Climb aboard the Ramsden party Jet

22 July 2016 - 10:40 By Mike Moon

There's a moment at most parties when everyone suddenly feels a bit jolled-out. 

They take a breather before having a last frenzied bash at recapturing the earlier fun. That breather moment is what this weekend feels like: after all the feel-good hits that had the dancefloor pulsating over the KwaZulu-Natal winter season, it's chill-time with a slow number.Of course, next weekend the DJ will spin the beats to a crescendo again and see out the season with a bang at the Gold Cup-Champions Cup double whammy at Greyville. But right now it's catch-breath time.The spotlight moves away from KZN rock 'n stage and settles on a little soirée in Cape Town - the Final Fling Stakes for fillies and mares who might be heading for stud and need a last chance to notch up a victory to give them what the breeding industry calls "black type" (a studbook record containing a graded race title, which enhances the value of their offspring).As one might expect with such a valuable prize on the line and the breeding shed clock ticking in the background, the 15 runners are a fairly talented and evenly matched lot. It's a weight-for-age-plus penalties contest, but there is a spread of only 2.5kg across the field, so one might be inclined to opt for the older horses - stronger and more experienced but not punitively handicapped.However, racing is never that simple, is it?For one thing, a trainer who has been partying up a storm thanks to his hot form is Joey Ramsden and he saddles the sprightly young three-year-old Jetano, who has shown plenty of talent and has a lot in her favour in this 1800m test.Then there's Mike Bass, the grand old man of Cape racing, who is retiring at the end of the month. He has a brace of three-year-olds - Moonlight 'N Roses and Sublime Lady - that look eminently capable of out-jiving a few of the matrons on the dance floor here.The Bass team will be going all out to give their boss the best of sendoffs on his home turf.Stable jockey Grant van Niekerk is aboard Sublime Lady and she has gone this distance before, whereas Moonlight 'N Roses has been campaigned over shorter - her breeding having suggested this.The irrepressible Justin Snaith sends out three of the older brigade and five-year-old Acrostar appears to be the stable elect, with Richard Fourie opting to take the ride.In truth, whatever wins will not provide a massive shock. Factor in predictions of rain and wind, and the distinct possibility of a muddled pace in such an open race, and you might start yearning for the earnest certainties being tipped a little way up the coast.I'm going to go with the Ramsden flow to get the party started. Again...

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