Running On Stoutly
Fairview 20th February: Three of the nine races on the poly track on Friday were run over 1300m and the fastest of these was the MR69 Handicap won by FOREST NYMPH. Positioned in midfield turning for home, the daughter of Fort Wood ran on stoutly in the straight and won going away by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1900m events was the MR63 Handicap in which the 6yo SOLEIL ROYAL registered his fourth career victory. Racing for the first time since relocating from Gauteng, the Daylami gelding was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied KING AIR by a length and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by JEFFERSON AIRPLANE when opening her account in the maiden 1900m. Taken straight to the front by Wayne Agrella the 3yo led throughout. She was three lengths clear coming off the bend and extended her advantage by another three quarters on the run to the line.
Titbits
Beaten less than half a length, COCO was flying at the finish when fourth in the conditions plate over 1600m.
STRONG MAN SAM only really got going late when a neck second in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
AGE OF AQUARIUS had to switch out for a run 300m from home when running on from midfield to fill third position in the novice plate over 1300m.
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Roaring Twenties
Greyville 20th February: They also raced on the poly track on Friday evening where the best bet on the card for many QUEEN’S ADVANCE did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1400m. Despite being a little troublesome at the start, the daughter of Right Approach was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on LIQUORICE MOON by a length and three quarters.
Three of the eight races were run over 1900m and fastest against the clock amongst these was HAMELIN BAY when registering his second career victory in the MR70 Apprentice Handicap. Positioned in midfield turning for home, the 4yo ran on strongly under Matthew Thackeray and no doubt aided by some scrummaging 150m from home, he won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR70 Handicap in which we saw another smart performance from the lightly raced 3yo ART DECO. Nicely positioned in fourth as the eleven runners turned for home, Dennis Drier’s charge took up the running early in the straight and cruised clear over the final 350m to score by four and a quarter with plenty in hand.
Titbits
BUFFALO BILL won the MR74 Handicap going away by four and a quarter.
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Power Switch
Turffontein 21st February: Heavily supported to win the maiden plate over 1800m on the inner track on Saturday afternoon was the Geoff Woodruff trained MASTER SWITCH. Backed throughout the morning into 5/10 from 13/10, the 3yo son of Jet Master was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and drew clear in good style from there onwards to score by four. This was the fastest of the three 1800m races.
The faster of the two 1450m events was the graduation plate won by the visiting EXELERO. Allowed to ease considerably at the track out to 4/1 from 22/10, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and easily accounted for the easy to back MR MULLINER by four.
Another to win well on this card was CASHA in the MR85 affair over 1600m. Positioned at the back of what was always a very tightly bunched field turning for home, the Stronghold filly ran on best of all in the straight and won going away by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
DESERT DESTINY ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the girl’s division of the maiden 1800m going away by two and a half.
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Nine From Twenty Seven
Kenilworth 21st February: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Cape Town on Saturday when LA DI VAR did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Soon on the heels of the leaders in third, Yogis Govender’s charge took up the running 400m from home, and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race, won with a ton in hand by three and a quarter.
Not surprisingly the fastest of the three 1400m races was the Gr3 Prix Du Cap in which the top weight HAMMIE’S HOOKER gained her ninth win from 27 starts. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1, Mike Bass’ charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on RED FLAME by a length and a half.
Topping the bill along with the Prix Du Cap, was the Gr3 Chairman’s Cup over 3200m, and in a time ten seconds slower than standard the uneasy favourite COLTRANE landed the spoils. Allowed to ease out to 18/10 from even money at the track as money in the main came for PUTNEY FLYER (4/1 into 22/10), Joey Ramsden’s charge was always handy. He quickened best of all when the race developed into a sprint in the straight and won fair and square by three quarters from GONE BABY GONE.
Titbits
CANYOUCANCAN ran on from the rear when beaten less than a length in the maiden plate over 1400m.
A TIME TO KILL came from the backend of midfield when winning the MR77 Handicap over 1600m going away.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Supreme Leader 26
Race 2: (9) Triple A 8
Race 3: (1) Melody Of Magic 16
Race 4: (1) Idiosyncrasy 10
Race 5: (1) African Gladiator 65
Race 6: (1) All The Bids 58 (NAP**)
Race 7: (2) Tudor Star 42
Race 8: (13) Brother Sublime 42
Race 9: (3) Whats The Turnover 25
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Special Announce 18
Race 2: (2) Portrait 19
Race 3: (1) King And Empire 11
Race 4: (1) Kalanchoe 9 (NAP**)
Race 5: (8) Light The Way 77
Race 6: (12) Sidecar 55
Race 7: (1) Dream Leader 45
Race 8: (7) Kings V 48
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (3) Galaxy King 8
Race 2: (1) Carmina 6
Race 3: (1) Harryhopeithappens 14
Race 4: (5) Quick Step Rosie 16
Race 5: (6) Smiling Mistress 42
Race 6: (7) Happy Lion 49
Race 7: (8) Hopeitsaprize 63
Race 8: (7) Dogmatism 65
Race 9: (3) Dance In The Woods 14
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Fiesta De Espana 18
Race 2: (13) Spring Steel 31
Race 3: (2) Kapitan 62
Race 4: (8) Off The Mark 21 (NAP*)
Race 5: (4) Gambol 52
Race 6: (8) Divano 70
Race 7: (13) Secret Magok 45
Race 8: (13) Go Dutch 54 (EW)
Race 9: (2) Tiger Sight 20
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Top rated winners last week included
Caribbean Day won 12/1
Irish Grace won 7/1
Scrum Half won 11/2
Exelero won 4/1
D’vash won 18/10
Desert Destiny won 14/10
Smart D’argent won 13/10
La Di Var won 13/20
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Notebook:-
Art Deco (D Drier, KZN)
Forest Nymph (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Master Switch (G Woodruff, 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 (poly) 20th February
Going Standard
1000m (1) Interface Ace 57,06
1200m (1) Le Var 69,85
1300m (3) Forest Nymph 75,48
1600m (1) Murmuring Sky 96,15
1900m (2) Soleil Royal 116,03
2200m (1) Evening Rose 137,12
Greyville (poly) 20th February
Going Standard
1000m (1) Scrum Half 58,72
1400m (2) Buffalo Bill 84,13
1600m (2) Art Deco 97,69
1900m (3) Hamelin Bay 116,94
Turffontein (inner) 21st February
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Viking Hero 58,04
1450m (2) Exelero 87,95
1600m (2) Besame Mucho 98,97
1800m (3) Master Switch 112,52
2600m (1) Supertube 167,64
Kenilworth (new) 21st February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) La Di Var 60,74
1200m (1) Gulf Storm 72,35
1400m (3) Hammie’s Hooker 88,82
1600m (2) A Time To Kill 101,33
2000m (1) Counting Angels 126,34
3200m (1) Coltrane 222,94
