Disco Al (Anton Marcus) on the far outside gets his head down to beat Hot Ticket (Karl Neisius) with Kingston Mines (blinkers) and Master James in the action
A thrilling blanket finish to the R400 000 Gr2 Track & Ball Derby had the Scottsville Sunday crowd on their feet, with Anton Marcus getting the dual Gr3 Algoa Cup winner Disco Al up on the nod to shade July candidate Hot Ticket. Only a neck separated the first four horses home.
After bringing Hot Tiicket from second last into the straight , veteran Cape jockey Karl Neisius looked to have timed the odds-on favourite’s winning effort rather finely, but to perfection.
Anton Marcus had other ideas, however, and Disco Al had taken off at the same time from just behind Hot Ticket – and Neisius was busy watching those down the inside and appeared stunned by the South African silks ghosting up on his outside and which floated by right at the winning post.
Who would have thought that the new open-style Derby with a field of just eight runners would have provided such fireworks and a finish more on the lines of a handicapper’s dream?
With the 3yo’s now relegated to second class status, and the weight terms favouring the older horses, last year’s winner Hot Ticket (now a 5yo) looked to be a worthy favourite and the only aspect that many thought could be his undoing was the pace.
With Double Clutch slow away, Anthony Delpech took the De Kock-trained Kingston Mines out to lead from Savage Wind and Master James, with Double Clutch recovering to be a few lengths off.
Hot Ticket, Disco Al and Krambambuli were relaxed at the rear.
The order remained largely unchanged all the way around and into the home run about eight lengths covered first to last as Kingston Mines and Savage Wind went down the inside with Master James looking dangerous as the backmarkers Hot Ticket and Disco Al made their move.
Kingston Mines continue to gallop strongly, with Hot Ticket making steady ground, and Disco Al shadowing him.
In the drive to the wire, any one of four horses could win it and it came down to the brilliance of Anton Marcus as Disco Al got his head down in the final stride to beat Hot Ticket by a short head in a time of 151,06 secs.
Part owner Anant Singh leads Disco Al in
Savage Wind and Kingston Mines dead-heated for third just a head away, with the 3yo Master James running a cracker another head away in fifth.
Double Clutch was another length away in sixth and probably threw his final July hope away – even though he ran a respectable race.
The Snaith runners failed to flatter, and filled the last two places.
Dean Kannemeyer-trained Hot Ticket must surely have worked his way into the reckoning for the July final field – even if one has the feeling that he could be a better prospect in the 3000m Gr2 Gold Vase. He just takes so long to get going and there is a fair amount of decent opposition in the big race.
Goodhope Racing Assistant trainer Alson Ndzilana paid tribute to Marcus’ winning ride and said that Disco Al was a ‘nice horse’.
Jockey Anton Marcus said that irrespective of whatever pace was on, that he was always going to ride Disco Al conservatively, and that things had worked out well.
Disco Al has won 6 races with 14 places from 31 starts and R994 730 in stakes.
He is a half-brother to 2013 Gr1 Gold Cup winner Jeppe’s Reef and was bred by Drakenstein Stud. The 4yo son of Captain Al is out of the brilliant six-time winning Badger Land mare, Studio Fifty Four.
Disco Al cost R800 000 on the National Yearling Sale and races in the national flag silks of Vanashree and Anant Singh, in partnership with leading Ramsden owners, Ingrid and Markus Jooste.
He is entered to run in the Campanajo 2200 on July day – a race known as the consolation July – and he will strip fit for that contest. He is a decent staying type, when things go his way.
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Gr2 Track And Ball Derby (SAf-Gr2)
Scottsville, South Africa, June 21, R400k, 2400m, turf, good, 2.31.06
1 – DISCO AL (SAF), 59.0, b g 5, Captain Al (SAF) – Studio Fifty Four (SAF) by Badger Land (USA). Owner Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh, Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste; Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus
2 – Hot Ticket (SAF), 60.0, ch g 5, Silvano (GER) – Hot Number (SAF) by Sportsworld (USA)
3 – Kingston Mines (GB), 60.0, ch g 4, Archipenko (USA) – Alexandrine (IRE) by Nashwan (USA)
Margins: 0.10, 0.10, d/h
