DATE: Saturday, 6 June 2015
AGE/ CONDITION: Open WFA over 1600m
ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 22 May 2015 – Fee: R 2280
SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 29 May 2015 – Fee R 9120
WEIGHTS: Friday, 22 May 2015
DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 1 June 2015 – Fee R 9120
2014 RISING SUN GOLD CHALLENGE (GRADE 1)
Horse: King Of Pain
Jockey: Bernard Fayd’Herb
Trainer: Joey Ramsden
Owners: Mr & Mrs D Naik, Mesdames K Finch & B Kieswetter & Mr J Ramsden
Breeder: Arc-En-Ciel Stud
ABOUT RISING SUN GOLD CHALLENGE (GRADE 1):
With just days before the final field for the Vodacom Durban July is announced, the big race hopefuls have their last chance to impress the selection panel when they contest the R1-million, Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1 600m.
The weight-for-age event, originally run as the Clairwood Champion Stakes, traditionally attracts the finest milers in the country and has produced some of the most exciting finishes seen on South African tracks.
ROLL OF HONOUR:
2014
The four-year-old grey gelding King Of Pain took a massive leap from relative obscurity on the July Log to a serious contender for the country’s premier event when he led throughout to win the R1-million, Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1 600m at Clairwood on Saturday. Ridden confidently by Bernard Fayd’Herbe for trainer Joey Ramsden, the son of former Vodacom Durban July winner Greys Inn went quickly to the lead from his 10 draw and dictated the pace before being set alight in the home straight to hold off the “big three” in the field and win in impressive fashion. Winning in a time of 95.45 secs which was only fractionally better than the class average and considerably slower than the course record held by Free My Heart, the tactics adopted mirrored the dreaded “Cape crawl” and left Yorker, Capetown Noir and Beach Beauty a little flat-footed early in the straight. The three followed King Of Pain home headed by Beach Beauty who produced another gallant performance.
2013
There was just no stopping South Africa’s Champion miler Variety Club and he led the field of this year’s renewal of the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on a merry dance as he once again made the pace and, when temporarily threatened in the straight, shifted up a gear to win as he liked by a length.
It was the gallant mare Beach Beauty that had thrown out the challenge but Anton Marcus was fully aware of what he had under him and the four-year-old son of Var completed his consecutive success in the race unextended.
This pair of champions was followed home by another star of the turf, the 2012 winner of the Vodacom Durban July Pomodoro, with stable companion Whiteline Fever chasing hard to fill the fourth place.
2012
The country’s premier test for aspirant milers, this race has been won by some star thoroughbreds and this year saw one of the greatest milers for many decades in the striking son of Var, Variety Club. Having won the Grade 1 Cape Yearling Sale Guineas and the Grade 2 KRA Guineas, he was the horse to beat in this top Clairwood event.
As expected, the colt was in sparkling form and under a magnificent ride by Anton Marcus, went to the front from the start and won comfortable without coming under any pressure. Castlethorpe ran a gutsy race to lead the rest of the pack home with Pierre Jourdan a length back in third place.
