Happy Forever outsprints them to win the Gr2 Senor Santa in promising fashion (JC Photos)
The Joey Ramsden trained Var gelding Happy Forever signalled his Computaform Sprint aspirations with a brilliant win in the R400 000 Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap run over the Turffontein 1160m on Saturday. Joey Ramsden and Anton Marcus were the men of the moment for the second Saturday running.
Fresh off his SA Fillies Classic success with Athina of last Saturday, local trainer Joey Soma looked after Happy Forever from his arrival at Turffontein in midweek.
The amiable Soma said that local racing should encourage and welcome visitors and he also added that he could take ‘no credit’ for Happy Forever’s win.
“We gave him a light workout on Friday morning and he worked really well. Joey (Ramsden) has done a great job with a horse that obviously has had his soundness issues. And I’m thrilled for my old mate Andrew Fortune, who owns a share in this talented sprinter. It is always commendable when a jockey puts money back into the sport,” he laughed.
Marcus said that he was surprised by the amount of pace shown by Happy Forever and he was always up in the vanguard as Chekilli showed the way with the longstriding Skitt Skizzle in the mix.
Joey Ramsden is happy to set himself up for Computaform Sprint
At the 300m marker Khumalo looked as if he would go past on Skitt Skizzle but Happy Forever was always going well and Marcus stepped up the pressure to draw clear.
It was left to the topweight Here Comes Billy to chase the leader and grab the second cheque.
Happy Forever registered a 1,25 length win in a time of 66,04 secs.
The 3yo Chekilli, who went off favourite, ran third and 1,75 lengths behind.
Happy Forever has now won 6 races from 11 starts with 4 places and R586 605 in stakes.
A R550 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, the Maine Chance Farms bred Happy Forever is by Var out of the National Assembly mare, Happy Ever After.
Happy Forever will stay with Soma and this win has brought him into serious contention for the Computaform Sprint and what a duel it could be between him and another fast Var called Via Africa.
*
Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap (SAf-Gr2) Turffontein, South Africa, April 5, R400k, 1160m, turf, good, 1.06.04 1‒HAPPY FOREVER (SAF), 57.5, ch g 5, Var (USA) – Happy Ever After (SAF) by National Assembly (CAN). Owner Miss G Burg, Messrs A C Fortune, J Ramsden, M J T Wickens & Mr & Mrs D Naik; breeder Maine Chance; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus 2‒Here Comes Billy (SAF), 61.5, ch g 4, Muhtafal (USA) – Fast Tempo (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF) 3‒Chekilli (SAF), 55.0, b c 3, Greys Inn (USA) – Philippa Johnson (SAF) by Joshua Dancer (USA) Margins: 1¼, ½, 1¼
