First Of A Sequence
Fairview 24th February: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Monday and here we saw a very easy win for the former Gauteng campaigner MARMARA SEA. Having his first outing in the Eastern Cape over a distance thought to be well short of his best, the son of Soft Falling Rain raced in midfield early on. He was ridden to lead 150m out by Greg Cheyne and with a ton in hand he cruised clear to score by three and a quarter.
The only other race over 1000m was the bill topping MR82 Handicap and in a time 0,77 seconds faster than that of Marmara Sea, AMBRA registered her fourth career victory. Soon up handy, Alan Greeff’s charge ran on strongly in the short home straight and won well from her stable companion ALOYSIUS by a length and a quarter.
The novice plate for the girls was by far the faster of the two 1200m events and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Sail From Seattle mare MICROBE. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Jacque Strydom’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the well-supported CLOUD BREAK by three and three quarters.
Titbits
A facile winner of her first start after relocating from the Western Cape last time out, FEE FI FOE FUM again won with authority when landing the MR74 Handicap over 1300m.
Delving Deep
Kenilworth 25th February: A MR90 Handicap topped the bill in Cape Town on Tuesday and in what proved to be by far the fastest of the three 1400m events, the 3yo CAPTAIN FLINDERS gained his second win. Taken straight to the front by Sihle Cele, the son of Captain Al led throughout. He raced a length and a quarter clear for most of the journey and that proved to be just enough to hold off the all-out PINK FLOYD by a third of a length.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1800m where very marginally the faster of the two was the MR68 Handicap won by GREY PRINCESS. Another to win from the front, Michael Robinson’s charge was always in command and won well by three quarters from the running on MISS LA DEE DA.
SECRET DEPTHS in the MR87 Handicap over 1800m was the best bet on the card for many and in what proved to be a very false paced affair she did do the business. She quickened best of the six when the race developed into a sprint in the home straight, and in an event where just three quarters of a length covered the first five home, she got the verdict by a half.
Titbits
At the back as the six runners turned for home in the opening maiden plate over 2000m, the 20/1 outsider of the party AUGUST LEAVES ran on best of all, and won going away by three quarters.
Ready For War
Scottsville 26th February: There were a number of easy victories in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and none more so than that of BRUNILDA in the girl’s division of the maiden 1200m. The best bet on the card for most, Garth Puller’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She cut through the field quickly in the straight and cruised clear over the final 300m to score by six.
Another to win with authority on this card was KEEP ON DANCING when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1400m. Soon up handy, the 33/10 favourite was ridden to lead going through the 300m and with some in hand she won well by two from the always handy TO THE MAX.
Two low grade handicaps over 1950m brought the meeting to a close and in the faster of these, the MR69 affair, the easy to back DEPOSITION registered his second career victory. Easy to back at 12/1 on the off Alyson Wright’s charge was always handy. She ran on strongly over the final 300m and just had enough in hand to beat the running on INN A MINUTE (raced 11th of the twelve) by a quarter.
Titbits
Now a winner of three from eight, TWICE GOLDEN ran on well from midfield when winning the MR87 Handicap over 2400m going away.
Shrewdly Targeted
Vaal 27th February: Five of the nine races at the Vaal on Thursday were staged over 1400m. The MR80 Handicap was the fastest of these and here the Kimberley based LADY OF LIBERTY extended her unbeaten record at the circuit. Now a winner of all three sorties to the track, Dennis Cason’s charge led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by a length and three quarters.
Another to win well from the front on this card was FIFE in the Middle Stakes over 2400m. Freely available at 13/2 on the off, the daughter of Silvano was always two and a half lengths clear. The pack headed by ODD ROB chased hard over the final 400m, but try as they might they couldn’t reduce Fife’s advantage.
A work rider’s maiden plate over 2000m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very easy victory for EVER FAIR. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 8’s, Joey Soma’s charge was always handy. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Titbits
Having his first run since being gelded, AKWAAN only had to be pushed out when easily accounting for his fifteen rivals in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Listed Double
Fairview 28th February: Two listed races topped the bill on Friday’s turf card and in the first of these to be run, the Ibhayi Stakes, we saw a very comfortable victory for the Western Cape raider POINT OF SALE. Confidently ridden by Sandile Mbhele, Glen Kotzen’s charge sat third for most of the journey. She quickened nicely at the business end of the race and won well by two after striking the front 200m from home.
