All The Way! Rambo stays on under Marco Van Rensburg to beat Matthew Ethan (Green/ Black stars) JC Photos
A terrifically innovative ride by Marco Van Rensburg was the key to a courageous victory for the Victory Moon gelding Rambo in the Turffontein topliner on Saturday.
Punters were spot on in the eight horse MR 94 Handicap and Rambo eventually jumped at 28 to 10 and started tote favourite in a very competitive eight horse field.
In an enterprising display of riding from the rails draw position, Van Rensburg took the Grant Maroun trained Rambo out from the break and he was never headed in the mile contest.
He was tracked by the wily Piere Strydom on National Key, while Parkwood and Mathew Ethan were a few lengths further back.
Some minor heart failure was experienced by his backers as they went through the final 400m, and there were nervous moments as Strydom loomed up dangerously, as Rambo drifted outwards and appeared to come under pressure.
It ended well and in a rousing finish, Van Rensburg had shrewdly conserved some fuel for the final burst and his mount kicked again to ward off challenges.
Rambo stayed on well to win by 1,50 lengths in a time of 98,41 secs.
Matthew Ethan ran on smartly and looked dangerous at the 200m, while National Key plodded into third.
Underrated. Marco Van Rensburg rode a great race
Rambo had shed his maiden at his second outing and after a quiet spell, has now won two on the trot. His last win was also impressive and he looks capable of winning plenty more races from here on in.
Rambo was bred by Kevin Hunter’s Worldwise Breeding. He is by Victory Moon out of the seven time winning Rambo Dancer mare Rambo’s Flirt.
He has won 3 races and been placed 4 times from his 12 starts.
He took his earnings to R185 725.
Riding honours were evenly shared on the afternoon, while trainer Gary Alexander saddled a double, when winning the second and eighth race winners.
