Coltrane moves up on the outside as Gothic (centre) and Current Event have no answer (Pic:: Bay Media)
Joey Ramsden is a master trainer of stayers and the Milnerton conditioner brought the Giant’s Causeway gelding Coltrane back from an ill-conceived Zimbabwe Triple Crown campaign to win the R250 000 Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap in good style at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Brett Crawford’s Gold Cup winner Wavin’ Flag was all the rage and started a 15 to 10 favourite after his smart fourth to Louis The King in the Sansui Summer Cup.
But off a muddling pace and the field being stretched to breaking point, his Joburg form took a bit of a knock as the son of Silvano never showed and faded out to a 3,50 length fifth.
This makes Louis The King’s anticipated appearance in January all the more interesting – depending on which provincial camp you’re in!
Stan Elley’s smart 4yo Dynastic Power, the winner of the Winter Derby, was also slightly disappointing as he was flat-footed late and could only plod into fourth.
After a typically Cape Town dawdling start, Morne Winnaar took the initiative and stretched them as he bounced the filly Dynasty’s Pride into a ten lengths lead.
She led Current Event and Gothic with Wavin’ Flag and Putney Flyer further back.
Coltrane had been dropped out to near last with Dynastic Power.
As they turned for home Dynasty’s Pride led by 9 lengths as Tribal Dance and Current Event started quickening.
At the 300m marker Delpech released Coltrane and he burst out of the pack as Gothic went with him and the two went together to catch the pacemaker with Coltrane finishing the stronger.
Into the final 100m, Coltrane picked it up smartly and he went on to win by 0,75 lengths.
The perpetual bridesgroom Gothic ran second again, with Current Event staying on neatly for third.
Joey Ramsden- a job well done again
Trainer Joey Ramsden and Jooste Racing Manager Derek Brugman tossed the ‘credit for the win’ ball between them – there was no doubt the win had come as a surprise!
Ramsden explained that after his last shocking run in the Kenilworth Cup, he had told his staff that he ‘didn’t want to see Coltrane for ten days.’
Whatever they did , it worked a charm, and the instructions to Delpech to ‘drop Coltrane out’ also worked – despite the uncertain pace.
The Argentinian-bred Coltrane is a son of Giant’s Causeway out of the twice-raced Rainbow Quest mare, Nuance.
He was bred by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and was purchased at the National Yearling Sale for R1 250 000.
Coltrane has now won 4 races with an extraordinary 13 places from 23 starts for stakes of R463 630.
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Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap (SAf-Gr3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, December 20, R250k, 2500m, turf, good, 2.40.02
1 – COLTRANE (ARG), 57.0, ch g 5, Giant’s Causeway (USA) – Nuance (IRE) by Rainbow Quest (ANY). Owner Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste; Breeder bred in Argentina; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Delpech
2 – Gothic (SAF), 56.5, ch g 5, Silvano (GER) – Mysterious Land (SAF) by Badger Land (USA)
3 – Current Event (SAF), 52.0, b g 5, Go Deputy (USA) – Camara (SAF) by Elliodor (FR)
Margins: 0.75, 0.50, 1.50
