The enigmatic class act King Of Pain shares his charismatic personality and boyish charm with his erudite conditioner Joey Ramsden. The pair have seen a few battles won and lost and team up again in Saturday’s R400 000 Gr2 Premier Trophy where the son of Greys Inn lumbers topweight.
King Of Pain and Joey – can the pair pull the grey magic out the bag?
It’s not the mutual grey distinguished good looks but more the fighting spirit and character of the trainer-horse combination that have proven so appealing to Joe Public – and a good few photographers – over the past few seasons.
The reality is that, while neither are getting any younger, King Of Pain hasn’t won since June 2014 at the old Clairwood track where he downed the multiple Equus champion mare Beach Beauty in a dazzling display of galloping and tactical race-riding to win the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
Fayd’herbe is in the saddle again on Saturday and we are going 200m further. And his few runs this year have produced decent efforts – if no fireworks.
But his eyecatching sprint in the Gr2 Merchants,when just 3,95 lengths behind Triptique was acceptable and he will be a fit horse on Saturday. He certainly has the class and is plain overdue to win at some time soon!
The negative is that if the official handicapper is to be believed, then the King cannot beat the likes of Punta Arenas and Paterfamilias.
Punta Arenas – will prefer this and should be fitter
Now with Dennis Drier after Stan Elley closed shop, Punta runs off a 111 and has not put things together in two runs since chasing Power King home in a great effort in the July.
He probably needed his last outing when failing to fire when out of the money behind Captain America in the Green Point Stakes – but will enjoy the extra 200m in a fast run race here.
Paterfamilias is one of three Bass runners.
The son of Trippi has never lived up to his R2,3 million price tag but flew late to run out of his skin when third and a length behind Captain America in the Green Point.
The lightly raced 6yo is a little in and out and will need to frank that before we start suggesting he can win this.
Helderberg Blue was 4,25 lengths behind there and this fellow has had more excuses than most horses.
He was runner-up behind Dynamic last year but he has had his chance and it is difficult to fancy him too strongly.
The third of the Bass trio is Winter Classic winner Royal Dreamer, who has been priced up at 200-1 by Hollywood for the 2016 J&B Met.
Royal Dreamer winning the Winter Classic
The course and distance winning son of Rebel King is not well in at the weights but Greg Cheyne rides him well – but he may need another run to reach his fitness.
The Sean Tarry trained Gold Onyx has his 52nd run on Saturday and as an 8yo he amazingly still has plenty of pep in his step.
Gold Onyx drives himself to the races these days – seen here at a Clairwood win with Sean Tarry – and Anton Marcus in saddle
The Gr1 winning son of Black Minnaloushe loves the Cape and looks to be following the same path as he did last term – this race into the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in the Met.
He was unplaced behind Dynamic last year and will once again likely need it as he comes straight off a 19 week rest following his unplaced Gold Cup effort.
It is difficult to suggest that he has no shout here, and could pop up fresh under S’manga Khumalo.
Justin Snaith won this race last year with the rather disappointing Dynamic and his duo of Krambambuli and Master’s Eye have quite a bit to do at the weights.
Former Yogas Govender trained Krambambuli was touted as a Derby horse last season but things didn’t quite work out in that regard.
Krambambuli has shown touches of class
The son of Black Minnaloushe won one race on the Greyville polytrack during the KZN Champions Season and has looked quite competitive this season so far.
He won his penultimate start when beating his much vaunted stablemate Readytogorightnow in a small field over 1800m at Durbanville and was then a bit unlucky when cramped and finishing under a length back in fourth in the Gr3 Algoa Cup.
Return races after travel are always a worry, but this fellow looks to go on and win a few more yet.
Master’s Eye was runner up to the now Dubai based Liquid Mercury in the Gr3 Winter Derby last term.
The son of Jet Master has been thrown in the deep end here off his rating and will need to improve further on his fast-finishing second behind Spirit Of Hamilton last time.
Andre Nel has made a flying start for private owner Sabine Plattner and he saddles the imposing New Zealand bred grey, French Revolution.
The entire son of Guillotine has not run in 24 weeks and is likely to need the run – and slightly further, based on past performance.
If Paterfamilias can maintain his form then he will be a massive runner.
Punta Arenas will be reaching race fitness and loves the course. That leaves the class King Of Pain.
He is not a horse to put the rent money on, but cannot be far off at best.
