Oscar Wilde arrived late on principle

IRISH playwright Oscar Wilde said: “I am always late on principle, my principle being that punctuality is the thief of time”.

His namesake arrived on the scene very late at the Vaal on Tuesday, getting up in the last stride to beat Rock Of Ages in a MR88 Handicap over the straight Vaal 1400m.

Oscar Wilde, the lightly-raced four-year-old, was actually last of the 14 runners when they reached the 300m-mark, but he kicked strongly, flew up on the standside rail and got the verdict.

Jockey Gavin Lerena said that he saw no pace in the race beforehand and asked Mike de Kock if he could lead, but, as it happened, Talktothestars went out with guns blazing and set a cracking pace, leaving Oscar Wilde out of his ground.

“The pace was on and I had to settle him into a rhythm,” said Lerena. “I had to weave my way through, he can be a cheeky customer, but he ran on well, he got there!”

Oscar Wilde is by Dynasty from Lady Windermere, bred by Drakenstein Stud. He races for Mary Slack and Michael Javett.