Home James. Variety Club cruises in under Anton Marcus to win the Gr2 Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday
Good horses make good trainers, but it takes a champion to keep a superstar on song. Joey Ramsden deserves full credit for keeping the Variety Club express on track over an extended period and Var’s special son made it five straight wins on the trot when doddling the R300 000 Gr2 Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.
What a horse and how easy was this win?
The charismatic chestnut was full of zest and fit as a fiddle as he floated down to the start and looked leagues better than he did when returning to action three weeks ago.
Taking the lead soon after the break, the absolutely brilliant 4yo colt came home 2,50 lengths clear of the very smart Jackson. His ears were pricked as he sauntered home, with jockey Anton Marcus sporting a broad smile.
To add some welcome relief as the post-race pressure valves were released, trained Joey Ramsden called Variety Club one of those ‘good, reliable horses that one can set their watch by.’
That has got to go down as the classic understatement of the year. Maybe Joey was still on cloud nine after training the first three finishers of the supporting feature a half hour earlier?
Heads Together. Just part of the winning team (hamish niven photography)
The race went according to plan, although some will argue that the Ramsden contingency pace plan with the lowly rated The Helsman as a back-up pacemaker failed, as the overwhelmed son of Captain Al under replacement rider Ossie Noach was never in the race – although he did beat his highly vaunted stablemate Bravura home. But contingency plans matter not if plan A comes to fruition.
It was Jackson’s turn to play the rascal for a change at the start as the gated runners waited patiently while Variety Club and Princess Victoria circled waiting to load.
Variety Club is a reformed character under the therapeutic calming tutelage of South Africa’s leading horse behaviouralist Malan Du Toit, and Jackson looks like he may need a touch of the same treatment.
Variety Club hopped into the lead from Bravura and Princess Victoria and led them a merry dance all the way round.
At the 400m marker Marcus glanced casually each way and then quickened away without raising a sweat. Game, set and match by 2,50 lengths in a time of 97,69 secs.
While he never threatened Variety Club, Jackson ran on down the wide outside from way back for second place. His Met prep looks to be going according to plan at this stage and his connections can only feel satisfied with this effort.
Greg Ennion’s Champions Cup winner Master Plan finished with a rattle to run on well for third, while the Snaith’s Changingoftheguard stayed on, without threatening and ran fourth.
In A Rush finished best of the remainder of the Ramsden team to stay on for fifth and 5,80 lengths off . It was not a bad run at all from a horse who may be crying out for 2000m as he matures.
Not everybody was smiling afterwards.
Pride! Rodney Dunn hands the trophy to Joey Ramsden with daughters Zara and Holly in close attendance
Glen Kotzen must be tearing his hair out over his champion, Princess Victoria. The daughter of Victory Moon has been forced to face the boys in advance of her being match fit as the programme allows few options for her sex. She finished eighth and 7,60 lengths behind. But she will bounce back when up against her own again.
It was Ramsden’s afternoon though. In the post-race interviews, the frightening admission made by both rider and trainer was that Variety Club could be ‘better’ if given a chance. The problem is that nothing much can go with him. So how do they get past him?
Ramsden was magnanimous in his praise of owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste, as well as work- riders Andrew Nienaber and Craig Du Plooy.
Variety Club was bred by Beaumont Stud and is the very best son of super stallion Var – by far. He is out of the Secret Prospector mare La Massine.
Variety Club has won 11 of his 16 starts for 4 places with career earnings totalling R2 581 516
In the short term the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate remains his immediate goal.
Thereafter it could well be the J&B Met.
And based on his brilliance and versatility, we would rather not bet against him being given a chance to settle and then staying the 2000m. Which means he could win the Cape’s big one too.
And the last word from an ecstatic Pippa Mickleburgh of Var base, Avontuur, who was on hand to enjoy the moment with breeder Anton Shepherd
“ Variety Club has grown into a majestic looking colt – a true credit to his breeding ,and what a superb stallion he will let down into. For me the special aspect is his ‘look’.
He is just like his sire – proud,intelligent and they both seem to touch people’s hearts. They have that X- factor. And everyone you speak to loves this horse. Whether they be opposition trainers, owners, jockeys and the public. He just deserves all our praise and he reminds us all why we love this game.
Let’s never forget how special these kind of horses are – and they do not come along every day!”
Result:
Green Point S. (SAf-G2) (11/24)
Kenilworth, South Africa, November 24, R300.000, 1600m, turf, good, 1.37.69
(CR 1.36.20).
VARIETY CLUB (SAF), 60.0, ch c 4, Var (USA) – La Massine (SAF) by Secret
Prospector (USA). Owner I and MJ Jooste; breeder Beaumont Stud (SAF);
trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus (R187.500)
Jackson (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Moonlit Prairie (USA) by Cozzene
(USA)
Master Plan (SAF), 60.0, b g 4, Jet Master (SAF) – Princess Polly (SAF) by
Royal Chalice (SAF)
Margins: 2½, 2¼, nk
Also ran: Changingoftheguard (SAF) 60.0, In A Rush (SAF) 60.0, Martial Eagle
(SAF) 60.0, Ice Machine (SAF) 60.0, Princess Victoria (SAF) 57.5, Lion In
Winter (SAF) 60.0, The Helsman (SAF) 60.0, Bravura (SAF) 60.0
