Christmas Comes Early

Big Hit! King Of Pain keeps at it under Bernard Fayd’Herbe to win the Gr2 Selangor Cup

Buckle up and book your seat for the 2012 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Guineas on 22 December! The Cape’s two top yards came breathlessly close to sharing the spoils in Sunday’s R300 000 Gr2  Selangor Cup at Kenilworth, and both the winner King Of Pain and the runner-up Capetown Noir look like genuine leaders of their generation.

And bring on The Dingaans winner The Hangman!

That was the body language from colleagues and  amicable  Milnerton neighbours Joey Ramsden and Dean Kannemeyer after the undoubted a seasonal highlight of a thrilling grandstand finish to Sunday’s guineas trial. And Ramsden can do little wrong after a feature double last weekend.

Unstoppable. Joey Ramsden can’t go wrong at the moment

The finish went to the judge and a few moments after the Cape’s two top 3yo’s had flashed past the post, Ramsden was full of smiles and characteristic chirps, while the seasoned Kannemeyer was left to rue a half-stride too far.

A dead-heat would have probably been a  fairytale ending.

But on a positive spin, the needle has been polished and the mouthwatering prospect of a return match on 22 December will set a challenge  to the racing operator. The showdown should bring out a healthy pre-Christmas crowd. A great marketing opportunity.

The Selangor  was run at a solid clip with Dennis Drier’s Chave De Oura carting the field along  a length ahead of outsider Tiger Tiger, with Terminator and Silvano’s Jet a little further back.

Cormack stepped on the accelerator at the 1000m marker as Chave De Oura continued to lead with Silvano’s Jet edging up into second ahead of Terminator and Tiger Tiger, with King Of Pain and Capetown Noir within a length of each other.

Turning for home Chave De Oura continued to gallop with Bernard Fayd’Herbe sending King Of Pain down the inside rail.

All Smiles. The Selangor Cup presentation

Karl Neisius had switched Capetown Noir out but the Kannemeyer flyer became  cramped for galloping room for a few strides with a couple of tired passengers falling back on to him.

At the 200m marker King Of Pain appeared to have an unassailable lead with Capetown Noir powering down the wide outside after seeing daylight.

With Fayd’Herbe using  all of his strength liberally the beautiful grey responded and he lasted just long enough to hold the charging Kannemeyer Western Winter colt.

King Of Pain won by a nostril in a time of 97,21 secs.

What a finish!

Winning trainer Joey Ramsden  said afterwards that Bernard Fayd’Herbe had given King Of Pain a great ride and hinted at plenty to come by suggesting that it had not helped that his charge had missed a prep run.

He thanked his partners, including Dharmish and Melissa Naik who had  shown great confidence by travelling from Mauritius. The Naik’s said afterwards that the trip was ‘money well spent.’

King Of Pain is co-owned by Brian Finch and Belinda and Wayne Kieswetter. Their son Craig plays cricket for Joey’s favourite team – England.

A visibly relieved Ramsden said that he would now head for the Guineas and that he was aware that Capetown Noir was ‘extremely good’ and that he had seen a smart Jallad win The Dingaans at Turffontein on Saturday. This was  a reference to Sean Tarry’s The Hangman, who will hopefully add some provincial spice by making the trip.

Jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe said that even though the 1 draw had counted in his favour, he was concerned as the grey was ‘very laid back.’

“He  jumped on terms but wanted to park off as if he was Pocket Power!  Then when he went to fetch Chave De Oura in the straight, I felt that we had seen daylight too early and I knew Karl (Neisius) was coming to get us. But he showed character,” he said.

We’ll be back. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer has a plan for the Guineas.

Capetown Noir will enjoy the summer course next time out and his trainer has suggested he will be even better at 2000m. That is exciting stuff and while not the Kannemeyer style, he could be in the J&B Met early entries.

Vaughan Marshall’s Act Fast kicked on well for third a further 1,30 lengths behind while Mike Bass’ Paterfamilias had switched in and out in a luckless outing and ran a cracker to finish fourth.

The pacemaking Chave De Oura may not have stayed the trip, but was used freely out front and may be better if ridden quietly from off them.

Bred by Arc En Ciel (although practically by Messrs Ramsden and Craig Carey), King Of Pain has a 100% earnings record. An excited Ramsden mentioned that they had  the winner’s 2yo full sister – whom they had not yet sold!  The phone should be ringing off the hook this week.

King Of Pain is a winner of 5 of his 7 races with 2 places for gross income of R486 620.

Recorded as an R80 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, he is by Grey’s Inn out of the Defensive Play mare Viva La Belle (a well-bred half sister to Lady Of The Turf) , who is owned by Ramsden and Carey through a third party financial default apparently.

Roll on an early horseracing Christmas of Guineas day!

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