Highly underrated Victorian powerhouse Dundee Rebel played ‘renegade’ in the $215,625 Group 2 Sportsbet Flying Amy Classic final (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night.
Dundee Rebel produced a massive upset, saluting at $21 in the $150,000 to-the-winner event.
Bred, owned and trained by 75-year-old Pakenham South stalwart Geoff Scott-Smith, Dundee Rebel was the much less fancied of the three ‘southerners’ in the race.
Jason Thompson’s rising stars, Alpha Zulu ($3.20) and Umberto ($4.40), were also flying the Vic flag.
But Dundee Rebel (Dec ’20 Feral Franky x Dundee Calypso) was oblivious to his odds and in a ‘messy’ affair nabbed Umberto by 0.75L, with local star Magistrate ($11) a further 1.5L away third in 30.10sec.
“It’s my biggest success since Dundee Osprey won three Group 1 finals in 2016.”
Alpha Zulu finished sixth, while SA superstar Victa Damian ($3.10F) came in fifth – albeit only 3L from the winner.
A G3 Launching Pad finalist, Dundee Rebel notched his eighth win (with six seconds and three thirds) from 31 starts. His earnings skyrocketed to $199,360.
Scott-Smith said Dundee Rebel’s win against the odds wasn’t a complete surprise.
“I thought he was way over the odds. His time in finishing second in a heat last week was faster than the other six heat winners.
“And the way the box draw panned out, I didn’t too much about box six. I thought he’d still get a clear run.
“But you can’t predict a win against such a class field and that’s why it really meant something.
“It’s my biggest success since Dundee Osprey won three Group 1 finals (Harrison-Dawson, Topgun and Sale Cup) in 2016. Ironcially, he paid almost $25 winning the Harrison-Dawson.”
Scott-Smith added Dundee Rebel would remain with caretaker trainer Austin ‘Rusty’ Dillon and “have a crack at the (G1) Brisbane Cup”.
Meanwhile, on a star-studded program, fellow Victorian Play Nice ($6) – trained by Tim Britton – showed no ‘courtesy’ to his rivals with a 42.26sec win in the G3 The Dashing Corsair (710m).
It was a big night for the Britton family as Tim also finished third with Wheel And Go in the G3 Carnival Chase (600m) and third with Cash It In in a 5th Grade (600m).
His father, Rob, took out a Free For All (710m) with First Picked ($4.20) in 42.12sec (BON) and also scored with Trooper Tears ($2.50F) in a Brisbane Cup Prelude (520m) in 29.74sec (BON). And he finished second with Trapper Tears in a Brisbane Cup Prelude.
Tim’s uncle, Jeff, landed a Free For All (600m) with Mepunga Warrior ($8) in 35.04sec.
And Jason Thompson received some solace when Stealth ($6) ‘snuck’ away for a 29.94sec success in a 5th Grade (520m).
