Grade 1 after Grade 1 after Grade 1! What a Champions Season we are having in Kwa-Zulu Natal. First it was the Golden Horse Sprint at Scottsville. Then it was off to Greyville for the Daily News 2000. And now it's Clairwood's turn for the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge! Champion miler VARIETY CLUB (9/20) from the Joey Ramsden yard heads up this six horse field and is expected to fly home over this mile. For great trainer comments on each of the runners, read our preview below. |
| Hot Shot favorite Variety Club |
VARIETY CLUB, a winner of six Group races, the last being the Gr 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville where he put away Vodacom Durban July favourite and subsequent Daily News 200 winner Jackson over a mile. He looks to replicate that run at the Garden Course on Saturday. His stable is happy with his progress and they are expecting a cracking run from the son of Var.
CASTLETHORPE, from the Bass yard is the only returning horse from last year's race where he was outrun late into 4th, just over three lengths behind the winner. The Bass yard has a second string to their bow in the form of WHAT A WINTER who has won over a mile. However, assistant trainer Robert Fayd’herbe feels that CASTLETHORPE will have the better of him.
Rising Sun Gold Challenge
Grade 1 - R700 000 - 1600m
Clairwood Racecourse - Saturday 9 June 2012 - Race 7 - 14h50
| NO | HORSE | PRICE | TRAINER | JOCKEY | DR |
| 1 | WHAT A WINTER | 8/1 | Mike Bass | B Fayd'Herbe | 3 |
| 2 | PIERRE JOURDAN | 12/1 | Gary Alexander | R Fradd | 2 |
| 3 | TALES OF BRAVERY | 6/1 | Vaughan Marshall | M Byleveld | 6 |
| 4 | |||||
| 5 | CASTLETHORPE (AUS) | 12/1 | Mike Bass | K Neisius | 5 |
| 6 | VARIETY CLUB | 1/3 F | Joey Ramsden | A Marcus | 4 |
Couplings: 1, 5
Hollywood will be paying 2 fixed places.
For the Winning Form guide and print-out for this race, click here!
For a full list of the top Vodacom Durban July Contenders and Betting - click here!
WINNING FORM caught up with the various trainers who gladly gave their insight on the progress of their runners.
Mike BassWHAT A WINTER (13/2): He is working really well and has no problems right now. As he gets older I expect him to be able to get the 1600m trip. He is well suited by the weights in the race and the long Clairwood straight might give him a chance to catch-up to VARIETY CLUB.
CASTLETHORPE (12/1): Although he has been running well over the sprints he was racing fresh and, in my opinion, he is better suited to this 1600m trip. He is now very fit and I make him the best of my two runners.
In Mike's absence assistant trainer, Robert Fayd'herbe gladly gave us his comments
Gary AlexanderPIERRE JOURDAN (9/1): He did not pull-up well after his run in the Horse Chestnut where he jarred himself badly. I gave him a nice rest after that and I have not been hard on him in work. This race is being used as a nice prep for his main mission which is the Vodacom Durban July. If he finishes in the first three I will be over the moon.
Mike de Kock
LINK MAN (SCRATCHED): He needed his last run badly and it was over a sprint. His saddle slipped. We are hopeful that he can run into the money.
In Mike's absence assistant trainer, Nathan Kotzen gladly gave us his comment
Joey Ramsden
VARIETY CLUB (9/20): I am very happy with him, especially after having worked him at Clairwood on Tuesday morning (5th June) with Anton Marcus in the saddle. Anton was very happy with his gallop and I am very bullish about his chances. In Joey's absence assistant trainer, Lorenzo Karriem gladly gave us his comment.
Vaughan Marshall
TALES OF BRAVERY (8/1): He is doing very well and has come on nicely since his win in The Drill Hall Stakes. The long Clairwood straight will suit him well. He was running on strongly behind VARIETY CLUB in the Queen's Plate and he may be the one to beat the very worthy favourite.
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| DanceWithTheDevil coming home in the 2011 Rising Sun Gold Challenge |
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Variety Club looks hard to oppose but the Marshall stable has been in great form and might have a squeak!
ReplyDeleteVariety Club is a champion and he will be very hard to beat here, but I like What A Winter, if he stays the distance which he should he could sneak it, if Variety Club fluffs his lines, Tales of Bravery is a top sort and he is the biggest danger to our champion miler and the longer run-in will suit him and he must have a chance of winning!!!!
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