Magic Miler – Horse Of The Year Variety Club looks to have the Gr2 Green Point Stakes at his mercy
Two of the top three rated horses in South Africa square up in Saturday’s R300 000 Gr2 Green Point Stakes to be run over a mile at Kenilworth. While this race is always a fiercely contested affair, the brilliant miler Variety Club looks to have them cold. Try as we might, we really cannot find a chink in this outstanding colt’s flawless armour.
Cape champion trainer Joey Ramsden knows exactly what is required to win this race.
Ramsden did it in 2011 with Investec Derby winner Bravura and in 2005 with the brilliant Winter Solstice. It just so happens that, like Winter Solstice, he will be approaching this year’s event with yet another brilliant miler and South African Horse Of The Year.
Respect
What does one say about Variety Club that is not already known to any self-respecting punter and racing enthusiast?
The son of Var’s achievements are second to none in the tumultuous and distracting era of demergers and takeovers that we now find ourselves. When we look back in time to come, hopefully all of the politics and corporate gamesmanship will be long forgotten.
But one thing is for sure. We will remember a chestnut called Variety Club for decades to come.
He was named South Africa’s Horse of the Year at the Equus Awards in August and was also awarded the title of both champion three-year-old colt and champion middle-distance horse.
His trainer is on record as saying that his main aim is the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate in January and thereafter a possible Dubai campaign. The export protocol red-tape holds far too much sway over that exciting possibility, sadly.
Knockouts
A winner of 6 of his 8 outings last season, his victories included 2 Gr1 knockouts in the Cape Guineas and the Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
The only time he was beaten, he ran second to current Varsfontein stallion Gimmethegreenlight in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and then to Jackson in the Investec Cape Derby.
The latter was a particularly courageous effort as Variety Club didn’t appear to fully stay the 2000m – at that stage.
He returned to action in a Pinnacle Plate three weeks ago and blew the likes of Bravura. Jackson and Princess Victoria away in a clinical display that spoke of well-being
The frightening conundrum for his opponents this season is that Variety Club has blossomed into an even more magnificent specimen, who has left a lot of his behavioural issues well behind him. South Africa’s leading horse behaviouralist Malan Du Toit, who has tutored him since the early days, labels him a star pupil and a pleasure to work with.
Vulnerable
We keep looking for the vulnerable places in his makeup, but cannot find any.
Ramsden appears to have the race wrapped snugly wrapped up from a tactical angle, with four support runners to ensure a pace and some cover.
The race is run on the Winter Course, so the short run in will be to his advantage. Jackson may have had a small shout with the longer run-in of the Summer Course.
The second run after a rest syndrome doesn’t seem to get to the really good horses either.
He is just simply the best horse at the right moment in the right race, where just everything seems to be in his favour.
Danger – Brett Crawford’s champion showed his well-being on his return last time and will be breathing down their necks
Newsmaker
The handicappers rate Jackson on a par with Variety Club and Brett Crawford’s Dynasty colt won the Daily News in sensational style last season.
He had the likes of Whiteline Fever, July winner Pomodoro, dual feature winner Master Plan, as well as Victory Moon Stakes winner Zambucca well and truly sorted there.
Jackson’s July run was disappointingly poor but he made a cracking return to action when flying up wide down the outside of a too short 1400m Pinnacle Stakes. He finished 1,65 lengths off Variety Club and appeared to be gaining with every stride.
Jackson obviously has the Met as his main short-term objective, but is surely Variety Club’s singular biggest threat.
Top Filly – The Glen Kotzen-trained Princess Victoria is out to set the record straight against the boys
Royalty
Glen Kotzen won the Green Point Stakes in 2009 with the Model Man gelding Fabiani and the Paarl trainer sends out last season’s Equus champion 3yo filly Princess Victoria.
The daughter of Victory Moon’s major targets this season will probably be the Gr1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes to be run on L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate day and then straight into the Majorca on Met Day in the first week of February.
The quandary for a trainer prepping a highly-rated filly like her into those features is that Kotzen is basically forced to take on the colts, when the Princess is probably not quite ready and at her best.
Things did not go her way and she was not disgraced in her return run three weeks ago, where Piere Strydom used her rather liberally as a pacemaker. She naturally got tired after her four month rest and fell away to finish 3,90 lengths behind Variety Club in that Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m.
That run would have brought her on a good few lengths and we know how good she really is. She should not be underrated in her first serious test against the males.
She will be ridden for the first time by Grant Van Niekerk.
