Photo by Liesl King
Friday, 27 January 2012: The R600,000, Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby (2000m)has a history of producing future champions of South African racing and this year's renewal appears to be no different. A mouth watering clash between the leading three-year-olds is expected at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The narrow second favourite Variety Club(15/10) has swept all before him in the lead-up Graded races for his generation, before opting to tackle the Derby instead of the feature Grade 1 The J & B Met over the same distance, but against older horse as well.
With commanding wins in the Grade 3 Matchem Stakes (1400m) and the Grade 2 Selangor Cup (1600m). He then stepped up again to contest the 1600m of the Grade 1 Cape Guineas to dispel all rumours that he is not a sprinter-miler and taking the race with ease and a 3.25L margin.
Now he takes a further step up in distance to the 2000m of the Cape Derby. In the run up to the race his ability to stay the distance was hotly debated as he is by the European Champion Sprinter Var and from a female family that is rather devoid of staying blood.
Again the mere idea that a horse bred to sprint is taking on the 2000m is seemingly incomprehensible, but Variety Club's trainer Joey Ramsden is quietly confident that his star colt will see out the distance.
At his last work out on Thursday morning, M J Byleveld worked the colt at three-quarter pace on the sand track at Milnerton and pronounced him spot on. If he does get the distance, it is hard to see any of his fellow runners beating him.
As fellow trainer Brett Crawford commented: “If the handicapper is right and Variety Club stays the distance, none of us have a chance.”
Crawford saddles the favourite(12/10), the Dynasty colt Jackson. An imposing colt with a huge stride, Jackson has done nothing wrong and has a record of three straight wins from four starts, his latest coming in the Listed Politician Stakes over 1800m on the 7th of January.
Photo by Liesl King
By Dynasty out of the Cozzene mare Moonlit Prairie, he is bred to go the distance and should relish the 2000m. Although it is a step up in class for Jackson, he is clearly better than his 102 merit rating suggests and if the 2000m is a bridge too far for Variety Club, Jackson will be right there.
Crawford and Karis Teetan has been on a trophy collecting spree of late and the Mauritian born jockey was delighted by Jackson's final grass gallop at Kenilworth, pronouncing him fit and ready.
But despite what the current betting suggests it is not a two horse race by any stretch of the imagination. Champion trainer, Mike de Kock, saddles Mushreq (AUS) and the colt has been aimed specifically at this race.
Sheikh Hamdan's homebred by Flying Spur has been steadily stepped up in distance by De Kock and he should appreciate the extra 200m. A solid fourth behind Jackson in the Politician Stakes, which De Kock used as a prep run, he cannot be ignored. De Kock comes to win and having travelled down to the Cape well in advance, Mushreq will be spot on come Saturday.
With 2011 champion jockey Anton Marcus aboard Variety Club, with barrier five, and narrow jockey championship runner up, Anthony Delpech, in Mushreq's irons, with barrier eight, an exciting contest can be expected.
Photo by Liesl King
The Grade 1 Classic Event has a long history of producing the who's who in racing, with past winners including Colorado King, Sea Cottage, Bold Tropic, Politician and Dynasty. Its magnificent silver trophy was made by George Fox of London in 1902 and given to the South African Turf Club in 1912 as a trophy for the King's Cup.
