Famous Footsteps
Turffontein 26th May: Two MR84 Handicaps over 1400m topped the bill on the old stand side track on Sunday and in the faster of these the up and coming AL MUTAWAKEL kept his unbeaten record in-tact. A full brother to the Gr1 SA Derby winner (and July runner up) Al Sahem, Sean Tarry’s charge raced a six lengths fifth for most of the journey. He quickened best of all when asked for his effort and won going away after striking the front 100m from home.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the MR66 Handicap won by the 3yo EVENING BELL was the quicker. The field soon became strung out and racing tenth the daughter of Horse Chestnut had a number of lengths to find turning for home. Once in the long home straight though she ran on well, and in what proved to be a real thriller she got the better of a three way finish.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by HUMOUR ME when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 2000m. In touch with the leaders throughout, Geoff Woodruff’s charge put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and won going away by two and a quarter.
Titbits
A winner of three from ten going into the race, the Ashley Fortune trained HORACE showed further improvement when completing a hat-trick in the MR72 Handicap over 2400m.
Franking The Form
Vaal 27th May: All eight races at the Vaal on Monday were run down the straight. Five of these took place over 1200m, the fastest being the assessment plate in which the well-supported CROWN GUARDIAN did the business. Having his first outing here since relocating from the Western Cape, the Gimmethegreenlight gelding was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and drew clear easily below the distance to score by three and a quarter. Interestingly, the runner up ORAVAR came out and won well at the Vaal Classic track 3 days later.
The MR64 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1600m races and here victory went to the 3yo THE SASH. Easy to back at 7/1 on the off this lightly weighted daughter of Brave Tin Soldier raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Despite hanging badly in parts, she ran on strongly at the business end of the race and after striking the front 300m out, won going away by two and a half.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1400m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced YOUR PACE OR MINE. Having only his second career outing here, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. He quickened well from halfway and won going away from the odds on favourite ON MY MIND.
Titbits
Now a winner of three from twelve, BOCKSCAR had the rest comfortably beaten when very narrowly getting the better of a thrilling tussle with SILVER MASTER in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
It Was What It Was
Durbanville 28th May: They raced at the country course on Tuesday where 4 of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1000m. The MR77 Handicap was marginally the fastest of these and here the 4yo IT IS WHAT IT IS registered her third career victory. Allowed to ease in the betting market out to 11/2, the daughter of Count Dubois led throughout. She kept on strongly in the 600m straight and won comfortably from the always handy VELVET DAWN by a length and three quarters.
A MR80 Handicap topped the bill and in a time just 4/100th of a second slower than that of It Is What It Is, The 3yo GIMMETHERAIN landed the spoils. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 16/10 Justin Snaith’s charge raced third in what was always a very tightly bunched field of six. Indeed, just a length and a half covered all 250m out. Gimmetherain found an extra gear at that point though, and won going away by two.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1250m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by KINGSMAN. Another to race up with the speed, Paddy Kruyer’s charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest some three lengths adrift, he got the better of the well-tried favourite WADI RUM by three quarters.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, MON CHERIE drew clear easily over the final 400m when opening her account in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m by four and a quarter
Parading With Style
Greyville 29th May: Wednesday’s action took place on the poly track where we saw an eye catching performance in the graduation plate over 1400m from MASTERGAMBIT. Hampered going through the 1200m, Dennis Drier’s charge sat sixth coming off the bend and had a number lengths to find. Once in the straight though he finished best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he did well to get up in the very last stride.
The MR80 Handicap was marginally the quicker of the two 1200m events and here we saw a comfortable victory for the 5yo WAYWOOD. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, Shane Humby’s charge struck the front 70m out and won going away by a length.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of FOOLS GOLD in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m. Taken straight to the front by Gareth Wright, this lightly raced son of Pathfork held a healthy lead throughout. He was three lengths clear coming off the bend and cruised clear in the straight to score by almost seven.
Titbits
Soon up handy the poorly drawn newcomer GABOR couldn’t have been more impressive when winning the maiden plate for the girls over 1000m easing down by four and a half.
