Joey Ramsden has decided against moving to Singapore to train. He will now presumably stay put at his Milnerton base and concentrate on trying to build up the stable to its former glories.

Ramsden, who has gone out of his way to be helpful to this writer in the past, has not answered my calls or text messages in recent weeks and yesterday was no exception. But Singapore Turf Club executive Zenna Teo emailed: “We would like to inform you that Mr Joey Ramsden has decided not to train in Singapore.”

In April the Singapore Turf Club took Ramsden and the rest of South African racing by surprise when it issued a press release to say that he was one of three new trainers being allocated boxes. Apparently he had only made inquiries and had not told his owners but he said he would fly over and have a look. He was soon singing the country’s praises and pointing to the advantages of its racing compared to that in South Africa, although he did say what a complex process it was to set up there.

With the possible exception of Charles Laird (who retired), Ramsden was the trainer who suffered most when Markus Jooste decided to quit racing in the immediate aftermath of the Steinhoff financial scandal. His numbers slumped from well over 100 to the extent that he moved to a smaller yard and the majority of his horses were not of the same class as the Jooste ones. He has really battled in the first few months of this season and has had only two winners.

But Singapore’s loss is South Africa’s gain. Ramsden is one of the few trainers in this country to have won Group 1 races overseas and at home he was won more than 1 750 races including 26 Grade 1s, notably the 2016 Vodacom Durban July with The Conglomerate. He also has the personality to attract owners and a world-wide reputation that is likely to attract further patronage from overseas.

He has recently updated his website to publicise an attacking policy that extends countrywide, saying: “The yard regularly raids Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth. With the recent success of the Johannesburg stable we are looking to make that yard a permanent fixture and, with a 10% stakes winners to winners strike rate, we believe our results speak for themselves.”

By Michael Clower

Al Bragga, something of a bookmakers’ benefit so far, just might be worth another chance in the opening maiden at Kenilworth today.

The Mike Stewart-trained three-year-old was backed as if he couldn’t lose on debut here in August yet he finished with only one behind him and over 20 lengths off the winner. He was found to be lame afterwards. He then went on a recovery mission at Durbanville and, although only fifth, he ran a great deal better. He would, though, have finished a lot closer had things gone according to plan but he had to be eased 600m out in order to get a clear run.

“He also gave himself a nasty over-reach,” says Mike Stewart who said of the debut disappointment: “When he got home he came out of the box on three legs. Either he knocked himself in the pens or he got kicked and nobody noticed.”

Al Bragga was gelded between the two races and this time Greg Cheyne takes over from Donovan Dillon and is fitted with cheek pieces.  Stewart, who doesn’t bet, is determined not to tempt fate by making predictions but his horse was only a length and a quarter behind Cape Of Storms (33-10 favourite here) at Durbanville despite that interference.

Empire Glory, cut from 6-1 to 9-2 and the only four-year-old in the field, was hampered when he had Capkuta (4-1) a neck behind over 1 250m at Durbanville last month.

Happy Wanderer (15-2) is the highest rated but disappointed at Durbanville and Mike Robinson says: “I don’t think he really enjoyed the course but also he needed gelding. This was done immediately afterwards but he might just need this run as I haven’t galloped him.”

The Andre Nel newcomer King Cyrus (15-2) has to be respected, particularly with Bernard Fayd’Herbe riding, but Al Bragga at 4-1 looks a worthwhile prospect to make it third time lucky.

Dennis Drier only brings maidens to Cape Town if he is convinced they are good enough to win so it is no surprise to see newcomer Croisette favourite for race two, particularly as she has already finished second in a Scottsville barrier trail. But 5-10 against a couple of provenly useful local fillies looks too short. I prefer to take a chance with Ryanair at 5-1.

Looks Like Magic, 2-1 for the Betting World Maiden (race three), is a pretty apt description of the Glen Kotzen/Morne Winnaar combination at the moment and she has a big chance. However slight preference is for Fayd’Herbe’s mount Springisintheair.

By Michael Clower

Ryan Munger has been granted a 12-month licence for Singapore starting January 1.

Munger, who chose this career path after he was inspired to follow into the footsteps of his jockey-uncle Stuart Randolph, enrolled at the South African Jockey Academy in 2011 and after rapidly rising through the ranks, now figures among the leading jockeys on the national log.

Crowned Zimbabwe champion jockey in the 2017-2018 season, the Durban-born Munger was first based in Johannesburg. He moved to Cape Town in October 2018 to briefly join trainer Glen Kotzen as his stable jockey before going freelance shortly after.

Last year, Munger finished eighth on the national log on 127 winners. He currently sits in eighth place on 31 winners.

He has racked up around 570 winners, including four at Grade 3 level and six in Listed races. His first Grade 3 wins came in the Caradoc Gold Cup with Ilitshe at Turffontein in 2017, while other notable feature wins at Turffontein include the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes with National Park last November and the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes with Palace Of Dreams in March.

In terms of overseas experience, Munger took part in an apprentice jockeys’ challenge in Abu Dhabi back in 2014.

– Singapore Turf Club

Mike de Kock leapt from eighth in the National Trainers Championship to fourth after a fine day at Turffontein on Saturday, where his six winners included Barahin in the R1 million Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Charity Mile.

