Bumping Good Ones

Cashing In

Kenilworth 31^st July: Racing on the final day of the season took place in Cape Town where victory in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1200m went to the nibbled at outsider GREEN LIGHT (33/1 into 20/1). Having only his second career outing here, the son of Victory Moon was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and cruised clear from there onwards to score by six and a half.

The first of the two winners which secured the jockey’s championship for the third successive year for Anton Marcus came in the second division of the maiden juvenile 1200m where the favourite SCAKY PHANE did the business. Allowed to ease out to 14/10 from 9/10 on course as money came for both HOTTOJETTO (9/2 into 3/1) and GOOI MIELIES (7/1 into 5/1), Dean Kannemeyer’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was always positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the ultra consistent Gooi Mielies by a length and three quarters.

Race five on the card was a MR90 Handicap over 1400m and here a major upset was to be had when the rank outsider of the nine horse party MARTIAL EAGLE (76) registered his sixth career victory. Freely available at 40/1 on the off, the former Natal campaigner Martial Eagle sat towards the rear during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all down the short old course straight and under a well judged ride from Brandon Morganrood, he got up late to deny the much more fancied STUNNING TIGER by a half.

The Gr3 Final Fling Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here the Casey Tibbs filly CASH REGISTER completed a smart hat-trick. Sent off a well supported favourite at 33/10 (0p 4/1), Glen Kotzen’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She made her move coming off the bend and comfortably accounted for the supported MYSTERY DAME (12/1 into 17/2) after striking the front 200m from home.

Titbits

Twice baulked for a run in the straight, the 22/10 favourite GENERAL JUBILATION was finishing best of all when third in the MR77 Handicap over 1400m.

Running on from the backend of midfield, the well supported newcomer GOGOTINE (op 5/1 touched 28/10) did well to get up very late in the maiden event over 1000m.

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Off The Mark In Style

Clairwood 1^st August: The first action of the new season took place at the garden course where followers of the money got off to a good start when the newcomer FESTIVAL OF FIRE (35) did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Heavily supported into 18/10 from 7/1 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She ran on well over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for another newcomer CHERRY TRIPPER, who had gotten first run.

The best bet on the card always looked to be UMBRELLA THORN in the maiden 1450m and the son of Jet Master didn’t let down his supporters. Always deep in the red (sent off 7/20), Charlie Laird’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and led throughout. He was always in command and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels at the business end of the race he easily extended his length and a quarter advantage to six in the closing stages of the race.

Another to win in impressive fashion on this card was ICE MACHINE in the MR93 Handicap over 1600m. Allowed to ease out to 4/1 from 28/10 at the track as money in the main came for TOP MARK (11/2 into 75/20), Garth Puller’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in the rear for most of the journey. This son of Silvano made up the ground quickly once in the long home straight though and after striking the front 200m from home, he easily drew clear.  Now a winner of four from seven, Ice Machine was the second winner on the card for newly licensed trainer Garth Puller.

A MR76 Handicap over 1600m was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the second favourite RADIO WAVES. Drawn wide, Radio Waves also found himself positioned towards the rear early on. He ran on best of all over the final 600m and just as if scripted he got up in the very last stride.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear early on, RUN WEST ran on well in the closing stages when third in the maiden event over 1000m won by Festival Of Fire.

After being a little slow into stride, the newcomer ROYAL ZULU GUARD ran on well in the maiden 1200m and would have been right there had he not been hampered close home.

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Strydom Strikes

Vaal 2^nd August: Thursday’s turf action took place on the inside track where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 2000m went to the heavily supported favourite AL RASHID (35). Backed into 7/10 from 14/10 at the track, Weiho Marwing’s charge broke well when the gates opened and raced prominent throughout. He took up the running shortly after passing halfway and after quickly drawing clear he cruised in by six and three quarters.

Another to win very comfortably after finding plenty of support was VALBERG in the graduation event over 1000m. Priced up at 12/1 prior to his more fancied stable companion being scratched, Valberg was nibbled at throughout the day and was eventually sent off as the favourite at 19/10. A confirmed frontrunner, Valberg went straight to the front and led throughout. He was always clear and although ILMENITE (reported as being lame on the off fore) tried his best to make a race of it, he went on to score by two and three quarters without any anxious moments.

A MR95 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the costly to follow GLORIOUS JET get his head in front. The third of five winners on the card for former champion jockey Pierre Strydom, Glorious Jet raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all when the field began to concertina in the straight and won with a ton in hand after striking the front 130m from home.

The not so lucky last was a maiden event over 2000m and here a major upset was to be had when the friendless STYLE SECRET opened her account. Freely available at 40/1 on the off, Leon Erasmus’ charge was positioned in midfield during the early part of the race. The much more fancied BLACK AND WHITE got first run in the straight and on striking the front 150m from home, she looked to have done everything right. Style Secret finished best of all below the distance though and under a typically determined ride from Sherman Brown, she got up in the very last stride.

Titbits

Newcomer GALLIC BAY ran on strongly from the rear when only beaten a neck in the second division of the maiden 1000m.

Lightly raced VIDEO GAMES wasn’t given the hardest of rides when running on from off the pace to take third position in the first division of the maiden 1000m.

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Peaceful Progress

Clairwood 4^th August: As well as a couple of favourites doing the business at the garden course on Saturday there were a number of upsets and none more so than the victory of the lightly raced STAMPEDE in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Freely available at 50/1 on the off, Stampede raced just three lengths off the pace in fifth for the first half of the race. He ran on well over the final 500m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up close home to beat the strongly fancied second favourite LORD AL by a half.

A maiden event for the girls over 1200m was next up and here we saw a nice performance from the newcomer SUNSHINE ROCK. Easy to back at 18/1 when the gates opened, Sunshine Rock led throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m and in a time which proved to be the fastest of the four 1200m events on the afternoon, she went on to score very cosily by three and three quarters with some in hand.

The best bet on the card for many was SUE FOR PEACE in the graduation event over 1200m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Backed into 9/10 from 18/10 on course, Dennis Drier’s charge raced prominent throughout. She moved through to take up the running as they passed the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the friendless SUBLIME SOUL (12/1 out to 20/1) by a length and a quarter.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR100 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw some good improvement from the Sean Tarry trained NATIONAL ROAD. Allowed to ease out to 15/2 from 5/1 on the boards, National Road, as per usual, was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and although the 11/10 favourite SPORTS COACH ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race, he did have that one held at the wire.

Titbits

SON OF ORIMANDES ran on very well from the back and despite being baulked for a run 400m out, he won the novice 1450m going away.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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