Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Fortune, best is yet to come

David Thiselton
Reigning Champion Jockey Andrew Fortune had another memorable day added to his growing career list on Tuesday as he marked his belated seasonal comeback with a perfect treble, while his governor, Joey Ramsden, continued his dominant form at Durbanville. Ramsden sent out a five-timer, three of them brought home by Fortune and the other two by Richard Fourie and Bernard Fayd’Herbe. It was not a record for Ramsden as he has had six winners in a meeting at Durbanville before, a course where he has a phenomenal strike rate.
Fortune’s weight had ballooned to as high as 72kg as he used an extended suspension at the beginning of the season to take a break from the punishing schedule of gym work and travel that had helped him win last season’s Championship. He had his first ride in the second race, a Maiden over 1 000m, aboard the moderate Peter and Val Fenix and Ingrid and Markus Jooste-owned African Vision, jumping from draw four in a weak field of nine.
It is unusual to see the superbly balanced Fortune hard-riding a horse but he had to keep at African Vision for the entire length of the 600m straight as his mount got involved in a ding-dong tussle with his Ramsden-trained stablemate, Toga Bearer. African Vision, a three-year-old gelding by Rabah, got the upperhand in the final strides thanks to Fortune’s vigorous attentions.
The inimitable Fortune must be the first jockey to pull up a chair for himself during the post-race interview and exclaimed, “I’m exhausted!”
He continued, “I’ve been keen to get back but I got so heavy. I’ve really had to work to get down. Once you’re back at stable you realise how much goes into it. I must thank them, Joey’s still sticking with me, I’m grateful for these things. Today I’m clean if I’m not clean these things would never ever happen.”
The intensity of a race is different to track and Fortune added, “I could hardly walk after the race, but I’m here and that’s the important thing. I’ll feel better tomorrow.” The third race, a Maiden for fillies over 1 400m, saw Fortune at his brilliant best aboard the Graham Beck-owned three-year-old filly, Natural High, who had been knocking at the door in trips from 1 200-1 600m. She had the widest draw of all, but Fortune first managed to slot her into a midfield position from where he was able to dive for the inside coming off the false rail. He eased her to the front hands and heels before giving her a reminder at the 300m. Natural High responded, as they always seem to do for Fortune, and he then pumped her out into a one length lead with his hands until he drew the stick at the 150m mark to keep her up to her task.
In his third and final ride Fortune rode the Giselle Burg, Martin Wickens and Wilgebosdrift Stud-owned Cressida in a Fillies and Mares MR 72 Handicap over 1 000m and was confident of victory.The National Assembly four-year-old filly, won by a comfortable 2,25 lengths after lying handy from a pole position draw and Ramsden said after the race, “She just loves a round track.”
Fortune added, “I was reasonably bullish. She’s done well at work and if you look at her form at Durbanville it’s quite strong.”
Fortune’s remarkable comeback didn’t draw many wows from the commentators, perhaps because they are used to it, but the Champion said, “A start like this … you dream about things like this. I really don’t think people have seen the best of me. I will still come and do something wonderful.
“I want to get my weight down to be competitive. I take 2 to 3kg off every meeting, it’s about time that I matured and acted like a grown up.”
He concluded with a smile to Tellytrack interviewer Stan Elley, saying, “You’ll be surprised how good I am, Stan.”

\| All information on these pages are (©) Copyright Gold Circle Pty (Ltd) 2002 \| site map
(This site is best viewed at 1024 X 768)