Timely Form Return
Scottsville 24th January: There were a number of very easy victories in the soft going at Scottsville on Sunday and none more so than that of ALDRIC in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m. In what proved to be the fastest of the five races over the distance on the afternoon, James Goodman’s 6yo was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 300m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by almost nine.
Another to win with lengths to spare was the newcomer EBTIHAAL in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Mike De Kock’s charge struck the front at the halfway mark and won comfortably by three.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1000m was the boy’s division won by COLD SHOT. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 10’s, the Western Winter gelding was soon at the head of affairs. He was briefly headed by the more fancied PRINCE GEORGE 250m out, but quickly regained the lead and went on to score by a length.
Titbits
The 8/10 favourite CAMOMILE won the second division of the girl’s maiden 1200m without really having had a race.
Lightly raced NATAL showed a very nice turn of foot when getting up late to win the MR86 Handicap over 1000m.
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How Low Can You Go
Fairview 26th January: The fastest of the three 1600m races on the poly track on Tuesday was the MR68 Handicap won by QUEBIANGO. Supported into 11/2 from 10/1, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fifth during the early part of the race. She took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on NIGHT FALL by a length and a half.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1300m handicaps was the MR76 affair won by the 5yo CRESCENDO. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the son of Act One raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and got up nicely late to beat the front running REBEL HOUSE by three quarters.
The biggest winning margin on the eight race program was just the two lengths recorded by CHELSEA in the MR59 Handicap over 1000m. Once rated some 43 points above her current mark of 44, the Rebel King mare was always in touch with the leaders. She quickened nicely early in the straight and won going away by two after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
Having her first outing since relocating from the Western Cape, SILVER DREAM only had to be pushed out when winning the opening maiden plate over 1600m by a half.
Another former Cape Town campaigner DRAGONSTONE fairly flew from the backend of midfield when getting up late to win the MR76 Handicap over 2200m.
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Bang On Target
Turffontein 26th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Friday evening where the fastest of the four 1400m races was the MR80 Handicap won by KINGS ARCHER. In the rear early on the A P Arrow colt ran on stoutly over the final 400m and after a thrilling tussle with the newly installed favourite MY TREASURE, he only got the verdict on the nod.
The faster of the two 1000m events was the conditions plate won by MOOFEED. Sent off favourite at 33/10, Mike De Kock’s charge raced in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly when given rein and did well to reel in the free striding MOD BARLEY close home.
The one remaining race was a pinnacle stakes over 2450m and here an upset was to be had when ELUSIVE FLYER registered his second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was the rank outsider of the party SHIMMERING GEM who elected to make the running whilst Stuart Pettigrew’s charge raced close up in third. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to score by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo CHAMPIONS CUP won the maiden plate over 1400m going away by a length and a half.
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Taking Advantage
Greyville 27th January: A maiden plate over 1400m on the poly track got proceedings underway on Wednesday afternoon and here we saw a very easy victory for the second favourite RULER OF THE SKY. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus the daughter of Judpot led throughout. She was two lengths clear coming of the bend and despite the efforts of the chasing pack over the final 400m, she extended her advantage to five and a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR92 Handicap over 2000m (turf) and with only two of the eight runners not in under sufferance, it wasn’t surprising that one of them won. One of these two well treated runners was PRINCESS VARUNYA and it was she who landed the spoils. Looking to extend her winning sequence to four here, the daughter of High Chaparral was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and won well by two and three quarters from the running on BARCELONA BABE.
Two of the four races on turf were run over 1600m and quickest home here was GUILTY AS CHARGED in the MR86 Handicap. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, Duncan Howells’ charge raced in midfield early on. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict over SOVEREIGN REIGN (came from the rear and the rider dropped the rein 150m out) by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
Returning from a seven month layoff here, the Sean Tarry trained ZAVARONI won the 2000m maiden plate with authority by two and three quarters.
