Smart hat-trick
Greyville 27th November
They raced on both surfaces on Sunday with the lion’s share of the action taking place on the poly. Three of the seven races on the poly track were staged over 1200m and quickest home amongst these was the ultra-consistent NEWYORKSTATEOFMIND when winning the MR70 Handicap. Sent off a clear favourite at 16/10, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the short home straight though, he quickened best of all and went on to score with authority after striking the front 150m from home.
The remaining four races on the poly track all took place over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was CAPRIVI in the second division of the MR74 Handicap. Positioned in midfield early on, the son of Mogok ran on strongly under the 4kg claimer Denis Schwarz. He struck the front 100m out and won well by a length.
The non-black type KZN 3yo Series 1600m on the turf topped the bill and here victory went to the Sporting Post’s top rated runner in the field MISS MINVER. Sent off a joint second favourite at 4/1, the hat-trick seeking daughter of Dynasty also came from off the pace. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the easy to back ONESIE.
Titbits
Poorly drawn and slow into stride to boot, the heavily supported favourite PURE LOGIC ran on well from the rear when winning the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1900m turf, going away by three.
Giving Direction
Vaal 29th November
Tuesday’s action took place on the inside track where three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m. The fastest of these was the MR71 Handicap won by the easy to back LET’S GO WEST. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner in the race was soon up handy. He was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and went on to score comfortably from the 5/2 favourite YANKEE CAPTAIN (had to switch 300m) by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 2000m races was the MR67 Handicap won by the well supported outsider MALINGA. Eventually sent off at 8/1 after opening up at 16’s, Alec Laird’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from JP v’d Merwe he got up late to deny the regular place getter RACING SOCKS (lame near fore).
The two 1700m races were both maiden plates. The faster of these was the boy’s affair won by MILITARY AWARD. Allowed to ease a little at the track, the Brave Tin Soldier gelding was a little troublesome at the start, but despite that was soon up handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 100m pole and won by three quarters from the running on PILOU.
Titbits
Running on strongly from the rear, GO DIRECT had to switch 200m out when only beaten 1,6 lengths in the MR89 Handicap.
Whisky In The Jar
Kenilworth 30th November
The only distance to stage more than one race in Cape Town on Wednesday was 1400m. The fastest of these four events was the MR96 Handicap won by CATKIN. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Horse Chestnut was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the always handy OVERSHADOW by a neck.
Race 8 on the card was an allowance plate over 1500m and here we saw a very smart performance from WHISKY BARON. Backed into favouritism at the track, Brett Crawford’s charge was soon positioned up with the speed. He quickened nicely at the top of the straight and went on to score with authority by three and three quarters from the deposed favourite IT’S MY TURN (12/10 out to 5/2).
After the scratching of Icon King, GREENFLASHSUNSET looked to be very hard to beat in the maiden plate over 1100m, and he did indeed do the business. Deep in the red at 1/4 on the off, the 3yo Gimmethegreenlight colt raced third early on. He put his head in front early in the straight and with a ton in hand won very easily by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Well supported into 14/10 from 22/10, MOON PRINCESS won the opening maiden plate over 1400m very comfortably by a length and a half.
From Russia With Love
Vaal 1st December
They raced on the outside track on Thursday where victory in the fastest of the four 1600m races, a MR80 Handicap, went to the lightly raced NOTHER RUSSIA. Returning from an eight month layoff here, the daughter of Tiger Ridge raced in the rear early on. The second favourite INANINSTANT got first run and quickly going a couple clear after striking the front 350m out, she looked to have the race in the bag. Completing a hat-trick here though, Mike De Kock’s charge ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and with the rest some four lengths adrift she got up very late.
Three of the remaining six races were maiden plates over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was Nother Russia’s stable companion ALAADEL in the first division for the boys. Having only his second career outing here, the son of Sebring wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield. He quickened well from halfway and won with authority by two and three quarters after taking it up 330m out.
The faster of the two MR68 Handicaps over 1200m was the boy’s affair won by the 3yo THEWAYWEMAKEM. Easy to back at 14/1 on the off, St John Gray’s charge was also a little slow into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a race where less than a length covered the first four home, he got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The 3yo ELECTRIC LADY ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the girl’s division of the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) In Your Face 8
Race 2: (1) Turbo 45
Race 3: (7) Mustang Boy 9
Race 4: (5) Main Exchange 12
Race 5: (6) Master James 62
Race 6: (12) Rush In 49 (EW)
Race 7: (2) Portrait 44 (EW)
Race 8: (3) Sweetchild O Mine 46
Race 9: (13) Apoc 56
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (5) Kutlwanoslove 10
Race 2: (1) Cabinda 36 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Gusheshe 13
Race 4: (6) Gondwana 13
Race 5: (14) Destined For Dawn 51
Race 6: (14) Roy’s Monkey 37
Race 7: (6) Beyond Limits 61
Race 8: (11) Discourse 43
Race 9: (14) Delray Beach 41
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualfiers
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (3) Miss Stake 12
Race 4: (1) La Favourari 62
Race 5: (4) Amazingly 18
Race 6: (6) Party Crasher 50
Race 7: (4) Twinkle Toes 58
Race 8: (1) Carry On Alice 95
Race 9: (10) Rocket Master 50
Race 10: (8) Arabian Dynasty 19
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (4) Princess Aurora 10
Race 2: (1) Captain Marooned 28 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Racethegreenlight 24
Race 4: (1) Air Force Legend 23
Race 5: (5) Star Of Love 42
Race 6: (4) Deputy Jud 81
Race 7: (9) Pyramus 47
Race 8: (5) All Over The World 53
Race 9: (2) Joan Ranger 76
Race 10: (1) Cannes 47
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Selections
Race 2: (5) Scarlet Lady 10
Race 3: (17) Varadiso 12
Race 4: (2) Dundrum16
Race 5: (4) Respect At Bay 53 (NAP*)
Race 6: (5) Royalsecuritypower 76
Race 7: (11) Breakfast Club 74 (EW)
Race 8: (10) Pirogue 74
Race 9: (9) Charisma 36
Top rated winners last week included
Catkin won 6/1
Black Parrot won 11/2
Miss Minver won 4/1
Royal Regatta won 2/1
Expresso Martini won 18/10
Moon Princess won 14/10
Our Destiny won 14/10
Pure Logic won 8/10
Notebook:-
Alaadel (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Nother Russia (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Pure Logic (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (mixed) 27th November
Turf Good/Poly Standard
Course Variant: Turf 2,32s slow/Poly 2,75s slow
1200m (3) Newyorkstateofmind 72,48P
1400m (4) Caprivi 84,78P
1600m (1) Miss Minver 99,47T
1900m (2) Pure Logic 119,96T
Vaal (inside) 29th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,73s fast
1000m (1) The Thinker 56,18
1400m (3) Let’s Go West 81,04
1700m (2) Military Award 103,52
2000m (2) Malinga 122,12
Kenilworth (old) 30th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,08s fast
1000m (1) Soweto Moon 59,60
1100m (1) Greenflashsunset 68,12
1200m (1) Our Destiny 72,47
1400m (4) Catkin 85,62
1500m (1) Whisky Baron 90,95
2000m (1) Desert Wisdom 127,02
Vaal (outside) 1st December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,21s slow
1000m (1) Jameson Girl 57,52
1200m (2) Thewaywemakem 69,85
1400m (3) Alaadel 83,79
1600m (4) Nother Russia 94,62
