On The Ball
Hollywoodbets Greyville 20th October: The listed Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m topped the bill on Sunday’s turf card and in what marginally proved to be the fastest of the three events over the distance, BLACKBALL registered his fifth career victory. Freely available at 11/2 on the off, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won well by a length and three quarters, after striking the front 250m from home.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the first division won by the well-supported BROOKLYN. In touch throughout, Garth Puller’s charge was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker, and kept on strongly late to beat the always handy MASTER VISION by a half.
Race six on the card was a MR92 Handicap over 1900m and in a time just 0,33s seconds slower than that of the feature race winner Blackball, STELVIO gained her fourth success. Confidently ridden by Sean Veale, the Pathfork mare sat fourth of the seven early on. She quickened well early in the short home straight and went on to score with authority from the running on ARIZONA SUNSET.
Titbits
Positioned in midfield turning for home, HOROSCOPE HARRY didn’t find the clearest of passages in the straight and also took a bump 200m out. Once seeing daylight though he quickened in good style, and got up late to win going away. Gareth Van Zyl’s charge has now won two from three.
In The Genes
Fairview 21st October: Monday’s action took place on the poly track where by far the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the newcomer VERBARIUM. A full brother to the ultra-consistent Madame Speaker (7 wins & 10 places from 17 starts), this 3yo son of Pathfork made all. He was always in command and only having to be pushed out won with a ton in hand by seven.
Another to win well from the stable of Alan Greeff on this card was RACINE in the novice plate over 1000m. Having her first outing since relocating from the Western Cape, the daughter of Sail From Seattle was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and won going away from the easy to back EXALTATION by two and three quarters.
The two 1300m events were both handicaps and in very marginally the faster of these, the MR70 affair, the favourite BELIEVETHISBEAUTY did the business. Always handy, Yvette Bremner’s charge took up the running 150m out and won going away from READY SET GO.
Titbits
Positioned eighth of the ten turning for home, EPIC STORM ran on strongly over the final 400m when a half-length runner up in the MR87 Handicap over 1900m.
Powerful Frontrunners
Durbanville 22nd October: A half of the races at the country course on Tuesday were run over 1250m and in the fastest of these we saw another smart front running performance from the 4yo Captain Al gelding FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. Soon a length and a half clear, Justin Snaith’s charge kept on strongly all the way to the wire and won without any anxious moments by two.
1400m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in the faster of the two, a maiden plate for 3yo’s, we saw a comfortable victory for the deposed favourite QUINTAY. Allowed to ease out to 2/1 at the track as money came for MATCHLESS CAPTAIN, Adam Marcus’ charge raced fourth of the six for most of the journey. He quickened best of all at the business end of the race and won going away after striking the front 200m from home.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the eight race program was recorded by KATHLEEN when winning the MR74 Handicap over 1400m. Taken straight to the front by Warren Kennedy, the crusade filly led throughout. She was always in command and despite the efforts of the chasing pack, she doubled her length and a half advantage to three over the final 200m. Both trainer and jockey spoke highly of this filly after the race.
Titbits
Continually baulked for a run in the straight, the heavily supported FORTY DAYS only saw daylight late and was flying at the finish, when a half-length runner up to the rank outsider of the seven horse party HORATIUS (30/1) in the MR78 Handicap.
Ode To A Storm
Hollywoodbets Greyville 23rd October: Racing returned to the turf track at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday where the wind, which looked like a breeze at the start of the meeting, suddenly became very strong during the running of race 5 and blew over two sections of the rail.
Three 1200m events got proceedings underway and in the fastest of these, a MR92 Handicap, the 4yo daughter of Crusade LINEAR caused a bit of an upset. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Lizanne Forbes’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite WINTER SUN by a length and three quarters.
There was an even bigger upset in race two when the best bet on the card for most ODE got rolled. Adopting a change of tactics here, the odds on favourite raced up with the speed throughout. The 33/1 shot STORMY MISS (having only her second career outing) raced with her, and after a thrilling tussle over the final 300m, the outsider got the verdict by a neck.
The bill topping MR99 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1400m races and here the small, but very gutsy G G’S DYNASTY registered his fourth win from just eleven starts. Making his first appearance since June here, the son of Dynasty raced seventh of the nine for most of the trip. Once in the short home straight though he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Craig Zackey (his first meeting back from injury) he got up late to win going away.
Titbits
Positioned fifteenth of the sixteen turning for home, KING’S COVE (having his second run after a rest) ran on strongly over the final 450m and was only beaten 2,95 lengths when seventh in the MR68 Handicap over 1900m.
