Lonely Winners
Flamingo Park 25th March: A maiden plate over 1200m was first up in the Northern Cape on Monday and here we saw a very easy victory for the Cliffie Miller trained SARACENO. Initially priced up as a joint favourite at 4/1 (eased out to 11/2), the son of The Sheik was taken straight to the front by Francois Herholdt and led throughout. He soon had the field well strung out and won without any anxious moments by three.
There were three 1200m races on the card in total and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap in which TOBE’S LASS registered her fourth career victory. Another to do it all the hard way, Tobe’s Lass held just a slender lead during the first half of the race. Once given rein though she quickened away well and went on to score very easily by four and three quarters.
Another to win very well here was SAKKIE SAKKIE when opening her account in the maiden 1800m. Making her 33rd appearance at a racecourse here, the Tiger Hunt mare was always in touch with the leaders. She made her move coming off the bend and drew clear easily to score by five after striking the front 350m out.
The easiest victory on the card though was undoubtedly that of AFRICAN GLADIATOR in the MR71 Handicap over 1800m. Usually one to make the running, Cliffie Miller’s charge only got into his favourite position 800m out. Once there though he quickly began to assert his authority and with nothing else running on, he cruised in by twelve and a quarter.
Titbits
LACONIC ran on well from the back end of midfield when winning the maiden 1600m.
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Shrewd Choice
Vaal 26th March: They raced on the sand on Tuesday where the easiest victory on the eight race program was recorded by FLAG PARADE in the maiden 1600m. Running on from midfield Geoff Woodruff’s charge took up the running at the top of the straight and drew clear easily over the final 500m to score by seven.
Another to win very easily on this card was REBEL QUEEN when springing a surprise in the non-black type Nkosazana Stakes over 1450m. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead shortly after FORMATION struck the front 400m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to win by five.
Run in a faster time than that of Rebel Queen was the non-black type Riverside Handicap in which the Sean Tarry trained THE MOUSEKETEER registered his first win since landing the prestigious Emerald Cup over this course and distance way back in Sep ’11. Ridden by Fanie Chambers at the request of one of the owners Neil Andrews, The Mouseketeer was always handy. He moved through to take up the running 200m out and won comfortably by a length and a half.
The stable of Sean Tarry were also on the mark in the pinnacle stakes over 1000m when the best weighted runner in the race ACROSS THE ICE landed the spoils. Ridden by national jockey’s log leader Pierre Strydom (the replacement rider), Across The Ice was always positioned close to the speed. He quickened best of all at the business end of the race and won going away after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
PASSION PLEASER came from the rear when winning the maiden 1200m going away.
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Game Double
Kenilworth 27th March: Racing in Cape Town on Wednesday got underway with a maiden juvenile event over 1000m and in a race where only a short head separated the first three home victory here went to the nibbled at newcomer KEEN ON MAGIC. Backed into 11/1 from 20’s, Darryl Hodgson’s charge sat in midfield during the early part of the race. He finished best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides to deny the joint market leaders TOUR DE VAR and TIGER ISLAND.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap over 1400m and here the combination of GAME OVER and apprentice Girish Goomany completed a double. Unlike last time out when making all, Eric Sands’ charge sat fourth here. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on PRESIDENT OF POP by a length and three quarters.
There were three 1400m races in total and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by the improving 3yo ASHTON PARK. On leaving the stalls it was his more fancied stable companion SUPERSONIC SAM who elected to make the running whilst the son of Battersea Park raced in midfield. SOUTH KENSINGTON returning from a 14 month break was the first to make a move and struck the front 250m out. Ashton Park was already on his heels at that stage though and finishing best of all he went on to win fair and square by a length.
There were also three 1200m races on the card and the fastest of these was the MR86 Handicap in which LIFES DESIGN registered her second victory. Another winner for apprentice Goomany, the daughter of Bezrin was soon up with the speed. She began to assert her authority going through the 200m and went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced FAIRYINTHEWOODS ran on very well from the rear when winning the maiden 1200m going away by a length and a quarter.
