On The Calendar
Kenilworth 14th January: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Tuesday and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer KATAK. Nicely positioned in third 2,5 lengths off the pace early on, Piet Steyn’s charge quickened well below the distance and got up 30m from home to deny the front running favourite BOLLINGER.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1000m. The bill topping MR95 Handicap was the fastest of these and here APOLLO ACE registered his fourth career victory. All five held chances as the What A Winter gelding struck the front 200m out and in a thrilling three way finish he held on by a neck.
At the other end of the scale the biggest winning margin on the card was recorded by VIVA RIO in the progress plate over 1600m. Thrown in at the weights, Glen Kotzen’s charge was not surprisingly deep in the red. He raced close to the pace throughout and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 350m from home.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from four, the 3yo FREEDOM SEEKER quickened nicely late when getting the better of the speedy PIPPIELANGKOUS close home in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
Golden Fort
Scottsville 15th January: Not for the first time in recent months the going was posted as Good to Soft in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, and yet the course variant tells a completely different story. A MR86 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be much the faster of the two 1400m events, OOH LA LA registered her fourth career victory. Soon up handy, the daughter of Querari was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SANSKRIFT by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1200m where the faster of the two was the novice plate won by ENJOY THE VIEW. Taken straight to the front by Serino Moodley, Michael Roberts’ charge led throughout. He was always in command and won with some in hand by two.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by HEROIC DEED when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1200m. Soon positioned close to the speed, the son of Black Minnaloushe took up the running 300m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned 12th of the thirteen turning for home, TWICE GOLDEN ran on best of all in the MR82 Handicap over 2400m and won going away by three and three quarters.
Flood Of Talent
Vaal 16th January: Four of the eight races at the Vaal on Thursday were run over 1200m. The pinnacle stakes was by far the fastest of these and here we saw another smart performance from the lightly raced 4yo MR FLOOD. Now a winner of five from seven this son of Pathfork flew out of the pens and was soon a couple clear. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and despite the efforts of the running on REBEL’S CHAMP, he couldn’t get closer than a length and a quarter at the wire. Returning from a seven months absence fifth placed MOMBELA caught the eye running on strongly from the rear in the closing stages of this race.
Another impressive performance was to be had in the opening juvenile plate over 1000m when WAR ROOM made it two from two. Deep in the red at 1/5 on the off, Paul Peter’s charge also led throughout. He was three and a half lengths clear going through the 400m and with jockey Kennedy looking around for the opposition from the 300m mark, he cruised in by six and a half.
Run in a faster time was the juvenile plate for the girls over 1000m won by War Room’s stable companion MIRACLE FLIGHT. Now unbeaten in three starts this daughter of Var also made all. Just 2,75 lengths covered all going through the 400m and challenged strongly by the fancied DUBAWI PRINCESS all the way to the wire, she was made to work to score by just over a length.
Titbits
OH MERCY ME ran on well from midfield when winning the MR76 Handicap over 1500m going away.
Holding The Aces
Fairview 17th January: Friday’s action took place on the poly track where the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1300m events was the MR90 Handicap won by the talented, but not so consistent THE HIGHWAY MAN. Soon in his favourite position at the head of affairs the son of Querari led throughout. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and although the odds on favourite BOLD COAST did make some headway over the final 400m, he still had a length and a half to spare at the wire.
1200m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in the faster of these, a MR68 Handicap, the 3yo DUKE OF CARDS gained his second victory from just six starts. Always handy, Alan Greeff’s charge ran on strongly over the final 300m and with the rest well beaten he got the better of his more fancied stable companion ELUSIVE DIVA by a quarter.
The stable of Alan Greeff were also on the mark when KEEPER OF THE KEYS opened her account in the maiden plate over 1300m. Backed into 6/10 from 11/10 before the off, the daughter of Dynasty led throughout. She was a length and a quarter clear turning for home and only having to be pushed out in the straight, she cruised clear to score by seven.
Titbits
Positioned fifth of eight turning for home, GLORY DAYS ran on well over the final 400m when beating the useful LUNA WISH fair and square in the bill topping Aloe Handicap (non-black type) over 1300m.
