Star Gazing
Turffontein 26th March: The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates that got proceedings underway on the inner track on Saturday was the first division won by the only filly in the race ELECTRIC LADY. Always top of the boards, the daughter of Bezrin led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 2000m and quickest home amongst these was BANKABLE TEDDY when easily accounting for his eight rivals in the listed Derby Trial. In what in real terms was a MR95 Handicap for 3yo’s, Brian Wiid’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by almost five. Fourth placed EMBLEM KING ran on strongly from the back in this race.
The 3yo fillies contested the listed Oaks Trial (a MR87 Handicap) over the same distance and in time 0,32 seconds slower than that of Bankable Teddy, the favourite INANINSTANT did the business. Always handy, Sean Tarry’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 400m and kept on strongly below the distance to fend off a determined challenge from his stable companion INTERGALACTIC.
The faster of the two graded features over 1160m was the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes in which the Overlord gelding TALKTOTHESTARS gained just reward for some good recent efforts. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, Coenie De Beer’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well from halfway and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the well supported favourite LAZER STAR.
Titbits
The newcomer VISUALITY came from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to win the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile 1000m.
Now a winner of four from nine, TIGER’S TOUCH impressed when winning the Gr3 Sycamore Sprint (effectively a MR103 Handicap) over 1160m going away by 3,4 lengths.
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Three From Three
Kenilworth 26th March: Three of the nine races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1400m and the fastest home in these was CHANUKAH when registering her second career victory in the MR76 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 14’s, Greg Ennion’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the front running COLOUR MAGIC by a length and a quarter.
The stable of Greg Ennion were also on the mark in the maiden plate over 2000m when the well supported favourite JEREMY (22/10 into 11/10) did the business. Content to amble along in the rear during the early part of the race, the 3yo son of Antonius Pius only had to be pushed out after striking the front 300m out and despite racing green won with authority by two and a half. Interestingly, the stable of Greg Ennion won all three of the races that they contested at this meeting.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the bill topping MR86 Handicap won by PSYCHO SYD. Always handy, the top weight put his head in front 400m out and won well by two and a quarter from the 5/2 favourite ORION QUEST.
Quickest home in the two 1600m events was THIS IS SPARTA when gaining his second career victory form just four starts in the MR70 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 9/2, Brett Crawford’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly down the long new course home straight and in a thrilling finish he got up in the dying strides to deny the nibbled at CAPTAIN SPLENDID (led 150m).
Titbits
The 2/1 favourite MEGA SECRET was baulked for a run 380m out when a fast finishing runner up in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Smart Debut
Scottsville 27th March: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a very smart debut performance from the Pathfork colt RED CHESTNUT ROAD. The focus of heavy support during the morning, Robbie Hill’s charge led from pillar to post. He quickly had the field strung out and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race won by 7,75 despite being eased late. This was comfortably the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1200m races.
Another to win with lengths to spare was ROYAL KAITRINA in the MR74 Handicap over the same distance. She too made all and won without any anxious moments by three.
The listed Easter Handicap over 1950m topped the bill and here another front runner SERISSA was on the mark. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 18/10, Sean Tarry’s charge led by a length and a half for virtually every metre of the trip. Both SOLAR STAR and NO WORRIES chased hard at the business end of the race, but neither could make any impression.
Titbits
Racing over a trip thought to be short of his best, the Dynasty gelding IT IS WRITTEN came from the rear when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1400m going away. Interestingly though, he has now won both starts over today’s course and distance.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Perfect Dream 8
Race 2: (11) Swan Dance 17
Race 3: (2) Thiel 8
Race 4: (10) Opah Latino 34
Race 5: (2) Cristal Arrow 33
Race 6: (7) October Eleventh 80
Race 7: (1) Valde Velox 28
Race 8: (5) Here We Are 36
Race 9: (15) Mustang Sonny 40
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (6) Cream Soda Green 11
Race 2: (13) Trip The Willow 8
Race 3: (1) Arctic Blast 23 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Variance 17
Race 5: (2) Shall Be Free 17
Race 6: (7) Irish Dynasty 66
Race 7: (2) Panga Panga 42 (EW)
Race 8: (8) Boomtown Belter 40
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (6) Pool Party 8
Race 2: (2) Double Appeal 24
Race 3: (2) Duzi Moon 18
Race 4: (1) Eternal Fire 15
Race 5: (7) Rebel’s Girl 58
Race 6: (9) Luala 45
Race 7: (10) Lavish Gal 63
Race 8: (14) Super Club 54
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (6) The Boxster 8
Race 2: (9) She Done Good 5
Race 3: (8) Ostentation 42
Race 4: (7) Delicious Damowin 38
Race 5: (7) Baltic Amber 74
Race 6: (5) Gumbi 55
Race 7: (6) Shine Up 25
Race 8: (1) Don’tstoptheparty 1
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (5) Centrefield 10 (EW)
Race 2: (1) Road To Indy 22
Race 3: (4) Matilda’s Daughter 14
Race 4: (5) Leila’s Charger 71
Race 5: (10) Dangerous Diva 45
Race 6: (6) Magic 53
Race 7: (17) Elen Luyddog 43
Race 8: (14) Formal Request 57
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Top rated winners last week included
It Is Written won 28/10
Electric Lady won 2/1
Trip Tease won 2/1
Princess Analia won 19/10
Inaninstant won 17/10
Rainy Day Blues won 16/10
Dancer won 13/10
Zud Wes won 6/10
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Notebook:-
Jeremy (G Ennion, W-Cape)
Red Chestnut Road (R Hill, KZN)
Tiger’s Touch (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
Turffontein (old) 26th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (2) Electric Lady 57,68
1160m (2) Talktothestars 66,31
1400m (2) Shatoosh 83,60
2000m (3) Bankable Teddy 123,71
Kenilworth (new) 26th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (2) Psycho Syd 69,36
1400m (3) Chanukah 86,88
1600m (2) This Is Sparta 101,38
2000m (2) Chrome Blue 127,89
Scottsville (inside) 27th March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
600m (1) Trip Tease 33,72
1200m (4) Red Chestnut Road 68,51
1400m (1) It Is Written 85,10
1600m (1) Captain’s Vista 100,04
1950m (1) Serissa 121,55
