Supreme Leader
Clairwood 11th August: The fastest of the three 1200m events run at the garden course on Sunday was the novice plate in which the 3yo CAPTAIN ON THE RUN kept his unbeaten record in tact. A fluent winner when making all in his only previous start, the son of Captain Al again led from pillar to post. The small field of six were always very closely grouped thoughout and in what proved to be a real thriller it was only by the narrowest of margins that he got the better of SKITT SKIZZLE (racing for the first time in almost a year).
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1800m and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by SUPREME LORD. Sent off second favourite at 3/1, Garth Puller’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in the rear early on. Once in the long home straight though he quickened well and under a well judged ride from Athandiwi Mgudlwa he got up late to beat WINTER MISCHIEF by three quarters.
Albeit just two lengths, the biggest winning margin on the card was recorded by SERISSA when landing the afternoon’s feature event, a MR96 Handicap over 1800m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead early in the long home straight and kept on strongly over the final 500m to beat the improving CANDY MOON.
Titbits
The newcomer BEZANOVA won the first division of the maiden plate over 1200m with authority going away.
After losing two lengths at the start, the newcomer HELDERBERG BLUE ran on well from midfield and gaining at the finish was only beaten a length and a quarter in the second division of the maiden 1200m.
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Smart Treble
Flamingo Park 12th August: They raced in the Northern Cape on Monday where the faster of the two 1200m events (the bill topping MR78 Handicap) was won by the 18/10 favourite BREAKSPEAR. An easy winner in handicap company at this circuit last time out, Vernon Rugg’s charge made all. He was always in command and again won easily.
Another inmate of the Rugg stable to win well was SIR NEWTON in the MR72 affair over 1600m. As per usual positioned towards the rear early on, the 5yo son of Newton ran on best of all and comfortably accounted for his more fancied stable companion SILLY MID-ON by two and a half.
The stable of Vernon Rugg were again on the mark in the last, a MR66 Handicap over 1400m when BOOGY BOY registered his fourth career victory. The son of Silvano got away well when the gates opened and raced up with the pace throughout. He quickened nicely going through the 200m and although MILKWOOD MANOR finished well from off the pace, he won comfortably by three quarters.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear after being slow into stride, MEMGHAR ran on best of all in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m and won going away by a length and a half.
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Solid As A Rock
Vaal 13th August: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where we saw a very comfortable victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1200m for well supported second favourite STRONG BLAZE. On leaving the stalls it was ROYAL STOCK who elected to make the running whilst Chris Erasmus’ charge raced close up in fifth. He moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR90 Handicap in which ADAMS ROCK won with authority. Sent off a strong favourite at 16/10, the son of Fastnet Rock sat second for most of the journey. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m pole and with some in hand he cruised clear to win by four.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of MOUNT HILLABY in winning the MR72 Handicap over 1400m. Sent off a rather uneasy second favourite at 5/2, Dominic Zaki’s charge also raced handy. He quickened well at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he got up late to beat the free striding pacemaker ECHOHAWK by a length.
Titbits
NOBLE WIND showed good improvement when running on from midfield to finish third in the maiden 1700m.
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Three To Follow
Scottsville 13th August: There were some smart performances in Pietermaritzburg on Monday and none more so than that of DOLOMITI in the novice 1400m. In the rear after being slow into stride, Sean Tarry’s charge was easily seven lengths off the pace as they came off the bend. Once into gear though, she quickened in good style and won going away by a length and three quarters.
It was a similar story with the Paul Lafferty trained GOLDIE COAST in the opening maiden event over 1200m. She lost two lengths at the start and also came from the rear. She cut through the field like a knife over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for EUTHALIA going away.
The stable of Paul Lafferty were also on the mark when GARIBONDY did the business in the lucky last, a MR76 Handicap over 1000m. Always handy in what was a very tightly bunched field for most of the journey, the daughter of Var showed a nice turn of foot late and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
BELT UP (reported lame on the off hind) and IT WASN’T ME both ran on well from off the pace when 2nd & 3rd respectively in the maiden 1600m.
Shouldering no less than 63,5kg the topweight STOLEN DESTINY won the MR78 Handicap with some in hand.
