Plenty Of Oomph
Fairview 15th April: Four of the races at Friday’s turf meeting were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR63 Handicap won by FLICKER. Positioned in midfield early on the son of Fort Wood made his move at the top of the straight. He struck the front 100m out and comfortably accounted for EVENING STORM by three quarters.
The listed East Cape Nursery topped the bill and in a time 0,46 seconds slower than that of Flicker his stable companion OOMPH kept his unbeaten record in-tact. An easy winner of his only previous racecourse appearance, Alan Greeff’s charge also ran on from midfield. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
Not surprisingly the faster of the two 2000m races was the MR92 Handicap won by the former Cape Town campaigner AREZZO. Sent off a strong favourite at 13/10, Justin Snaith’s charge was always handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 400m marker and just held on by a neck from the running on TRUE MASTER.
Titbits
Racing in open company, the 2yo GRANDISSIMO impressed when running on from the rear to win the maiden plate over 1400m going away.
The 25/1 shot FIRING QUEEN also ran on well from the rear when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1200m going away.
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It Just Keeps Going On
Greyville 15th April: They raced on the poly track on Friday where four of the evening’s seven races were staged over 1600m. The fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by the top weight CAPEL TOP. Sent off second in the betting market at 15/4, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and in a race where just over a length covered the first four home, he got the verdict by three quarters.
A MR88 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here favourite backers were on the mark when CAPTAIN SAM did the business. On leaving the stalls it was REGARDSTOBROADWAY who elected to make the running whilst Vaughan Marshall’s charge (squeezed at the start) raced in the rear. Just three lengths covered all six runners coming off the bend though and under a well-judged ride from Anton Marcus he got up late to beat the front runner by three quarters.
Race five on the card was a MR80 Handicap over 1900m and here we saw a smart performance from THIRTYTWO SQUADRON. Taken straight to the front by Lyle Hewitson, the son of A P Arrow led throughout. He found extra when challenged 300m out and went on to win going away by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo DAENERYS ran on well from midfield when getting off the mark in the slowly run maiden plate over 1600m.
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Taking Advantage
Turffontein 16th April: Saturday’s action took place on the old stand side track where the fastest time amongst the three 1160m races was that recorded by RIGHTFUL KING in the opening Juvenile Plate for colts and geldings. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Sean Tarry’s charge was always doing it easily. He only had to be pushed out at the business end of the race and won going away by five and a half.
Another to win with authority on this card was Rightful King’s stable companion CARRY ON ALICE when registering her seventh career victory from just 21 starts in the pinnacle stakes over 1100m. Thrown in at the weights, the 1/4 favourite was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 400m and with a ton in hand she went on to score by three and a half.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1400m events was the maiden plate in which VICTOR’S CASTLE got off the mark. Making her fourteenth racecourse appearance here, the easy to back daughter of Spanish Harlem raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from Sherman Brown she got up late to deny the marginally more fancied RUSSIAN FRIEND.
Titbits
The newcomer MYFUNNYVALENTINE ran on well from midfield when comfortably accounting for her seven rivals in the fillies’ division of the juvenile plate over 1160m.
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Swooping Late
Kenilworth 16th April: Three of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by THREE BLUE CRANES. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 10’s, the grey daughter of Captain Al was content to amble along in the rear early on. She ran on strongly down the long new course straight and got up late under a well-timed ride from M J Byleveld to beat FAIRY MAKER by a half.
The MR80 Handicap was the faster of the two 1800m races on the card and here we saw a comfortable victory for KILRAIN. On leaving the stalls it was the 16/1 shot ARACHNE who elected to make the running whilst the son of Dynasty sat close up in fifth. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
Race four on the card was a maiden plate over 1000m and here we saw a nice performance from the 2yo STORM CLIPPER. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Shane Humby’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m marker and only having to be pushed out with his jockey looking around, he won quite a bit more easily than the official winning margin of a length and a half would suggest.
Titbits
CAPTAIN GAMBLER was always handy when comfortably accounting for her nine rivals in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (2) Tzitzikama Fire 8
Race 2: (3) Wind Trader 9
Race 3: (6) October Eleventh 48
Race 4: (5) Wave Raider 9
Race 5: (17) Mynameisbond 45
Race 6: (13) Flying Peg 43
Race 7: (3) Lebeoana 35
Race 8: (4) Royal Master 34
Race 9: (5) Jet Swinger 28
Race 10: (9) Noble Virtue 44
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (2) Hever Castle 22
Race 2: (3) Jay River 15
Race 3: (5) Thurst 69
Race 4: (2) Just A Gigolo 15
Race 5: (1) Night On The Hill 11
Race 6: (8) Nkomo 58
Race 7: (11) Main Sunday 44
Race 8: (11) Russian Steward 49
Sottsville (wed)
Race 1: (12) Sail 15
Race 2: (7) St Peter’s Bay 10
Race 3: (4) Speedjet 5
Race 4: (2) Cause Celebre 16
Race 5: (1) Al Ciberano 63
Race 6: (3) Lily Gray 46
Race 7: (10) Hejira 26 (NAP*)
Race 8: (10) Power Horse 16
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) A Greater Power 8
Race 2: (5) Last Chirp 4
Race 3: (1) Vars Pride 17
Race 4: (3) Diamond Conker 16
Race 5: (9) Formal Request 54
Race 6: (14) Super Club 54
Race 7: (8) Salute The Sun 44
Race 8: (9) Aldiara 64
Race 9: (17) Elen Luyddog 43
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Top rated winners last week included
Victor’s Castle won 10/1
Three Blue Cranes won 8/1
Garden Tea Party won 15/2
Grandissimo won 15/2
Rock On won 7/2
Playboy Buddy won 13/10
Inara won 11/10
Oomph won 11/10
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Notebook:-
Grandissimo (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
Oomph (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Rightful King (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 15th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Dame Hamilton 58,25
1200m (4) Flicker 70,03
1400m (2) Rippit Whippet 84,82
2000m (2) Arezzo 122,77
2400m (1) Current Event 151,21
Greyville (poly) 15th April
Going Standard
1000m (1) Captain Sam 58,23
1200m (1) Albert 70,75
1600m (4) Capel Top 96,09
1900m (1) Thirtytwo Squadron 116,12
Turffontein (old) 16th April
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Vincente 56,60
1100m (1) Carry On Alice 62,75
1160m (3) Rightful King 67,15
1400m (2) Victor’s Castle 87,62
1600m (1) Inara 100,32
2000m (1) Master Switch 122,26
2450m (1) The Centenary 159,49
Kenilworth (new) 16th April
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Storm Clipper 59,85
1200m (1) Garden Tea Party 73,83
1400m (3) Three Blue Cranes 86,08
1800m (2) Kilrain 112,19
2500m (1) Playboy Buddy 161,11
