An enterprising pillar to post ride by Keagan De Melo was the deciding factor in an exciting first stakes win for Sean Tarry’s well-bred 6yo gelding Serissa in the R150 000 Listed Easter Handicap at Scottsville on Sunday.
File pic of Serissa winning earlier on at Clairwood
Only six runners lined up for the feature on a Scottsville programme that generally lacked any fat but managed to produce some quality racing – including an impressive runaway debut win by Robbie Hill’s well-supported Pathfork first-timer, Red Chestnut Road.
The talented, albeit slightly inconsistent Serissa, has had his past issues, including a nail in the foot, but is in prime form as a late 6yo and was full value for his peak career win.
Keagan De Melo, deputising for S’manga Khumalo, who had taken an early flight to PE for Monday’s meeting, rode a perfectly judged race and withstood late challenges from Solar Star and No Worries to win by 1,50 lengths in a time of 121,55 secs.
Both Solar Star and No Worries can be watched for further improvement in their next start or two in similar company.
The 2014 Gr3 Cup Trial runner-up’s win rounded off a good weekend at the office for the Tarry yard who enjoyed a feature double at Turffontein just 24 hours earlier.
Serissa has now won 6 races with 15 places from 41 starts for stakes of R622 350.
Picture perfect – Serissa as a yearling
He was acquired by Chris Van Niekerk’s Rainbow Beach Trading for R300 000 on the 2011 Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
He was bred by Maine Chance Farms and is a son of Black Minnaloushe out of the beautifully bred Scented Royal.
The last principal daughter of the great sire Royal Prerogative still active at stud, South Africa’s ARCSA Champion 2yo Filly of 1988, Scented Royal was a prolific racer and a broodmare of note.
Out of the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes winner Diorissimo, she produced an impressive 17 foals of which 13 won.
Scented Royal’s best runners included no fewer than five stakes horses.
Her daughters and granddaughters also enjoyed success at stud – with Scented Royal featuring as the second dam of such stakes winners as past Gr2 Fillies Championship winner Philippa Johnson (Joshua Dancer), outstanding sprinters Sweet Sanette (Jallad) and Franny (Trippi), as well as Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup hero Sedge (Silvano), and the talented but troubled Silver Salver (Silvano).
