Club Class! Variety Club (Anton Marcus) streaks clear to win the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
South African Horse Of The Year Variety Club reaffirmed his position as the greatest miler in Africa, when he demolished a top field to win Saturday’s R1 million Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth.
The handsome chestnut showed his trademark guts and courage in overcoming adversity to win the prestigious mile in embarrassingly facile fashion.
Despite jumping at even money, there were many who felt that this was Variety Club’s race to lose after pulling the worst draw and balancing on the knife edge of a glorious five race winning streak that commenced nine months ago, and that traversed South Africa.
And they arrived with the big guns to nab the crown.
The 2012 Vodacom Durban July winner Pomodoro was in the opposing camp.
As was Daily News winner Jackson and SA Classic winner Slumdogmillionaire.
We could also mention the country’s highest rated horse (prior to the race anyway) What A Winter and Champions Cup winner Master Plan.
On A Plate. Winning part-owner Markus Jooste shows off his prized silverware
But it was no race. The power of Variety Club is endless.
The high drama of a false start, when the champion appeared to back out of his stall as the field was released, was quickly overshadowed by a star performance that left even the most hardened veterans with mouths agape.
And if the opposition or their backers want to blame the shenanigans at the start for being beaten, then they had better go and race elsewhere. The Starter acted within the scope of his authority, in our opinion, and the incident is in the very nature of dealing with highly charged equine athletes.
The master jockey Anton Marcus also showed his genius again, by adapting his original game plan to accommodate and nullify the mishap, by jumping smartly and adopting a catch-me-if-you-can approach.
It worked a charm.
Variety Club was always in command and led Jackson with What A Winter tucked up in third ahead of Pomodoro, Fabiani and Martial Eagle. Castlethorpe was tailed off after losing five lengths at the start.
Turning for home, the large crowd roared in approval as Variety Club kicked on down the centre with Pomodoro slipping through down the inside rail.
Sean Tarry’s Pomodoro looked very dangerous for a moment or three as Marcus changed those gears, and the chestnut strode clear to win by 2,25 lengths in a time of 97,83 secs.
Jackson flew late down the outside to pip Pomodoro for second, with the 150-1 Martial Eagle running a cracker to finish fourth.
Slumdogmillionaire was never in the hunt in his Cape debut, but ran fifth and 3,10 lengths behind. He will need further to be at his best and is bound to come along as a fair value horse in the J&B Met.
The Snaith’s Run For It remains a frustrating mercurial talent. He never kicked and ran seventh and 3,55 lengths off the winner.
What A Winter once again flopped over the mile and ran twelfth and 10, lengths adrift.
Over The Drought? Winning trainer Joey Ramsden suggested that one can never be ‘certain’ of anything
An obviously elated and relieved British-born trainer Joey Ramsden said afterwards that in the light of his recent winner drought (a mild amount of witty exaggeration on his part) it was difficult to be certain of anything. He added that he had been lucky in this particular race and it was a privilege to win it in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.
Referring to the splendid occasion, Ramsden then quipped that the British have shown how Britain was once great and expressed his thanks to L’ Ormarins, saying it was ‘the best trophy’ to win in horseracing.
He also thanked his leading owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste, and said that ‘when Markus speaks, I listen!’
It is not yet clear as to whether Variety Club will line up in the J&B Met on 2 February.
Jockey Anton Marcus neatly sidestepped a question about the start from the on-course presenter but paid tribute to and thanked owner Markus Jooste for all the opportunities given him to ride these ‘outstanding horses.’
Marcus went on to say that trainer Joey Ramsden had done a superb job in keeping the horse on the boil. The SA Champion jockey said that Variety Club had not always been going well, and had not cornered smoothly.
Breeder Anton Shepherd of Beaumont Stud was on course and complimented the team effort. He said that it was a thrill to share a very special moment with family and friends.
The Var Lady. Avontuur Stud’s Pippa Mickleburgh was on course to see Var’s star win
Avontuur Stud’s Pippa Mickleburgh, who stands Var, said afterwards that when Variety Club guns into cruise mode, he reminded her a lot of the brilliant London News:
“ One can observe the change of his body and head line. It means business!” she said.
The very eloquent British High Commissioner to South Africa, Dame Nicola Brewer, stood on the winner’s podium for the fourth time and said that it was a fabulous day to celebrate the close connections between South Africa and the British Royal Family.
Dame Brewer’s delivery of her speech was much like Variety Club. It was absolutely world –class, devoid of any hesitation and a good few leagues above anything else we listened to on the afternoon.
Variety Club was bred by Beaumont Stud and is by Var out of the one-time winning Secret Prospector mare, La Massine .
Variety Club has now won 12 races from his 17 starts for 4 places, and took his earnings up to R3 206 516. His victories include three Gr1’s, three Gr2’s and three Gr3’s.
That’s outstanding going for a fellow who cost R475 000 at the very last of the old Equimark Vintage Sales.
He also still has the prospect of a rewarding career as a sire ahead of him!
The wonderful thing about horseracing is that everybody has a chance to become a member of this exclusive club.
There are eleven Var yearlings on next week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale. That’s a great place to start.
Result:
Queen’s Plate (SAf-G1) (1/12)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 12, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good,
1.37.83.
VARIETY CLUB (SAF), 60.0, ch c 4, Var (USA) – La Massine (SAF) by Secret
Prospector (USA). Owner I & MJ Jooste; breeder Beaumont Stud (SAF); trainer
J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus (R625.000)
Jackson (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Moonlit Prairie (USA) by Cozzene
(USA)
Pomodoro (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Jet Master (SAF) – Golden Apple (SAF) by
Northern Guest (USA)
Margins: 2 ½, nse, ns
