The Right Road
Fairview 14th October
They raced on the poly track on Friday where victory in the faster of the two 1200m races, a MR80 Handicap, went to the Tiger Ridge gelding PATAUDI. Soon up handy, Justin Snaith’s charge ran on strongly in the short home straight and got the better of the front running SIMPLY BLACK 50m from home.
Quickest home in the two 1300m events was the grey KISS ME HARDY when winning the pinnacle stakes. Freely available at 13/1 on the off the son of Captain Al was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened well at the top of the straight and in a race where just three quarters of a length separated the first four home, he got up late to deny the more fancied SIR DUKE.
They also ran two races over 1900m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the former Gauteng campaigner ROAD TO INDY in the MR82 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 33/10, Tara Laing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. The favourite SCENT challenged strongly shortly after he took up the running 200m out and with the rest left trailing in their wake he won a protracted battle by a half.
Titbits
Nibbled at into 9/1 from 15’s LUNGING LEOPARD caught the eye running on from midfield in the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m. Sadly for connections though, she broke a bloodvessel and is now suspended for 2 months.
At the head of affairs throughout, SUMMER CRUISE won the conditions plate over 1000m with some in hand.
Poly King Returns
Greyville 14th October
Very unusually they raced over seven different distances on the poly track on Friday evening. Two of the nine were run over 1000m and quickest home in these was HO’OPONOPONO when landing the MR86 Handicap. Easy to back at 7/1 on the off, the lightly weighted son of Horse Chestnut raced in the rear early on. Once in the short home straight though, he ran on best of all and with the rest well beaten he got the better of OUT MY WAY by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m where the quicker of the two was the MR64 affair won by MISS MINVER. The best bet on the card for many, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was a little slow into stride at the off, but despite that was soon in touch with the leaders. She put her head in front going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the easy to back JUST RAP by three quarters.
The stable of Dean Kannemeyer were also on the mark in the last when MR O’NEILL did the business. Positioned in the backend of midfield when the twelve runners came off the bend, the son of Mambo In Seattle ran on best of all in the straight and recorded the biggest winning margin on the night when beating BLACK FOREST by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Ultra-consistent NEWYORKSTATEOFMIND ran on well from midfield when recording his second career victory in the MR70 Apprentice Handicap over 1000m.
The Secret’s Out
Turffontein 15th October
The best bet on the card for most at the inner track on Saturday was BUCKLAND in the progress plate, and the son of Western Winter didn’t let down his supporters. Pitched in against the likes of KANGAROO JACK and TALKTOTHESTARS in recent outings, the best weighted runner in the field went straight to the front. He was two and a half lengths clear going through the 400m and that proved to be only just enough to get the verdict over the low flying SECRET CAPTAIN. Squeezed at the start, Duncan Howells’ charge was 6 lengths behind Buckland 400m out, and only failed to get up by a short head.
The faster of the two 1800m races on the program was the MR82 Handicap won by GIRL ON THE RUN. On leaving the stalls it was BAJAN FANTASY who elected to make the running whilst the Silvano filly raced close up in third. She put her head in front as they approached the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for ANGELIC APPEAL by a length and a quarter.
Stopping the clock in the fastest time over 1600m was CHAMPIONS CUP when gaining a long overdue second career victory in the MR72 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 9/1 from 12’s, Tyrone Zackey’s charge raced sixth for most of the journey. He quickened well coming off the strip and with the remainder comfortably beaten he got up late to deny the front running 50/1 shot AQUABUOY.
Titbits
The 3yo BRITISH ROYALE ran on strongly over the final 200m when completing a hat-trick in the MR98 Handicap. British Royale has now won four of his seven starts.
New York, New York
Durbanville 15th October
The going was good at the country course on Sunday where surprisingly the fastest of the three 1200m races was the maiden plate for the girls. The lightly raced MIDTOWN MANHATTAN was always in the red and she did indeed land the spoils. Nicely positioned in third as the ten runners swung for home, Justin Snaith’s charge took up the running 100m out and won going away from LADY DIDDEO.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the quicker of the two maiden events was the boy’s affair won by OLLIVEVANDER. In the backend of midfield coming off the bend, the 3yo son of Silvano ran on stoutly in the straight and comfortably accounted for the consistent BRAAISTIN by a length and a quarter.
The highest rated runners on the card contested the graduation plate over 1400m and with just four going to post one would have expected a very slow run race. Indeed, there was no real pace at the start, but once they got going they actually produced a very good time. They were all in line 250m out and in what proved to be a real thriller EDICT OF NANTES completed a hat-trick.
Titbits
The 3yo SEATTLE GOLD was always clear when getting off the mark in the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Giveuwings 15
Race 2: (9) Miracle Rising 38
Race 3: (1) L’Attitude 13
Race 4: (7) Cat On A Mat 18
Race 5: (6) Sky Full Of Stars 75
Race 6: (11) Emblem Honour 55
Race 7: (6) Harrison 57
Race 8: (3) Victoria’s Love 39
Race 9: (4) Lena Laptev 23
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (11) Raydaveric 30 (NAP*)
Race 2: (9) Nephrite 76
Race 3: (13) Rouge Allure 12 (nb)
Race 4: (10) Easy Lover 109
Race 5: (3) The Stone Thrower 73
Race 6: (8) Seattle Lady 61
Race 7: (9) Schwanky 40
Race 8: (17) Fieldmarshal Fenix 35
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (4) Katniss 13
Race 2: (3) Whisky Baron 69
Race 3: (7) Silken Summer 14
Race 4: (2) Sandy Bay 17
Race 5: (3) Candaleeyah 52
Race 6: (3) Zinnavar 60
Race 7: (9) Top Of The Rock 46
Race 8: (8) Desert Lark 28
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (4) Biblical Susan 21 (NAP**)
Race 2: (1) Air Force Legend 20
Race 3: (1) Rose Water 14
Race 4: (9) Zelig 54
Race 5: (16) Spectralight 38
Race 6: (8) Kanonkop 64
Race 7: (3) Tiger’s Touch 94
Race 8: (3) Celtic Lady 34
Top rated winners last week included
Kiss Me Hardy won 13/1
Crystal Glamour won 11/2
Roy’s Monkey won 5/1
Vision Of Dahlia won 7/2
Glennie won 22/10
Harry’s Silver won 22/10
Mr O’neill won 16/10
Captain Marmalade won 13/10
Notebook:-
Secret Captain (D Howells, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 14th October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,31s slow
1000m (1) Summer Cruise 56,68
1200m (2) Pataudi 69,42
1300m (2) Kiss Me Hardy 74,91
1900m (2) Road To Indy 113,08
2200m (1) Nima 135,05
Greyville (poly) 14th October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,65s slow
1000m (2) Ho’oponopono 58,78
1200m (1) African Sunbird 69,40
1400m (2) Miss Minver 85,06
1600m (1) Soldier’s Code 97,67
1800m (1) Mr O’neill 112,18
1900m (1) Forever 117,93
2000m (1) Upper Echelon 124,29
Turffontein (inner) 15th October
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,23s slow
1000m (1) British Royale 58,27
1200m (3) Buckland 72,68
1600m (2) Champions Cup 99,28
1800m (2) Girl On The Run 111,61
3000m (1) Vision Of Dahlia 199,71
Durbanville 15th October
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,59s fast
1000m (1) Varsity Cup 59,47
1200m (3) Midtown Manhattan 72,79
1400m (1) Edict Of Nantes 83,75
1600m (2) Ollivander 99,11
1800m (1) Solar Night 111,84
