Ramsden colts dominate Somerset

Ken Nicol

Joey Ramsden’s juvenile colts confirmed their dominance in Cape Town, as Twist Of Fate narrowly prevailed over stable companion Arabian Air in the Listed Somerset 1200 at Kenilworth yesterday.

As the only two-time winner Twist Of Fate (6-1) gave weight to all, but quickened up smartly on the outside rail and with 100m to go looked set to score comfortably.

Arabian Air had been backed into 21-10 favourite after an impressive debut win 10 days ago, and despite racing green and shifting from inside to outside looking for company challenged strongly late and only went down a neck in the end.

Both of these are clearly worth following, and Ramsden revealed afterwards that the winner is “one of the toughest two-year-olds I have ever trained, and has an attitude second to none”.

He went on to indicate that Twist Of Fate will probably go for the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at the end of May and concluded ominously that “he should love Scottsville”.

In the fillies equivalent Perfect Promise Nous Voila was backed as if the result was known from 2810 into odds on at 15-20.

Her similarly unbeaten stable mate Lesedi La Rona by contrast was allowed to go off at 9-2, and just got the upper hand after a protracted duel.

It was a full four lengths back to third placed Coral Bay.

The race did, however, confirm that Candice Bass-Robinson has an outstanding bunch of juvenile fillies this season.

“They are both lovely fillies, but won’t be going to Durban at this stage.

"Nous Voila works better in the sand at home, but Grant (Van Niekerk) was very confident about Lesedi’s chances,” she said.

She has the likes of Santa Clara and Clouds Unfold waiting in the wings.

But Bass-Robinson also hinted there are “one or two others” in the same class who are yet to see a racecourse.

Lesedi La Rona is named after the third largest diamond ever found (at the Karowe mine in Botswana in 2015), and herself is clearly something of a diamond in the rough.

Hassen Adams’ Cape trainer Dan Katz won the opening work riders race with Country Rock, and revealed that he specifically targets these type of events thanks to his secret weapon.

“I am always confident of winning these races as Andile Ndlebe has won 14 for me from less than 20 rides.

He is far stronger in the finish than any of the others so I expected to win today,” he said post victory.