Special Envoy delivers on debut

Jayson and Preshalin Murugasa enjoyed a wonderful evening at the Equus Awards on Tuesday, and the celebrations continued when Special Envoy won Race 2 over 1400m under jockey Calvin Ngcobo at the Vaal on Wednesday.

Special Envoy and Handsome Badger were both expected to be inexperienced and they were - Special Envoy was slightly slow at the gates and was last and out of his ground early, while Handsome Badger was green and all leggy and will make good improvement with the run.

Special Envoy worked his way steadily into contention from the halfway mark, making up several lengths, and then got into the lead to win going away.

Calvin Ngcobo said: "A horse next to him played up a little so after the jump I just gave him time to settle into the race. One always has a chance on a horse from this illustrious stable. I gave Special Envoy a canter on Wednesday and I liked the way he went through his paces."

Calvin (31), recently returned from a riding spell in Ireland and England, where he worked for Kevin Coleman, Aidan and Jospeh O'Brien, and Ralph Beckett.

"I have come back a better rider. This experience brought me closer to horses because as a work rider I had a chance to spend more time around them."

Special Envoy is a gelded son of Master Of My Fate and Victorian Secret, by Captain Al. He is a half-brother to the useful sprinter, Golden Sickle.