Keagan De Melo brings No Worries home for a facile win
Winless since clinching a modest MR 77 Handicap at Turffontein two days before Christmas of 2012, Gavin Van Zyl’s frustrating talent No Worries had the last laugh when storming home to win the KZN Breeders Million Mile run at Clairwood on Sunday. The 4yo son of the ill-fated Kahal slammed the 3yo Bezanova and in the process may have sent a veiled wake-up call to the high-riding younger brigade on the eve of the Durban July.
The pundits suggested that Alec Laird’s Bezanova was slung in at the weights in a fourteen strong mixed generation field who were all chasing that lucrative R625 000 first cheque carrot.
But despite carrying just 52,5kg, the well-drawn son of Bezrin had no answer to a powerful galloping display by the year older No Worries, who gave him 1,5kgs and a 5,50 length beating.
Throw in the reality that the race was a true-run affair and that Bezanova was drawn 2 versus No Worries’ 14 -sort of puts the result neatly into perspective!
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.
Owner Brian Burnard(dark shirt) celebrates at the lead in
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.
Bezanova had no answers after appearing to have every chance and plodded into third with the fast-finishing Silva Hawk rattling late and catching the eye, making up lengths for a fourth cheque.
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.”
Blanket on a big payday!
Owner Brian Burnard appears to have been the tactical shrewdie behind the win.
“He ran a beautiful race today.He went off the tracks for a while but we changed a few things and it worked. Keagan rode a great race and it was a top training feat by Gavin and the team,” he said.
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 3 races with 7 places(a 4th in each of the Gr1 July and the Gr1 L’Ormarins Vodacom Durban July) from 22 starts and took his earnings to R1 345 325.
Almost seems a pity that No Worries is not in the July line-up for Saturday. At least we would have been guaranteed a decent pace.
