Emperor In Command
Fairview 5th August: The going was soft at Friday’s turf meeting where quickest home in the three 1600m events was WELSH EMPEROR in the MR93 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Andrew Fortune, the uneasy favourite sat sixth of the ten for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the long home straight and comfortably accounted for the easy to back DISTINGUISHED by a length and three quarters.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the pinnacle stakes in which the 7yo VILLA DEL LARGO registered his ninth career victory. Always handy, Justin Snaith’s charge ran on strongly over the final 300m, and got up late to deny JO MALONE.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SINGITA SWENI when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1400m.Well supported on course into 33/10 second favourite from 5/1, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fifth during the early part of the race. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
THORNBIRD ran on well from the backend of midfield when only beaten a neck in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
.
Floating On Air
Greyville 6th August: They raced on the poly track on Saturday afternoon where four of the ten races were staged over 1200m. The fastest of these was the MR86 Handicap won by ISINGAMOYA. Soon up handy despite being a little troublesome at the start, the 4/1 joint favourite raced fifth during the early part of the race. She made her move early in the short home straight and after striking the front 150m from home she kept strongly below the distance to beat the rallying BELLA SONATA (handy – led 300m) by a neck.
Quickest home in the three 1400m events was PEARL EMBLEM in the MR66 Handicap. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 2/1 (op 7/2), the top weighted National Emblem mare was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on HARVEST QUEEN by three quarters.
Two of the three remaining races were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was the heavily burdened LAST TIGER in the MR80 Handicap. There was no real pace on early, and as a result the top weight under 62kgs sat closer to the pace than usual in fifth. He quickened well coming off the bend and went on to score with authority after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the newcomer TYRON’S JET won the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1200m with authority by four and a quarter.
The 3yo WAVEBREAKER ran on well from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to win the boy’s division of the maiden 1200m.
The heavily supported favourite GREAT EXPECTATIONS (16/10 into 15/20) won the MR68 Handicap going away by a length and three quarters.
.
Big Special
Flamingo Park 6th August: The non-black type RA Flamingo Mile topped the bill in Kimberley on Saturday and here victory went to the visiting SUNDARI. Nibbled at on course into 16/1 from 25’s, Candice Dawson’s charge raced in midfield early on. Once in the straight though he quickened well, and comfortably accounted for the locally trained JAGUAR after striking the front 100m from home.
The supporting act was the non-black type World Sports Betting Sprint and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events on the card, the locals went one better with ONE COOL CAT. Another to leave the stalls in double figures (as did 5 of the 9 winners on the afternoon), Corrie Lensley’s charge also ran on strongly from midfield. He finished best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny CARIBBEAN BAY.
There were also a number of very easy victories on the card, and none more so than that of RED SPECIAL in faster of the two 1400m races, a MR65 Handicap. Easy to back at 14/1 in the not so lucky last, Red Special was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by eight and a quarter.
Titbits
Having her first outing since relocating from Natal, the 4yo OPEN YOU HEART won the opening maiden plate over 1000m with authority by three and a half.
Detached at the rear early on, PEGGED FOR GLORY ran on stoutly at the business end of the MR66 Handicap over 1200m, and gaining quickly at the finish, only failed by a neck to get up.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (8) First Law 64
Race 2: (4) Emporio Mani 52
Race 3: (3) Dragon’s Den 17
Race 4: (12) Sunset Boulevard 10
Race 5: (6) Red Special 84
Race 6: (6) Pegged For Glory 74
Race 7: (2) Caribbean Bay 77 (NAP*)
Race 8: (8) Airtime 47
Race 9: (14) Shades Of Silence 81
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (1) Purple Tractor 14
Race 2: (1) Rock Of Africa 32
Race 3: (2) Edict Of Nantes 21
Race 4: (8) Figure Of Grey 23
Race 5: (7) Northern Ballet 56 (EW)
Race 6: (10) Rush For Roses 37
Race 7: (7) Half Moon Hotel 67
Race 8: (13) To Life 51
Vaal (wed)
Race 1: (3) Flying Fool 18
Race 2: (6) Royal Master 55
Race 3: (1) My Cherry 15
Race 4: (3) Eversilver 18
Race 5: (7) Shine Bright 31
Race 6: (2) Le Clos 63
Race 7: (1) Night Editor 43
Race 8: (14) Wanted Man 18 (NAP*)
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (1) Muntu 15
Race 2: (2) Reminiscence 13
Race 3: (1) Bankable Teddy 62 (nb)
Race 4: (6) Baracah 40
Race 5: (8) King And Empire 47
Race 6: (3) Thrust 68
Race 7: (7) Duty Dance 36
Race 8: (1) Crown And Roses 74 (NAP*)
.
Top rated winners last week included
Red Special won 14/1
Conquering Queen won 12/1
Lisnoble won 7/1
Lumya won 13/2
Nugget Counter won 11/2
Seal My Fate won 28/10
Gina Ballerina won 15/10
White Rose won 1/1
.
Notebook:-
Great Expectations (D Drier, KZN)
Tyron’s Jet (G Van Zyl, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 5th August
Penetrometer 28,5 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 2,34 seconds slow
1000m (1) Captain On The Run 59,62
1200m (2) Villa Del Largo 71,41
1400m (1) Singita Sweni 88,68
1600m (3) Welsh Emperor 99,84
2400m (1) Scarlet Berry 156,61
Greyville 6th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,4 fast
1200m (4) Isingamoya 68,70
1400m (3) Pearl Emblem 82,69
1600m (2) Last Tiger 94,71
1800m (1) Grey Light 114,71
Flamingo Park 6th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,6 slow
1000m (2) One Cool Cat 57,14
1200m (2) Roy’s Gul Gul Ha 73,71
1400m (2) Red Special 86,35*
1600m (1) Sundari 99,42
1800m (1) Tzitzikama Fire 114,40
2200m (1) Lebeoana 149,73
