Three For Corne
Fairview 28th March: Three of the nine races at Monday’s poly track meeting were run over 1300m and quickest home amongst these was HARMSTON HERALD in the MR60 Handicap. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, the daughter of Muhtafal raced handy here. She was ridden to lead early in the short home straight and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by seven and a half.
Another to win with lengths to spare on this card was Harmston Herald’s stable companion JUNIPER when getting off the mark in the faster of the two 1000m races, a maiden plate. She too raced close to the pace and won going away by four and a half after striking the front 200m out.
The first of three winners on the card for Corne Spies was REFRAIN in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Rewarded for consistency here, the daughter of Miesque’s Approval was always handy. She took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily late on to score by two and three quarters.
The non-black type East Cape Poly Challenge over 1200m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to GOGETTHESHERIFF. Always one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Jacque Strydom’s charge looked to have too much to do at the top of the straight. He fairly flew over the final 400m though, and got up in the very last stride to deny HAPPY LION (handy-led 200m).
Titbits
The 16/1 shot PRETTY AND POPULAR ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1900m going away by two and a quarter.
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Easy For Fursa
Vaal 29th March: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where the faster of the maiden juvenile plates over 1400m that got proceedings underway was the boy’s affair won by DAWN ASSAULT. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, St John Gray’s charge sat sixth of the eight early on. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest some four lengths adrift, he did well to collar the front running JUST AS FRISKY in the very last stride.
All the rage to win the girl’s division was FURSA. Always in the red in what was a very false paced affair, Mike De Kock’s charge made all. She asserted her authority as they approached the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five.
Another strongly fancied runner to do the business was RAINY DAY BLUES in the bill topping MR86 Handicap over 2000m. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front approaching the 400m pole and after quickly going clear he won with authority from the running on SMART MART.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1000m and quickest against the clock in these was FIDELIO in the MR72 Handicap. Allowed to ease out to 11/1 from 7’s at the track, the son of Argonaut was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and went on to score comfortably from the running on TIGER’S LEGACY by two.
Titbits
Sent off as the rank outsider of the party at 30/1, ROZARIO quickened very nicely late when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1000m.
STREET FLYER ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the MR72 Handicap over 1700m.
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Cutting Edge
Greyville 30th March: Wednesday’s meeting saw action on both surfaces. Two of the four races on the poly track were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR66 Handicap won by ZAGORA. Always in touch with the leaders, the 8/1 shot took up the running early in the straight and with the rest well beaten she got the verdict by a half from the luckless REBEL RAIN. The runner up ran on strongly from a poor draw, and her rider dropped the rein late on.
The only other trip to stage more than one race on the afternoon was 1600m on the turf where the 7yo MARCHANT registered his sixth career victory. Supported into 9/2 from 13/2 to win this MR90 Handicap, Andre Nel’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and won going away by two and three quarters.
A MR96 Handicap over 1600m on the turf topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo CUTTING EDGE. Sent off favourite at 3/1, the son of A P Answer raced fifth of the seven early on. He put his head in front 120m out and won going away from the front running TOP FORM.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 1400m and here the locals were sent home happy when the well-supported favourite REACTIVE (17/10 from 5/2) did the business. He got away well when the gates opened and led throughout. He was always in command and ran out a very easy winner by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Nibbled at into 10/1 from 14’s, ETHYLENE ran on well from the back when third in the MR66 Handicap over 1600m. Ethylene was racing off a mark 18 points below that of her earlier best here.
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Flying Late
Turffontein 31st March: Surprisingly the faster of the two 1200m races at Thursday’s inner track meeting was the opening maiden plate won by MIRACLE BUREAU. Drawn wide, Joey Soma’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the short home straight though he quickened well, and went on to score comfortably by two after striking the front 200m out.
The faster of the two 1450m races was the MR88 Handicap won by the supported CORAL FEVER. Backed into 28/10 from 9/2 at the track, the recently gelded 3yo raced in midfield. He made his move coming off the strip and won well by a length after hitting the front 100m out. Third placed WILL PAYS didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from midfield to fill third position in this race.
Quickest home in the two 2000m maiden plates was DETONATION in the boy’s division. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, the son of Dynasty fairly flew over the final 400m and won going away by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The well-bred 3yo NOTHER RUSSIA recorded her second career victory from just four starts when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1800m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Thunder Punch 12
Race 2: (3) Royal Seduction 4
Race 3: (4) Gallactic Thunder 14
Race 4: (17) Lecture’s Luck 52
Race 5: (6) The Captain’s Cat 47
Race 6: (7) Jay’s Man 74 (EW)
Race 7: (8) Dream Reality 69
Race 8: (5) Paulus 53
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Roy’s Rolls Royce 20
Race 2: (1) Jayrista 7
Race 3: (4) Nightingale 4 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Budapest 92
Race 5: (9) Flying Ice 80
Race 6: (8) Pirogue 41
Race 7: (2) Hatton Garden 11
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (5) Jay River 11
Race 2: (7) Without Permission 75
Race 3: (2) Just As Frisky 1
Race 4: (4) Open Road 8
Race 5: (3) Captain Chips 21
Race 6: (7) Premier Chance 59
Race 7: (9) Post Grad 61
Race 8: (4) Tangerine Lady 45
Race 9: (12) King Gerard 60
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (5) Miranda Frost 29
Race 2: (3) Kwando 19
Race 3: (5) Sun Dynasty 14
Race 4: (4) Star Academy 43
Race 5: (5) Captain’s Dove 50
Race 6: (10) Paladin 63
Race 7: (10) Moonsong Magic 82
Race 8: (6) My Cherry 15
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Blue Castle 5
Race 2: (5) Lil Gambler 3
Race 3: (12) Grand Fantasy 34
Race 4: (2) Humidor 65 (NAP*)
Race 5: (2) Solid Speed 82
Race 6: (4) Let It Rip 63
Race 7: (6) Shine Up 25
Race 8: (12) Nishac 53
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Top rated winners last week included
Youcanrockme won 8/1
Gogetthesheriff won 9/2
Miracle Bureau won 9/2
Reactive won 17/10
Rainy Day Blues won 16/10
Tracy’s Legacy won 17/20
Fursa won 13/20
Trip To Troy won 5/10
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Notebook:-
Harmston Herald (C Spies, E-Cape)
Miracle Bureau (J Soma, Guateng)
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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) 28th March
Going Standard
1000m (2) Juniper 58,62
1200m (1) Gogetthesheriff 69,27
1300m (3) Harmston Herald 75,13
1600m (1) Ochoncar 94,74
1900m (1) Pretty And Popular 118,05
2200m (1) Flaming Ace 134,55
Vaal (inside) 29th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (3) Fidelio 56,89
1200m (1) Tracy’s Legacy 70,37
1400m (2) Dawn Assault 83,23
1700m (1) Street Flyer 102,14
2000m (1) Rainy Day Blues 121,19
Greyville (mixed) 30th March
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1200m (1) Cutting Edge 69,49P
1400m (1) Reactive 85,16T
1600m (2) Zagaro 96,68P
1600m (2) Marchant 96,27T
2000m (1) Strategic’s Pride 121,56P
2000m (1) Bazoon 126,06T
Turffontein (inner) 31st March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (2) Miracle Bureau 71,78
1450m (2) Coral Fever 87,32
1600m (1) Trip To Troy 98,94
1800m (1) Nother Russia 112,12
2000m (2) Detonation 125,95
