Vous Et Var makes Jonssons proud
BENJI Jonsson is one of the doyens of South African racing and along with close friends Mike Rattray, Bill Lambert, Nic Labuschagne and Chris Saunders, boast a formidable number of years in the sport.
All have contributed unselfishly. Jonsson has been a driving force behind the South African Jockey Academy at Summerveld for many years and is Honorary President of this world famous institution.
Rattray and Labuschagne Labuschagne both served terms as chairmen of the Durban Turf Club before the formation of Gold Circle while Lambert and Saunders have served as chairmen of Gold Circle.
Seldom does a meeting in KZN pass without Jonsson in attendance and it was fitting that he was on hand to see his son Nicholas lead in the Michael Roberts-trained Vous Et Var in the first race at Greyville yesterday.
The racing bug often has a habit of skipping a generation or two but Benji has a number of horses in partnership with his son Nicholas and both were on hand to watch their colt land the odds in the first.
Roberts, after many years in the UK as a top jockey, follows the English classic lead of not pushing his youngsters but he looks to have a smart juvenile in the Avontuur-bred son of Var and is hopeful of a strong three-year-old season.
“I rate him,’’ commented Roberts post-race taking issue with jockey Kegan de Melo who thought the drop back to 1000 m was the right move.
“I must disagree. I won’t run him again over 1000m as he's is already looking for further. I don't want two-year-olds, I want classic horses,’’ said Roberts, ’’….but this horse has shown me that he’s ready. He’s a lovely individual.’’
Vous Et Var finished second to the highly rated Mike de Kock-trained Baahir on debut so it will be interesting to see how the season unfolds for these two as juvenile form is largely unexposed at this stage of the season.
Supporters of the Paul Lafferty-trained Garibondy survived a few anxious moments after the filly cast a shoe on her way to the start for the second.
However, the filly behaved impeccably during some smart repairs by course farrier Sean Leslie and she showed her class.
Giving weight all round in a field loaded with speed, the daughter of Var proved too classy and got home rather comfortably under Sean Cormack with the lightly weighted War Path kicking on for second. German Lady ran out of steam late but finished ahead of pacemaker Cherry Tripper.
German Lady is one for the notebook.