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Smart Start
Vaal 28th March: Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where we saw a very comfortable victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m for the form horse KINGS ROSE. Allowed to start at 7/2, Tyrone Zackey’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and only having to be ridden with hands and heels she cruised in by three.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the newcomer VERCINGETORIX in the maiden 1400m. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 22/10 (op 13/10 and touched 3/1), Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. The son of Silvano quickened well when given the nod and won with authority after taking up the running 400m out.
A MR89 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved marginally to be the fastest of the three 1700m events on the card victory here went to the 4yo DANCE ALLEY. Having only her second outing following a seven month break, St John Gray’s charge raced third. She ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she got the better of the uneasy favourite MYSTIC TIGRESS by three quarters.
Titbits
BOLD FLASH was finishing best of all when running on from the rear to take second position in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
KINGSTON didn’t find the clearest of passages when flying up late to finish runner up in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (17) Celtic Rose 16 (EW) Race 3: (9) After The Carnival 8 Race 4: (14) Reserved Emblem 69 Race 5: (6) The Ford 54 Race 6: (4) Navistar 32 (NAP*) Race 7: (1) Ottimo 70 (EW) Race 8: (13) Tiger Right 62 Greyville Race 1: (8) Translator 17 Race 2: (1) Angie 15 Race 3: (1) Sebueng 16 (NAP*) Race 4: (5) Stone Reeves 15 Race 5: (8) Special Occasion 50 Race 6: (10) Punk Royale 66 Race 7: (10) Chisler 75 Race 8: (13) Tyler’s Talent 51 Turffontein Race 1: (15) Virgo’s Babe 24 Race 2: (13) Willow Magic 22 (NAP*) Race 3: (1) Dark Ages 29 Race 4: (2) Punta Chica 25 Race 5: (6) Madame Ming 58 (EW) Race 6: (18) Menacing 57 Race 7: (2) Kalaam 74 Race 8: (9) Uncle Tommy 94 Race 9: (2) Shogunner 79 (nb) Race 10: (9) Exceptional Dreams 61 Kenilworth Race 1: (5) Darling Moon 16 Race 2: (6) Tour De Var 24 Race 3: (9) London Theatre 19 Race 4: (9) Misty Day 18 Race 5: (2) Bay Mariner 52 (EW) Race 6: (4) Pounce 50 Race 7: (1) What A Winter 103 (NAP***) Race 8: (10) Cat Dubois 60 Clairwood Race 1: (1) Counting House 29 Race 2: (6) Put The Kettle On 82 Race 3: (1) Golden Slipper 13 Race 4: (9) Turkestan 25 Race 5: (1) Nkandla 12 Race 6: (3) War Path 39 Race 7: (1) Ace Antonius 30 Race 8: (8) Cossack General 68 Race 9: (6) Warwickadale 50 (EW) .
Top rated winners last week included Rebel Queen won 14/1 Mcallistor won 12/1 Tizasmartdollar won 8/1 National Forest won 5/1 Kings Rose won 7/2 Cape Royal won 2/1 Goldridge won 18/10 Cherry On The Top 13/20 .
Notebook:-
Fairyinthewoods (Darryl Hodgson, W-Cape) Kingston (A Laird, Gauteng) Vercingetorix (M De Kock, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFlamingo Park 25th March Going Standard 1000m (1) Wind At Your Back 57,50 1200m (3) Tobe’s Lass 72,40 1400m (1) Jack Dan 85,83 1600m (2) Little Swan 100,77 1800m (2) African Gladiator 112,93 .
Vaal (sand) 26th March Going Standard 1000m (2) Across The Ice 58,90 1200m (1) Passion Pleaser 75,34 1450m (2) The Mouseketeer 88,34 1600m (3) Mcallistor 100,94 .
Kenilworth (new) 27th March Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (1) Keen On Magic 58,55 1200m (3) Lifes Design 71,00 1400m (3) Ashton Park 85,93 1600m (1) Season Pass 100,04 .
Vaal (inside) 28th March Penetrometer 1000m (2) Dazzling Moon 56,99 1200m (3) Gemmayze Street 69,92 1400m (2) Vercingetorix 81,92 1700m (3) Dance Alley 102,86