Plenty Of Promise
Vaal 30th May: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m opened up proceedings at the Vaal’s classic track on Thursday and here we saw a smart performance from PROMISEOFAMASTER. Backed into favouritism during the morning, Candice Dawson’s charge was content to sit eighth of the ten early on. He quickened well from halfway and won well by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m out. Back in third was the Sean Tarry trained newcomer SHANGO, and interestingly, this one was finishing just as well as the winner.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1450m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was the Mike De Kock trained STOCKBRIDGE. Sent off an uneasy favourite to open his account (evens out to 18/10), the son of Var was always handy. He put his head in front 150m out and kept on strongly late to beat the supported outsider OH YEAH (22/1 into 15/1) by a half.
A MR95 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here the 4yo ORAVAR registered his third career victory. A runner up to the well-supported CROWN GUARDIAN just three days earlier, the Oratorio gelding was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front 400m from home and won comfortably from the always held TALKTOTHESTARS by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The Mike De Kock trained newcomer LADY DEFIANCE came from the back when winning the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1450m going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Big Bay 13
Race 2: (11) Speechmaker 2
Race 3: (4) Desert Wanderer 13
Race 4: (2) Cradleofgratitude 17
Race 5: (7) Coyote Creek 46
Race 6: (10) Salubrious 44
Race 7: (15) Cruise Cruz 34
Race 8: (2) Oklahoma Sky 41
Race 9: (14) Elusive Diva 37
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (1) More Than A Dime8
Race 2: (3) What You Are 26 (NAP**)
Race 3: (4) Desolate Road 81
Race 4: (5) Enjoy The View 42
Race 5: (10) Silver God 92
Race 6: (4) Al Danza 83
Race 7: (4) Matador Man96
Race 8: (4) Red Shift 62
Race 9: (13) Walterthepenniless 69
Race 10: (16) Buffalo Soldier 75
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (4) Grey Ferrari 2
Race 2: (4) Silver Dazzle 18
Race 3: (14) Meliora 43
Race 4: (8) Nasty Harry 70
Race 5: (11) Cyber Law 60
Race 6: (1) Amy Johnson 31 (NAP*)
Race 7: (1) Armando 46
Race 8: (9) Nanna Anna 36
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (8) Battleoftrafalgar 54
Race 2: (5) Royal Lily 26
Race 3: (12) Therecanbeonlyone 18
Race 4: (11) Immeasurable 24
Race 5: (9) Norland 66
Race 6: (5) Captain And Master 99
Race 7: (14) Sunshine Silk 98
Race 8: (7) Ensemble 32
Top rated winners last week included
Bockscar won 41/10
Fools Gold won 7/2
Suzi Woo won 33/10
Stockbridge won 18/10
Crown Guardian won 17/10
Solemn Promise won 15/10
Constable won 19/20
Hawwaam won 7/20
Notebook:-
Al Mutawakel (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Gabor (G Van Zyl, KZN)
Lady Defiance (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Mastergambit (D Drier, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (old) 26th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,84s fast
1160m (1) Dive Captain 66.99
1400m (3) Al Mutawakel 83,95
1600m (1) Skiminac 99,20
2000m (2) Evening Bell 125,57
2400m (1) Horace 152,13
Vaal 27th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,16s slow
1200m (5) Crown Guardian 68,75*
1400m (1) Your Pace Or Mine 83,66*
1600m (2) The Sash 94,78*
Durbanville 28th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,04s fast
1000m (4) It Is What It Is 57,32
1250m (2) Kingsman 74,41
1600m (1) Gimme Peace 97,64
1800m (1) Lucky Dancer 109,15
2000m (1) Seventy Eight 121,66
Greyville (poly) 29th May
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,44s slow
1000m (1) Gabor 57,66
1200m (2) Waywood 68,73
1400m (4) Mastagambit 81,01
1600m (1) Waiting For Change 94,92
2000m (1) Roy’s Physco 122,10
Vaal (classic) 30th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,15s slow
1000m (1) Oravar 56,04*
1200m (1) Promiseofamaster 69,84
1450m (4) Stockbridge 86,54*
1600m (1) Flash Burn 96,21
1800m (1) Ideal Cut 110,72
