South Africa’s two-time Horse of the Year Variety Club rebounded from an
upset loss in the March 8 Burj Nahaar, and overcame post 14, to lead throughout
in Saturday’s Group 2, $1 million Godolphin Mile at Meydan. Under a textbook
ride by Anton Marcus, the Joey Ramsden charge rolled right to the front and
rebuffed a challenge from defending champion Soft Falling Rain, capping a
one-two for South Africa.
“To come here to compete means a lot, but to win is something special,”
Ramsden said. “Anton gave him a fantastic ride, and he got into a soft lead, and
this gives me so much pleasure and all of South Africa. It may take a while to
sink in.”
Campaigned by Mrs. I. Jooste and M.J. Jooste, Variety Club had turned in a
dazzling wire-to-wire victory in his Dubai debut in the February 13 Firebreak
Stakes. He didn’t show the same flair second time out in the Burj Nahaar, where
he forced the pace set by Capital Attraction before being passed late by Shuruq.
The complexion of the Godolphin Mile changed right at the break when Capital
Attraction got off awkwardly and found himself uncharacteristically at the back
early. Variety Club took full advantage to stride forward, and the 5-2 favorite had a remarkably
easy time of angling all the way over toward the inside. Compatriot Soft Falling
Rain tracked in second, and tried to threaten down the lane.
But Variety Club continued his relentless gallop to maintain a one-length
margin at the wire. By completing the metric mile on Tapeta in 1:37 1/5, the son
of Var improved his sterling record to 22-16-4-1.
“It just means so much to win a big one for them,” the winning rider said of
owners Marcus and Ingrid Jooste. “He overcame the draw pretty economically and
pretty effortlessly. It’s Marcus’s first real international exposure but it was
big team effort.”
Paul Hanagan, regular rider of Soft Falling Rain, lauded his effort while
paying tribute to Variety Club.
“He ran very well and there are no excuses to be second to that winner,”
Hanagan said. “He has been beaten by a very good horse and the race went exactly
as I would have liked it to. He was a good bit better after his prep run last
time and may have been even better again with another run behind him.”
Flotilla was the only closer to make an impact. Rallying furiously in deep
stretch, the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and 2013 Poule d’Essai des
Pouliches heroine came within a nose of depriving Soft Falling Rain of second.
“She has run very well,” trainer Mikel Delzangles said, “but it was a shame
that they slowed down the pace and that she had to come on the outside, it’s
difficult to do on this track. I don’t know if she stays in training or goes to
stud.”
Next came Gold City; Japan’s Brightline; Limario; Elleval; Shuruq, who was
unable to offer the winning kick so evident in the Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and
Burj Nahaar; Eastern Rules; Haatheq; Gabrial; Mull of Killough; Glory Awaits;
Penitent; and Capital Attraction. Forjatt was withdrawn after coming up lame.
Shuruq might have been feeling the effects of her productive Carnival,
according to jockey Silvestre de Sousa.
“She wasn’t really traveling that well. That’s the fourth race she’s had over
here (this season),” de Sousa. “I couldn’t make any ground.”
Variety Club was recording his 12th career stakes score, four of them Group 1
tallies at a mile — the 2011 Cape Guineas, the 2012 and 2013 runnings of the
Gold Challenge and the 2013 Queen’s Plate, improving on his runner-up effort
from the year prior. Variety Club had also finished second to Jackson in the
2012 Cape Derby, his only try at 1 1/4 miles.
After this triumph on World Cup night, Variety Club will set off on further
international travels to Hong Kong, with the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin
next on the itinerary May 5.
Bred by Beaumont Stud in South Africa, Variety Club is a half-brother to
Rhythmically, winner of a pair of non-black-type stakes in Mauritius. They are
out of the Secret Prospector mare La Massine, who is a three-quarter sister to
South African Group 1 winner Secret Rites. Variety Club’s third dam is 1984
South African Oaks heroine Novenna.
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