High Note! King Of Pain bounds clear under Bernard Fayd'herbe to win the Gr3 Langerman.
The Bookies are already talking about pricing up on Joey Ramsden training the winner of the 2013 Langerman! The beautiful grey colt King Of Pain made it seven wins in twelve runnings of this feature for the stable, when he strode clear to record an easy win at Kenilworth on Sunday.
There are also suggestions that The Langerman be renamed The Ramsden. And while that may smack of a disrespectful disregard for tradition and history on the one hand, it will serve to acknowledge the Milnerton conditioner’s stranglehold on a race that he has made his own.
We all know where the 2011 Langerman winner Variety Club has gone since his low-key victory and Ramsden looks to have another very smart sort on his hands again. King Of Pain, Greys Inn’s second stakes winner, showed the early signs of something above average when winning on his debut against winners in April.
He then came out and took forever to gain his stride when running a close third to The West Is Wide in the Cape Nursery. That was a 1200m sprint and in time we may just reflect back to say what a excellent effort that was by a horse that stays 2400m. It’s possible. Anything is!
King Of Pain won his third race and Langerman prep run over 1400m at Kenilworth three weeks ago.
On Sunday, he showed his true colours.
With the favourite damaging his prospects irreparably at the jump, Craig Du Plooy took the poorly drawn recent maiden winner Here I Am up to dictate matters from the nice-looker Sweep Forward, with Parado and Tiger Tiger further back.
The order remained much the same and they fanned out as they swept into the short home –straight, with the bright-silked Here I Am faltering, as Tiger Tiger came forward. A desperate Karl Neisius was forced to expend valuable energy to bring Abercrombie wide out to avoid the falling soldiers.
The flashy grey King Of Pain had been hiding in midfield, and was sent down tight against the inside rail by Bernard Fayd’herbe. The writing was on the wall at the 300m marker as the grey changed legs and bolted clear with the maiden Sanshaawes running a cracker to pip the always prominent Tiger Tiger for second. Another maiden in Terminator, stayed on for fourth, just ahead of the good looking Sweep Forward, who was made a lot of use of earlier.
Island Style! Mauritians Dharmesh and Mellisa Naik lead their feature winner in.
King Of Pain won by two lengths in a time of 92,63 secs. He was led in by his proud Mauritian owners Mellisa and Dharmesh Naik, who own him in partnership with Brian and Kathy Finch, and Wayne and Belinda Kieswetter. The colt has surpassed his R80 000 Cape Sale price tag by over R100 000 and that looks well-bought great value right now!
Trainer Piet Steyn must be thrilled with the maiden Sanshaawes’ great effort at 33-1. The son of Ashaawes had run King Of Pain to a half- length at their last meeting, and even though receiving an additional kg here, was well beaten without shame. Paul Reeves’ Tiger Tiger, who started at 22-1, also lifted his game after his Cape Nursery disappointment to just be run out of second place.
The inevitable disappointments were headed by the 17-20 favourite Abercrombie, who, as already said, ruined his chances at the start. The R1,8 million son of Trippi eventually plodded into sixth and 5,70 lengths off the winner. He must prove his credentials again and the Bass’s will no doubt be starting with his jump schooling.
Vaughan Marshall’s Half Moon Hotel blotted his consistent copybook when finishing just behind Abercrombie, while Justin Snaith’s Cape Nursery fourth-placed Pole Star also had nothing to come and ran tenth.
Joey Ramsden’s highly-rated Parado was full of antics in the pre-race parade and showed that all the hype and talk around him is not being carried from the training tracks to the racetrack, when finishing 12,20 lengths off.
But it was King Of Pain’s day. Described as a horse with plenty of speed, jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe said that he had planned to have him much closer to the action early on. But King Of Pain was having none of it and just relaxed in midfield and saved his energy. The temperament of a very good horse. Particularly when coupled with his ability!
He has earned every time he has come racing and has won 3 of his 4 starts and run 1 place, for gross stake earnings of R181 566.
King Of Pain is a second stakes winner for Zabeel stallion Greys Inn, who looks to be gathering solid momentum and producing both sprinting and staying sorts. He was bred by Arc En Ciel out of the Defensive Play mare Viva La Belle, who was placed in Australia. The Juddmonte Farms American-bred Fappiano stallion Defensive Play died in 2007 and has turned out to be a broodmare sire of some note.
On blood alone, King Of Pain should easily go 2000m and this coupled with his very laid-back nature, makes him quite an exciting prospect with classic potential.
It is early days yet, but pencil this one in.
Results:
The Langerman (SAf-G3) (6/3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, June 3, R138.000, 1500m, turf, good, 0.63 (CR ).
KING OF PAIN (SAF), 58.0, gr c 2, Greys Inn – Viva La Belle (AUS) by
Defensive Play. Owner D Naik, K Finch, B Kieswetter and J Ramsden; breeder
Arc-En-Ciel (SAF); trainer J Ramsden; jockey B Fayd’herbe (R91.500)
Sanshaawes (SAF), 54.0, b g 2, Ashaawes – Vicario (SAF) by Northern Guest
Tiger Tiger (SAF), 56.0, db c 2, Tiger Dance – Wine For Winnie by Defrere
Margins: 2, nose, 2½
Also ran: Terminator (SAF) 54.0, Sweep Forward (SAF) 56.0, Abercrombie (SAF)
56.0, Half Moon Hotel (SAF) 56.0, Black Coral (SAF) 56.0, Count Emmanuale
(SAF) 56.0, Pole Star (SAF) 56.0, Lord Jonathan (SAF) 58.0, Parado (SAF)
56.0, Here I Am (SAF) 56.0, Tumblebrutus (SAF) 56.0
