Cape challenger Happy Forever is a talented son of Var who takes on the Joburg big guns
A week ago Joey Ramsden and jockey Anton Marcus were basking in the glory of victory in the Godolphin Mile in a memorable Dubai World Cup moment for South African horseracing. On Saturday they will be at it again. This time at Turffontein for the running of the Gr2 R400 000 Senor Santa Handicap run over 1160m.
The victory by Var’s terrific champion miler son Variety Club has captured the imagination of the South African racing public and even though Joey had to swallow the bitter pill of the colt moving on to the De Kock yard for his future campaign, like a true professional he carries on.
Same Team
Glory Boys Joey Ramsden and Anton Marcus
It is probably appropriate that he and Marcus team up with another talented son of Var to take on a strong field in a race named in honour of one of the great sprinters of modern racing history in this country.
Happy Forever is a lightly raced winner of 5 of his 10 races and makes his first appearance at Turffontein.
The 5yo won a top class race on Met Day when beating the vastly improved Tiger Tiger by 3,50 lengths and runs off a nine week break. The long breaks and running fresh are the pattern of his career and he is capable of producing a storming effort.
He is part owned by former SA champion jockey Andrew Fortune, who will no doubt be on track to shout his star home.
Chosen Track
It won’t be easy for Happy Forever though.
Alec Laird’s promising Greys Inn 3yo Chekilli reverts to what is probably his forte.
He registered a course and distance hat trick earlier before trying ground in the features around the turn.
This pacy fellow will have them running and will ensure that topweight Here Comes Billy is feeling every gram of his impost.
There He Goes
Here Comes Billy carries topweight
The Marwing runner is the Gr2 Joburg Merchants winner and there is no question that Here Comes Billy as a multiple course and distance winner who knows how to lump weight, will be a factor under the crack Cape jockey.
Bernard Fayd’herbe rides him for the first time and he won three weeks ago when holding Snowdon to a half length lumping 61,5 kgs, as he does on Saturday.
Tarry Duo
Sean Tarry saddles the coupling of the entire Skitt Skizzle and the rather in and out Mythical Palace.
Both look to have work to do, although Skitt Skizzle may still be ahead of the handicapper as an unexposed sort and has been trumped as something quite special by his connections.
He has the pace to challenge.
Overweight
The Tiger Ridge gelding Isobar is coupled with Here Comes Billy and will probably need more ground in this level of company. Richard Fourie declares a kilo over.
Piere Strydom jumps aboard Rodeo Dandy for Dom Zaki. The son of Casey Tibbs has not won in ages and is probably past his best.
Mike De Kock saddles the Oasis Dream mare Welwitschia who lost her form towards the end of the Cape summer season. She is a course and distance winner who has a knack of being slow away and finishing her races with a flourish.
Missing In Action
Link Man is now trained by Ormond Ferraris (he used to be with Mike De Kock) and he ran on with zest last time when charging through late to be beaten just under two lengths by Here Comes Billy.
The enigmatic son of Toreador meets the Marwing runner on 2,5kgs better terms and could be enjoying the change of scenery.
Very Close
The Gauteng sprints are inevitably closely fought contests.
Here Comes Billy is the hardknocker. Happy Forever has to travel but is fast and Marcus rides him.
Then Chekilli is the rising star and is full of promise. What a race. Just don’t blink!
Remembering A Soldier
Northern Guest’s best sprinting son, Senor Santa reigned as the Champion Sprinter of South Africa for many seasons and won his final Group One as an eight year old.
The old warrior, who has lived out the bulk of his retirement days as a “tutor” to the Summerhill weanlings, is remembered for his seven Group One victories including two Computaform Sprints, two Star Sprints, a Natal Flying Championship, the First National Bank (1600m), and a Smirnoff Futurity.
His victims included Champions Goldmark, Divine Act, Miss Averof, Harry’s Echo and Simonside.
As memorable a moment as any though, came in defeat in the Winning Form Match Race Challenge, in which, ironically, his lack of stamina cost him the race in the dying strides by Northern Guest’s most celebrated daughter, Northern Princess.
Senor Santa is rising 28 years of age but has never shirked his babysitting duties.
