The reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Variety Club makes his Champions Season reappearance at Greyville Racecourse on Wednesday night (22 May 2013) at the Betting World 1900 racemeeting in a fascinating Pinnacle Stakes event that also features last year’s Vodacom Durban July winner Pomodoro.

With both horses carrying 61kg, tomorrow’s race looks set to be a magnificent clash of champions that should not be missed.

Variety Club has won his last six races on the trot and this will be his first run since winning the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1 600m at Kenilworth on January 12.

The four-year-old Var colt has proved in the past that, mostly due to his phenomenal gate speed, the draw is virtually immaterial to his chances so the fact that he is drawn six compared to Pomodoro’s two is of little concern.

It would be no surprise to see him lead as he will be up there early and then Anton Marcus will have the usual luxury of either slotting him in, if the pace is fast, or dictating, if it is not.
Variety Club usually needs his first run after a layoff but such is his class that this does not stop him accelerating away from the opposition in the final 300m. This was even the case when he faced the likes of Bravura, Jackson, Princess Victoria, Martial Eagle and Master Plan in his seasonal reappearance last November in a Pinnacle Stakes event over this same trip.

Pomodoro finished third in the Queen’s Plate, beaten 2,3 lengths, but was inconvenienced by a false start in which Variety Club was the only horse not to gallop a few 100m extra. He did not have the best passage in the running either.

He then finished fourth in the J&B Met when brought around them to lead, so once again did not have an ideal passage through the race.

The four-year-old Jet Master colt proved earlier this season that he loves running fresh, as he came out four months after his July victory to win a Conditions Plate over 1 160m at Turffontein, producing a devastating finishing burst from off the pace. He followed up with a facile 1 600m victory at Turffontein in a Pinnacle Stakes event, a race in which he hardly came off the bit.

There are some other interesting contestants that could upset the applecart. The Stan Elley-trained Punta Arenas has been tried over ground for most of the season and finished second in three stakes events over distances ranging from 1 800 to 2 400m. However, he won his last start in good style over 1 400m and looks to be a horse on the up.

Patriotic Rebel, who finished a length fourth to Capetown Noir in the Investec Cape Derby, has his first run for Mike de Kock and is drawn in pole position but stable jockey Anthony Delpech will be aboard Mujaarib. The latter has given the impression he needs further but has disappointed in both the Summer Cup and Champions Challenge over 2 000m, so this trip could in fact be more to his liking. The third De Kock-trained horse in the race, Silent Partner, looks outgunned here.

The talented four-year-old Tamburlaine filly Control Freak has probably not put her best foot forward since moving to South Africa from Zimbabwe more than a year ago, so could earn over an ideal looking trip if things go her way.

The enigmatic Bravura, stablemate to Variety Club, is also in the line up and could also earn if in the right mood.

The third Joey Ramsden-trained horse in the field is the three-year Silvano’s Jet who finished third in the Listed Politician Stakes over 1 800m on Queen’s Plate day.

He made a respiratory noise when unplaced in the Cape Derby and hasn’t run since, so is likely to need it.

The Yogas Govender-trained Caymen Island has flattered to deceive quite often, but is not short of ability, despite being seven. He has an outside place chance, considering he already has two Champions Season runs under his belt.