Smart Maidens
Kenilworth 15th March: The easiest victory in Cape Town on Saturday was undoubtedly that of CHESTNUT DANCER in the maiden 1000m. Taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie, the daughter of Horse Chestnut led throughout. She was always in command and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race, won going away by four and three quarters.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was the newcomer TWENTYMANJONES in the opening event over 1000m. Soon up handy, Darryl Hodgson’s charge took up the running 200m out and won going away by three and three quarters.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile events over 1400m was the fillies’ affair won by the lightly raced ELUSIVE STARS. Having only her second career outing here, Ronnie Sheehan’s charge raced in the rear early on. Once given reign though, she quickened best of all and won well by two after striking the front 100m from home.
A MR88 Handicap topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 6yo son of Silvano M’LORDS THROAT. Set to shoulder top weight of 62,5kg before taking into account apprentice Divan Neethling’s 4kg allowance, Justin Snaith’s charge raced handy in third. The confirmed frontrunner REPORTOIRE meanwhile was setting a healthy gallop and more than eight lengths clear turning for home it looked as if he might have done enough to steal it. Indeed, Bill Prestage’s charge kept on strongly in the straight and it was only in the shadow of the post that M’lords Throat put his head in front.
Titbits
DANCING DYNASTY came from the rear when winning the MR80 Handicap over 1600m going away by two and a half.
AKSARAY and AZANIAH both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 2nd respectively in the MR84 Handicap over 1200m.
GULF STORM was gaining at the finish when only beaten a neck in the MR80 Handicap won by Western Movie.
.
Elegant Choir
Clairwood 16th March: Four of the ten races at the garden course on Sunday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR88 Handicap won by CHOIR MAIDEN. Confidently ridden by Anton Marcus, Tony Rivalland’s charge raced handy in fourth. She was asked to take up the running going through the 200m and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race she won going away by three and a quarter.
Marginally the faster of the two non-black type feature events for juveniles on Sunday was the Sentinel Stakes which was won by the filly BELOVED COUNTRY. Electing to take on the boys here instead of sticking with the girls, Charlie Laird’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride. She was soon up handy despite that though. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat HARRY’S SON by a length and three quarters.
Just five went to post for the non-black type King’s Pact Stakes and in what was always a very tightly bunched field victory here went to the lesser fancied of Mike De Kock’s two runners (albeit favourite and second favourite) PINE PRINCESS. A fluent winner of her only previous outing, the daughter of Captain Al was one of four in a line at the front passing the 300m pole. She finished best of all and got the verdict over LITTLEBLACKNUMBER by three quarters.
The best bet on the card for Sporting Post was ROCKABERRY LANE in the opening maiden event over 1200m and she didn’t let down our followers. Sent off at the generous odds of 3/1, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. She took up the running at the 300m pole and went on to score with authority by three from the favourite SALANDER.
Titbits
VALSAINTES came from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to win the maiden plate over 1450m.
Detached at the rear early on, ONE COOL DUDE couldn’t have been more impressive when getting up late to win the pinnacle stakes over 1200m going away by a half.
.
No Surprise
Flamingo Park 17th March: The stable of Corne Spies has been dominating the juvenile events in the Northern Cape of late and they were again on the mark here when QUEEN TARA opened her account at just the second time of asking. Beaten over nine lengths when slow into stride by the useful FLAME CAT at Turffontein on debut, the 16/10 favourite was soon at the head of affairs. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the well supported local MELITA by two.
The stable of Corne Spies were also on the mark in the fastest of the three 1000m events (a MR68 Handicap) when BOARDING CALL registered her fourth career victory. Always handy, the daughter of Announce quickened well from halfway and won by a length from the hat-trick seeking VICTORIA PARK.
A pinnacle stakes over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw an easy victory for the best weighted runner in the field SUDDEN SURPRISE. Soon positioned close to the speed, the 5yo son of Kahal took up the running at the halfway mark. He quickly went clear and won without any anxious moments by four and a quarter.
Titbits
PROVE A POINT ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden 1600m going away by a length and three quarters.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (4) Duck Dodger 24 Race 2: (1) Imagine 17 Race 3: (6) Restraint Of Trade 29 Race 4: (4) Lake Benjamin 22 Race 5: (1) Space Girl 42 Race 6: (1) Cheshire Cat 47 Race 7: (3) Nad’s Pride 32 Race 8: (4) Desert Breeze 61 Race 9: (10) Astro Vision 32 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (7) Which Way 18 Race 2: (3) Merlins Gem 12 Race 3: (1) Battle Of Alma 36 Race 4: (1) Across The Ice 77 (NAP*) Race 5: (4) Funny Glory 44 Race 6: (6) Tommy Gun 92 Race 7: (6) Casa Nostra 72 Race 8: (2) Be Mine Tonight 44 Kenilworth Race 1: (6) King’s World 10 Race 2: (8) Little Bear 11 Race 3: (1) Classy Fighter 33 Race 4: (2) Richard Strauss 26 Race 5: (1) Captain Harry 65 Race 6: (6) Mystical Moon 17 Race 7: (6) Seattle Moon 57 Race 8: (9) Count My Luck 69 Race 9: (2) Monarchs Emblem 15 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (5) Lady Ky 13 Race 2: (12) Silence Descends 7 (NAP*) Race 3: (1) Bernadine 19 Race 4: (1) Artic Route 40 Race 5: (6) Platinum Jet 65 Race 6: (5) Velddrifter 41 Race 7: (15) Nicety 41 Race 8: (6) Stylish Bay 54 Race 9: (8) Shirla 5 Race 10: (15) Duty Dance 57 (nb) Race 11: (1) Knock And Announce 42 .
Top rated winners last week included
Dream To Reality won 25/1 Prove A Point won 6/1 Boarding Call won 4/1 Nightingale Grey won 5/2 Pine Princess won 5/2 Isphan won 18/10 Sea Cat won 14/10 Rodeo Sioux won 11/10 .
Notebook:-
Choir Maiden (A Rivalland, KZN) Elusive Stars (R Sheehan, W-Cape) One Cool Dude (D Howells, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherKenilworth (new) 15th March Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (3) Western Movie 59,38 1200m (1) Aksaray 74,49 1400m (2) Cotton Hill 90,03 1600m (1) Dancing Dynasty 99,51 1800m (1) M’lords Throat 112,58 .
Clairwood 16th March Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (2) Beloved Country 58,86 1200m (4) Choir Maiden 70,08 1450m (1) Valsaintes 88,75 1600m (2) Chill 97,37 2500m (1) Eco Storm 160,71 .
Flamingo Park 17th March Going Standard 1000m (3) Boarding Call 57,60 1200m (1) Sudden Surprise 71,74* 1400m (2) Pole Dance 85,41 1600m (1) Prove A Point 101,03 1800m (1) Stone Reeves 112,91 2200m (1) Karlo 148,83*
