Fairview 19th November
Undeterred
The easiest victory in the maiden ranks in Port Elizabeth on Friday was registered by THUNDER ROCK who opened her account in the 1200m event. Soon up handy, Justin Snaith’s charge raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the well tried ARCTIC BLUE by three and a half.
A novice event over 1800m was next up and here victory went to the 6yo COUNT OLIVER. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Mike Mclachlan’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the straight though, he quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from the in form Marco Van Rensburg (three winners on the card), he got up nicely late to beat MIDNIGHT MAYHEM by a length and a half.
A conditions Plate over 2700m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Alan Greeff trained THUNDERFLASH bounce back to form. A winner of the Champion Juvenile Stakes in Port Elizabeth back in 2008, Thunderflash has proven to be at his best over ground. He quickened well early in the long home straight, but when he became baulked for a run against the rail 300m out, it looked as if his chance had gone. Undeterred though, M J Byleveld switched him out and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up very late to beat the top weight CAPE TRAFALGAR by a half. Thunderflash has now won ten of his 31 starts to date and clearly won’t be stopping here.
Vaal 20th November
Few To Follow
Saturday’s action took place on the turf where we saw a very impressive performance in the maiden event over 1700m from the Sean Tarry trained DYNASTIC RULE (49). Rock solid at the top of the boards at 15/10, the son of Dynasty raced close up in second for most of the journey. He was always travelling well and on taking up the running 400m from home, he was visibly cruising. He drew clear with ease from there onwards and with an absolute ton in hand, he very easily accounted for the improving LANCEWOOD (who in turn was almost five lengths clear of the remainder) by three and a half. Dynastic Rule won very well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
A graduation event over the same distance was next up and in a time not that much faster than that of Dynastic Rule, the 3yo WITHOUT MALICE (66) completed a very smart hattrick. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, George Scott’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she soon found herself positioned towards the rear. Once given rein though, she quickly began to work her way through the field and under a well judged ride from the vastly experienced Willie Uys, she got up late to beat a good sort in NOT LIABLE by a length and three quarters.
Another to win very nicely on this card was MAGICO (75) who registered his fourth career victory from just six starts in the MR90 Handicap over 1000m. Soon into stride, the son of Dupont raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and in what proved to be a very fast time, he easily accounted for COURAGE by two and a quarter. Magico was only beaten a length by the subsequent Gr1 winner GOLD ONYX when third in the Gr3 Protea Stakes last season and is clearly one to follow.
Kenilworth 20th November
Take A Bow
The best bet for many in Cape Town on Saturday was FLOWING STARS in the maiden event over 1600m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Sent off a strong favourite at 16/10, the daughter of Western Winter raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She was carried wide when asked for her effort early in the straight and only really got going 350m from home. Once into stride though, she quickened well and under a well judged ride from the evergreen Karl Neisius, she got up close home to score by a half. One to look out for next time from this race is TOUCHE who finished seventh. Glen Kotzen’s charge raced at the back of the sixteen and did very well indeed to get within 2,45 lengths of the winner.
The Gr2 Green Point Stakes topped the bill and here it was nice to see our champion of champions POCKET POWER back in the winner’s enclosure. Sent off a joint favourite at 2/1, Pocket Power, as has become customary over the past year or so, raced handy. He quickened with all his old zest early in the straight and under a determined ride from regular partner Bernard Fayd’Herbe, he comfortably account for the frontrunning veteran GRAFTON STREET by a length and a half.
A MR90 Handicap over 1200m was next up and here we saw a nice performance from the Anton Marcus ridden STATE BLUE. On leaving the stalls it was the 33/1 rank outsider of the party ULWANDLE who elected to set the pace, whilst Justin Snaith’s charge raced close up in second. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on LA ROSITA by a length and a quarter.
Greyville 21st November
Good Improvement
Sixteen runners went to post for the maiden event over 1900m in Natal on Sunday and here we saw a nice performance from the Mike De Kock trained ECCLESIASTIC (30). Sent off favourite at 33/10, the son of Hennessey was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened nicely coming off the bend and was soon on the heels of the strongly fancied second favourite LE CORSAIRE who had taken up the running 500m out. Le Corsaire ran on stoutly in the straight and did have the rest well beaten. Ecclesiastic finished best of all though and after a thrilling tussle he asserted his authority late.
The afternoons’ feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Alec Laird trained CASEY DA LADY (76). Allowed to drift right out to 9/1 from 9/2 at the track, the daughter of Casey Tibbs was always handy. She moved up to dispute matters as they approached the 300m marker and after quickly getting the better of the pacemaker VILAYET, she drew clear easily in the closing stages to score by two and a quarter,
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by the 5yo WHAT NEXT who came home smoking in the MR88 affair over 2400m. What Next was positioned towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey, but with the field being tightly bunched throughout, he was always close enough to mount a challenge. He cut through the field quickly on entering the home straight and after striking the front 250m out, he easily drew clear to score by three and a half.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview
Race 1: (16) Rochelle 23
Race 2: (7) Folklore 17 (EW)
Race 3: (4) Sporting Rooney 47
Race 4: (2) Shahrezade 76
Race 5: (8) Divine Quest 76
Race 6: (11) Appealing Whistle 49
Race 7: (15) Classic Forest 75
Race 8: (2) Port Curtis 46
Vaal (Tues)
Race 1: (4) Head For Hilton 8
Race 2: (9) Ruby Wedding 12
Race 3: (4) Victory Serenade 26
Race 4: (7) Dangerfield 50
Race 5: (1) Headstrong 84
Race 6: (7) Thick As Thieves 67
Race 7: (2) Hurricane Silver 89
Race 8: (10) Advance Call 51
Kenilworth
Race 1: (3) Cap Alright 12
Race 2: (1) Part Des Anges 10
Race 3: (7) Glowing Ember 45
Race 4: (4) Siegfried 62
Race 5: (9) Flighty’s Last 81
Race 6: (10) Hasseldon 59
Race 7: (7) Pergamon Alter 80
Race 8: (1) Santa Caterina 16 (NAP*)
Vaal (Thur)
Race 1: (5) Super Break 19
Race 2: (1) Westa 30
Race 3: (3) Bee Patrol 17
Race 4: (13) Louvre 27 (NAP*)
Race 5: (9) Windmill Theatre 50
Race 6: (5) Strike A Deal 54
Race 7: (4) Special Club 48
Race 8: (5) Super Boy 27
Top rated winners last week included:-
Windy Whistle won 9/1
In Like Flynn won 7/2
Howdoulikemenow won 33/10
Balenciaga won 2/1
King’s Fantasy won 2/1
Flowing Stars won 16/10
Country Rose won 15/10
Dynastic Rule won 15/10
Notebook:-
Dynastic Rule (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Ecclesiastic (M De Kock, Natal)
Magico (P Peter, Gauteng)
Touche (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Fairview 19th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Windy Whistle
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Social Master
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Thunderflash
Vaal 20th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Magico
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Pleasing Request
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Kenilworth 20th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Tribal
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Pocket Power
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Greyville 21st November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) From The Frontier
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) In Broad Daylight
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (4) Dark Wind
