Roy’s Everywhere
Scottsville 4th September: Four of the ten races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was ROY’S MAGIC in the boy’s division of the maiden plate for 3yo’s. Sent off a joint second favourite at 5/1, the son of Foxwedge was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a thrilling three way finish he got the better of his fellow joint second favourite CABINDA by a half.
They also ran four races over 1600m and quickest home here was ROY’S GOLD in the MR66 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was ROY’S RAKARA who elected to make the running whilst Yogis Govender’s charge was content to sit in midfield. She quickened well coming off the bend and drew clear easily after striking the front 300m from home to score by three and three quarters.
Race three on the card was a qualified maiden plate over 1200m and here BUBKA showed good improvement. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 20’s, the Jam Alley gelding was a little slow into stride and as a result he raced in midfield early on. Once given rein though he quickly made his way through the field, and despite only hitting the front 60m from home, he won by two and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer DAME ELEANOR won the opening filly’s maiden plate for 3yo’s going away by a length and a quarter.
Poorly drawn OPEN HEIR came from the rear when getting up late to win the MR86 Handicap over 1750m.
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Stable In Form
Fairview 5th September: Surprisingly the fastest of the three 1600m races on the poly track on Monday was the MR72 Handicap won by ON THE SIDE. The second of four winners on the eight race program for trainer Justin Snaith, the son of Lateral was soon up handy. He took up the running going through the 300m and with some in hand won well by a length and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m (2 races) where quickest home was LADY WILLOW in the novice plate. Always handy in what was not a fast run race comparatively, Corne Spies’ charge took up the running 200m out. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just had enough in hand to beat the running on BLACK JADE by a neck.
The 4yo STRUBEN was all the rage to win the graduation plate over 1300m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Backed into 17/20 from 16/10 before the off, Alan Greeff’s charge raced second in what quickly became a strung out field. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and went on to score with authority from the running on RICHARD STRAUSS.
Titbits
The 5yo SLEWSGATE ran on strongly from off the pace when only beaten a neck in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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On Target Again
Vaal 6th September: Four of the eight races on the outside track on Tuesday were run over 1200m and running out a very easy winner in the quickest of these (a MR86 Handicap) was KINGS ARCHER. Always top of the boards in what was a small, but very competitive looking field, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge sat at the back for most of the journey. He quickened well when the race began in earnest, and won going away by three and a half after striking the front 160m or so from home.
The faster of the two 1400m events on the card was the MR85 Handicap won by IRISH PRIDE. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the topweight raced sixth of the eight early on. He began to take closer order as they approached the 200m pole and won well by a length after striking the front 200m from home.
The two remaining races were both maiden plates over 1600m and stopping the clock in marginally the fastest time here was the girl’s affair won by BALALAIKA. Stepping up to a mile after making a promising debut over 1200m, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and with the rest well beaten she kept on strongly to beat the 22/10 favourite RUBYBAY by a length and a half.
Titbits
Returning from a six month break in the MR67 Handicap over 1400m, DIE KAT ran on well from the rear and only failed to get up by a neck.
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Money On The Button
Scottsville 7th September: Racing returned to Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday where the course was running almost a second and a half faster than it had been on Sunday. A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway and all the rage here was the Dennis Drier trained newcomer SUMMERLIED. Allowed to flirt with odds on for a while (sent off 13/10), the Var filly was soon positioned up with the speed. She took command as they approached the 400m marker and only having to be pushed out won by a length and a quarter from the Mike De Kock trained newcomer (6/1 into 4/1) BIBLICAL SUSAN. The runner up had raced in the backend of midfield and finished particularly well.
Three of the eight races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was MARSHALL THAT when getting off the mark in the boy’s division of the maiden plate. On leaving the stalls it was KINGS ELEVEN who elected to make the running and soon had the field well strung out. Alistair Gordon’s charge raced close up in second though and visibly travelling well it was just a matter of when apprentice Ngwane was going to press the button. He did so approaching the 200m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five.
By far the fastest of the two 1950m races was the maiden plate won by THE ROCK. Backed into favouritism at the track, Weiho Marwing’s charge 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 only got the verdict on the nod over KALI’S KING.
Titbits
The recent maiden winner DRESS FOR SUCCESS ran on well from the back, and despite her apprentice rider dropping the whip 140m from home, she won in good style going away.
