Ideal Distance
Greyville 1st November: They raced on both surfaces on Sunday. Two of the three races on the poly track were maiden plates over 2000m and the fastest of these was the boy’s affair won by the favourite AFICIONADO. Not the quickest into stride, the well-drawn son of Visionaire raced fifth for most of the journey. He ran on strongly in the straight and won by three quarters after striking the front 100m from home.
The highlight on turf was a pinnacle stakes over 1200m and here the 6yo FLYFIRSTCLASS registered his eighth career victory. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Craig Eudey’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on POWER KING by a length and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s six turf races were run over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was the once highly regarded SILVA HAWK when winning the MR80 Handicap. Another to race handy, the top weight put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for the pacemaker RED ROVER by three quarters.
Titbits
The deposed joint favourite PYRENEES IN SPAIN won the maiden plate over 1400m with some in hand.
The 3yo LALA won the MR76 Handicap over 1200m going away by a length and a quarter.
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Ready For Take Off
Kenilworth 3rd November: They raced on the old course on Tuesday where the faster of the two 1600m races was the MR72 Handicap won by the recent maiden winner NASSA. Well supported on course, the 18/10 favourite was always handy. He made his move early in the straight and won well by a length.
Another favourite to find good support was NEBULA (Nassa’s stable companion) when opening his account in the maiden 1800m. Soon positioned close to the speed, Brett Crawford’s charge took up the running 300m from home and only having to be pushed out, won with authority by a length and a half.
A MR84 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here victory went to the 5yo BE FABULOUS. Freely available at 13/2 on the off, the Kahal mare was always in touch with the leaders. The hat-trick seeking MA CHOIX was the first to make a move, and on striking the front 200m out she looked to have done everything right. Be Fabulous ran on stoutly at the business end of the race though, and under a well-judged ride from Greg Cheyne she got the verdict by a half.
Titbits
The 3yo LORD MARSHAL won the graduation plate over 1600m with authority by a length and three quarters.
Third placed BOOMTOWN BELTER was running on from the rear when only beaten half a length in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
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Cleverly Named
Turffontein 3rd November: Tuesday night’s action took place on the old stand side track where three of the eight races were run over 1400m, and the fastest of these, not surprisingly, was the bill topping pinnacle stakes won by the Western Winter filly BICHETTE. On leaving the stalls it was KWINTA who made the running whilst Sean Tarry’s charge sat close up in second. She made her move as they approached the 200m marker and although the pacemaker kept on strongly once headed, she won well by a length and a half.
There also ran three races over 2000m and quickest against the clock amongst these was SAVE THE RHINO in the MR80 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 4/1 from 5’s, the second favourite raced in midfield during the early part of the race. The always handy favourite JUBILEE LINE meanwhile had raced handy and shortly after he struck the front 400m out battle commenced. The pair quickly drew clear of the remainder and in what proved to be a real thriller Ormond Ferraris’ charge got the verdict by a neck.
The combination of Ormond Ferraris and Weichong Marwing were also on the mark in the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 2000m when LAUREL CHERRY opened her account. Backed into favouritism at the track, the daughter of Ideal World was always handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the easy to back PEGGY JAY by a length.
Titbits
The 4yo Toreador gelding THRUST won well when registering his fourth win from just six starts in the MR82 Handicap over 1160m.
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Showing The Way
Greyville 4th November: Five of the nine races at Wednesday afternoon’s poly track meeting were run over 1600m and comfortably the quickest home in these was WAY OF LIGHT when registering his fifth career victory from just ten starts in the bill topping MR94 Handicap. Looking to complete a hat-trick here, Garth Puller’s charge raced fifth in what was always a very tightly bunched field. He took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and won well by two from the easy to back TELL THE TALE.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the former PE campaigner FRENCH LASS when landing the MR64 Handicap over 1600m. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 14’s, Glen Kotzen’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on strongly in the straight and beat a wall of horses by two and a quarter after striking the front 160m or so from home.
A maiden plate for the girls over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and here victory went to the Doug Campbell trained PSALM. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the Mogok filly raced second. The 5/2 favourite EUTHENIA made the running and halfway down the straight it was clear that she wouldn’t be stopping. Indeed, Robbie Hill’s charge kept on determinedly all the way to the wire and it was only in the very last stride that Psalm got her nostrils in front.
Titbits
The 5yo CAPEL TOP had to switch en route from midfield when getting up late to win the MR75 Handicap over 1600m.
