Mercury Sprint wrap

Richard Mcmillan

Flamboyant Cape trainer Joey Ramsden scored another major Grade 1 success at Greyville in Durban at the weekend when the five-year-old Western Winter entire Red Ray thrashed a strong field of sprinters to win the R800 000, Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1 200m.

It was the stable’s first win in this prestigious event and followed Ramsden’s first win two weeks previously in the country’s greatest race, the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July with The Conglomerate – both horses the property of South Africa’s leading owners, Ingrid and Markus Jooste.

Rating Red Ray in the post-race interview as possibly the best horse in South Africa, Ramsden expressed his absolute delight at having finally won the country’s premier weight-for-age sprint race in which he had finished second on many occasions.

Given a perfect ride by top jockey Anton Marcus who got the stud-bound entire swiftly across from his nine draw to be right up behind pacemaker Captain Alfredo, Red Ray took over the running in the home straight to win by two lengths in a time of 68.96 secs - just 0.61 secs outside the course record. The only serious but short-lived challenge in the closing stages came from the brilliant Trippi filly Real Princess from the Dean Kennemeyer stable that was eventually overtaken for second place by another Jooste runner, Night Trip from the Mike Bass yard, with Gulf Storm staying on for fourth.

Ramsden was full of praise and very proud of the performance of Red Ray that was having his third race in the country after returning from an unsuccessful overseas campaign where he only competed in one race. As a young horse Red Ray had shown outstanding ability which had prompted owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste to send him to Dubai as part of the Mike de Kock team.

Trip To Heaven and Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Talktothestars were the two fancied runners in the race but Trip To Heaven was very slow away which ruined his chances while Talktothestars was dropped in from his wide draw to the back of the field as apprentice Lyle Hewitson shot Captain Alfredo across from a wide draw to set a cracking gallop ahead of Red Ray, Gulf Storm and Night Trip.

As Captain Alfredo cried enough in the home straight, Red Ray swooped past and headed for the judge. Real Princess, stable companion to Captain Alfredo, launched a challenge but Red Ray had too much in hand and with encouragement from Marcus, pulled away to win comfortably.

Talktothestars, that might have had a better chance if jockey Gavin Lerena had decided to go for early position instead of dropping him out, ran a courageous race by making up ground in the closing stages to finish fifth.

Marcus had shown his brilliance in the previous race, the Queen Palm Stakes over 2 400m, when he sent the filly Zante from the Neil Bruss stable clear of the field halfway through the race and kept her rolling strongly to win by six lengths. The pace set in the race by Gathering Fame was pedestrian to say the least but Marcus, a master horseman and tactician, was having none of it and sent Zante clear.

Stable companion Deputy Ryder ran on for second ahead of Grey Light and Jet Intombi.

In the other feature on the day, the Off To Stud Stakes over 1 600m, the Captain Al mare Lady Of Kildare - a lesser fancied member of the five-horse Sean Tarry team of runners which included favourite In Other Word -ran out a comfortable winner under Anthony Delpech who recorded his 201st winner of the season.

What rating did Red Ray get for the win? Sure I've read somewhere he retired to stud after the race

117 for RR

Talk To The Stars not been done any favours by being kept on 121.
Despite running a completely legit race, and running not far off most of his form, he doesn't even get a tiny concession. How many good races where he runs to a 110-114 does he have to run before the handicapper starts to drop the odd pound off?

Real Princess stayed on 108 so must be a contender for another big one.