Vodacom Durban July winning trainer Joey Ramsden put the seal on a dream 2016 SA Champions Season when he saddled the high class stallion prospect Red Ray to win the R800 000 Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville on Saturday.
Anton Marcus has the Mercury rising and Joey smiling as he steers Red Ray to a cracking win
It was an emotional first win in a race where the top Cape trainer has gone close twice in days gone by.
Cape racing’s champion juvenile of his year, and officially the best three-year-old in the country when he left South Africa to pursue an overseas campaign in mid-2014, the swashbuckling Red Ray showed his true class – putting his best foot forward in his newly fitted blinkers – on a day that inexorably confirmed his berth in the Klawervlei breeding barn.
Read what Joey Ramsden told us earlier this week
After a blank overseas campaign, where he only saw action once for Mike de Kock in Dubai in the Gr2 Al Fahidi Fort when running unplaced, Red Ray was shrewdly returned to the land of his birth and put into training again with his former boss.
Red Ray – the champion 2yo
On Saturday he was having only his third run after a long break, following two quiet efforts in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Gr2 Post Merchants. And the blinkers and improved fitness levels saw him come out firing on all cylinders at what was to be his lucky thirteenth start.
With the Greyville turf track producing gunshots of dust in the preceding races, and sadly looking rather worse for wear, the high quality field of fourteen were despatched at the 1200m, with Trip To Heaven failing to concentrate again and losing three lengths.
Captain Alfredo was taken to an easy lead by Lyle Hewitson with Marcus bringing Red Ray into his slipstream from his widish draw, as Gulf Storm, Night Trip and Real Princess followed.
Into the straight the game Captain Alfredo bravely took them on as he kicked to lead Red Ray into the 350m, with nothing much running on, bar Talktothestars.
Anton Marcus – not quite the July – but he was thrilled to win this
As Red Ray drifted out and then in, he was straightened by Marcus and went on powerfully to win full of running to score with something in hand by 2 lengths in a time of 68,96 secs.
After picking the wrong ride in the July, Marcus showed his elation by saluting at the post on a horse he later called ‘one of the best in the country, when at his best’.
The unfancied 33-1 shot Night Trip stayed on smartly in the same silks and finished best of the rest under the Avontuur -sponsored Callan Murray, to beat the outstanding Gr1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint winner Real Princess by 0,75 lengths into third.
SP weekend cover star Talktothestars was not disgraced when running fifth from a tough barrier gate
Gr1 Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm stayed on for fourth, ahead of Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Talktothestars, who ran a cracker from far back.
Coenie de Beer’s star was not disgraced finishing 3,75 lengths off the winner, after jumping cautiously from his wide draw and then dropped in by Gavin Lerena.
Real Princess’ stakes winning stablemate Captain Alfredo did a great job of the donkey work and only faded late, finishing sixth and 3,90 lengths back.
Gauteng raider Trip Tease is a much better prospect down the straight.
One of six Trippi progeny in the field, he was being pushed at by Piere Strydom to respond around the turn and failed to get into the fight, finishing tenth and 5 lengths off.
Trip To Heaven, who had run such a superb race when denied the Gr1 Gold Challenge in the boardroom, paid the penalty for a tardy start and was a half length behind Trip Tease.
Mayfair Speculators Racing Manager Derek Brugman got the credit for the blinkers – in his absence
Winning rider Anton Marcus said that he was ‘at sixes and sevens after Red Ray’s last run’.
“It was pure genius between Derek (Brugman) and Joey (Ramsden) to fit the blinkers. The race worked out very well after he broke smartly and the conditions suited us beautifully,” he said.
Trainer Joey Ramsden was joined on the winner’s podium by his daughters Holly and Zara, and paid tribute to Durban as a ‘wonderful holiday destination – the best in the world.’
“We have had the most wonderful family holiday. I must also thank the sponsors of this race. The Mercury really is the best newspaper in the country – I should know – all I do is read newspapers as Alson does most of the rest of the work!” he said with a broad smile, paying tribute to his long-time faithful Assistant trainer.
A thrilled Joey Ramsden leads Red Ray(Anton Marcus) in, accompanied by star assistant Alson, with daughters Zara and Holly, and Steph Grentell
Joey went on to say that he had brought his string up a bit later than usual, and ‘like in life’, it was all about timing and starting and finishing at the right time.
An R800 000 Cape Ready To Run graduate, Red Ray took his career earnings to R1 878 750.
Gone but never forgotten – Western Winter’s legacy lives on in his progeny
He was bred by Lammerskraal Stud and is by the deceased champion sire Western Winter, out of that prolific winner producing four time winning Pas De Quoi mare, Nacarat, who sadly passed away last weekend.
Joey also trained Red Ray’s Group performing full sister Nania a few years ago, as well as his top-class Gr2 winning full brother, Brutal Force.
We still have Super Saturday to come.
It has been a great SA Champion Season so far – despite the track woes and inevitable political issues!
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Gr1 Mercury Sprint (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, July 16, R800k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.08.96
1 – RED RAY (SAF), 60.0, b h 5, Western Winter (USA) – Nacarat (SAF) by Pas De Quoi (SAF). Owner Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste; Breeder Lammerskraal Stud; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus
2 – Night Trip (SAF), 60.0, b g 6, Trippi (USA) – Pleine Nuit (IRE) by Machiavellian (USA)
3 – Real Princess (SAF), 57.5, ch f 4, Trippi (USA) – Pagan Princess (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
Margins: 2.00, 0.75, 0.75
