Flying Arrow
Fairview 29th November: Two of the nine races in Port Elizabeth on Friday were run on the poly track (both 1900m) and the fastest of these (some would have us believe otherwise) was the MR90 Handicap won by SPELLCASTER. A close up third when finishing strongly in his only previous outing on the surface, Grant Paddock’s charge raced from the front here. He kept on determinedly in the short home straight and held on to beat both JUPITER SYMPHONY and SILVERANO (who had beaten him last time on this surface) by a neck.
A maiden event for the girls over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw an impressive performance from the 3yo ARROW HEART. A daughter of Albert Hall, Arrow Heart was taken straight to the front by Wayne Agrella and led throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m and cruised in by eight and a quarter.
Another to win in very good style on this card was SILENT PARTNER in the bill topping non-black type November Stakes over 1400m. Always handy, Mitch Wiese’s charge took up the running as they approached the 200m pole. He quickly went clear and with plenty in hand won going away by three.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of WHITE FLIGHT in winning the faster of the two 1800m events, a MR65 Handicap. Without a win in ten starts before relocating from England, this grey daughter of Doyen has now won two from four on our shores. She ran on strongly from midfield and won well by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
VITAL MATCH ran on strongly from off the pace and was gaining rapidly at the finish when only beaten by the narrowest of margins in MR73 Handicap (poly) over 1900m.
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Day To Remember
Turffontein 30th November: The Gr1 Summer Cup over 2000m topped the bill on the old stand side track on Saturday and in what proved to be a day to remember for the stable of Geoff Woodruff, the 4yo son of Jet Master YORKER landed the spoils. One of four runners from the stable (they finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th), Yorker raced towards the backend of midfield early on. Once in the long home straight though he ran on stoutly and under a well judged ride from Anton Marcus he got up late to deny the more fancied MASTER SABINA.
After his eye catching win in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m last time out WHISTLE STOP looked to be the right one in the Gr2 Dingaans over 1600m, but on 4,5kg better terms last season’s SA Nursery winner WILLOW MAGIC turned the tables. Nicely positioned in sixth as the sixteen runners turned for home, Willow Magic did get first run. Whistle Stop was within a length and a half going through the 400m though and Willow Magic went on to score by two.
Five of the afternoon’s twelve races were run over 1600m in total and the fastest of these was the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge won by ESPUMANTI. On leaving the stalls it was SEA SHADOW who somewhat predictably made the running whilst in what soon became a very strung out field Mike De Kock’s charge raced some seven lengths away in third. She quickened well as they approached the 400m marker and with the remainder unable to get within three and three quarter lengths of Sea Shadow at the wire, she got up late to win going away. Espumanti is behind at weight for age and can still improve.
The fastest of the four races over 1160m was the Gr2 Merchants Handicap won by HERE COMES BILLY. Running on from midfield SNOWDON was the first to make a move and struck the front going through the 200m. Here Comes Billy had raced in front of Snowdon and when that one went past battle quickly commenced. Here Comes Billy gave his all under a very determined ride from national jockey’s log leader S’manga Khumalo and in what proved to be a classic finish Here Comes Billy only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins. As a result of his use of the whip, Jockey Khumalo was given a ten day suspension.
Titbits
Continually baulked for a run between the 400m-200m poles, DOLOMITI was flying at the finish when only beaten a neck in the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m. Unlucky.
Lightly raced HONEY BUN won the maiden 1400m very easily by five.
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Four From Six
Greyville 30th November: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Friday 29th November.
A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway on Saturday evening and here we saw a smart performance from the aptly named NIGHT DANCER. Positioned in the backend of midfield as the strung out field turned for home, the daughter of Horse Chestnut ran on best of all in the short home straight and won going away by a length and quarter.
Even easier a winner in the maiden ranks was ACAPULCO in the 1400m event. Soon up handy, Dennis Drier’s charge took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to beat ROYAL COLOURS by five and three quarters.
FOURTH ESTATE goes particularly well at this sharp Greyville circuit and so it was no surprise to see him find solid support before winning the pinnacle stakes over 1400m. Now a winner of four from six over the course and distance, the 6yo son of Dynasty was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in a what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by the shortest of short heads over the front running ALWAYS AL.
With the track condition already soft, the on going rain forced the meeting to be abandoned after the running of race six.
Titbits
PROVERB came from the backend of midfield when comfortably accounting for her eleven rivals in the maiden event over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (1) Mean Like Mom 5 Race 2: (1) El Manolete 14 Race 3: (1) Mr Vindaloo 59 Race 4: (2) Jacobus Maximus 5 Race 5: (4) Way With Words 38 Race 6: (10) Sarge Tattoo 39 (EW) Race 7: (7) Gemma 13 Race 8: (4) All The Ones 28 Race 9: (9) Desert Breeze 67 Scottsville Race 1: (16) Winter Glory 25 Race 2: (1) Champagne Showers 26 Race 3: (1) Tatiana 22 Race 4: (2) Armalite 16 Race 5: (11) King Alfred 52 Race 6: (14) Pearly King 47 Race 7: (4) Rachel Leigh 41 Race 8: (2) Guantanamera 71 Race 9: (1) Bay Mariner 51 Race 10: (1) Golden Matador 20 Turffontein Race 1: (10) Lance 32 Race 2: (1) Razzmatazz 17 Race 3: (5) Summertime 19 Race 4: (7) Leeuloop Jet 21 Race 5: (1) Money Doesnt Count 64 Race 6: (10) Lunar Destiny 59 Race 7: (4) Saint Angelique 69 Race 8: (14) Not Sulking 66 Race 9: (14) Viva La Vie 41 Kenilworth Race 1: (4) Pont d’ Avignon 17 Race 2: (1) Goldiva 22 Race 3: (4) Oh Schucks 20 Race 4: (1) Combattimento 42 Race 5: (2) Coco 54 Race 6: (5) Kukuama 51 Race 7: (1) Western Movie 53 Race 8: (8) Doris Duke 58 (EW) Race 9: (4) I’m A Rockstar 22 Vaal Race 1: (2) Royal Stock 8 Race 2: (3) Formation 94 Race 3: (2) Cante Libre 60 Race 4: (11) Candlelight Queen 20 Race 5: (1) Fort Dixy 10 Race 6: (1) Jumbo 35 Race 7: (3) Croke Park 28 (EW) Race 8: (7) Countess Bacardi 28 Race 9: (7) Velvet Finish 3 .
Top rated winners last week included
Benedict won 8/1 Here Comes Won 7/1 Willow Magic won 9/2 Shepherd’s Song won 7/2 Night Dancer won 3/1 Acapulco won 28/10 Arrow Heart won 22/10 Rushmore River won 16/10 .
Notebook:-
Dolomiti (M De Kock, Gauteng) Willow Magic (S Tarry, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 29th November Turf Good – Poly Standard 1000m (1) Benedict 55,67 1200m (3) Freddy’s Sister 67,43 1400m (1) Silent Partner 82,98 1800m (2) White Flight 110,33 1900m (2) Marry Me Mullins 117,08 .
Turffontein (old) 30th November Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft 1160m (4) Here Come Billy 67,88 1400m (1) Honey Bun 87,30 1600m (5) Espumanti 97,16 2000m (1) Yorker 122,20 3200m (1) Sky Rise 210,82 .
Greyville 30th November Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft 1200m (1) Night Dancer 75,20 1400m (3) Acapulco 88,31 1600m (2) Proverb 103,32
