Well done to the connections of Captain Of All
The Scottsville trip was a waste of time and the less I say about it the better. Brutal Force had a sticky high draw. If you are drawn high up the straight course, you are racing in what appears to be a long line of glue, writes Joey Ramsden.
It really must be labelled one of the unfairest straight courses in the country.
Very well done to the winner of the Tsogo Sprint, Captain of All. He managed to get over from his 11 draw and find the best ground.
My sympathies go to the owners of the highly drawn Chekilli, owned by Mr Wolfaardt and his fine daughter, who came down for the day only to see the harshest and thankfully the extremely irregular side of horse racing. My sympathies go out to them all.
Summerveld Dust Up
Summerveld – warm and dusty
It has again been a funny old week up and down the East coast. We have had some glorious weather in both provinces; Cape Town and particularly Durban, with temperatures climbing as high as 28 degrees. I stay in the city and it is always quite warm but up at Summerveld at the moment it really is warm and dusty.
This is causing plenty of controversy amongst the trainers. With so many trainers being in one spot, everyone has an opinion. I think Tony Rivalland has the job from hell in trying to keep everyone happy. He works extremely hard and gives his all but it is a massive job and one cannot help but feel maybe it is too much for one man on a part time basis.
However, that does not stop him from giving it his best. Personally, I think Summerveld is the most amazing place. They have done a smashing job and have some innovative tracks. However, one cannot help but feel they could have done a little more for not much more money and finish the job off. I know there was a massive rush to get the job done but it does look, at the moment, a little bit like unfinished business. I am sure it will all be done by next year.
One thing is for certain and cannot be argued with: the need for water, whether it is on the training tracks or where the horses ring. There is nothing more unpleasant than having the horses walk around in what looks to be the Gulf storm.
The tracks themselves can only benefit from being well irrigated. This is just from my perspective and is nothing to do with Mr Collins, who has put in the all-weather tracks in a couple of towns. I cannot for the life of me understand why irrigation was not installed on these tracks as they are so much better when wet.
One has only to look to the places where they are most used and most successful, the UK and Ireland, and see what the common denominator is – rain! We just don’t get enough consistent rain to keep our beautiful tracks moist and in the condition they need to be. It cannot be a coincidence that the beautiful all-weather track that has been laid at Summerveld is rarely used most days but as soon as it rains, it is like the charge of the Light Brigade to get on it.
However, I am sure this will not be of use to anyone if the tracks are not properly maintained/watered. The regulation settings are, I am sure, for well irrigated all-weather surfaces. It seems fairly obvious to me and is hopefully food for thought for other people. But generally the tracks at Summerveld are good and it is a good place to be.
Zee Best!
I came back to Cape Town for twenty four hours to watch my daughter, Zara, in a gala ballet performance at her school. Madame Z was really quite magnificent and the whole of Elkanah School is to be applauded for what was an amusing, entertaining, well orchestrated and choreographed show.
It is one of the best things I have been to in a very long time. I wished I could have stayed for Saturday’s performance as well. It is not too often one is left wanting to watch an amateur performance a second time. I usually find theatre frightfully boring – all that over-acting – as I get to see it every day of my life and don’t really need to pay to watch it!
Makro
Act Of War – no luck with the draw
Act Of War has not had much luck and has cracked the widest draw of all in the Gold Challenge. It is almost as if the draw gods listened in to the voice messages about high draws from Mayfair Supremo, Derek Brugman.
Both Legislate and Futura have also not cracked the best of draws. Who knows; maybe it will end up a small field and the Mayfair boss will relent but I very much doubt it. It looks like we might have seen the end of Act Of War for the year.
Greyville over a mile is no place to be if you are drawn next to Makro. I am sure Anton really does not want to hop off for a quick shopping spree.
It looks to be a fun week ahead after last week’s dreariness, when we had no racing mid week in the Western Cape and no runners in Durban. We were doing a fair bit of thumb twiddling in the afternoons with our small Natal string.
This week looks to be far busier with a nice juvenile mid week and The Conglomerate running in the Daily News 2000 at the weekend. Hopefully this is what he is all about. When Derek and I first set eyes upon him, this is what we dreamed about – running him over the 2000m. Let’s hope that we are both proved correct. He looks to be in good order and is doing well at home.
I cannot be happier and Mr Doom and Gloom himself, Anton, feels the same way – so roll on Saturday!
www.joeyramsden.com