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What About The Pace
Turffontein 5th November: They raced on the inner track on Thursday where the fastest of the four 1600m races, a MR76 Handicap, was won by the 3yo NOOR. An authoritative winner of her only previous racecourse appearance, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and won well by two and a quarter.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1200m was the boy’s affair in which CAPTAINOFMYHEART opened his account. Making just his second racecourse appearance, and that after a break of almost a year, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and with the rest some eight lengths adrift he comfortably accounted for LAUGHISTHEANSWER by a length and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of BRAZUCA in the graduation plate over 1600m. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, the Gr1 placed son of Teofilo adopted a change of tactics here and made all. He quickened well when the race developed into a sprint 400m out, and cruised in by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Running on from midfield HIGH DRAMA was disadvantaged by a slipped saddle and did very well indeed to get up in the dying strides of the work rider’s maiden event over 1600m.
The newcomers SWAZI LILY and SPAN DIE SEILE both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 3rd respectively in the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Captain King 21
Race 2: (1) Al-Amadi 12
Race 3: (3) Hidden Dragon 13
Race 4: (6) Normanz 83 (NAP*)
Race 5: (7) Spiaggia 41
Race 6: (4) Sudden Surprise 33
Race 7: (8) I Will Be 43
Race 8: (9) Maximo 38
Race 9: (1) Jam Tart 12
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Starcraft Prince 22
Race 2: (1) La Gitano 25
Race 3: (5) Iced Gem 5
Race 4: (1) Split The Breeze 79 NAP*)
Race 5: (7) Royal Folly 49
Race 6: (12) West Coast Star 49
Race 7: (5) Nineteen Fourteen 65
Race 8: (4) Barcelona Babe 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (18) Antagonist 23
Race 2: (3) Gullivers Travel 54
Race 3: (10) Platinum Jet 74
Race 4: (3) Regal Rose 47 (EW)
Race 5: (4) Front Rank 72
Race 6: (1) Carry On Alice 87
Race 7: (14) Deo Juvente 104
Race 8: (5) Zrinski 50
Race 9: (9) Hit The Big Time 39
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (13) Midnight Spy 18
Race 2: (1) Rising Sunset 13
Race 3: (4) Whitley Willows 30 (EW)
Race 4: (9) Money Surger 34
Race 5: (2) Fly By Night 88
Race 6: (6) Silicone 64
Race 7: (6) King Of Pain 101
Race 8: (8) Our Jet 61
Race 9: (8) Sheltered 46
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Royal Champion 19
Race 2: (5) Ho’oponopono 58
Race 3: (15) Triple O Seven 41
Race 4: (1) Scots Party 24
Race 5: (4) Diesel Engine 55
Race 6: (4) Off Ramp 42
Race 7: (9) Peace Again 69
Race 8: (12) Nights On Broadway 40
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Top rated winners last week included
Capel Top won 13/2
Pyrenees In Spain won 4/1
Soul Of Spain won 28/10
Queen Delta won 5/2
Nebula won 16/10
Wishful Heart won 13/10
Toll Free won 11/10
Captainofmyheart won 17/20
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Notebook:-
Nassa (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Nebula (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Noor (M De Kock, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly/turf) 1st November
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1200m (2) Flyfirstclass 70,33T
1400m (1) Toll Free 85,07P
1400m (3) Silva Hawk 83,74T
1600m (1) Future Fantastic 96,92T
2000m (2) Aficionado 123,98P
Kenilworth (old) 3rd November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Dixie Express 60,44
1200m (2) Imperial Guard 73,87
1400m (1) Kryptonite 89,62
1600m (2) Nassa 101,42
1800m (2) Be Fabulous 113,61
Turffontein (old) 3rd November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Lumya 56,10
1160m (1) Thrust 66,25
1400m (3) Bichette 83,89
2000m (3) Save The Rhino 123,17
Greyville (poly) 4th November
Going Standard
1000m (1) Wishful Heart 59,23
1200m (1) Psalm 71,49
1400m (1) Chennai Babe 84,38
1600m (5) Way Of Light 95,44
2000m (1) Night Shadow 122,65
Turffontein (inner) 5th November
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1200m (2) Captainofmyheart 72,99
1450m (2) Cumberland 88,13
1600m (4) Noor 97,56
2200m (1) Flaming Spirit 140,56
