Ramsden’s Macduff wins on debut
The racing media don’t create stars. We follow them. April was Sean Tarry’s month. May is fast turning into the Joey Ramsden show. The Milnerton conditioner could enjoy another fabulous feature weekend and looks to have a strong hand in the R125 000 Listed Somerset 1200 – a race that he has won for the past two years running.
Ramsden’s exploits over the past few weeks have received ample exposure elsewhere on these pages. Brett Crawford hasn’t been far behind.
Fab Four
Safe to say, Ramsden looks well poised for a Somerset 1200 hat-trick with a powerful quartet of runners.
The colts’ feature is as competitive as the fairer sex equivalent, and before we trump on about JR, we should mention the only two-time winner in the field.
Glen Puller’s Var gelding Western Storm has done little wrong, winning two on the trot after a third placing on debut.
He carries topweight and will be ridden again by the revitalised Brandon Morgenrood – a man who enjoys a good competitive scrap, and who would doubtless love to give his old employer and mate a backhand.
Impressive
There is little to choose between the Ramsden quartet, but the Street Cry colt Macduff was probably the visually most impressive,on debut.
Bernard Kantor’s Australian bred won on debut when said to be ‘not ready’ and in typically JR style will come on lengths.
Andrew Fortune rides Professor Brian, another Australian – this time a son of Encosta De Lago, who beat Mathematician on debut. The latter now receives 2kgs and could turn the tables.
Marcus Pick
The Stone Thrower will be ridden by Greg Cheyne
Anton Marcus would have had the choice of the two Jooste runners – Tar Heel and The Stone Thrower – and he chose the former.
He was beaten 0,75 lengths by Western Storm last time but is 2kgs better off with the Puller runner.
Greg Cheyne rides The Stone Thrower – a handsome Seventh Rock colt who beat little on an impressive debut – but looked scopy and progressive, and appears capable of improving further here.
Little To Choose
Brett Crawford – showing some fine form
Brett Crawford and Corne Orffer have also enjoyed a decent run of winning form of late and the yard send out a coupling of recent debut winner Mr Bond and the Windrush colt, Political Power, who won at his third start last time.
Eric Sands’ Russian Speed was an impressive debut and first winner for his sore Russian Sage when beating Brilliant Crimson in mid April. He should relish the extra 200m here.
Vaughan Marshall has always been a dominant force in the juvenile ranks in recent years – but the stable has not been firing on all cylinders of late and his charge Seven Wood looks held by Ronnie Sheehan’s excellent debut winner Captain Chaos.
The son of Captain Al impressed when going off at 16-1 and is another who should enjoy the extra trip here.
Much Fitter
Grant Van Niekerk jumps off Captain Chaos to ride Ernie for his stable.
Ernie ran a decent third behind Buckinghampshire on Met day in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes and will be looking to use his 2kg pull to overturn a two length walloping by Western Storm last time.
He will certainly strip a fitter horse on Saturday.
The form yards may be best to follow – and that means Ramsden and Crawford – but they saddle half the field between them.
