There is more to come from Just Sensual than Saturday’s narrow, but heavily backed, win in the Vasco Taverna Prix Du Cap might suggest.
At least that was the impression of the man in the best position to tell. “Last time was disappointing – you can make excuses and say she shouldn’t have led,” said Anton Marcus. “But this is a good filly and I think she is better than she ran to here.”
Just Sensual (Liesl King)
The CTS Mile he was referring to was the Dynasty filly’s only defeat in her last five outings and this was Joey Ramsden’s fifth Prix Du Cap in 13 seasons. JR and Mayfair Speculators manager Derek Brugman can be expected to finalise plans when they return from this week’s big yearling sale in Melbourne but Durban and an eventual Garden Province target look odds-on.
Captain’s Flame returned to her best to hold on to second after making most of the running but her antics in the pens cost the filly her stalls certificate.
Silver Mountain ran a similar race to her performance in the Majorca, looking threatening approaching the furlong marker but then finding no more, while putting blinkers on Goodtime Gal apparently proved more of a hindrance than a help.
“It back-fired because she hesitated coming out of the pens,” said the badly-drawn Richard Fourie. “She did make up six or seven lengths in the straight but the 1 400m was too short for her.”
Marcus’s three winners from four rides made it a profitable afternoon for the former champion’s legion of supporters but it was Made In Hollywood who went into the notebook. This once-raced Querari filly came right away in the final furlong of the juvenile fillies to win, totally unextended, by more than six lengths with her rider’s only discernible movement being three glances left at the non-existent opposition.
Silver Mountain (Kenilworth Racing)
“She gave me a very smart feel,” he reported with marked understatement while part-owner Brian Finch recalled: “We bought her (for R450 000) at the CTS Select in Jo’burg when Joey was besotted with her. She has shown a lot right from the beginning and now we live in hope.”
Brutal Force gave the Milnerton stable rather different satisfaction, almost all of it emotional, when answering Marcus’s every call to peg back Captain Alfredo in the Vasco Food Trucks Pinnacle after looking a lost cause two furlongs out.
“Don’t forget what he has been through – we nearly lost him,” pointed out the rider, “and the way he won this was a testament to his courage.” Marcus was referring to the operation the gelding had to save his life last April when he suffered a severe attack of colic. He has also had an operation on his wind in the meantime.
Ramsden also struck with the Robert Khathi-ridden Professor Brian in the Castle Lager Handicap but for once Justin Snaith seemed happy to go home with only two winners.
Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)
“We had a very quiet Cape season by our standards – only three winners on Met Day and just one on the day of the Queen’s Plate – but hopefully things are now beginning to turn,” he reasoned.
His decision to promote Sipho Booi to gallop-riding paid off when the 38-year-old came away on Tweak The Wind in the final furlong of the work riders maiden to record his first success and give part-owner Eddie Powell a memorable 70th birthday present. Snaith was also full of praise for Fourie’s handling of Platinum Prince two races later.
Rod Mattheyse, lead owner of the Shane Humby-trained Big Ed, could hardly believe the price when he went to back Fourie’s mount in the Breco Seafoods Handicap. “Professional punters were telling me that I wouldn’t get better than 7-10,” he said. “When I got to the course I found he was 15-10 so I backed him. He then went out to 2-1 so I backed him again. I’m not sure just how much I had on altogether but I can tell you it was a solid bet.”
BLOB The Prawn Festival crowd was down on last year but things might well have been different had not Gambling Board regulations barred the racecourse from advertising that the R30 entrance fee included a R20 betting voucher. However those that did attend commented favourably on the much improved and extended facilities that eliminated the long queues of previous years.
By Michael Clower