ROY’S AIR FORCE had to switch out for a run en-route from the rear when only beaten a neck in the MR80 Handicap over 1200m.
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Monkey See Monkey Do
Vaal 8th September: First up on the new classic track on Thursday was a maiden plate for the girls over 1450m, and with the first four home all having been drawn on the outside of the track, the jockey’s made a bee line for that side of the course for the remainder of the afternoon. The winner of race one was the second favourite CAPE INFANTA. In the rear when the slowly run race began in earnest, Alec Laird’s charge ran on best of all and in a “classic” finish she got up in the dying strides to deny the 50/1 rank outsider of the nine horse party LIVELY DEBATE.
The MR68 Handicap was the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1000m races and gaining his third career victory here was the Paul Peter trained JUST AFRICA. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the Just As Well gelding was soon at the head of affairs. He led by a length and a quarter for most of the journey and although the supported TIGER’S LEGACY did reduce that to three quarters over the final 200m, he did have that one held at the wire.
The faster of the two 1800m races was the lucky last, a MR 64 Handicap, which was won by the well supported favourite BANKING APRIL. The third winner on the card for the current jockey’s log leader Andrew Fortune, the 4yo daughter of Bankable raced sixth for most of the journey. She was asked to take up the running 200m out and won well by two from the always handy POLAR SECRET (reported lame off fore).
Titbits
Beaten just a length, RACING SOCKS didn’t find the clearest of passages from the back when fourth in the MR72 Handicap over 1800m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (11) Storyfields 21
Race 2: (2) Villanelle 21
Race 3: (3) Nurse Harrriet 13
Race 4: (15) Blue Bay Doll 40
Race 5: (2) Cape Rebel 28
Race 6: (1) La Rebel 43 (NAP**)
Race 7: (4) Fire Horse 72
Race 8: (4) Cuveo 43`
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (5) Bold Coast 23 (NAP*)
Race 2: (2) Nine O Clock News 12
Race 3: (7) In The Cruise 67
Race 4: (9) Fish River Canyon 19
Race 5: (10) Ciao-Ciao 37
Race 6: (5) Spring Dance 41
Race 7: (11) Intergalactic 103
Race 8: (10) Aquabuoy 50
Race 9: (16) Easy Lover 95
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Oli Miranda 14
Race 2: (1) Rodney 70 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Lady Diddeo 16
Race 4: (7) Icon King 22
Race 5: (4) Cock-A-Hoop 20
Race 6: (2) Candaleeyah 44
Race 7: (9) Taffety Tart 89
Race 8: (7) Just Like Magic 62
Race 9: (12) Maximum Flo 43
Race 10: (1) Come On Sonny 6
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Brave Knight 27
Race 2: (10) Onesie 4
Race 3: (1) King Of Scots 8
Race 4: (15) Thaler Point 51
Race 5: (10) Lady Penrhyn 68
Race 6: (10) Humidor 92
Race 7: (1) Serissa 72
Race 8: (1) Kali’s King 31
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Top rated winners last week included
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Roaring Tiger won 16/1
Gold Status won 6/1
Pataudi won 7/2
Banking April won 33/10
Dale House won 33/10
Cape Infanta won 28/10
Holy Joe won 22/10
Mambo won 19/10
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Notebook:-
Biblical Susan (M De Kock, KZN)
Summerlied (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 4th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,22 slow
1200m (4) Roy’s Magic 69,48
1400m (1) Golden Fort 85,24
1600m (4) Roy’s Gold 98,23
1750m (1) Open Heir 109,81
Fairview (poly) 5th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,86 slow
1000m (2) Lady Willow 58,90
1200m (1) Pataudi 70,48
1300m (1) Struben 75,85
1600m (3) On The Side 95,78
1900m (1) Paratus 117,42
Vaal (outside) 6th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,7 slow
1200m (4) Kings Archer 72,00
1400m (2) Irish Pride 83,56
1600m (2) Balalaika 99,88
Scottsville (inside) 7th September
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,27 fast
1000m (2) Midanswer 57,10
1200m (1) Bagger Vance 69,18
1400m (3) Marshall That 85,14
1950m (2) The Rock 120,98
Vaal (classic) 8th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,06 slow
1000m (3) Just Africa 58,02
1200m (1) Shiver ‘n Shake 72,54
1450m (1) Cape Infanta 90,58
1600m (1) Urgent Fury 98,86
1800m (2) Banking April 110,06
