Red Ray won possibly the most important race of his life when landing the Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville yesterday. Racing in blinkers for the first time he motored to the line under Anton Marcus to beat home rank outsider Night Trip and the filly Real Princess. Favourite Talktothestars had a nightmare trip from his wide draw and did well to finish fourth.

Not only did Red Ray enhance his reputation but probably also saved a visit from the vet and instead book a place on the Klawervlei Stud stallion roster. It was also another Gr1 winner for Markus and Ingrid Jooste, their placed further cemented at the top of the leading owners list with the Mike Bass-trained Night Trip providing a one-two.

Joey Ramsden, fresh off the high of winning the Vodacom Durban July a fortnight ago, and Jooste racing manager Derek Brugman deemed Red Ray good enough to take his chances in Dubai under the care of Mike de Kock. But it proved an ill-fated journey as the son of Western Winter managed only a single start. He was however, thought good enough to warrant the expense of a return trip home. It proved an inspired decision.

“He came from Mike in absolutely tip-top condition and all I had to do was put the cherry on the top,” complimented Ramsden.

Red Ray made a promising return after his lengthy break with a fourth in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and then did not get the best of passages in the G2 Post Merchants. Red Ray found good market support in both races which should have tipped off punters that there was still a big race in the entire.

Fitting blinkers was probably the master stroke yesterday and although running around in the finish the result was never in doubt once Red Ray had collared pacemaker Captain Alfredo.

Red Ray (Candiese Marnewick)

The pace was on from the start as apprentice Lyle Hewiston committed Captain Alfredo early. But Marcus has few rivals when it comes to the start and as if by magic he had Red Ray out of his 10 gate in a flash and up with the pace. Trip Tease made a tardy start and was swamped on the rail while Gavin Lerena opted to drop out from the jump and Talktothestars was last after the field had travelled a furlong. With a strong tailwind in the straight his goose was already cooked.

Red Ray tackled Captain Alfredo early in the straight but the pacemaker had done his dash leaving Marcus in front. Real Princess and Night Trip finished best of the pack but Red Ray had the race nailed a long way out.

Ramsden summed up, “I’m glad to have finally won it. I’ve run second too many times.”

In earlier action, top weight In Other Words started favourite for the Off To Stud Stakes (Listed) but it was stable companion Lady Of Kildare and Anthony Delpech, riding his 201^st winner of the season, who spoilt the party for punters who plunged on the more fancied runner. The win also gave Sean Tarry his 200^th winner of a season that he will never forget. He is R9 million ahead of nearest rival Justin Snaith in the now one-horse race for the National Trainer’s title and he can dust off his penguin suit for the Equus Awards on August 16.

Delpech, as is his want, had Sean Tarry’s mare perfectly placed to challenge coming off the false rail and she quickened through the traffic to win fluently from the third of Tarry’s runners, Enchanted Silk who edged out Silver Class in a photo.

In Other Words was in trouble soon after entering the straight and Piere Strydom eased her out of the race with something obviously amiss.

Weichong Marwing, still battling a dodgy back, was booked off the ride on Zante for the Queen Palm Stakes but Neil Bruss was more than happy to toss the bone to Marcus.

He proved an inspired replacement, riding his rivals to sleep and skipping home with six lengths to spare. Gathering Fame set funereal early fractions in the 2400m event but with half the race gone Marcus allowed Zante to pick up the gallop. Coming up the hill he had plenty of daylight on his field with Lerena on favourite and stable companion Deputy Ryder seemingly unperturbed in the back seat.

But all the jockey’s barring Marcus got it wrong as Zante kept rolling to win as she liked, Deputy Ryder putting in a belated finish for second but six lengths adrift at the line.

Andrew Harrison

The Gr 1 Mercury Sprint, which looks to be ultra competitive, heads a nine event card for the racing purist to savour at Greyville on Saturday.

Trip To Heaven has speed and class as well as a good draw and he looks set to land his first Gr 1. S’Manga Khumalo knows the lightly raced four-year-old Trippi gelding well and should bring the best out of him. This horse is versatile so can use his speed to lead if jumping well or could otherwise bring his devastating turn of foot to the table if coming from off the pace.