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Money Talks
Vaal 14th August: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where all the rage in the girl’s 1600m maiden event was ROYAL TASKA. Backed all the way in to 7/10 from 5/2, Kom Naidoo’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 500m and after seeing off her only serious rival in the betting market THE LIGHT HOUSE, she comfortably accounted for the running on NOBLE WIND by a length and a quarter. Just as she did on turf here on Tuesday, Noble Wind finished well.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR80 Handicap won by STAVINSKY. Racing much closer to the pace than where he is usually found on turf, Leon Erasmus’ charge was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened well over the final 300m and under a typically determined ride from Sherman Brown he got up late to beat HANG FIRE by a length and a quarter.
The Barend Botes trained LORD HAWKE was the focus of a major gamble when winning his penultimate start at this circuit and he again found plenty of support when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1600m here. Backed into 9/2 from 9/1 despite being drawn widest of the fourteen, Lord Hawke broke well and skilfully guided by Robbie Fradd was soon at the head of affairs. He was two lengths clear going through the 400m and despite the efforts of the chasing KING’S JOY he extended his advantage to three and a quarter before the wire.
Titbits
BEAUTIFUL DAWN ran on strongly from the rear when second in the MR64 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (9) Briar King 20 Race 2: (1) M’lords Throat 67 (NAP*) Race 3: (13) Ebro 65 (EW) Race 4: (1) Archerfield 20 Race 5: (8) Crystal Glitter 41 Race 6: (11) Riveret 65 Race 7: (6) Ecole Militaire 71 Race 8: (14) Tibisi 52 Race 9: (7) Waging War 52 Turffontein Race 1: (3) Miesque’s Manor 17 Race 2: (2) Maeve 21 Race 3: (9) Rodeo Sioux 52 Race 4: (6) Die Kat 19 Race 5: (10) River Card 38 Race 6: (6) No Prisoners 70 Race 7: (3) Knock And Announce 41 Race 8: (7) Moggytwoshoes 54 Race 9: (10) Chestnut Charger 41 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Tiger Master 8 Race 2: (1) Marimba Magic 23 Race 3: (1) I’m A Rockstar 21 Race 4: (14) I’m Yours 20 Race 5: (2) Dark Wind 48 Race 6: (4) Putney Flyer 79 Race 7: (1) Gallus 41 (EW) Race 8: (12) First Favour 56 Race 9: (12) Dust In The Wind 13 Clairwood Race 1: (6) Flamenco Fusion 17 Race 2: (13) Surefire 27 Race 3: (1) Golden Matador 28 Race 4: (1) Nisa’s Love 12 Race 5: (1) Skitt Skizzle 55 Race 6: (2) Tullynally 34 Race 7: (1) Jackodore 80 Race 8: (7) Sheikina 64 Race 9: (2) Run Softly 29
Top rated winners last week included
Extroadinaire won 14/1 Jolie Femme won 7/2 Mount Hillaby won 5/2 Kailani won 18/10 Garibondy won 15/10 Star Point 19/20 Tempered Steel 8/10 Royal Taska won 7/10 .
Notebook:-
Dolomiti (S Tarry, KZN) Garibondy (P Lafferty, KZN) Goldie Coast (P Lafferty, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherClairwood 11th August Penetrometer 23 – Going G/Soft 1200m (3) Captain On The Run 68 82 1450m (1) German Lady 87,79 1600m (1) Chipnputt 96,04 1800m (4) Supreme Lord 109,11 .
Flamingo Park 12th August Going Standard 1000m (1) Memghar 58,68 1200m (2) Breakspear 73,40 1400m (2) Boogy Boy 88,01 1600m (2) Kahal’s Secret 101,62 1800m (2) Dolomite 115,01 .
Vaal (inside) 13th August Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1200m (1) Strong Blaze 71,57 1400m (3) Adams Rock 83,01 1700m (2) Kailani 104,72 2000m (2) Eastern Cobbler 123,92 .
Scottsville (new) 14th August Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Garibondy 57,71 1200m (2) Goldie Coast 69,98 1400m (2) Dolomiti 85,37 1600m (2) Supercede 98,92 2400m (1) Terracotta Soldier 155,20 .
Vaal (sand) 15th August Going Standard 1000m (3) Extroadinaire 59,79 1200m (1) Stavinsky 73,13 1450m (2) Pigeon Power 92,77 1600m (2) Lord Hawke 103,04