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Ruling Hat-Trick
Vaal 28th January: Four of the nine races at Thursday’s inside track meeting were run over 1200m and the fastest of these on my clock was the bill topping MR93 Handicap won by the progressive AFRICAN RULER. Seeking a hat-trick here the 3yo son of Trippi made all. He had to be hard ridden in the latter stages of the race and only held on by a neck from the all-out KAPITAN.
The faster of the two 1700m races was the novice plate won by the very well weighted LOCK HIM UP. Rated 16 points higher earlier in his career Sean Tarry’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front at the 100m marker and with the rest some six lengths adrift, he beat the front running THE BIG EASY by a half.
There was also two races run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was FIRSTTIMESACHARM when registering her second career victory in the MR68 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena, the daughter of Antonius Pius led throughout. She led by a length for most of the journey and tripled that advantage when given rein 200m out.
Titbits
The 3yo REVELATION won the maiden plate over 1700m with authority by six and a half.
PRINCESS PEARL only had to be pushed out when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1400m very cosily by three and three quarters.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (10) Pacific Spirit 28 (nb)
Race 2: (3) Blizzard Belle 77 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Fourteen 18
Race 4: (2) Eviction 15
Race 5: (13) Stone Town 57
Race 6: (12) Agterskot 67
Race 7: (3) Rose And Crown 32
Race 8: (8) Eternal Jet 78 (EW)
Race 9: (8) Arcsign 40
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Jullidar 7
Race 2: (6) Emperor Niarchos 56
Race 3: (10) Bez-Art 48
Race 4: (8) Dhaamer 11
Race 5: (9) Draco 33
Race 6: (8) Mynameisbond 55
Race 7: (12) Rasta’s Jet 52
Race 8: (1) Tigeress Dance 33 (EW)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Dolphin 23 (NAP**)
Race 2: (5) Golden Man 28
Race 3: (1) Shelly 14
Race 4: (8) Rumbling Lion 65
Race 5: (7) Main Sunday 48
Race 6: (10) Jolie Roger 94
Race 7: (3) New Predator 76
Race 8: (2) Negroamaro 62
Race 9: (5) Aldiara 62
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (4) Extradite 5
Race 2: (1) Arctic Blast 23 (NAP**)
Race 3: (6) I Am The Law 51
Race 4: (4) Nutbush 16
Race 5: (6) Rodeo Dream 36
Race 6: (5) Adorada 67
Race 7: (3) Tripinthemist 18
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Queenie 8
Race 2: (3) Masked Girl 21
Race 3: (4) Protea Power 32
Race 4: (10) A P Strike 54
Race 5: (1) Serissa 62
Race 6: (6) Baltic Amber 75
Race 7: (14) Sacred Jewel 58
Race 8: (13) Silken 11 (NAP*)
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Top rated winners last week included
Princess Pearl won 11/2
Lock Him Up won 33/10
Revelation won 33/10
After Midnight won 18/10
Monarch Air won 18/10
Napoli won 9/10
Camomile won 8/10
Icy Avalanche won 9/20
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Notebook:-
Natal (M Roberts, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville 24th January
Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft
1000m (5) Aldric 57,67
1200m (3) Colonel Bling 71,17
Fairview (poly) 26th January
Going Standard
1000m (1) Chelsea 58,29
1300m (2) Crescendo 75,91
1600m (3) Quebiango 97,30
1900m (1) Icy Avalanche 117,69
2200m (1) Dragonstone 135,98
Turffontein (old) 26th January
Penetrometer 25 – Going Soft
1000m (2) Moofeed 56,05
1400m (4) Kings Archer 85,38*
2450m (1) Elusive Flyer 155,24
Greyville (mixed) 27th January
Turf Soft – Poly Standard
1400m (1) Ruler Of The Sky 85,71P
1600m (1) After Midnight 98,06P
1600m (2) Guilty As Charged 98,60T
2000m (2) Napoli 124,82P
2000m (1) Princess Varunya 123,96T
2400m (1) Forest 152,39*T
Vaal (inside) 28th January
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (4) African Ruler 68,60*
1400m (2) Firsttimesacharm 81,36
1700m (2) Lock Him Up 102,61
2400m (1) Peggy Jay 152,41
