‘Rebel’ with a $150,000 cause

[Wandering Eyes]

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 5^th 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 5^th Grade (520m).

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