Trainer Marwing eyes another Derby win after Son Of Raj campaign

Trainer Weiho Marwing is on track to capture his second SA Derby in five years after Son Of Raj’s win in last Saturday’s 2,000m Derby Trial at Turffontein.

Five years ago Marwing won the SA Derby — the third leg of the Triple Crown — with the outsider Samurai Warrior, but Son Of Raj will be one of the leading fancies for the race on April 1.

Partnered for the first time by Keagan De Melo, Son Of Raj, a son of Duke Of Marmalade who died in 2021, was well supported in the betting market and started at 7-2.

De Melo must have been pleasantly surprised by how his mount kicked on in the closing stages to beat Future Pearl by three lengths. He is likely to want to partner the gelding in the Derby.

Saturday’s win was a memorable day for Marwing and owner Steven Chetty. It was Marwing’s birthday and Chetty had the satisfaction of breeding the winner.

Marwing is no stranger to big-race involvement — his 2014 Durban July runner, Wylie Hall, was first past the post only to lose the race on an objection. To say the Turffontein trainer was upset is putting it mildly.

The three horses who followed Son Of Raj home in the Derby Trial — Future Pearl, Top Sail and African Torrent — are in the mix for next month’s Derby.

African Torrent, who was gelded after his last start, was prominent for a long way and his breeders, Drakenstein Stud, will be expecting a bold showing in the Derby. Top Sail is looking a bargain buy at R21,000 and Paul Matchett confirmed  the Derby was the main mission of the son of Master Of My Fate.

While Princess Calla had always looked the horse to beat in the grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes, even Sean Tarry must have been surprised that his talented mare trounced her rivals by five lengths.

Richard Fourie, riding the daughter of Flower Alley for the first time, had an armchair ride on the five-year-old with Rollwiththepunches taking the second cheque of R80,000.

Princess Carla will presumably be aimed at next month’s Empress Club Stakes which she won in 2022 in the hands of Aldo Domeyer.

Roy Magner deserves the praise for Rollwiththepunches’ excellent form over the past 12 months — the four-year-old’s last seven outings have yielded four wins and three second placings. The gelding cost R160,000 when purchased from Summerhill Stud as a yearling.

Thunderstruck was a more expensive buy at R1m, but the son of Rafeef — a stablemate of Princess Calla — finished fourth to indicate he could pay to follow in the coming months.

Disappointments in the grade 2 race were Taikonaut and Prophet who both finished in the rear. The latter has completely lost his form since finishing fourth behind Cousin Casey in last season’s Premiers Champion Stakes.

Ryan Munger is enjoying his best season as a jockey and will soon pass last season’s total of 87 winners. He booted home a treble at Turffontein scoring on Ipso Facto, Good Council and Apache Fighter.

Ashley Fortune will be pleased to have won the Aquanaut Handicap with Good Council who has now won four of his 10 starts.