Former SA Champion jockey S’manga Khumalo rode a powerful tactical race to get the Paul Matchett – trained Dan The Lad home in the R250 000 WSB Grand Series Match Race at the Vaal on Saturday.
S’manga Khumalo keeps Dan The Lad going to beat Tsitsikamma Dance (Pic – jc Photos))
The winner-take-all contest evolved out of the aborted Grand Heritage and defined the ultimate winner of the two Grand Series legs which were held in late October after a series of weather and track related delays.
Ryan Munger and Tsitskimma Dance tracked Khumalo on Dan The Lad all the was up the 1475m straight but just not get past the game leader.
And despite putting up 0.5kg overweight Khumalo kept Dan The Lad up to the task, and he fought on doggedly to win by half a length in a time of 102,89 secs after a protracted struggle over the final 400m.
Bred by The Alchemy, Dan The Lad is a son of Dan De Lago (Encosta De Lago) out of the four-time winner Ashbrook (Doowaley).
He cost R120 000 on CPYS Book 2 and has now won 5 races with 13 places from 33 starts and stakes of R887 750.
