Milnerton trainer Joey Ramsden celebrated his first Cape Fillies Guineas win since Shadow Dancing in 2004 when the Dynasty filly Just Sensual overcame the odds to get up in the final strides to win the first Gr1 of the 2016/17 Cape Summer Of Champions at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Anton Marcus gets Just Sensual up on the line to beat Safe Harbour (Weichong Marwing) in a close call (Pic – Wayne Marks)
An illustrious line-up of stakes performers, described as one of the best fields in years, turned up from across the length and breadth of South Africa to chase the coveted R1 million Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas trophy.
The race was thus a genuine serious depth test of national strength but it was a recent low-key handicap winner who jumped from a wide draw and was to swoop late and score a massive victory – despite a self professed ‘marginal’ ride by Anton Marcus.
With the second half of the field easing up at a crucial stage early in the running, the KZN-based jockey made the critical – or brave as Joey Ramsden put it – decision which was to ultimately seal a sensational victory.
He looped his field to get Just Sensual into a better attacking position more forward of the hopeless berth she held early after her wide draw launch.
As She’s A Giver led the charge for home, the field fanned out and it was Querari Falcon who glided through down the rail, with Safe Harbour making a late move.
Derek Brugman – feature double for Mayfair Speculators
Just Sensual was about 4 lengths back at the 400m as Safe Harbour came down the middle, full of running.
At the 250m marker it looked to be Safe Harbour’s race, but Just Sensual was flying and Marcus had timed it perfectly to register a personal feature double, after Legal Eagle’s Green Point score.
Safe Harbour, who was coming off her big recent payday in the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes just three weeks earlier, ran a terrific race to only go down by 0,30 lengths.
Querari Falcon, now racing in the Drakenstein blue, had moved up well down the inside but failed to go through with it and just hung of for third 3,25 lengths back.
The consistent Sail ran on strongly for fourth, with Lady Of The House catching the eye a nose behind her.
The pacesetting Starling Stakes winner She’s A Giver faded out to run a 5,75 length eleventh.
The previously unbeaten Quick Brown Fox never showed and finished 8,25 lengths back one from last. She appeared to have every chance from her 1 draw.
Joey Ramsden and Anton Marcus – Cape Fillies Guineas heroes
Described as ‘very smart’ and a filly ‘who walks like a leopard’, Joey Ramsden said Just Sensual had impressed from day one. He paid tribute to a great ride by Anton Marcu
John Koster again played a part in the Ramsden Cape Fillies Guineas success. Koster Bro’s bred his 2004 Fort Wood winner Shadow Dancing and Klawervlei are the breeders of Just Sensual.
The winner, who races in the Mayfair Speculators silks, is by Dynasty out of the Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Consensual (by Camden Park), who raced out of the Mike Bass yard and was SA’s 2008 Champion 2yo filly.
Just Sensual cost R2 million on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1.
She took her win tally to 3 with 1 place from 4 starts and stakes of R727 500.
On the question of whether she would go further, Marcus indicated that the mile may be her top end at this stage.
Which suggests her major short-term target will be the Gr1 Majorca Stakes on Sun Met day.
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Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, December 3, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.39.84
1 – JUST SENSUAL (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Dynasty (SAF) – Consensual (SAF) by Camden Park (USA). Owner Mayfair Speculators (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D L Brugman); Breeder Klawervlei Stud; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus
2 – Safe Harbour (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Elusive Fort (SAF) – Saint Isidore (SAF) by Rakeen (USA)
3 – Querari Falcon (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Querari (GER) – Pretty Waves (SAF) by Crimson Waves (SAF)
Margins: 0.30, 3.25, 0.05