Trip To Heaven (JC Photo)

Talktothestars is officially the highest rated runner in the field by a whopping seven points. He displayed a fine turn of foot in the Computaform Sprint and might have to employ it to the maximum from his wide draw here, or otherwise he will have to get lucky if opting to be as handy as he was when winning the Tsogo Sun Sprint. Gavin Lerena’s Hong Kong experience will be of huge benefit in this race as the 1200m races there are all around the turn.

Trip Tease jumps from pole position and although only ever racing beyond 1000m once in his career he has been settling well lately, as he did last time when sitting behind a fast pace over 1000m in  a Pinnacle event at Turffontein, before turning it on impressively to win going away by 3,25 lengths.

Barbosa didn’t raise a gallop in the Tsogo Sun, having run an excellent third in the Computaform Sprint before that. In January he showed how well he can turn it on from behind over 1200m at Greyville when beaten just a neck by Ice Machine at level weights. A repeat from his tough draw of 14 here will give him a chance.

Real Princess’s draw of six should allow her to find cover before using her exceptional turn of foot. Gulf Storm has the blinkers off and should be running on strongly from a tricky draw. Heartland has always been hightly regarded and should also be making late headway being a horse better suited to 1400m.

Lanner Falcon is a dark horse as one who will relish this tough 1200m and she was a touch unlucky when having to be switched wide for a run in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint. Triptique’s excellent Drill Hall Stakes runner up effort gives him a chance of earning here too. Fly By Night is a former winner of this race when it was staged at Clairwood and showed in the recent Post Metchants she can run on well from behind as she will likely need to from a tricky draw here.

Red Ray (Liesl King)

Red Ray has his third run after a long layoff and is another with the class to win. Night Trip is an intriguing runner as a classy 1400-1600m horse who has done well at Greyville before and he did win the last time he was tried over this distance way back in October 2013 at Durbanville. Exelero finished a fine third in the Tsogo Sun but officially has the toughest task at the weights here.

Captain Alfredo will have to improve on his Post Merchants run to be a factor and strikes as being a bit too one-paced to be a threat at this level, although he could perhaps play an important role by leading as this will likely give him his best chance from a tricky draw.

The selection is Trip To Heaven to beat Talktothestars, Trip Tease, Barbosa and Real Princess.

In the first race over 1600m on the turf Philanthropist colt Rockefella impressed when running on over 1400m on the Greyville turf to win on debut and he should relish the step up in trip. His paternal half-brother The Slade is a half-brother to two-year-old Gr 1-winner Afrikaburn and has a fair draw with Anthony Delpech up. Step Up is a lot better than his last run when caught hopelessly wide and he is the dark horse from a good draw.

In the second over 1600m The High Life won a race over this trip at Scottsville which was later declared null and void, so has a weight advantage here receiving 3kg as a non-winner. Costa Da Sol won fluently second time out on the poly over this trip and Dancing Wall could improve.

In the third over 1400m on the poly, the hard-knocking Hejira could beat a weak field.

In the fourth over 1600m on the poly, the form of Lonelyarethebrave’s win over course and distance last time has been franked so he could make it a course and distance hattrick off a four point higher mark, despite a wide draw. Emperor Niarchos and Danish Wood make most appeal of the rest.

Seventh Heart is an improving sort and looks the one to beat from a tough draw in the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over 1600m on the poly. In Other Words and Chennai Babe should be thereabouts too.

In the Queen palm Stakes over 2400m on the turf, Deputy Ryder has some class and is drawn well over a suitable trip. Gathering Fame and Zante could be threats.

In the eighth over 1000m on the poly Zinnavar should be cherry ripe to deliver over a suitable course and distance. Big King can’t be ignored from a good draw and Shenyang is the dark horse as one who is a lot better than his last two runs.

In the last over 1200m on the poly, Wind Singer has some class and could make amends for her disappointing last run from another good draw. Lily Gray has a chance from pole and Shizam is a two-year-old who caught the eye in her last win over this trip at Kenilworth and she is also well drawn.

David Thiselton