Ramsden Team In Good Form For Cape Season

Trainer Joey Ramsden showed that he will again play a leading role in the Cape Summer Of Champions season when he produced the classy Act Of War after a 15 week break for an outstanding win in the G3 Cape Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Anton Marcus rode Act Of War to a smooth win over the highly vaunted Mljet for his fourth win in five starts with the Cape Guineas now his likely target.

Marcus had Act Of War well back with only one behind him but at the 200m the Ramsden runner drew alongside Mijet and went on powerfully to win by a neck.

Jackson’s brother Heartland claimed third, 3.5 lengths away.

Act Of War, a son of Dynasty, was a R550 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase and completed a Kenilworth double for Marcus and Ramsden after the earlier win by Brutal Force.

Both horses are raced by leading owner Marcus Jooste.

Jooste Racing manager Derek Brugman admitted that the pressure was on to get a win under the belt of Brutal Force, a Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes prospect.

The Vaughan Marshall saddled the top two finishers in the Listed Woolavington Handicap over 2400m at Kenilworth.

The East Cape Derby winner Desert Swirl powered home late to nab his well-travelled stablemate Gothic with a 1.25 lengths win that suggests he could make his mark this summer in the better staying events.

The winner is by Second Empire and took his career record to 5 wins and 6 places in 15 starts.