Joey Ramsden
We were fortunate enough to go to Kathy Finch’s birthday bash last Friday night and it was a great event. It was quite an experience driving there in rain that we haven’t seen the likes of here for years.
I know things have been appalling in the Phillipines and I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like for them, just experiencing the rain we had here on Friday night. Driving home, there were landslides and pools of water that literally went over the bonnet of my car. It was quite a frightening experience.
Thankfully we employed the services of Goodfellas to take us home smoothly. The only hang up was that we were arrested twice for kerb crawling due to the fact that he was driving so slowly. It always helps to have Tommy V on speed dial!
I had to get up early the next morning to go to gallops to help decide whether we were going to race. At eight o’clock in the morning, the course was raceable. Do not ask me how but again I can never heap enough praise on Dean Diedericks and his team.
Despite a poor crowd (and who can blame them due to the weather) it was still great to have the international jockeys riding with us. We really did get to see some of the best of them. I cannot complain about any of my rides from the internationals and it was a pleasure to have a winner booted home by Richard Hughes.
Despite Hughes being rude about me in the interview (I should have expected nothing less), he did actually win Winter Solstice’s first ever Maiden race. There’s a bit of history for you and shows how far we go back. If I think about it, I don’t think he was that complimentary about Winter Solstice at the time, so there you go.
Despite having 2 races left up the straight, the jockeys lodged a protest after the sixth race. It was upheld and racing was subsequently abandoned. On a personal level, I would have liked to have seen the two races up the straight run due to the fact there is so much room.
Richard Hughes
However, in reality, I felt extremely sorry for all concerned; organisers, track managers and though it hurts me to say it, even the jockeys themselves. The rain did not give us a break all day. It continued to rain heavily throughout the day and all the riders put their best boot forward and soldiered on gamely. Sadly, it was only a matter of time before the hangman came.
It was a great weekend of sport. I was sorry to see England beaten by the All Blacks but the All Blacks just don’t know how to lose and only know how to win. Sadly I think we are trailing them in fitness and probably mental fitness as well. They are awesome. Which is more than can be said for the English football team, who were beaten 2-0 at home by Chile.
Obviously we are a team in transition! But sadly I feel the fans should want and expect better. I see tonight they are playing the Germans at Wembley and the beautifully named coach Joachim Low has opted to field a B-team. Who can blame him? I am surprised he is not pulling out his under 16’s for his trip to Wembley. Anyway, it will be interesting to see how our “progressive” English team goes against them.
Finally, it would be remiss of me not to say it was another incredible effort from golfer, Henrik Stenson. I think all South African golfers and golf fans should be proud to say that South Africa turned his game around. He won the Open here and this set him off on the right path. It obviously gave him some confidence and he went on from strength to strength.
His performance in Dubai was one of the best last rounds in golf I have seen in many a year. It is a great shame he is not coming back to defend. Whilst it would be easy to knock him for pulling out, he has made it patently clear he has had an injury to his wrist for a long time. For once, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.
Well, back to work. We have just had the arrival of Justin Vermaak, Maine Chance’s racing manager. It is lovely to show him around and for him to keep track of the filly they currently have with me as well as seeing the progress of some of the horses they have bred. He is an extremely bright young man and it will be tough to catch him out. I will have to be on my A-game.