Rainfall of 37,5mm in the 24 hours before the meeting led to testing conditions and it proved vital on the day for horses to conserve as much energy as possible in the running. Jockeyship was thus of the highest importance and Callan Murray was at his best, booting home five of De Kock’s six winners.

Barahin was drawn well in four in the Charity Mile and Murray secured a good spot on the rail in midfield. 

Approach Control went to the front but had to be used up to do so and was consequently the first horse gone in the straight.

Chijmes was the early leader from a good draw of three and apprentice Dennis Schwarz put on the brakes to conserve his energy.

Murray switched Barahin inward coming off the false rail and he had a clear run on the inside. The Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt was clearly relishing the conditions and hit the front still under a tight hold. Murray did not move a muscle until about the 300m mark by which stage he was a length clear of Chijmes. When he got to work Barahin found extra and waltzed away to win by 3,50 lengths from the tall and progressive Ato gelding Chijmes, who stayed on resolutely. There was a gaping 3,25 length gap back to the dead-heaters for third, Cascapedia and reserve runner Flying Winger. Cascapedia found the spot behind Barahin on the rail after jumping from draw five and Flying Winger was dropped out from a wide draw and was placed on the rail two positions behind Cascapedia, proving that finding cover quickly was the key to staying on in the tough conditions.

Barahin had started second favourite at 6/1. The 47/20 favourite Zillzaal went handy from a draw of six and was caught one wide without cover for most of the way, which was his undoing. 

Barahin’s win for Shiekh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum was the first leg of a quick feature race treble for De Kock.

In the preliminaries of the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m, De Kock’s NZ-bred All Too Hard grey gelding Frosted Gold caught the eye, especially his muscled hindquarters.

However, he drifted out from 4/1 to 29/4 as the favourite Putontheredlight shortened from 33/10 to 57/20.

The race was full of incident, some of it caused by the loose horse On My Mind, who dislodged Nooresh Juglall after pecking at the jump. 

Craig Zackey managed to place Frosted Gold on the rail in midfield and he had one hairy moment when the loose horse veered in front of him. Earlier, the loose horse had forced the fancied pair Eden Roc and Tallin outward on the turn. Later, Tallin appeared to clip the heels of the favourite Putontheredlight and Callan Murray performed a miracle to stay aboard but lost his stirrup irons.

In the straight the loose horse took up the running of both Riverstown and the leader Magic School, who was staying on strongly from a handy position. However, their stride was hardly affected and it did not materially affect the result as Frosted Gold finished powerfully to win going away by a length from Magic School. The latter beat Riverstown by a shorthead for second. The favourite Putontheredlight was caught wide in the running, which gave him little hope in the conditions.

Juglall was reported okay and just suffering aches and pains.  

Frosted Gold is owned by Dave MacLean, who was due to run the New York Marathon yesterday.

In the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap over 1800m De Kock’s Irish-bred Exceed And Excel filly Queen Supreme, who is six months younger than her four-year-old contemporaries, confirmed herself a star in the making. Running in the Mauritzfontein Stud colours for a syndicate of owners she powered away to a 4,25 length win from the classy sorts Ronnie’s Candy and Roy’s Riviera.

Later De Kock’s Cape Derby winner Atyaab relished the underfoot conditions and won the Listed Java Handicap over 2400m cosily from Factor Fifty and Bondiblu. This Australian bred gelding by Dundeel is owned by Sheikh Hamdan. 

Earlier, De Kock had won two maidens respectively with the Australian-bred Snitzel gelding Alameery, also owned by Sheikh Hamdan, and the Rathmor Stud-bred Noble Tune colt Hellofaride, owned by Mario Ferreira. 

Eight times SA champion trainer De Kock earned R1,103,200 on the day to rise to R3,197,750 in stakes for the season. 

The David Niewenhuizen-trained Digteby Stud-bred Querari filly Mill Queen had always struck as one who would train on and she fended off the persistent challenge of Wisteria Walk to convert 18/10 favouritism in the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes over 1400m under Gavin Lerena.   

The Clifton Stud-bred Kahal gelding Prince Of Kahal claimed a remarkable fourth win in as many starts this season. He stormed home on the outside rail to defy third topweight of 61kg in the Golden Loom over 1000m under Dennis Schwarz, his third Graded win in succession. 

The Sean Tarry-trained Tmen Stables-bred Visionaire filly Spiritofthegroove stormed home from way off the pace to win the joint richest race on the day, the R1 million Emperors Ready To Run Cup under Marco van Rensburg.

By David Thiselton

Last Winter has his second race since finishing a half-length second to Oh Susanna in last year’s Sun Met in the Matchbook Floodlit Stakes over a distance just short of a mile and a half at Kempton today. The race is due off at 6.00pm South African time.

The six-year-old, now trained by Sir Michael Stoute, will be ridden for the first time by Louis Steward. Last Winter comes out equal second with John Gosden’s 2018 Ebor runner-up Weekender on adjusted ratings. The William Haggas-trained Young Rascal is 3lb clear top.

Candice Bass-Robinson reports that Russet Air, winner of the 1 000m Pinnacle at Kenilworth six days ago, will run next in the WSB Cape Merchants on November 23.

By Michael Clower