Serious Challenge – King Of Pain squares up to Capetown Noir in the Selangor Cup on Sunday
The Cape’s champion juvenile of last season steps out in Sunday’s R300 000 Gr2 Selangor Cup at Kenilworth. Dean Kannemeyer’s Capetown Noir throws down the gauntlet to Joey Ramsden’s King Of Pain in a race that should provide clarity on the Cape Guineas picture.
This exchange race is part of the twinning agreement established in 1997 between Gold Circle and the Selangor Turf Club. A reciprocal race called the Kenilworth Cup is run every year in Kuala Lumpur .
The Selangor Turf Club was founded in 1896 under the patronage of British resident Sir Frank Swettenham. The first race meeting took place in March 1896 and for over a century, horseracing was primarily a lavish pastime of the rich and famous in Kuala Lumpur and the Selangor Turf Club was the place to meet and to be seen.
Serious Threat – Capetown Noir is looking to cement his Guineas claims
Boat Race
Kenilworth Racecourse may not enjoy quite the same desirable status as it’s Malaysian counterpart, but Sunday’s contest promises an intriguing duel between two top yards and two very smart 3yo’s. And that is not to say it is a cut-and-dried boat race.
Joey Ramsden won the race last year with subsequent champion Variety Club and he also won it in 1999 with Gavin Klette’s Taupo Retreat.
Kannemeyer on the other hand has a superb unparalleled record in the classic stepping stone with five wins in eleven years.
He won it in 2001 with Roman Charger, in 2002 with Dynasty, in 2004 with Mercury Chief, in 2005 with Express Way, in 2008 with Le Drakkar and in 2009 with subsequent Met winner Past Master.
A shuffling in the programme means that the Selangor rather than the Green Point Stakes is the departure point for the Kannemeyer Guineas assault these days.
Owned by leading Kannemeyer patron, Lady Christine Laidlaw, Capetown Noir has won 3 of his 4 outings and ran a terrific race last time when getting the better of the Snaith powerhouse Run For It over 1400m at Kenilworth. That was a great run from a 3yo, and it certainly raised the classic aspirations of the connections.
But can they beat King Of Pain?
“I have very respect for Joey’s horse, but my colt is a classy 3yo who will enjoy the extra 200m and ultimately will go 2000m. He will also eventually be at his best on the long run in of the summer course. He is working well and I am regarding this race as his first serious test. He will be right there,” said Kannemeyer.
Hot Draw
Joey Ramsden’s King Of Pain has drawn at pole position and was an unlucky loser of his only start this season.
That was in the Matchem at Durbanville last month, where jockey hesitation may have cost him after Felix Coetzee rode a perler on Snaith ‘s Changingof-theguard. The latter did not frank that form with a weakfish fourth in Saturday’s Green Point Stakes, but King Of Pain is bound to have come on with the run and should be far more comfortable at Kenilworth.
The second of the Ramsden runner is the promising Silvano’s Jet, who looked rather chubby when winning his Novice Plate over a mile at Kenilworth last week. That was a good effort from a horse that took them on early and kept galloping. He is bound to have come on with the run.
Silvano’s Jet held off a late challenge from Mike Bass’s Abercrombie, who charged through late to be beaten a half- length in receipt of a half kilo.
Prospect
Dennis Drier’s Cape Classic winner Chave De Oura takes a step up in ground and this impressive son of Jet Master became one of our early Guineas prospects with that good win.
He is a half kilo better off with Readytogorightnow for a 1,20 length beating there. The only concern is that the Snaith runner was low-flying and is probably looking for the extra ground. Which could negate the minor weight advantage collaterals.
The Snaith yard’s three way coupling is headed by the Australian-bred Readytogorightnow, who, as mentioned earlier, was screaming home in the Cape Classic. He gets the services of Robbie Fradd here, and may represent fair value at a decent price off what is bound to be a healthy pace.
Piet Steyn’s consistent Sanshaawes meets Readytogorightnow on level weights again after shading him in the Cape Classic. It should not be forgotten that he is the fellow that ran a two length second to King Of Pain in the Langerman, in receipt of 4kgs, and is now a half kg closer to the Ramsden star.
Big Fish
Mike Bass sends out two runners.
The son of Trippi, Abercrombie meets Silvano’s Jet at level weights after going down narrowly at their last meeting and should be held by King Of Pain on the Langerman defeat.
The other Bass runner is yet another Trippi. Paterfamilias never showed in the Cape Classic when finishing in seventh and 3,10 lengths behind Chave De Oura. He is 1,5kgs better off with the Drier runner, but it is difficult to see him reversing things.
Fresh off their Algoa Cup success in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, MJ Byleveld and Vaughan Marshall team up with the one-time winner, Act Fast. He was beaten on his return run in October by the filly Europe To Africa, who gave him 1,5kgs, and will have to improve against the better 3yo’s here.
It has all the ingredients for excitement.
Two top yards. Two top young horses.
There should be nothing in it and a first run for home could be the winning one.
