Natyam wins cosily and clinches an important treble for the Gareth van Zyl yard (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Gareth van Zyl, who was KZN Champion trainer in the 2021/2022 season, scored a treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today and with just a week to go before the end of the season that saw him snatch the lead in this season’s championship away from Alyson Wright.
Van Zyl was five wins behind Wright at the beginning of July, but has scored six wins this month thanks to two trebles on successive Wednesday’s at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
In the second race today the Van Zyl-trained Hollywood Syndicate-owned two-year-old Danon Platina gelding Luhamba Phambili showed exceptional pace on debut to win a 1000m maiden Plate by 2,40 lengths under Serino Moodley. He didn’t have to reach for top gear and looks to have a lot of promise.
In the next race over 1600m the Van Zyl-trained three-year-old William Longsword gelding Captain Marsale, owned by Messrs N V Parmanand, E A Budlender, G J Player, P R Rencken & Miss V S Govender, had been knocking hard and deserved a long-head victory under Richard Fourie in his tenth career start.
In the fifth race over 1950m the Van Zyl-trained four-year-old Noble Tune gelding Natyam, owned by Messrs Allan F Peters, Raj Singh, G G Palmer & Mrs D Palmer, had his first run back from Cape Town and like many before him his decent form in that strong centre gave him a fine chance here despite having his second run after a four month layoff and he duly obliged under Serino Moodley, finishing strongly to win by a cosy 1,10 lengths.
Gareth has now had 54 wins in KZN this season at a strike rate of 15.52%.
Alyson has had 53 wins at 11.91%.
Gareth has had 63 wins countrywide this season at 12.94%.
There are just two meetings left in KZN this season.
On Saturday at the World Pool Gold Cup day meeting Gareth runs Imilenzeyokududuma in the Listed World Pool With Tabgold Darley and Flag Man in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup.
Alyson runs Hitemhardsunshine and Shamompo Shampizi in the LHKIR In December Umngeni Handicap.
The championship could well go down to the wire at the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting next Wednesday, the official last day of the season.
