Team Ramsden. Joey’s big three strutting their stuff. From left to right: King Of Pain, In A Rush and Variety Club at Durbanville this morning.(Pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Cape Champion trainer Joey Ramsden is looking forward to an exciting and rewarding Sizzling Summer Season in the Cape. The charismatic no-nonsense British-born horseman turned heads at the Durbanville early morning gallops today, when he sent out three of his big guns in a rousing impressive gallop.
Last year’s Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner and Equus Horse of The Year Variety Club galloped from about the 1000m marker with the former Eastern Cape champion In A Rush and the Langerman winner King Of Pain. Apprentice Jayson Smitsdorff rode King of Pain, Glen Hatt partnered In A Rush while Andrew Fortune rode Variety Club.
All three are likely to make their presence felt in the Cape this season and are amongst the 21 horses nominated for the Matchem Stakes to be run on Sunday 14th October.
The Matchem is powered this year by Kuda Insurance and an exciting day of family entertainment is planned by the sponsors. Current Horse of the Year, Variety Club, won the Matchem last year.
A pleased Ramsden, speaking exclusively to the Sporting Post, said afterwards that plans were on track and he could not complain about the workout: “In A Rush and the youngster King Of Pain were particularly pleasing, while Variety Club really needed it. I will give the Horse Of The Year a workout on the treadmill back home with the heart-rate monitor to ascertain exactly where we are with him.”
