Cape Trainer Joey Ramsden was happy with the preparation of his Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint contender Brutal Force ahead of Saturday’s Festival Of Speed meeting at Scottsville and also revealed that his top class three-year-old colt Act Of War had travelled “exceptionally well” from Cape Town ahead of his engagement in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 6.

Ramsden said that Brutal Force had already been fit from his two Kenilworth runs over 1400m and 1000m in April and early May respectively. In the first of them the three-year-old  Western Winter gelding had “travelled a bit hard from a wide draw” but still ran a good second and he then came out and won a “really nice race” over 1000m, beating the useful older horse Castlethorpe on weight for age terms by 2,25 lengths.

The big horse subsequently travelled well from Cape Town, arriving at Summerveld about two weeks ago, and has been working well at Summerveld. Brutal Force was gelded after his win in the R1 million Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on January 24 as he weighed over 600kg. He touched off the promising Zambezi River in the CTS Stakes and Ramsden believes that, although he gets 1400m, the 1200m is likely his best trip.

The powerful chestnut has a tricky draw of 14 to overcome on Saturday, just one inside of the draw of 15 that his full brother Red Ray carried to second place last year. However, his 52,5kg weight is 4kg less than Red Ray was asked to carry. Greg Cheyne, fresh from his win in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900, rides. Brutal Force is sure to be fine tuned in his third run after a layoff and gelding.

By Dave Thiselton