The stable of Glen Kotzen were also on the mark in the listed Lady’s Pendant Stakes over 1200m when ELUSIVE HEART registered her fifth career victory. Positioned at the back going through halfway, the Elusive Fort mare quickened best of all over the final 600m and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny the locally trained VIA SEATTLE (raced 6th – led 150m).
A Juvenile Plate over 1000m had gotten the meeting underway and here we saw an impressive front running performance from the Gavin Smith trained DAICHI. Very quickly three and a half lengths clear, this very speedy son of Act Of War soon had the rest under pressure. He kept up a strong gallop throughout and in what comparatively proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s four sprint races, he came home lonely by seven and a quarter.
Titbits
With the pace throughout, the Gavin Smith trained STORYLAND drew clear easily over the final 200m when easily accounting for her thirteen rivals in the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Pollymania 10
Race 2: (1) Quinlan 79 (NAP*)
Race 3: (8) Sugar Gum 12
Race 4: (7) Wangan Midnight 6
Race 5: (4) Fortune Flies 77
Race 6: (11) Sauvage 46
Race 7: (2) Luna Wish 55
Race 8: (7) Seattle Swing 54
Race 9: (1) Sir Frenchie 76
Race 10: (9) Royal Fort 42
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Sapphire Rock 25
Race 2: (2) Bassam 18
Race 3: (4) Varina 33
Race 4: (1) War Room 41 (nb)
Race 5: (7) Rouge Allure 78
Race 6: (6) Matador Man 102
Race 7: (7) What You Are 59
Race 8: (2) Ikigai 78 (NAP*)
Race 9: (5) D’Arrivee 85
Race 10: (7) Glider Pilot 84
Race 11: (9) Singfonico 74
Race 12: (8) Crown Guardian 63
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Nippy Sweetie 17
Race 2: (2) Foxy Lady 18
Race 3: (4) Bernie 58
Race 4: (1) Magic Mike 50
Race 5: (7) Freedom Seeker 60
Race 6: (7) Proclaimer 37
Race 7: (4) Cape Xtreme 43
Race 8: (7) Over The Way 44
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Walls Of Dubrovnik 9
Race 2: (5) Constantine 58
Race 3: (11) Song Of The Forest 42
Race 4: (7) Camphoratus 81
Race 5: (10) Stunning Guest 17
Race 6: (9) Strawberrypoptart 20
Race 7: (1) Marchingontogether 81
Race 8: (3) Mana Santana 17
Top rated winners last week included
Microbe won 16/1
Cherry Pop won 7/1
Opening Gambit won 7/1
Elusive Heart won 13/2
Seeking Wisdom won 25/4
Secret Depths won 11/2
Keep On Dancing won 33/10
First Sighting won 63/20
Notebook:-
Daichi (G Smith, E-Cape)
Storyland (G Smith, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 24th February
Going Standard
Penetrometer 0,70s slow
1000m (2) Ambra 57,36
1200m (2) Microbe 70,39
1300m (2) Cherry Pop 75,67
1600m (1) Marmalade Cat 97,98
1900m (1) Jurist 116,26
Kenilworth (new) 25th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,25s slow
1000m (1) Fours A Crowd 58,19
1400m (3) Captain Flinders 85,77
1600m (1) Ronaldo 99,63
1800m (2) Grey Princess 113,47
2000m (1) August Leaves 126,05
Scottsville (inside) 26th February
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,13s slow
1000m (1) First Sighting 57,09
1200m (3) Brunilda 69,62
1400m (1) Keep On Dancing 84,70
1950m (2) Deposition 120,17
2400m (2) Twice Golden 152,28
Vaal 27th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,70s slow
1200m (1) Little Rain 70,55
1400m (5) Lady Of Liberty 81,87
1600m (1) One-Oh-Wonder 95,88
2000m (1) Ever Fair 124,97
2400m (1) Fife 150,47
Fairview (turf) 28th February
Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 1,54s slow
1000m (1) Daichi 57,05*
1200m (3) Elusive Heart 68,94*
1400m (1) Point Of Sale 85,19*
1600m (2) Fools Garden 99,27*
2000m (2) Exclusivity 126,28*