On The Double – The very capable Bravura won the Green Point Stakes last year and goes for the double
Ramsden Support
Joey Ramsden has another four strings to his bow beyond Variety Club.
Last year’s lightly-raced winner Bravura has drawn widest of all and ran on stoutly when a smart second to Variety Club in the Pinnacle Stakes pipe-opener last time out. That was his first run after an abortive raid on the Champions Challenge at Turffontein on Champions Day at the end of April.
Bravura is top-class when on song, and it would not be surprising to see him chasing Variety Club home.
The Windrush gelding In A Rush has his fourth start for the Ramsden yard and has pulled a good draw. The six-time winner ran third and 1,65 lengths off Changingoftheguard in the Matchem and appeared a bit one-paced late in the race.
He will have to bring his best game to the track to have any chance here, but he is a member of that exclusive club that includes Jackson and Gimmethegreenlight, that have downed Variety Club’s colours in the past.
The 6yo Lion In Winter last won on Guy Fawkes day 2011, but has not produced the fireworks since.
Lion In Winter finished a creditable third behind Bravura in this race last year, and does not appear to have lost his enthusiasm for racing. He is capable of running a place.
A horse with a misspelt name who gives an entirely new meaning to the concept of ‘running under sufferance’ is The Helsman, a recent maiden winner who comes in on a rating of 68.
Joey Ramsden is obviously taking no chances with any tactical assumptions regarding the pace and jockey Andrew Nienaber probably won’t be allowed too much discretion on the third of the Jooste runners.
On The Rocks
Former Cape Town-based Garth Puller, in his first season of training for his own account, sends out the Meaker family-owned Ice Machine. The progressive 4yo has won 5 of his 10 starts.
The Silvano gelding dips his hoof into Group race waters for the first time in his ten run career, but ran a nice race last time when beaten 1,50 lengths by Whiteline Fever at level weights in a Pinnacle Plate over 1450m.
That form was strengthened when Whiteline Fever went on to a narrow defeat by the unbeaten Mujaarib in the Charity Mile at the beginning of November.
Greg Ennion’s Master Plan came into his own late last season and reeled off the Gold Circle Derby-Champions Cup double in great style.
He has drawn against the paint here and the son of Jet Master will no doubt be using this race as a stepping stone to bigger things this season. He did not show when finishing 4,20 lengths behind Variety Club in his return outing and while a course and distance winner last season against weaker, he is probably at his best over 400m further.
On Guard
Justin Snaith sends out the recent impressive Matchem Stakes winner, Changingoftheguard.
The son of Go Deputy is lightly campaigned with 3 wins from his 8 starts, and gets thrown in the deep end here. He benefitted from a terrifically innovative Felix Coetzee ride to narrowly down King Of Pain in the Matchem and the jury is out on whether he is capable of taking the next step up here.
Trainer Mike Bass won this event with the brilliant Pocket Power in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and he sends out the lesser light of the Australian-bred Castlethorpe from the 2 draw with veteran Karl Neisius in the saddle.
Something of an enigma for punters, Castlethorpe has been labelled everything from a sprinter to a miler to a stayer in a career spanning 23 runs that has produced 7 wins.
He did run an eyecatching, albeit well-beaten, fourth to Betting World Merchants winner Cap Alright last Saturday in his prep run and has definite place prospects here.
His 1,25 length second, when conceding 1,5 kgs to Variety Club in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood in June means that there technically should not be too much between him and the champion at level weights over the mile in this contest. That is on the assumption that Castlethorpe is at his best and leaves his problems at home.
The former Dennis Drier-trained Martial Eagle races out of the Govender Rondeberg yard these days and the son of Silvano has formed something of a winning partnership with heavyweight jockey, Brandon Morgenrood. While very game, he should struggle against this bunch.
Hard To Stop
Can they stop Variety Club? We feel not, particularly if they all start together.
While Jackson and Princess Victoria are top-class, he will have their measure.
Even when we take the emotions out of it and tick the boxes, the conclusions are simple. Go through the list yourself:
Variety Club is the best horse in the field.
Variety Club is ridden by the SA champion jockey who knows him well.
Variety Club is at his brilliant best over the mile, his optimum trip.
Variety Club is favoured by the shorter home straight of the winter course.
Variety Club is in his prime and is fit and well.
Variety Club hails from the Western Cape’s champion yard.
No competition, which makes a refreshing change!
So join the winner’s club and shout him home.
