Plenty To Celebrate
Turffontein 2nd April: The only distance to stage more than one race on Easter Monday’s inner track card was 1200m. The MR72 Handicap was the faster of these and here MOSS GAS completed a quick double. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on BLACK BISCUIT by three quarters.
A MR90 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to the easy to back OH MY DARLING. Allowed to ease right out to 8/1 from 9/2 at the track, the daughter of Western Winter was always handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and got the better of a thrilling tussle with CIRCLE OF LATITUDE by a neck.
The progressive 3yo MARDI GRAS in the MR82 Handicap over 1450m was the best bet on the card for Sporting Post, and the son of Oratorio didn’t let down his supporters. Sent off a clear favourite at 16/10, Mardi Gras was always well positioned to strike. He did so going through the 400m and went on to score with authority by three.
Titbits
The 3yo CALS CRUSH completed a smart hat-trick when winning the MR88 Handicap over 1000m going away.
Distance Suited
Durbanville 3rd April: Four of the eight races at the country course on Tuesday were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was TALITHA BOREALIS in the MR74 Handicap. Easy to back at 6/1 on the off, the daughter of Ideal World raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though she ran on best of all and under a well-judged ride from Bernard Fayd’Herbe she got up late to beat PERFECTPROPORTIONS by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where marginally the faster of the two handicaps was the MR68 affair won by FOXY PRINCESS. Nicely drawn in gate two, Paddy Kruyer’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 400m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on HOPEFUL by three quarters.
A maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1400m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the Candice Bass-Robinson trained GO THE DISTANCE. Another to race handy, Go The Distance put her head in front approaching the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced HARVEST WIND ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1400m.
Well Weighted
Fairview 4th April: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday where a half of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1000m. The MR88 Handicap was by far the fastest of these and here victory went to the very well weighted ZEVENASTIC. Racing off a mark some 15 points below that of his earlier best, the 4yo son of Rebel King raced in the rear of a small but strung out field early on. He ran on strongly from halfway and won going away after striking the front 60m or so from home.
The faster of the two 1200m events was the graduation plate won by the Justin Snaith trained LIBRA. Soon up handy, the daughter of Twice Over put her head in front shortly after passing the 200m pole and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for GAME GIRL by three quarters.
The two remaining races both took place over 1300m and marginally the quickest home in these was SCRIBO in the MR66 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was ZAIDA who elected to make the running whilst Alan Greeff’s charge sat in midfield. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and won well by a length and a quarter from the running on FOR LUCK SAKE.
Titbits
FAIRYINTHEMIST and SEATTLE MERMAID both ran on very well from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Riding High
Vaal 5th April: A MR94 Handicap topped the bill at the Vaal’s outside track on Thursday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m races victory went to the 3yo PREMIER SHOW. Sent off favourite at 4/1, Clinton Binda’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and just got the verdict by a neck over the running on REBUKED.
The two 1400m events were both maiden plates and by far the faster of these was the boy’s affair in which the friendless newcomer TOP RANK caused an upset. Freely available at 44/1 on the off Geoff Woodruff’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won with authority by two and three quarters.
Just 1/100th of a second separated the winners of the two 1600m handicaps. The MR68 affair was the faster and here the stable of Geoff Woodruff were again on the mark when BUSH PILOT registered his second career victory. Confidently ridden by replacement rider Keagan De Melo, the Judpot gelding sat in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well when the race began in earnest and won comfortably by two and a half after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
Making her twenty second visit to a racecourse here, FLYING FALCON was taken straight to the front, and in what proved to be a good time on the day, won well by a length and three quarters.
Watching Brief
Greyville 6th April: As has become the norm, they raced on the poly track on Friday evening. Four of the nine races on the card (including the barrier trial) were staged over 1000m and comfortably the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by the improving Visionaire filly WE’RE WATCHING YOU. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front going through the 200m and won well by a length and a half from the always held JE SUIS SILVER.
The two 1800m races were both handicaps and surprisingly the quicker of these was the MR62 affair won by the easy to back BURNBURRY. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the Atso mare was always positioned close to the speed. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and got up late to deny the uneasy joint favourite SITIA.
Sporting Post’s Top Bet CUE THE MUSIC was sent off a strong favourite to land the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m, and without any fuss he did the business. Nicely positioned in fourth as the nine runners came off the bend, Dennis Bosch’s charge ran on strongly in the straight and despite racing green, he won with authority by two and three quarters.
Titbits
Trying the distance for the first time, lightly raced CASSIUS COLT didn’t find the clearest of passages in the home straight when a running on third in the maiden plate over 2000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Madame Speaker 21
Race 2: (1) Perfect Peace 28
Race 3: (1) The Good Show 8 (nb)
Race 4: (1) Chick With Stick 7 (NAP*)
Race 5: (6) Golden Shamrock 44
Race 6: (8) Katies Jay 67
Race 7: (6) Peach Delight 71
Race 8: (2) Pink Rock 46
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (10) Scoop 5
Race 2: (5) Huddle 3
Race 3: (4) Go Thuli Go 6
Race 4: (10) Senor Lizard 4
Race 5: (4) Favourite Model 7
Race 6: (4) Glider Pilot 79
Race 7: (1) Exquisite Touch 90 (NAP**)
Race 8: (11) Spring Breeze 81
Race 9: (1) Dressed To Impress 40
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Western Angel 10
Race 2: (3) Savea 23
Race 3: (6) Fire Walker 45
Race 4: (2) Clifton Beach 13
Race 5: (7) Lady Vogue 34
Race 6: (7) Cape Fling 63
Race 7: (7) Solana 59
Race 8: (12) Endofmarch 55
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Good Buddy 3
Race 2: (13) Liberty Print 14
Race 3: (5) Rebel Circus 6
Race 4: (1) Adorned By Beauty 8
Race 5: (2) Q The Music 52
Race 6: (1) Percival 60
Race 7: (4) Sommerlied 79
Race 8: (8) Rio De La Plata 47
Race 9: (9) Fangia 30 (EW)
Top rated winners last week included
Zevenastic won 6/1
Stockade won 9/2
Moss Gas won 61/20
Scribo won 61/20
End Game won 57/20
Cals Crush won 47/20
Spam Alert won 15/10
Cue The Music won 13/10
Notebook:-
Fairyinthemist (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Mardi Gras (JAJ v Vuuren, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (inner) 2nd April
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,61s slow
1000m (1) Cals Crush 57,88
1200m (2) Moss Gas 72,11
1450m (1) Mardi Gras 86,96
1600m (1) Oh My Darling 98,32
1800m (1) Bold Viking 111,15
2000m (1) End Game 125,69
2200m (1) Sunshine Silk 141,53
2600m (1) Arte 170,32
Durbanville 3rd April
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,88s slow
1250m (1) Spam Alert 76,28
1400m (4) Talitha Borealis 85,11
1600m (2) Foxy Princess 98,66
1800m (1) Kampala Campari 108,69
Fairview (poly) 4th April
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,03s slow
1000m (4) Zevenastic 57,25
1200m (2) Libra 70,48
1300m (2) Scribo 76,30
Vaal (outside) 5th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,38s slow
1000m (1) Flying Falcon 58,74
1200m (3) Premier Show 70,55
1400m (2) Top Rank 83,97
1600m (2) Bush Pilot 97,30
Greyville (poly) 6th April
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,29s slow
1000m (4) We’re Watching You 57,78
1200m (1) Stockade 71,41
1400m (1) Victory Trip 83,56
1800m (2) Burnburry 110,55
2000m (1) It’s My Way 124,04
