Good Sorts
Kenilworth 7th November: A maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Wednesday and here we saw a nice performance from the 3yo EPIC TALE. Soon up handy, Mike Bass’ charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the costly to follow ARGUTO by two.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was MISS SAIGON when opening her account in the 1400m event. Well supported into 13/2 from 10’s at the track, the daughter of Captain Al broke well and was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and after quickly going clear she easily accounted for the uneasy second favourite SEVEN SUNS (5/2 out to 3/10) by three and three quarters.
The fastest of the two 1000m events on the card was the MR94 Handicap in which HAPPY FOREVER and CAPE ROYAL crossed the line together. The rapidly improving Cape Royal was the first to make a move and a length clear going through the 100m it looked as if he had the well supported 13/10 favourite held. Under a determined ride from Glen Hatt though, Happy Forever quickened well below the distance and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to dead-heat. Happy Forever was however awarded the race in the board room after jockey Hatt objected on the grounds of interference in the latter stages.
Also worth of note on this card was the performance of DRESSED IN COTTON in winning the MR75 Handicap over 1000m. Confidently ridden by Karl Neisius, the son of Jallad sat in the rear for the first half of the race. Once given rein though he quickly worked his way through the field and under a well judged ride he got up late to score by a half.
Titbits
The newcomer FINNIGAN was running on from the rear when fourth in the maiden 1200m won by the useful looking Epic Tale.
DISCO AL came from the rear when winning the maiden event over 1800m going away.
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Speedy Boy
Vaal 8th November: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1000m went to the well supported PALACE TOWN. Always well positioned to strike, Paul Peter’s charge quickened well going through halfway and easily accounted for the front running newcomer ELMANOLETE by three and a half.
The fastest of the three races won over 1000m was comfortably the MR94 Handicap, in which SUPER BOY ran out an easy winner. With the exception of SECOND WORLD, just two lengths separated the nine runners going through the 400m. Super Boy quickened nicely at that stage though and after striking the front 100m later he drew clear easily to score by four.
There were also three 1200m races and the fastest of these was the girls MR64 Handicap in which the improving SLIGHTLY BLONDE registered her second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was the well exposed ATONEMENT who elected to make the running whilst Roy Magner’s charge raced close up in fifth. She ran on strongly when asked for her effort 400m out and won going away by three and three quarters after hitting the front 150m from home.
An Allowance plate over 1450m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the two expected to find out the finish, BEACON FLARE and ACROSS THE ICE were both beaten. Both held every chance, as Across The Ice made the running, and Beacon Flare raced close up in second. In a race where four of the five were in a line going through halfway though it was FRONTINO GOLD who finished the best.
Titbits
Recent fourteen length maiden winner ALJAWHARA ran out a very comfortable three winner in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m.
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Guided Missile
Fairview 9th November: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when the well supported favourite SPECIAL EFFECTS did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Always handy, the son of Whitechapel was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and three quarters.
Another favourite to win with authority on this card was FLY WITH EMIRATES when registering her fifth career victory in the MR88 Handicap over 1800m. Allowed to ease out to 75/20 from 33/10 at the track, Gavin Smith’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though she quickened well and won very comfortably by three and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home.
A MR104 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the Justin Snaith trained INDIAN HAWK. Sent off favourite on the tote although freely available at 11/2 on the boards, the son of Black Minnaloushe was positioned in the back end of midfield as the fifteen runners swung for home. He quickened well in the straight and although BLAZE OF FIRE never gave up the fight once headed, he went on to win going away by three and a half.
A MR70 Handicap over 1200m brought proceedings to a close and here we saw a comfortable victory for the top weight KANTAKA. In touch throughout, Mitch Wiese’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the friendless LONDON PERFECT (16/1 out to 33/1) by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
A winner of one of her eight starts in the UK, WIQAAYA opened her account at the first time of asking in this country with a very comfortable two length win in the novice 1000m.
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Easy For Merhee
Vaal 10th November: Saturday’s action took place on the inside track where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the Romeo Francis trained FLAG OF FRANCE. Taken straight to the front by Raymond Danielson, the son of The Sheik led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the fancied MAGIC’S MAGIC by a length and a quarter.
