King Of Pain bound for Joburg
KING Of Pain could be Johannesburg-bound after bouncing back from death’s door to impress in front of a huge crowd at Kenilworth on Saturday when Mike Bass dominated with a five-timer.
The Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner was running for the first time since an emergency colic operation to save his life in September and, while he didn’t manage to repeat last year’s Cape Mile win, the way he bravely moved up into a challenging third was typical of the gallant grey and filled his trainer with hope.
Joe Ramsden said: “I was very pleased with that. He will quite possibly go to Durban for the sort of races he ran in last season but he might also have a crack at the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut on March 28.”
Ze Kaiser
The race was won in good style by 12-1 shot Ze Kaiser who was brought with a smooth run from last by Grant van Niekerk whose constantly-improving riding since landing the Bass job has been a revelation. But plans for his mount are up in the air.
Bass said: “I don’t know about Durban because he is a 1 400m/mile horse and there is not that much for him there. He has come right now after having problems with his feet and rather losing his way in the process.”
Power King, beaten less than half a length, leaves for Durban shortly but Dean Kannemeyer felt he could have won and explained: “He drifted across the width of five horses in the last half furlong. That cost him the race.”
Hammie’s Hooker
Hammie’s Hooker returned to her best to win the Breco Seafoods Prix Du Cap with ease but it was difficult to tell who was more surprised, her trainer or her jockey. Bernard Fayd’Herbe had got off her on Thursday and bluntly informed Bass: “That’s the worst she has ever felt!”
Bass, winning this Grade 3 for the fourth time in nine seasons, said: “She made the others look ordinary today and that’s how good she is. She should have won a few Grade 1s but things just haven’t worked out for her in those races. There is the Garden Province to come but I will have to talk to the owners about whether I take her there or whether she should go straight to stud.”
A crack at the Gold Cup is on the cards for Coltrane who led a furlong out to justify 18-10 favouritism in a slowly run CTS Chairman’s Cup to give Joey Ramsden his seventh win in this two-miler in 16 years and Fayd’Herbe his first.
Ramsden was equally taken with Kingvoldt and Happy Forever, second and third to Gulf Storm in the Pinnacle Stakes. He said: “I will have to check with Kevin Sommerville but the obvious target for Kingvoldt is the Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville on May 23. Maybe we will go to Turffontien again with Happy Forever.”
Gulf Storm goes to Durban and Brett Crawford said: “I am going to keep him to sprint distances and I think 1 200m is his trip.”
Prawn Festival
The colourful, carnival atmosphere of the Prawn Festival attracted massive numbers and, for the second year running, Sir Richard Branson was suitably impressed. Nobody did a headcount but the crowd looked even bigger than on Queen’s Plate day.
Phumelela’s National Marketing Manager Michael Varney confirmed this, saying: “This day has become Western Cape racing’s second-biggest event in terms of attendance and the way the car park overflowed into the centre of the course spoke volumes.
“Our whole drive has been about creating value. The prawns were sold at cost and the Racing.It’s A Rush budget paid for the R70 000 worth of household appliances that we gave away.”
Clyde Basel, for whom nothing is seemingly impossible, said he now intended to persuade the government to support next year’s festival “with both infrastructure and inventory.”