarry’s four-year-olds, Pyromaniac, a R2.3m buy as a yearling, will be hot favourite to notch his third win when he takes on just five rivals in the second race. The right horse for the exacta could be De Melo’s mount, Fast Love.
Though Moonstrike is not a horse headed for the top, the filly has more than recouped her purchase price and makes plenty of appeal in the final leg of the Pick Six.
De Melo will have to overcome a wide draw but Moonstrike holds the top-weight, Laetitia’s Angel, on their running behind Cocoa Hill and a bigger danger could be stablemate, Mythical Dream. The filly won well on her recent debut but has the worst draw.
It’s interesting that De Melo has opted to partner Insatiable rather than stable companion, Big Eyed Girl, in the seventh race. The latter won in good style last time out, and is back among her own gender.
Insatiable was bumped in her last race and the fact that she receives 6.5kg from Big Eyed Girl may be the reason he has chosen the daughter of Querari.
On Cue and Greens are two others with each-way chances in a competitive handicap — the latter has been dropped two points after finishing unplaced behind Bon Vivant last time out.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
De Melo needs Van Vuuren’s support in jockeys’ title bid
Highveld trainer is sending 14 horses to Turffontein on Thursday, and six of them will be ridden by the 2-1 favourite
If Keagan de Melo is to win his first jockeys title, for which he is the 2-1 favourite, he will once again need the backing of highveld trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren and his chief patron, Laurence Wernars.
Van Vuuren had a successful 2021/2022 season, saddling 61 winners and finishing in 11th place in the national trainers log. De Melo partnered many of that total which helped him finish third in the jockeys table.
The Alberton-born rider, who turns 29 on Saturday, has started the new campaign in great form, booting home winners in the three main racing centres. He tops the jockeys log ahead of Muzi Yeni and S’manga Khumalo.
Van Vuuren sends a team of 14 horses to the meeting at Turffontein on Thursday and six of them will be ridden by De Melo.
There is every chance of him making three visits to the number one box as all of Fast Love (second race), Bon Vivant (sixth) and Moonstrike (eighth) have sound chances on form.
De Melo’s fourth race mount, Strange Magic, should also go close with the Candice Dawson inmate looking to have only Brazilian Storm to beat in the first leg of the jackpot.
Bon Vivant has earned owner Laurence Wernars over R350,000 in prize money and the daughter of William Longsword has a low weight and a favourable draw in the sixth race. Last time out the four year-old finished a creditable third behind Miss Daisy.
Yet, punters may want to include a few more runners in exotic perms as Quantum King, Bard Of Avon and Litigation have the ability to feature in the finish. Bard Of Avon looks set to improve on his recent efforts with Muzi Yeni booked for the ride.
Sean Tarry runs the Greys Inn colt Litigation — part-owned by Wernars — and the four-year-old is returning from a 19-week break.
Tarry told Winning Form “he should need the run over the distance which is just short of his best”.
Another of Tarry’s four-year-olds, Pyromaniac, a R2.3m buy as a yearling, will be hot favourite to notch his third win when he takes on just five rivals in the second race. The right horse for the exacta could be De Melo’s mount, Fast Love.
Though Moonstrike is not a horse headed for the top, the filly has more than recouped her purchase price and makes plenty of appeal in the final leg of the Pick Six.
De Melo will have to overcome a wide draw but Moonstrike holds the top-weight, Laetitia’s Angel, on their running behind Cocoa Hill and a bigger danger could be stablemate, Mythical Dream. The filly won well on her recent debut but has the worst draw.
It’s interesting that De Melo has opted to partner Insatiable rather than stable companion, Big Eyed Girl, in the seventh race. The latter won in good style last time out, and is back among her own gender.
Insatiable was bumped in her last race and the fact that she receives 6.5kg from Big Eyed Girl may be the reason he has chosen the daughter of Querari.
On Cue and Greens are two others with each-way chances in a competitive handicap — the latter has been dropped two points after finishing unplaced behind Bon Vivant last time out.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (7) Don’t Tell Ash (5) Regina Bellissima (6) Wilkies (8) Treaty
2nd Race: (1) Pyromaniac (2) Fast Love (4) Total Protection (5) Boisterous
3rd Race: (3) Pendragon (2) Var Park (7) Quixote (8) Siberian Steel
4th Race: (1) Brazilian Storm (3) Strange Magic (4) Maith An Cailin (2) Countess Danza
5th Race: (9) Whispers Of War (8) Ablaan (3) Barneys Pride (5) Leopold
6th Race: (8) Bon Vivant (6) Bard Of Avon (7) Quantum King (5) Litigation
7th Race: (7) Iphiko (1) Big Eyed Girl (2) Greens (9) Insatiable
8th Race: (4) Moonstrike (9) Mythical Dream (1) Laetitia's Angel (5) Feather The Nest
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