Clive Robinson
The 2021/22 season has been largely successful for jockey Keagan de Melo, who is a lofty third on the National Jockeys’ log with 157 winners at a commendable 16%.
And statistics show that of the six riders to have ridden more than 100 winners countrywide this term, only Warren Kennedy – out on his own with 236 winners – and Richard Fourie (168) can boast better win strike-rates.
However, De Melo reigns supreme in KwaZulu-Natal where he has ridden 17 more winners than Kennedy from five fewer rides, and this supremacy enjoyed in the province is likely to continue when racing returns to Pietermaritzburg for a 10-race card at Scottsville on Saturday 18 June. He has a select book of seven rides at the meeting, but it should pay handsomely to follow four of his mounts in particular.
De Melo rode two-year-old filly Lady Heist on debut, steering the daughter of Time Thief to a close-up third over 1000m on Greyville’s Polytrack. The pair resume their partnership in Race 1 over 1200m and Glen Kotzen’s charge will be a tough nut to crack if confirming the promise of her introduction and improving with that experience.
Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1500m, is De Melo’s next port of call and another probable winner lies in wait. He partnered Paul Lafferty-trained Death Blow to a second-place finish over 1600m last time out and can be backed to go one better aboard the Coup De Grace gelding who has finished second twice, third twice and fourth in his last five starts – he wouldn’t be winning out of turn.
De Melo has a good record when riding for Mark Dixon, so Hot Strike could be worth following at a big price in Race 5 over 1600m. He will, however, need to be at his best and have things go his way if he is to ‘strike’ aboard the daughter of Linngari from a wide draw.
She has run twice at the course and finished second on both occasions, so it could prove to be a case of third time lucky for the four-year-old chestnut filly.
Highly regarded Coin Spinner has three wins and a narrow third-place finish to show for the four starts he has made under De Melo, so another bold bid is expected of Tony Rivalland’s charge when he reappears in Race 8 over 1000m.
In a competitive field of proven high-class sprinters, speedy Coin Spinner could prove hard to peg back under bottom weight, especially having won a similar contest of 1200m last time out.
