It may not have been a lead-up race for the Vodacom Durban July, but the R750 000, Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m at Clairwood on Saturday, yielded a star studded field including most of the top contenders for Vodacom Durban July and of course Variety Club
Photo by Racing and Sports
Trained by Joey Ramsden, the Horse of the Year and champion miler Variety Club was out to defend his 2012 crown, before going into quarantine for an overseas campaign.
In a start to finish demolition job, Variety Club, with regular jockey Anton Marcus on board, demonstrated just why he is considered one the best milers that South Africa has ever produced. Jumping from barrier seven, the son of Champion Sprinter Var(USA) was so fast out of the gate, that he was in the lead, before the field had even begun to sort out the pecking order.
Once there, Marcus controlled the pace masterfully, as Beach Beauty and Lake Arthur took up sentry positions behind Variety Club. Rounding the final turn, Marcus steadily increased the pace, causing mayhem in the chasing pack. With most of the field under a hard ride, Marcus had yet to move on Variety Club, casually steering the colt up the centre of the track.
At the 300m mark, Sean Cormack set Beach Beauty alight, challenging the champion. It was the sign Marcus had been waiting for. A single reminder and Variety Club effortlessly extended his lead, leaving the mare in his wake, job done.
On the line, the distance was a length to Beach Beauty, with eight lengths covering the ten-horse field spread out behind him. 2012 Vodacom Durban July winner, Pomodoro under Piere Strydom, ran up late to finish third a further 0.75L back, while stable companion and fellow Vodacom Durban July entrant Whiteline Fever and Bernard Fayd’Herbe finished in fourth.
Variety Club, who started at prohibitively short odds of 4/10, won in a time of 1.34.42, over a second faster than his 2012 winning time of 1.35.78, taking his earnings to just short of the R4 million mark. By Var(USA) out of the Secret Prospector(USA) mare, La Massine, Variety Club recorded his 14th victory for owners Mrs I Jooste and Mr M J Jooste. Over the mile, the colt has only tasted defeated once in nine starts and the Rising Sun Gold Challenge was his fourth Grade 1 victory and his eight in succession.
Earlier on the card, the Charles Laird trained Astro News won the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m, one of the last races available for July entrants to improve their log positions, before the final field is announced on the 25th of June. Astro News, who has been languishing outside of the top 30 on the log, is now likely to feature in the top 20, with a good chance of starting in the R3.5 million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July on the 6th of July.