Never In Doubt
Vaal 24th October: The Michael & Adam Azzie trained newcomer KARINO was all the rage to win the opening maiden plate over 1200m at the Vaal’s classic track on Thursday and the daughter of Duke Of Marmalade didn’t let down her supporters. Backed into odds on, Karino broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. She was always travelling well and with a ton in hand drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by eight and a quarter.
Another to win from the front with real authority on this card was SINGFORAFA in the graduation plate over 1000m. Soon two lengths clear in this her first outing of the season, the daughter of Potala Palace was always in command. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout, and despite the efforts of the useful INVIDIA, she more than doubled her advantage over the final 400m.
The MR84 affair was the faster of the two handicaps over 1800m and here JIVE EXPRESS ran out a comfortable winner. Positioned seventh of the ten turning for home, St John Gray’s charge ran on strongly down the long home straight and won going away after striking the front 130m or so from home.
Titbits
Easy to back at 7/1 on the off, FLAMING OPAL cut through the field like a knife when running on from midfield to win the maiden plate for 3yo fillies going away by three.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (6) In The Sky 18
Race 2: (1) Close To My Heart 41 (NAP*)
Race 3: (3) Finley Hill 33
Race 4: (5) Tarzan 33 (EW)
Race 5: (6) Deepston 48
Race 6: (7) Emerito 34
Race 7: (9) Shadow Catcher 37
Race 8: (2) I Love Mambo 32
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Round The Horn 21
Race 2: (1) Just Dixit 15
Race 3: (3) High Green 50
Race 4: (6) Silva Magic 13
Race 5: (12) Janice’s Secret 39
Race 6: (10) Marzipan Path 38
Race 7: (3) Leslies Pathtofame 42
Race 8: (5) Pantsula 46
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Inside Politics 16
Race 2: (7) Alameery 29 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Wild Thoughts 20
Race 4: (6) Tunneloflove 27
Race 5: (1) Cockney Pride 64
Race 6: (7) Spiritofthegrove 55
Race 7: (4) Zouaves 98
Race 8: (3) Putontheredlight 71
Race 9: (3) Roy’s Riviera 82
Race 10: (6) Rivarine 91
Race 11: (8) Rockin Russian 58
Race 12: (1) Dawn Assault 81
Race 13: (6) Targaryen Queen 39
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Linda Loves Lace 11
Race 2: (1) Pinkerton 31 (NAP**)
Race 3: (4) Lit 20
Race 4: (6) Nanna Anna 39
Race 5: (1) Ready To Rumble 47
Race 6: (3) Waiting For Rain 59
Race 7: (4) Ferrari Red 33
Race 8: (2) Pay Pay 25
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Lord Caro 7
Race 2: (1) Auld Reekie 6
Race 3: (7) Exion 21
Race 4: (3) Statute 63
Race 5: (3) Twice Golden 25
Race 6: (8) Merlin From Berlin 40
Race 7: (10) Jack’s Bird 35
Race 8: (9) Trip To Freedom 12
Top rated winners last week included
Kingsmead won 9/1
Juniper Lane won 8/1
Flaming Opal won 7/1
Stelvio won 9/2
Queen Of Pop won 33/10
Snapscan won 26/10
Quintay won 2/1
Duchess Of State won 19/10
Notebook:-
Horoscope Harry (Gareth Van Zyl, KZN)
Karino (M & A Azzie, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Hollywoodbets Greyville (turf) 20th October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,11s slow
1200m (1) Horoscope Harry 70,32
1400m (1) Eternal Words 83,84
1600m (2) Brooklyn 99,12
1900m (3) Blackball 114,69
2000m (1) Clouds Of Witness 122,54
2400m (1) Jer 152,65
Fairview 21st October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,14s slow
1000m (3) Racine 57,79
1200m (1) Verbarium 71,13
1300m (2) Believethisbeauty 76,25
1600m (1) Rocks And Daggers 98,44
1900m (1) Flying Squadron 117,59
Durbanville 22nd October
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,21s slow
1000m (1) Noble Rhythm 58,37
1250m (4) Frank Lloyd Wright 74,21
1400m (2) Quintay 84,59
1600m (1) Duchess Of State 99,91
Hollywoodbets Greyville (turf) 23rd October
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1000m (1) Kingsmead/Coldhardcash 58,52
1200m (3) Linear 70,60
1400m (2) G G’s Dynasty 83,43
1800m (1) Mighty Smart 110,90
1900m (1) Kentucky Spur 117,55
Vaal (classic) 24th October
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,35s slow
1000m (1) Singforafa 56,15
1200m (2) Karino 69,45
1450m (1) Gentleman’s Wager 87,07
1600m (2) Bien Venue 96,95
1800m (2) Jive Express 109,10
