Dean Kannemeyer and Winning Form-sponsored Keagan de Melo maintained their good feature race form on the East Coast, when Drakenstein homebred Rex Union outstayed his six rivals to win the R135 000 World Sports Betting Highland Night Cup at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Still surprisingly without a career stakes win, the 5yo, who was placed third behind Shangani in the Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup last year, showed good resolve to win the non black-type 2400m contest.
Keagan de Melo has Rex Union in front at the right time (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Given a chance by De Melo as Juan Carlos led the way, Rex Union (7-2) weaved his way through up the straight and hit the front at the right moment to beat Riccardo (17-2) by 0,60 lengths in a time of 149,61 secs.
Garth Puller’s Twice Golden (9-2) took off late to be beaten a head into third.
Labelling his charge a ‘solid, sound horse’, Dean Kannemeyer said the Drakenstein galloper was seemingly better on a right-hand turn.
He recounted his two years ago, Rex Union suffered two slight heart attacks and was not expected to race again. But 6 months paddock rest at the beautiful farm of his owner-breeders did the trick.
Watch the replay here:
Rex Union has now won 3 races with 7 places from 21 starts and took his stakes bank to R330 475.
A son of deceased Drakenstein Danehill sire Duke Of Marmalade, the winner is out of the seventeen-time winning champion racemare Beach Beauty.
