Nebula At The Double
Fairview 29th October: The listed Algoa Cup over 2000m topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Sunday and successful for the second year in a row here was the visiting NEBULA. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, Brett Crawford’s charge raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the long home straight and won going away after striking the front 100m out.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the ultra-consistent STAR BURST GALAXY in the conditions plate. Soon positioned close to the speed, Tara Laing’s charge took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on BEATABOUTTHEBUSH by two and a half.
They also ran three races over 1600m and surprisingly the quickest home here was HOTEL CIPRIANI in the maiden plate. Another to race handy, the visitor from Cape Town commenced battle with another raider in SALTORO RIDGE 200m out and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
The 13/1 shot GAME GIRL showed good improvement when winning the opening maiden event over 1000m with plenty in hand by three and a half.
The lightly weighted 3yo DORMAN came from the back when completing a double in the MR71 Handicap over 1200m
Lightning Speed
Kenilworth 31st October: Racing returned to the old course at Kenilworth on Tuesday. As per usual a maiden plate got proceedings underway and in what proved to be by far the quickest of the three 1200m races we saw an impressive front running performance from the 3yo VELVET DAWN. In a time 0,89 seconds (approximately 5 lengths) faster than that of the pinnacle stakes won by SERGEANT HARDY, Paddy Kruyer’s charge was very quickly five lengths clear. She did look to tire a little very late on, but still had the second horse 2,5 lengths adrift, and the third 9 lengths.
In winning the pinnacle stakes, Sergeant Hardy was always positioned up with the speed. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and got the better of a three way finish by almost a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1700m where the faster of the two handicaps was the MR72 affair won by MIDNIGHT MOONLIGHT. Confidently ridden by the evergreen Bernard Fayd’Herbe, the daughter of Jay Peg raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She made her move at the top of the short home straight and won comfortably by a length and a quarter after striking the front 230m from home.
Titbits
The 3yo STREETFIGHTING MAN ran on well from off the pace when runner up in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Music To The Ears
Turffontein 31st October: In the evening they raced on the old stand side track where four of the eight races were staged over 1160m. The third division of the maiden plate was the fastest of these and here we saw a very promising debut performance from the Silvano colt PIETRO MASCAGNI. Sent off joint second in the betting market at 4/1, Mike De Kock’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield early on. He quickened well from halfway and after a thrilling tussle with the other joint second favourite SQUARE THE CIRCLE below the distance, she got the verdict by a short head.
A MR94 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1400m events KINGS ARCHER recorded his fifth career victory. Positioned in midfield when the strung out field began to concertina, the son of A P Arrow ran on stoutly over the final 400m, and in a race where less than a length covered the first five home, he got up in the very last stride.
Two maiden events over 2000m made up the evening’s fare and stopping the clock in the faster of these was ORSON in the boy’s affair. Taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni, St John Gray’s charge made virtually all. He found extra when the favourite BEFORE NOON drew alongside 100m out, and won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
Trying the distance for the first time, lightly raced EXCALIBUR’S RETURN won the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 2000m going away by three and three quarters.
Dream Beginning
Greyville 1st November: They raced on the turf on Wednesday afternoon where comfortably the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR70 Handicap won by SHE’S A DREAM. Sent off a joint favourite at 4/1, the daughter of Kahal raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and won going away by three. She’s A Dream has now won two from three and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
The faster of the two 1400m maiden plates was the boy’s division won by BLAZE OF GOLD. He broke well from his wide draw and soon positioned close to the speed raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front early in the short home straight and went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
By far the faster of the two 2000m handicaps was the MR86 affair in which ONE MAN SHOW registered his fifth career victory. Completing a hat-trick here, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and got up in the very last stride to deny the front running ROY HAD ENOUGH.
Titbits
The 3yo RYKER quickened nicely very late when winning the MR79 Handicap a bit more easily than the official margin of half a length would suggest.
