Three From Four
Greyville 18th March: Four of the eight races on Sunday’s turf card were run over 1400m, and very marginally the quickest home in these was SIR BERNADINI in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR84 Handicap. Now a winner of three of his four career starts to date, Dennis Bosch’s charge raced sixth of the nine for most of the journey. He quickened well when the runaway leader MBALI started to come back to the field, and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict by a short head over AMAZON KING.
Two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m got proceedings underway and in a time 1,01 seconds faster than the boys, the Oratorio filly Petra got off the mark. Narrowly first past the post in a barrier trial, in her only previous racecourse appearance, Petra was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the short home straight, and won going away by three and three quarters.
They also ran two barrier trials over 1000m, but these took place on the poly track. The second of these was by far the quicker, but even this event was devoid of real pace. The first two home were never really asked to race, and with a whisker separating them (HECTOR HEATHCOTE and SHE’S A DREAM) at the wire, they finished well clear of the remainder.
Titbits
Positioned thirteenth of the fourteen early on, poorly drawn SCRIPTWRITER ran on well over the final 400m when getting up late to win the MR64 Handicap over 1400m.
The Indigo Magic filly PALMIETO came from the back when getting up in the dying strides to win the maiden plate over 1600m.
Five From Ten
Vaal 20th March: They raced on the new classic track on Tuesday where four of the first five races were staged over 1000m. The bill topping MR96 Handicap was by far the fastest of these and here we saw another smart performance from the progressive CATHEDRAL COUNTY. Now a winner of five of his ten career outings, the 4yo son of Trippi was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front approaching the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Despite there being no real pace early on, the MR72 Handicap was the faster of the two 2000m events and here the lightly raced OUR SHINING STAR registered her second career victory. Content to race second last during the early part of the event, this 3yo daughter of Silvano ran on best of all when the race began in earnest, and won well after striking the front 150m out.
Two 1500m handicaps rounded off proceedings and stopping the clock in marginally the faster of these was POST GRAD in the MR84 affair. Easy to back at 147/20 on the off, the 6yo raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well from halfway and under a well-judged ride from Gunter Wrogemann, he got up late to deny the always handy (led 200m) JACKMAN.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, THAT’S LIFE cruised clear over the final 400m to score by seven and a half when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1000m.
On The Right Path
Greyville 21st March: Wednesday’s action took place on the poly track where taking into account the two barrier trials, the fastest of the four 1000m events was the MR66 Handicap won by PATHWAY TO GLORY. Always handy, the 2/1 favourite ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and got the verdict by three quarters over the veteran EDDIE SWEAT.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on the card was 1200m where the faster of the two was the MR72 Handicap won by ROYAL RUSTLER. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (13/1 out to 28/1), the recent maiden winner was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and won comfortably by two from the staying on pacemaker LONDON KNIGHT.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SEATTLE SILVA when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1200m. Confidently ridden by Anton Marcus, the 4yo filly was always poised to strike. She did so 300m out and went on to score with authority by two and three quarters.
Titbits
LORD OF GLENCOE was first past the post in the maiden plate over 1800m, but having been deemed to have gained an advantage through his gate opening early, he was disqualified.
Travelling Star
Vaal 24th March: Racing returned to the classic track on Saturday where following 106mm of rain in the previous seven days the going was posted as good to soft. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1450m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these, a pinnacle stakes, was the visiting SILVAN STAR. Sent off third in the betting market at 71/20, Glen Kotzen’s charge was content to amble along at the back early on. Just six went to post though, and when the race began in earnest she was only six lengths off them. She was ridden to lead approaching the 200m pole and although another Western Cape visitor in GIMME SIX tried her best to make a race of it, she won well by a length.
The two 1600m races were both handicaps and marginally the faster of these was the MR70 affair won by QUEBEC QUEEN. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Paul Peter’s charge ran on well from midfield and just as she did in her last outing she got the better of the always handy FLOWING GOWN.
Two 2000m handicaps rounded off the day’s fare and in the faster of these the veteran of some 62 races GENTLEMAN ONLY registered his fifth career victory. Ridden by the visiting Western Cape jockey Richard Fourie, the 5yo Miesque’s Approval gelding as per usual, came from off them. He ran on best of all at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with the 3yo MAMBO SYMPHONY late on, he got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The 4yo Rebel King gelding SHORTSTOP completed a hat-trick when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1200m going away.