The newcomer ONE SUNDAY MORNING was all the rage to win the 1400m maiden event and he didn’t let down his supporters. A son of Jet Master Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for THE SANQUHARIAN by two.
A MR94 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the five 1400m events we saw a smart performance from the 4yo MERHEE. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 400m and after quickly going clear he easily accounted for the running on APPROACHABLE by three.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of TIGER ATTACK in winning the MR76 affair over 1400m. On leaving the stalls it was the recent maiden winner PANJO who elected to make the running whilst Geoff Woodruff’s 4yo raced close up in third. He moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat KAPELLMEISTER by three.
Titbits
Returning from an eight month layoff here, the lightly raced CAT’S GAME won the girls maiden event over 1400m by six and three quarters with plenty in hand.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (19) Nomenclature 17 Race 2: (2) Tamarack 14 Race 3: (1) Trizas 8 Race 4: (16) Casey’s Flag 22 Race 5: (4) Inca’s Spirit 81 Race 6: (13) Grammatica 67 Race 7: (4) Lunar Lee 72 Race 8: (5) Comedy Caravan 56 Race 9: (6) Secret Quest 44 Turffontein Race 1: (16) Stamford Bridge 21 Race 2: (3) Empyreal Song 20 Race 3: (12) Radiant Rock 72 Race 4: (12) Made Of Magic 69 Race 5: (9) Smart Girl 56 Race 6: (7) La Volta 81 Race 7: (11) Ilha Bela 112 Race 8: (11) Perrier-Jouet 43 Race 9: (5) Albert Dock 54 Race 10: (10) Dreamy Times 72 Scottsville Race 1: (2) Lord Al 26 Race 2: (5) Michelle My Belle 16 Race 3: (1) Aegis-Fang 15 Race 4: (1) Lord Leigh 19 Race 5: (5) Shahdokht 27 Race 6: (3) Sanfoneiro 36 Race 7: (9) Gandolf The Great 50 Race 8: (11) Boogie With Cher 51 Race 9: (8) Wundabar 51 Kenilworth Race 1: (2) Covariance 24 (NAP*) Race 2: (7) Grasp Your Destiny 75 Race 3: (3) Hammie’s Flyer 18 Race 4: (11) Green Tractor 48 Race 5: (1) Dumani 54 Race 6: (2) Lake Geneva 64 Race 7: (3) Magico 98 Race 8: (8) Sweet Aria 76 Race 9: (10) Imperial Rose 16 (nb) Clairwood Race 1: (6) Run West 20 Race 2: (14) Flyfirstclass 27 Race 3: (8) Blue Lord 28 Race 4: (1) Tetelestai 80 Race 5: (3) Always Al 73 Race 6: (1) Love Struck 67 Race 7: (8) Latin Magic 60 Race 8: (13) Saratoga Magic 55 Race 9: (4) Slinky The Cat 67 Race 10: (7) Contador 77 (NAP*) .
Top rated winners last week included
La Volta won 33/10 Cat’s Mistress won 3/1 Nautica won 5/2 Disco Al won 19/10 Rivatorio won 15/10 Walking Onthe Moon won 9/10 .
Notebook:-
Epic Tale (M Bass, W-Cape) Happy Forever (J Ramsden, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run over each distance)Kenilworth (old) 7th November Penetrometer 23 Going Good 1000m (2) Happy Forever 59,01 1200m (2) Cosmic Flower 73,91 1400m (2) Lion’s Roar 89,02 1600m (1) Rivatorio 101,62 1800m (1) Disco Al 113,82 .
Vaal (sand) 8th November Going Standard 1000m (3) Super Boy 59,96 1200m (3) Slightly Blonde 75,59 1450m (1) Frontino Gold 91,61 1600m (2) Dragon Vein 103,2 .
Fairview 9th November Penetrometer 22Going Good 1000m (2) Aspen Angle 58,03 1200m (1) Kantaka 71,13 1400m (2) Diamond Emblem 85,61 1600m (3) Indian Hawk 96,72 1800m (1) Fly Emirates 110,69 .
Vaal (inside) 10th November Penetrometer 20 Going Good 1000m (2) Rodeo Dandy 57,48 1200m (1) Flag Of France 69,24 1400m (5) Merhee 80,27 2400m (2) Aztec Gold 149,11
