Smooth Taste Of Success
Scottsville 13th September: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the easy to back APOLLO’S GIFT. Freely available at 14/1 on the off (op 8/1), Paul Lafferty’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and won well from the deposed favourite ANTE OMNIA (9/10 out to 33/10) by a length and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the MR89 Handicap won by CLEAR SAILING Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 15/10 the Argonaut mare also raced close to the speed. She took up the running at the 400m and just held on by a neck from the running on favourite MISS VARLICIOUS. Unfortunately for connections Clear Sailing broke a bloodvessel and will now be suspended for 3 months.
The only race over 1200m was a graduation plate over 1200m and here it was nice to see the talented GUINESS return to the winner’s enclosure after an eight month absence from the track. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus the exceptionally well weighted son of Seventh Rock led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.
The faster of the two maiden events for 3yo’s over 1400m was the boy’s affair won by the heavily supported favourite UNBELIEVABLE CHAD. Backed into 13/20 from 11/10 at the track, the son of Toreador was always well positioned to challenge. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titibits
The well-supported 3yo ROYAL KAITRINA (9/2 into 3/1) won the girls’ maiden plate over 1000m going away by two and three quarters.
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Magic Stuff
Vaal 15th September: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where four of the ten races were run over 1400m. The fastest of these was the MR87 Handicap won by LOVE TO SAIL. Positioned seventh of the ten at the halfway stage, the top weight ran on strongly at the business end of the race and under a well-judged ride from Anthony Delpech she got up late to deny the free striding pacemaker FIRST DANCE.
Surprisingly the quickest home over 1000m was LITTLE GENIE when completing a hat-trick in the MR84 Handicap. Run in a time 0,63 seconds faster than that of SPLENDID GARDEN the winner of the MR100 Handicap, the speedy daughter of Judpot made all. She raced two and a half lengths clear for most of the journey and despite the efforts of the chasing pack she extended her advantage to four and a quarter in the latter stages.
The best bet on the card for most was BRAZUCA in the maiden plate over 1200m and although he wasn’t impressive he did nonetheless do the business. Always deep in the red the Gr1 placed son of Teofilo was made to work over the final 400m and only beat the well-supported newcomer SUYOOF by a neck.
Winning in much easier fashion was the heavily supported newcomer NOOR in the maiden plate over 1600m. Backed through all rates into 13/20 favourite from 4/1, Mike De Kock’s charge raced a handy fifth during the early part of the race. She was asked to take up the running at the 400m pole and won going away by three and three quarters.
Titbits
SPLENDID GARDEN and GASOLINE both ran on strongly from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the MR100 Handicap over 1000m.
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Still Going Strong
Greyville 16th September: A maiden plate for 3yo fillies was first up at the poly track on Wednesday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m events victory here went to STRATEGIC MOVE. Allowed to drift all the way out to 16/1 from 7/1, Sean Tarry’s charge was always handy. She ran on stoutly in the straight and got up late to deny the much more fancied EUTHENIA.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1600m maiden races was the girls’ affair in which ALESSIA opened her account. Always top of the boards, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and won cosily by two.
There was also two races run over 1400m and quickest home here was MAX THE MAN in the MR74 Handicap. Another winner for the in-form combination of Brian Wiid and Andrew Fortune, the son of Antonius Pius raced fourth for most of the journey. He quickened well over the final 400m and in a race where just three quarters of length separated the first five home, he got the verdict by a neck.
The remaining race was a MR64 Handicap over 2000m and here we saw a nice performance from the easy to back SWORD STORM. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the recent maiden winner also raced close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on LADY AMI by two and a half.
Titbits
The Count Dubois gelding SEYMOUR only had to be pushed out when winning the boy’s division of the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m by three and three quarters.
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Coming Home Lonely
Vaal 17th September: As is often the case on the Vaal’s sand track there were a number of very easy victories and none more so than that of BRAD’S SURGE in the fastest of the three 1450m races, a MR80 Handicap. Always handy, the well supported son of Surging River struck the front 230m out and bolted clear from there onwards to score by ten and a quarter.
Another to find support before winning by a steeplechase margin on this card was FASHION SECRET when opening her account in the maiden plate over 1600m. Nicely positioned in second early on, George Scott’s charge put her head in front going through the 600m and steadily drew clear to score by nine and three quarters.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the maiden plate in which NOAH FROM GOA made a promising debut. Backed throughout the morning into 7/10 from 5/2, Mike De Kock’s charge also raced close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 400m pole and although the luckless MAGIC gave his all, he went on to win with authority by a length and a half.
Titbits
The 4yo ISOSHA made all and was easing down at the finish when winning the MR80 Handicap over 2000m by six.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Hunting Eagle 14
Race 2: (2) Fontenoy 1
Race 3: (2) Hasty Kitten 3
Race 4: (5) Music App 42
Race 5: (14) Zillid Warrior 34
Race 6: (5) Chili Chocolate 73
Race 7: (18) Moucha Gasolina 45
Race 8: (11) Forlan 40
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Dark Rose 16
Race 2: (11) Y’retheone 23
Race 3: (1) Fire The Rocket 63
Race 4: (12) Gullivers Travel 60
Race 5: (7) Mamasita 77
Race 6: (7) Alzerra 50
Race 7: (6) News Weekly 46
Race 8: (7) Princess Varunya 32 (NAP**)
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Banderos 3
Race 2: (8) Mixed Emotions 16 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Shout 12
Race 4: (9) Count My Luck 53
Race 5: (5) Seize The Throne 78
Race 6: (5) Seven Grand 63
Race 7: (7) Dance In The Woods 37
Race 8: (9) Playboy Buddy 22 (nb)
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (2) Will Pays 54
Race 2: (10) Bah 68
Race 3: (1) Easy Game 52
Race 4: (8) Speedy Gonvarlez 50
Race 5: (4) Just Africa 33
Race 6: (1) Antonia’s Fortress 71
Race 7: (6) Precursor 103
Race 8: (1) Trip Tease 80 (nb)
Race 9: (2) Little Genie 80 (NAP*)
Race 10: (12) Perigrine 87
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Tide Is Turning 25
Race 2: (3) Miss Argentina 62
Race 3: (1) The Deacon 20
Race 4: (10) Joyful Mystery 12
Race 5: (1) Scots Party 24 (nb)
Race 6: (3) De Kock 82 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) Cunning Fox 62
Race 8: (16) Lady Cougar 52
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Top rated winners last week included
Formal Request won 6/1
Guilty As Charged won 6/1
Guiness won 5/2
Max The Man won 22/10
Alessia won 13/10
Little Genie won 9/10
Unbelievable Chad won 13/20
Brazuca won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Guiness (D Drier, KZN)
Little Genie (D Zaki, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 13th September
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (3) Clear Sailing 57,01
1200m (1) Guiness 69,61
1400m (2) Unbelievable Chad 85,81
1600m (2) Hassen’s Bid 97,74
Vaal (outside) 15th September
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) Little Genie 56,29
1200m (3) Kilauea 69,95
1400m (4) Love To Sail 82,74
1600m (1) Noor 96,69
Greyville (poly) 16th September
Going Standard
1200m (3) Strategic Move 70,40
1400m (2) Max The Man 81,99
1600m (2) Alessia 96,19*
2000m (1) Sword Storm 123,49
Vaal (sand) 17th September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Noah From Goa 59,23
1200m (1) Formal Request 73,73
1450m (3) Brad’s Surge 90,55
1600m (1) Fashion Secret 103,77
2000m (1) Isosha 128,70