Mighty Mawsoof
Vaal 2nd November: Thursday’s action took place on the classic track. EIGHT CITIES was strongly fancied to win the opener and in what proved to be the faster of the two maiden events over 1500m, he duly landed the odds. He ran on strongly from his handy positon and won going away by a length and a quarter after striking the front 400m from home.
The faster of the two handicaps over 1000m was the MR66 affair in which the very lightly raced MAWSOOF kept his unbeaten record intact. A fluent winner of both starts now, Mike De Kock’s charge ran on well from midfield here and won with authority by two and three quarters.
They also ran two races over 2400m and comfortably the quickest of these was the MR68 Handicap in which the recent maiden winner JUST A JET completed a quick double. Content to amble along in the rear for most of the journey, the Just As Well mare ran on best of all down the long home straight and won going away by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Continually baulked for a run between the 400m and 200m poles, WHITEOUT finished best of all and beaten just 0,3 of a length was very unlucky.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Cristian 16
Race 2: (6) Rahvar 76
Race 3: (8) Cuveo 33
Race 4: (12) What A Player 17
Race 5: (7) Inviting Lily 69
Race 6: (8) Truly 54
Race 7: (3) Precious Pansy 37
Race 8: (7) Chit Chat 58
Race 9: (4) Itsmydarlin 31
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (2) Gypsy’s Answer 6
Race 2: (5) Rushmore River 79
Race 3: (13) Red Revolution 8
Race 4: (2) Matchmaker 13
Race 5: (9) American Indian 48
Race 6: (8) Tundra Taita 29
Race 7: (7) Starcraft Prince 63
Race 8: (1) Ponchielli 38
Race 9: (1) Ossetra 21 (NAP**)
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (4) Refined Bachelor 14
Race 2: (5) Fresnaye 54 (EW)
Race 3: (2) Bid Before Sunset 21 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Amazingly 30
Race 5: (1) Captain America 92
Race 6: (2) Percival 79
Race 7: (2) Sommerlied 82
Race 8: (5) Cock-A-Hoop 51
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Diamonds Forever 16
Race 2: (7) Ginger Biscuit 30
Race 3: (4) Hold The Line 34
Race 4: (11) Zinzara 30
Race 5: (11) Matthew Lips 34
Race 6: (7) Lonely Arethebrave 57
Race 7: (7) Lunar Rush 79
Race 8: (3) World Dreamer 25
Top rated winners last week included
Memphis Belle won 11/1
King And Empire won 8/1
Spring Wonder won 33/10
World Mission won 33/10
Dunzie won 22/10
Sess won 2/1
Eight Cities won 14/10
Circle Of Latitude 9/10
Notebook:-
Mawsoof (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Pietro Mascagni (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Velvet Dawn (P Kruyer, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 29th October
Penetrometer 24 G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,36s slow (bend)
1000m (1) Game Girl 56,76
1200m (3) Star Burst Galaxy 67,35
1400m (1) Woljayrine 84,02
1600m (3) Hotel Cipriani 97,19
2000m (1) Nebula 121,30
Kenilworth (old) 31st October
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,37s fast
1000m (3) Velvet Dawn 70,38
1400m (1) Big Pleasure 85,35
1600m (1) World Mission 99,27
1700m (2) Midnight Moonlight 103,97
2000m (1) Zanzibarian 125,75
Turffontein (old) 31st October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,15s slow
1160m (4) Pietro Mascagni 66,99
1400m (2) Kings Archer 84,96
2000m (2) Orson 125,75
Greyville (turf) 1st November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,14s slow
1000m (1) Ryker 60,00
1200m (3) She’s A Dream 72,87
1400m (2) Blaze Of Gold 86,70
2000m (2) One Man Show 122,87
Vaal (classic) 2nd November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,03s fast
1000m (2) Mawsoof 56,90
1200m (1) Sky High Flyer 69,70
1500m (2) Eight Cities 90,26
1600m (1) La Roquette 96,28
1700m (1) Piccadilly Square 105,49
2400m (2) Just A Jet 149,27
