Variety Club swooped in the straight to claim the G1 Cape Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday.  The Var colt is trained by Joey Ramsden for leading owner Marcus Jooste.

Variety Club (3c Var – La Massine by Secret Prospector) cost R425 000 as a yearling and he continued a swift rise though the ranks with a decisive victory in the Guineas.  

As a two year-old, he had won the G3 Langerman and was runner-up in the G3 Champion Juvenile Cup at Fairview.  He opened this term with a victory in the G3 Matchem Stakes at Durbanville and added the G2 Selangor Cup on November 27.

Variety Club is by Avontuur Estate sire Var who is quickly shedding his label as just a speed stallion.

Var (Forest Wildcat) was a G1 winner of the Prix de l’Abbeye and his latest star is a younger half-brother to Mauritius Horse of the Year Rhythmically (Joshua Dancer).

Variety Club took control of the Guineas and defeated Silver Flyer (Silvano) and Princess Victoria (Victory Moon) by more than three lengths.  Australian bred entrants Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) and Liancourt Rock (Fastnet Rock) were fourth and fifth home respectively.

The Cape Guineas meeting wasn’t one to remember for Marcus Jooste’s Australian bred imports.  Dan De Lago (Encosta de Lago) refused to jump in the Jet Master Stakes, Hollywoodboulevard (Street Cry) looked ordinary in the Victress Stakes and Delago Deluxe (Encosta de Lago) didn’t show up in the Diadem Stakes.