Owner-breeder Steven Chetty celebrated a ‘genuine Jack moment’ and a dazzling Gr1 victory from his first ever elite runner with a horse he bred himself as the Weiho Marwing galloper Son Of Raj swept to an eyecatching victory in the WSB Gr1 SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday.
Trainer Weiho Marwing entered the SA Derby hall of fame with his third winner in the 2450m classic after Samurai Warrior (2019) and Wylie Hall (2013), as he had the son of Duke Of Marmalade tuned to the moment.
In another Gr1 on the afternoon run at a ‘Cape kind of pace’, Craig Zackey found himself a reluctant leader on River Romeo who led the eventual winner and Top Sail.
Keagan de Melo steers Son Of Raj to an easy viictory (Pic – JC Photos)
Into the home run, Keagan de Melo was stalking the leader and pounced as he grabbed a match-winning break on Son Of Raj, with the favourite Billy Bowlegs making his way from the rear and caught momentarily flat-footed off the sedentary pace.
It was race over inside the 200m and Son Of Raj (5-1) stayed on best to register a 2,25 lengths victory in a time of 157,40 secs over the gutsy Billy Bowlegs (2-1) with Rule By Force (10-1) a further 2,25 lengths back in third.
It was an enormous moment for the Chetty family who travelled en masse from Durban and were kitted out in red to celebrate a milestone.
Interestingly, Winning Form’s log-leading rider Keagan de Melo rode Mr Chetty’s first ever winner over a decade ago and was in the saddle again for this magic moment.
The Chetty champions at the lead in (Pic – JC Photos)
Winning trainer Weiho Marwing paid tribute to his mentor Ormond Ferraris, who celebrated his 91st birthday on Friday.
The winner was raised at the Freeman family’s Boland Stud and is a son of the deceased Cartier Champion and five time Gr1 winner, Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill) out of the three-time winning Black Minnaloushe mare, Freudinia.
Son Of Raj is a winner of 4 races with 2 places from 7 starts for stakes of R1 169 750.
Watch the replay here:
