On The Right Road
Greyville 10th December: Trainer Louis Goosen has been in fine form since relocating to KZN and he was again on the mark here when the improving CAPTAIN’S GIRL won the feature event, a MR104 Handicap. In what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1200m events, the lightly weighted daughter of Noordhoek Flyer led throughout. She was always a couple clear and despite the efforts of the top weight Muscatt, she didn’t relinquish an inch of her advantage.
The only other distance on the nine race program to stage more than one race was 2000m where the faster of the two maiden events was the boy’s affair won by TOP CLASSMAN. Sent off third in the betting market at 5/1, Frank Robinson’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in a three way finish he got the verdict by a half.
A maiden plate over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the uneasy favourite COSSACK GUARD. Allowed to ease out to 18/10 from 11/10 at the track, this grey son of Gimmethegreenlight was soon positioned close to the speed. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the always handy KING’S COMMAND by a length and a quarter. The poorly drawn newcomer SAND PATH ran on well from towards the rear in this race.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from three, ON THAT BOULEVARD showed a nice turn of foot in the latter stages when winning the MR86 Handicap over 1200m.
Weighted To Win
Fairview 11th December: The best bet on the card for most at Monday’s turf meeting was ALGHADEER in the opening pinnacle stakes over 2400m, and the Dynasty gelding didn’t let down his supporters. Thrown in at the weights, Grant Paddock’s charge was content to sit at the back of the five for most of the journey. He sauntered up to the leaders as they approached the 200m marker and without ever really being asked to race, he won going away by two and a half.
Two of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1000m and by far the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap won by the 4yo LA GRAND ROUGE. Sent off favourite at 4/1, the Western Winter gelding raced up with the speed throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the easy to back FLYING ROCK (also raced up with the speed) by a length and three quarters.
They also ran two races over 1600m and in the faster time the former Cape Town campaigner LEADMAN completed a quick double. A winner over 1400m in the maiden ranks last time out, Tara Laing’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m pole and kept on strongly late to fend off a determined challenge from SEATTLE SWING by a neck.
Titbits
Having her first start since relocating from Cape Town, MARCH AFFAIR came from the rear when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 2000m. Trainer Yvette Bremner spoke very well of this one after the race.
Unbelievable Odds
Kenilworth 12th December: A maiden plate for the girls over 1000m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Tuesday and here we saw an impressive performance from the Brett Crawford trained VICE VERSA. Having only her second career outing here, this 3yo daughter of Var was very quickly two lengths clear. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and won without any anxious moments by two and a quarter.
Two of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1200m and the quickest home in these was SUN AT MIDNIGHT when winning the MR81 Handicap. Sent off joint third in the betting market at 9/2, the Elusive Fort mare raced at the back of the seven during the early part of the race. Less than four lengths covered all though and when given rein she quickly made headway. She struck the front going through the 100m and won well by a length from SASSY LADY (also came from the rear).
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the faster of the two handicaps was the MR71 affair in which UNBELIEVABLE CHAD caused a major upset. Freely available at 28/1 on the off despite now racing off a mark some 24 points below that of his former best, the top weight was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict on the nod over the well-supported outsider IN THE JUNGLE.
Titbits
The 4yo BARONESS MARY came from the back when registering her third career victory in the MR74 Handicap over 2000m.
Lightly raced RAYA BAYA fairly flew late on when getting up in the very last stride to deny PRINCESS VICKY in the MR68 Handicap over 1600m.
Springing Into Action
Turffontein 12th December: A pinnacle stakes topped the bill on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1160m races, the 5yo Querari gelding KANGAROO JACK bounced back to form. Positioned alongside ANGEL’S POWER in midfield when the race began in earnest, Gary Alexander’s charge ran on stoutly over the final 400m and together with that one all the way to the wire, he only got the verdict by a short head.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR89 Handicap in which the nibbled at FREELY FOREVER registered her fourth career victory. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front approaching the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the running on NO MORE WORDS by a length and a quarter.
They also ran two races over 2400m, the faster of which was the middle stakes won by the Bankable mare PARISIENNE CHIC. Easy to back at 9/1 on the off, St John Gray’s charge was always handy. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest some seven lengths adrift, she got up in the dying strides to deny the front running favourite DALLEY.
Titbits
At the back 250m out after being baulked for a run, SHENANIGANS won the MR77 Handicap a lot more easily than the official margin of a length would suggest.
After running on from the backend of midfield, ICE ART won the MR70 Handicap over 1000m with a ton in hand.
Temperature Rising
Greyville 13th December: Wednesday’s action took place on the turf where the faster of the three 1000m races (taking into account the barrier trial) was the boy’s division of the maiden plate won by MIGHTY MERCURY. Positioned fifth during the early part of the race, the son of Pathfork put his head in front 200m out, and after quickly drawing clear he went on to score by four and a half easing down.
The rather moderate bill was topped by a MR78 Handicap and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1400m races, DIAMANTE registered her third career victory. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, the poorly drawn daughter of Tiger Ridge was soon at the head of affairs. She kept on determinedly in the short home straight and in a race where less than a length separated the first four past the post, she got the better of the well supported favourite OSPREY close home.
The two 1600m races were both maiden plates and in the faster of these (the girl’s affair) HIDDEN THOUGHT got off the mark. Taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni, the 3yo daughter of Lateral led throughout. She began to assert her authority early in the straight and eased late won very easily by three.
Titbits
After having to switch 150m out OBVIOUS CHILD was finishing best of all when just over a length third in the maiden plate for the boys over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Klawerkate 10
Race 2: (2) Don’t Let Me Down 20
Race 3: (9) Seattle Spell 46
Race 4: (7) Love Talk 8
Race 5: (1) Minds Eye 27
Race 6: (7) Captain’s Vista 45
Race 7: (7) Rippit Whippet 37
Race 8: (9) Night At The Proms 36
Race 9: (1) Boldly Respectable 46
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (4) Great Dictator 30
Race 2: (11) Penultimate 62
Race 3: (1) Prince Ponti 14
Race 4: (1) Fonteyn 14
Race 5: (1) Strategic Move 55
Race 6: (12) What A Scorcher 38
Race 7: (14) Willowgrange 38
Race 8: (2) Honest Prince 26
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (3) Over Easy 24
Race 4: (1) Ensemble 25
Race 5: (15) Sky High 20
Race 6: (4) Let’s Twist 16
Race 7: (5) Sylvan On Fire 78
Race 8: (14) Sussex 31
Race 9: (1) Pure Blonde 75
Race 10: (5) KIngiftheworld 38
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (7) Rebel’s Burst 10
Race 4: (6) Doublemint 59
Race 5: (5) Fire Walker 45
Race 6: (10) Shufoog 70
Race 7: (7) Power Grid 89
Race 8: (4) Brave Move 57
Race 9: (3) Above Eleven 8
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (10) To Woo 10
Race 2: (1) London Call 94 (NAP*)
Race 3: (10) King’s Command 27
Race 4: (1) Alraune 16
Race 5: (1) Dark Moon Rising 48
Race 6: (8) Wealthy 69
Race 7: (3) Bear Hug 3
Race 8: (6) Maris Stella 6
Top rated winners last week included
Unbelievable Chad won 28/1
March Affair won 13/2
Lucky Lulu won 13/2
Dromedaris won 5/1
Sun At Midnight won 9/2
Torre Del Oro won 7/2
Green Fairy won 2/1
Cossack Guard won 18/10
Notebook:-
On That Boulevard (C Laird, KZN)
Shenanigans (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Vice Versa (B Crawford, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 10th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Captain’s Girl 57,78
1200m (4) On That Boulevard 70,84
1600m (1) Legend 97,80
2000m (2) Top Classman 125,05
2200m (1) Hero Quest 136,71
Fairview (turf) 11th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (2) La Grand Rouge 56,14
1400m (1) Without Permission 84,84
1600m (2) Leadman 98,44
2000m (2) Lucky Lulu 127,04
2400m (1) Alghadeer 150,29
Kenilworth (new) 12th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,14s slow
1000m (1) Vice Versa 59,97
1200m (2) Sun At Midnight 73,32
1400m (1) I Touch The Sky 88,47
1600m (2) Unbelievable Chad 100,82
1800m (1) Lady Sutton 114,18
2000m (1) Baroness Mary 126,94
Turffontein 12th December
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,55s slow
1000m (2) Freely Forever 58,36*
1160m (2) Kangaroo Jack 68,06
1400m (2) Red Indy 88,37
1600m (1) Shenanigans 100,81
2400m (2) Parisienne Chic 157,50
2850m (1) Dromedaris 189,80s
Greyville (turf) 13th December
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,70s slow
1000m (3) Mighty Mercury 60,19
1200m (1) Zadora 72,87
1400m (2) Diamante 85,56
1600m (2) Hidden Thought 100,64
1800m (2) Storm Ruler 111,89