Everything In Order
Greyville 25th March: The Gr3 Kings Cup topped the bill on Sunday’s turf card and in what proved to be by far the fastest of the three 1600m races, SOCIAL ORDER registered his third career victory. On leaving the stalls it was the four-timer seeking REDEEMER who elected to make the running whilst Sean Tarry’s charge raced in touch in fifth. He was asked to take up the running going through the 300m, and just had enough in hand to hold off the very steadily gaining PLATINUM PRINCE. by a neck.
Following the two early barrier trials, a maiden juvenile plate was first up and here we saw a smart performance from the Dennis Drier trained GOLIATH HERON. Backed into second favourite at the track, the son of Master Of My Fate was a little slow into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four.
The stable of Dennis Drier was also on the mark in the MR76 Handicap over 1600m when the recent maiden winner BREAKING BARRIERS completed a quick double. Taken straight to the front by Sean Veale the daughter of Judpot made all. She fought on doggedly when challenged strongly over the final 300m and just held on from the very steadily gaining JUST MY STYLE by a neck.
Titbits
A little slow into stride, HEART OF A LEGEND caught the eye running on strongly from midfield when a one length runner up in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (9) Seattle Lily 15
Race 2: (5) Searching 48
Race 3: (1) Peg Of Zeus 12
Race 4: (16) Chestnut Wild 43
Race 5: (16) Corker 47
Race 6: (8) Queen Forever 63
Race 7: (1) Brutal Force 81
Race 8: (6) Scandola 80
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (8) Play Another Tune 14
Race 2: (4) Go Thuli Go 6
Race 3: (5) Q Behind Me 10
Race 4: (1) Lucara 19
Race 5: (8) Honest Prince 38
Race 6: (2) La Ferrari 56
Race 7: (6) Good To Give 56
Race 8: (7) Sweet Shayna 10
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (10) Running Brave 3
Race 2: (4) Cyber Special 4
Race 3: (3) Ensemble 21
Race 4: (7) Pilou 75
Race 5: (13) Pretty Ballerina 53
Race 6: (8) Soldier On 63
Race 7: (3) French Navy 88
Race 8: (5) Talktothestars 99
Race 9: (12) Mrs O 78
Race 10: (2) Twice The Man 21
Race 11: No Selection
Race 12: (2) Til Dawn 12
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Fabian 6
Race 2: (2) Cradleofgratitude 17
Race 3: (5) Frozen Tune 8
Race 4: (1) Streetfighting Man 15
Race 5: (5) Rings And Things 66
Race 6: (6) Glennie 34
Race 7: (1) Viking Voyage 50
Sunday (sun)
Race 1: (11) Palace Rose 8
Race 2: (5) Flying George 6
Race 3: (5) Premier Dance 75 (NAP*)
Race 4: (15) Time Travel 44
Race 5: (6) Onesie 58
Race 6: (3) Van Halen 28
Race 7: (2) Jo’s Bond 77
Race 8: (15) The Poet 52
Top rated winners last week included
Quebec Queen won 8/1
Social Order won 9/2
Sherman won 26/10
Let’s Twist won 17/10
Rose Hill won 17/10
Seattle Silva won 14/10
Sand Path won 13/10
Miss Smarty Pants won 6/10
Notebook:-
Goliath Heron (D Drier, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 18th March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,51s slow
1000m (2) Petra 60,76
1000m (2) Hector Heathcote 60,59P
1400m (4) Sir Bernadini 87,00
1600m (1) Palmieto 101,01
1900m (1) Roman Courtesan 120,86
Vaal (classic) 20th March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,90s slow
1000m (4) That’s Life 57,46
1500m (2) Post Grad 89,28
2000m (2) Our Shining Star 123,59
Greyville (poly) 21st March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,37s fast
1000m (4) Pathway To Glory 57,30
1200m (2) Royal Rustler 68,40
1400m (1) Tuscan 81,95
1600m (1) Sitia 96,21
1800m (1) Sherman 109,57
1900m (1) Pure Logic 117,06
Vaal (classic) 24th March
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,87s slow
1000m (1) Amajory 58,88
1200m (1) Shortstop 70,61
1450m (3) Silvan Star 88,26
1600m (2) Quebec Queen 98,87
2000m (2) Gentleman Only 124,87
Greyville (turf) 25th March
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,06s slow
1000m (2) Sovereign Master 60,50P
1200m (1) Goliath Heron 72,71
1600m (3) Social Order 96,51
1900m (1) Rio De La Plata 117,99
2200m (1) Glitterrock 142,00
2400m (1) Hit And Run 156,33