Impregnable Fort
Turffontein 18th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where we saw an impressive performance from the lightly raced WESTERN FORT when winning the MR72 Handicap over 2000m. Now a winner of two from three, the son of Elusive Fort raced in midfield for most of the journey. He was baulked for a run 550m out when starting up his engines and then raced very green. Despite that though, he cut through the field like a knife and won going away by four.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1600m and in the fastest of these, a MR72 Handicap, the 3yo CAPETOWN AFFAIR registered his second career victory. Way below best in his six previous starts this season, Ashley Fortune’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 100m from home and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the front running WAQAAS by just over a length.
A pinnacle stakes over 2400m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the once highly regarded GLIDER PILOT find the winner’s enclosure. Soon close to the speed, Tyrone Zackey’s charge took up the running 350m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite DAWN ASSAULT by a length.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from five, MACHALI ran on well from midfield when winning the graduation plate over 1600m going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Natural Jade 26
Race 2: (7) Wangan Midnight 4
Race 3: (6) Pollymania 10
Race 4: (7) Seattle Swing 67
Race 5: (2) Jay’s Hawk 43
Race 6: (3) Sunshine Mint 54 (NAP*)
Race 7: (12) African Victory 79
Race 8: (7) Gimme Katrina 41
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Storm Commander 12
Race 2: (2) Double Hearts 19
Race 3: (4) Lady Of Steel 46
Race 4: (5) Unagi 90
Race 5: (1) La Bella Mia 72
Race 6: (4) Tombola 47
Race 7: (3) Snow Palace 50
Race 8: (1) Approach Control 76 (NAP*)
Race 9: (12) Pomander 64 (nb)
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Senor Don 21
Race 2: (2) Long Reign 24
Race 3: (1) Over The Way 32
Race 4: (1) Search Party 87
Race 5: (2) Secret Depths 59
Race 6: (4) Binoche 65
Race 7: (1) Phil’s Dancer 46
Race 8: (3) Fabian 82 (NAP*)
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (8) Forest Jump 17
Race 2: (15) On The Bayou 17
Race 3: (14) Collabro 66
Race 4: (10) Classic Guard 53
Race 5: (13) Rasputin’s Remedy 33 (nb)
Race 6: (16) Belton Road 38
Race 7: (5) Rebel’s Champ 83 (NAP*)
Race 8: (9) Lady Of Lutetia 31
Top rated winners last week included
Candy Galore won 25/1
Glider Pilot won 12/1
Heroic Deed won 46/10
Apollo Ace won 3/1
Imperial Rage won 5/4
Viva Rio won 8/15
War Room won 1/5
Miracle Flight won 1/3
Notebook:-
Mr Flood (M Houdalakis, Gauteng)
Twice Golden (G Puller, KZN)
War Room (P Peter, Gauteng)
Western Fort (P Peter, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 14th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,70s slow
1000m (3) Apollo Ace 58,70
1200m (2) Katak 73,20
1400m (1) Cruise Along 86,61
1600m (1) Viva Rio 98,16
1800m (1) Flatware 114,65
Scottsville (inside) 15th January
Penetrometer 24 – G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,01s fast
1000m (1) Candy Galore 56,13
1200m (2) Enjoy The View 68,40
1400m (2) Ooh La La 83,33
1600m (1) Living Waters 97,16
1950m (1) Imperial Rage 121,62
2400m (1) Twice Golden 150,23
Vaal 16th January
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,46s fast
1000m (2) Miracle Flight 56,91
1200m (4) Mr Flood 67,89
1500m (1) Oh Mercy Me 88,50
2000m (1) 122,50
Fairview (poly) 17th January
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,41s slow
1000m (1) Aloysius 57,81
1200m (2) Duke Of Cards 70,55
1300m (3) The Highway Man 75,13
1600m (1) Lord Marshal 97,06
1900m (1) Gina’s Girl 118,01
Turffontein (stand side) 18th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,18s slow
1000m (1) Sweet Trial 57,32
1400m (2) Rooi Tom 86,13
1600m (4) Capetown Affair 99,16
2000m (1) Western Fort 127,05
2400m (1) Glider Pilot 156,32
