All Or Nothing

Red Alert

Flamingo Park 20^th May: The easiest victory in the maiden ranks in the Northern Cape on Monday was that of SHER DIL in the 1600m event. Allowed to ease right out to 33/10 from 22/10 at the track, Vernon Rugg’s charge sat sixth during the early part of the race. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by three and a quarter.

A pinnacle event over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the rapidly improving CODE RED. Completing a four timer here the son of Windrush was always handy. He took up the running going through the 400m and although the pacemaker METRO MAN kept on strongly after being headed, he went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card though was undoubtedly that of MIESQUE’S FORCE who came home smoking in the MR70 affair over 1800m. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10, Miesque’s Force led throughout. He began to assert his authority early in the home straight and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by seven and a quarter.

Titbits

Having only his third outing since relocating from KZN, THE LIVING IS EASY won the MR66 Handicap over 1600m very easily by three.

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Pillar To Post

Vaal 21^st May: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by EAGLE FACE in the MR74 Handicap over 1000m. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the son of Albert Hall led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the recent winner COHIBA by two and a half.

A MR93 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the 5yo Kahal mare KALAAM register her fifth career victory. Another to lead very early, it looked as if she would have to settle for a place when MISS CANTONA moved through to take up the running 300m out. Once headed though, the 5yo rallied gamely and got back up to win going away by a length and a quarter.

Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the second division of the MR72 Handicap in which GAZ MAN completed a quick double. Not surprisingly easy to back after taking 29 starts to win his maiden last time out, Gaz Man as per usual raced in the rear early on. He finished best of all and under a well judged ride from apprentice Aucharuz he got up late to deny EUGENES.

Titbits

STORMY TIGER ran on stoutly late when only beaten a length in the maiden 1200m.

Running on from midfield, the lightly raced IN EIGHTY DAYS finished best of all when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR72 Handicap over 1400m.

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Four In A Row

Durbanville 23^rd May: Wednesday’s action at the country course got underway with a maiden juvenile plate over 1000m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the newcomer LANNER FALCON. One of three runners from the stable of Mike Bass, the daughter of Trippi was soon up handy. She ran on stoutly in the straight and won well from the lightly raced SISTER SYBIL by two and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR84 Handicap over 2000m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 3yo GIFTED FOR GLORY. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back BRITISH BANKER who elected to make the running and still three lengths to the good going through the 300m it looked as if Joey Ramsden’s charge would go on to score. GIFTED FOR GLORY quickened in good style in the closing stages of the race though and got up to deny the pacemaker in the very last stride. One to look out for next time from this race is the third placed runner NOBLE STAR. Running on from the rear Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was finishing strongly and despite being hampered late on was only beaten a length and a quarter.

A MR80 Handicap over the same distance was next up and in a time some two seconds slower than that of Gifted For Glory JAZELLE completed a four timer. The first to make a move in the home straight, Paddy Kruyer’s charge took up the running 500m out and quickly went clear. Her stride did begin to shorten late on though, and it was only by a half that she got the verdict over the faster finishing SCHISM.

Titbits

The newcomer ARSARAY ran on strongly from the rear when third to her stable companion in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.

EVENING ROSE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to take third position in the maiden plate over 1400m.

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Champion Seven Timer

Greyville 23^rd May: All eyes in the pinnacle stakes over 1400m on Friday evening were on the champion racehorse VARIETY CLUB. Clearly best in at the weights in this his first outing since completing a six timer in the Gr1 Queen’s Plate back in January, the son of Var was soon at the helm. He was a length and a half clear turning for home and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race he didn’t relinquish and inch of his advantage.

The Gr2 Betting World 1900 headed up the card and here we saw a smart performance from the Justin Snaith trained JET EXPLORER. Sent off a joint second favourite at 6/1, the son of Jet Master broke well from his advantageous draw and nicely positioned in sixth was always poised to strike. He did so going through 200m and ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the improving ROCK COCKTAIL by two and a quarter.

Race seven on the card was a MR70 Handicap over the same distance as the Greyville 1900 and in a time over two seconds slower than that of Variety Club OAK RIDGE registered her second career victory. In the backend of midfield as the sixteen runners swung for home, Oak Ridge ran on best of all and in a race where only 0,65 lengths separated the first three home she got up late to deny DAME VICTORIA.

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2935/1 Treble

Vaal 24^th May: They raced on the sand on Thursday where four of the events on the nine race program were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR90 Handicap won by DENNIS THE MENACE. The second of two winners on the card for the current national jockey’s log leader Pierre Strydom, the Menace was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on BENBOW by a length and a quarter.

A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and here a nice gamble was landed when the newcomer SEATTLE FAIRY did the business. Allowed to flirt with 27/10 at one stage after opening up at 16/1, Wallace Tolmay’s charge raced prominent throughout. She was asked to take up the running as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the easy to back ALL THE TENS (7/1 out to 14/1) by two and a half.

Trainer Wallace Tolmay saddled three winners on the card in total and if you had have backed a treble with them you would have gotten accumulative odds of 2935/1. The main reason for this was the victory of BAREBACK who caused a major upset in the MR76 affair over 1200m at 55/1. Ridden by 4kg claimer Franklin Maleking, Bareback was ridden to lead 250m from home and went on to score by four and a half.

Titbits

Well supported GABRONZA only had to be pushed out when winning the maiden plate over 1000m by five and a quarter.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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