Progressing Nicely
Fairview 8th February: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when BIG RED did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Gavin Smith’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the second favourite SWIFT WONDER by a length.
Another Gavin Smith inmate to win comfortably in the maiden ranks on this card was PARTY ROCKER in the girl’s 1200m event. Soon up handy, Party Rocker was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and won well by two and a half.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by the 3yo AGRA in the conditions plate over 1100m. Allowed to drift right out to 5/2 from 9/10 at the track as the locally trained VIVALDA found good support (4/1 into 22/10 fav), last season’s listed Summer Juvenile Stakes winner was soon positioned up with the speed. She began to assert her authority going though the 400m, and went on to score with some in hand by three and a half.
The non-black type Fairview Mile topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the Arlington 1800m winner PARCEVAL. The small field of six were always closely grouped and in a race where just a length and a quarter separated the first five home, he got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
SOLO FLIGHT ran on well from the rear when getting up very late to win the MR71 Handicap over 2400m.
Runner up BENEDICT ran on from the back end of midfield in the graduation event over 1000m.
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On Her Day
Turffontein 9th February: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the friendless HURRICANE VELVET. Allowed to drift right out to double her opening price of 7/1 at the track, Roy Magner’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m pole and drew clear easily late on to score by three and three quarters.
The easiest victory on the card though was undoubtedly that of KIBRAVE who came home smoking in the maiden 1600m. In the red at 8/10 on the off, the son of Orpen was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running coming off the strip and with plenty in hand he cruised in by seven despite being eased down late.
Another to win with authority on this card was KING’S TEMPTRESS in the Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes. Well supported into 11/2 from 10/1, Kom Naidoo’s charge raced eighth of the ten during the early part of the race. She made her move going through the strip and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1450m events on the card, she won going away by three and a half after striking the front 300m from home.
The Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over the same distance topped the bill and in a time some 0,64 seconds slower than that of King’s Temptress, the easy to back FANTASTIC MR FOX scored an eye catching victory. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Paul Matchett’s charge wasn’t particularly well drawn and as a result raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened well and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to beat ZESTFUL by a neck.
Titbits
GENERAL SHERMAN ran on well from off the pace when getting up late to win the listed Wolf Power Handicap over 1600m.
S’IL VOUS PLAIT was finishing best of all when runner up to Seal in the Pinnacle Stakes over 2200m.
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Quick Double
Greyville 10th February: The best bet on the card for most on Sunday afternoon was INDIRA in the girl’s maiden event over 1000m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Deep in the red at 9/20 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She made her move early in the straight and although ROSIE THE REBEL tried her best to make a race of it over the final 200m she did have that one well held by a length and a quarter at the wire.
The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the 1600m graduation event when EVERLAST registered his second win from just six starts. Always handy, Everlast ran on strongly at the business end of the race and under a well judged ride from Cedric Segeon he got up late to beat the favourite TERRITORIAL WATERS by a half.
There were four 1000m events on the eight race program and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap in which the 6yo LAMORNA landed the spoils. Positioned in midfield as the twelve runners swung for home, Lamorna finished best of all, and won very easily by three and a half after hitting the front 200m out.
Titbits
Making her twenty third appearance in the maiden ranks here, IMALI MANIA ran on well from midfield and won going away after striking the front close home.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (12) Tamarack 19 Race 3: (10) Vestalia 11 Race 4: (12) Western Leader 34 Race 5: (7) Campo De Santana 61 Race 6: (10) Quick Striker 41 Race 7: (4) Great Smokey 80 Race 8: (8) Oh So Var 41 Race 9: (4) Sudden Surprise 38 Race 10: (10) She’s Got Gears 33 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (4) Romeo’s Fan Club 17 Race 2: (1) Cellarmaster 31 (NAP*) Race 3: (2) Posse Posse 14 Race 4: (7) Brave Princess 38 Race 5: (7) Eugenes 65 Race 6: (1) Heavy Metal 82 Race 7: (2) Kleintjie 43 Race 8: (10) Memeza 52 Greyville Race 1: (8) Lindaba 10 Race 2: (2) Lehaaf 42 Race 3: (7) Friend Of Freedom 20 Race 4: (5) Royal Bastide 18 Race 5: (2) Hunting Blues 13 (EW) Race 6: (10) Badi 43 Race 7: (4) Aurum 51 Race 8: (12) Nitro Nori 61 Race 9: (14) Sylvan Vista 47 Kenilworth Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (1) Tempestuous 16 Race 3: (1) Seven Suns 14 Race 4: (10) Casa Bravo 46 Race 5: (9) Dark Journey 87 Race 6: (3) Red Banner 51 (EW) Race 7: (15) Princessjacqueline 49 Race 8: (3) Ambassador Rex 24 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (1) Pierneef 12 (EW) Race 2: (7) Adella 26 Race 3: (7) Jet Rendezvous 10 Race 4: (8) Richard’s Grace 25 Race 5: (12) Night Embers 44 Race 6: (1) Cosmogenic 63 (EW) Race 7: (10) Penny Fare 43 Race 8: (3) National Road 75 Race 9: (7) Vulcan 57 .
Top rated winners last week included
General Sherman won 12/1 Mighty Oak won 10/1 Strongmind won 7/2 Distinguished won 5/2 New Sensation won 22/10 Big Red won 18/10 Without Malice won 15/10 Kibrave won 8/10 .
Notebook:-
Agra (J Snaith, E-Cape) Fantastic Mr Fox (P Matchett, Gauteng) King’s Temptress (K Naidoo, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 8th February Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (2) Blackmalkin 56,53* 1100m (1) Agra 61,21 1200m (1) Party Rocker 70,34 1400m (1) Double Nelson 84,80 1600m (1) Parceval 96,81 1800m (1) Majestic Beauty 113,30 2400m (1) Solo Flight 153,60 .
Turffontein 9th February Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft 1200m (1) Hurricane Velvet 75,61 1450m (3) King’s Temptress 88,13 1600m (3) General Sherman 98,64 2200m (2) Seal 140,87 .
Greyville 10th February Penetrometer 19 – Going Good 1000m (4) Lamorna 58,89 1400m (1) Electricat 86,10 1600m (1) Everlast 97,35 1900m (2) Roman 115,57
