Luck In Running
Scottville 29th December: Four of the nine races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by the grey KENTUCKY GUEST. Positioned towards the rear as the ten runners swung for home, Doug Campbell’s charge ran on best of all and comfortably accounted for the more fancied TRANSLATOR (led 250m, saddle slipped) by a length and three quarters.
The fastest of the three 1000m races was the MR74 Handicap in which the 14/10 favourite BAY MARINER registered his second career victory. The field was tightly bunched early on and nicely positioned in third the topweight was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 300m and with the rest some four lengths adrift he just held on from the luckless BURRWOOD (baulked 300m) by a neck.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of TRUE ARROGANCE in the maiden 1600m. Nibbled at on course into 9/1 from 16’s, the son of A P Arrow sat sixth for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and three quarters.
Titbits
Well weighted CANDY MOON won the graduation event over 1950m with authority by three.
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Third After Next Time
Fairview 30th December: A maiden juvenile plate over 800m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Monday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Alan Greeff trained CIAO CARO. A daughter of Antonius Pius, Ciao Caro broke well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won well by a length and a quarter.
Another to win very comfortably in the maiden ranks was the well exposed MISS JAMIE when opening her account in the maiden 1400m. Sent off a well supported favourite at 16/10, the daughter of Dynasty raced in midfield for most of the trip. She moved through to take up the running at the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to win by a length and three quarters.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the graduation event won by the well supported favourite GREYS INN CONTROL. In the red at 7/10 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge made virtually all. He looked to win with some in hand, but it might well have been a different story had CASEY NOVAK had raced closer the speed. In the rear turning for home, Casey Novak was many lengths adrift. Having only his second outing following an eight month break, the former Gauteng campaigner fairly flew over the final 400m and did very well indeed to get within a neck of the winner at the wire.
Titbits
She’s A Lady came from the rear when runner up in the MR75 Handicap over 1600m.
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2 From 3 For Raaees
Clairwood 31st December: The easiest victory at the garden course on New Year’s Eve was undoubtedly that of RAAEES when landing the novice 1600m. Now a winner of two from three, Mike De Kock’s charge raced at the back of the six for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the straight and after striking the front 170m or so from home he drew clear in good style to score by four.
The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the faster of the three 1450m events when CAPTAIN LARS completed a double. Sent off a well supported favourite to win the bill topping MR96 Handicap, Captain Lars was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and challenged strongly by MESMERIZE all the way to the wire he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
The faster of the two 1200m races on the card was the MR70 Handicap won by INSPECTOR CASEY. Taken straight to the front by Sean Cormack the son of Casey Tibbs led throughout. He was always in command and won well from the running on MIESQUES BALLOT by two and a quarter.
Titbits
AGAPE REIGNS won the maiden 1200m very comfortably by two.
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Here, There & Everywhere
Kenilworth 1st January: A MR95 Handicap topped the bill in Cape Town on Wednesday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1400m events on the card victory went to the Justin Snaith trained OTTIMO. Sent off second favourite at 5/1, the Oratorio gelding was always in touch with the leaders. He moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on HAMMIE’S DYNASTY by a half.
A maiden event over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the 4yo PRINCE OF PANAREA. Having only his second outing since returning from a five month break, Greg Ennion’s charge raced in the rear early on. He ran on stoutly from halfway and after hitting the front approaching the 200m pole he won going away by two and a quarter.
Race seven on the card was a MR74 Handicap over 2500m and here the 3yo DESERT SWIRL showed good improvement. Guarding the rear as the baker’s dozen turned for home, Vaughan Marshall’s charge finished best of all and won comfortably by a length and a quarter after striking the front 250m from home. The third horse FOLLOW THE WIND (beaten 1,65 lengths) also ran on well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
PERINI won the maiden plate over 1200m in good style going away after having to switch out for a run en-route from the rear. The runner up GIN RUMMY also ran on well from the rear in this race.
MOUNTAIN MASTER ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden event over 1800m going away.
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A Serious Runner
Vaal 2nd January: They raced on the outside track on Thursday where the faster of the two maiden events over 1000m was the boy’s affair won by KING’S SOLDIER. Third in the Stormbird Stakes when making his debut last March, Leon Erasmus’ charge was soon up handy. The pacemaker BATTLE OF ALMA kept on determinedly at the business end of the race though and it was only on the nod that the King Of Kings gelding got the verdict.
Four of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these on my clock was ORLANDO MAGIC in the girl’s MR64 affair. In what proved to be another very exciting finish Paul Matchett’s charge also raced handy and got up in the very last stride.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by AKII BUA when opening his account in the maiden 1600m. Not the quickest into stride (lost 2 lengths at the start), the lightly raced son of Encosta De Lago raced in midfield for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 400m marker and easily accounted for FIGHTING FORCE by two and three quarters with some in hand.
Titbits
DUE AND PAYABLE ran on stoutly from the rear when only beaten a neck in the MR75 Handicap over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (4) Lake Benjamin 22 Race 2: (4) Silverano 78 Race 3: (2) Best On Broadway 6 Race 4: (2) Ceriba 16 Race 5: (4) The Magic Kingdom 51 Race 6: (9) Olivian 39 Race 7: (15) Katie Em 26 Race 8: (8) Shazza 34 Race 9: (3) Victor Silvester 53 Clairwood Race 1: (2) Bermudabreeze 23 Race 2: (4) Champagne Showers 26 Race 3: (8) My Lovely 20 Race 4: (3) I’m Aloner 11 Race 5: (5) Aldric 59 Race 6: (6) Son Of Orimandes 79 Race 7: (4) Stunning Guy 48 Race 8: (7) Peter Culture 76 Race 9: (3) Roc ‘n Rose 60 Race 10: (10) Tegan’s Dream 34 Kenilworth Race 1: (2) King’s Summit 19 Race 2: (9) Sapphire Gem 5 Race 3: (10) Glenton 62 Race 4: (2) Diva’s Daughter 68 Race 5: (1) Divine Jet 84 Race 6: (10) Awesome Power 99 Race 7: (3) Roman Manner 74 (NAP*) Race 8: (1) Beach Beauty 91 Race 9: (1) Jackson 103 Race 10: (1) Shades Of Indigo 76 Race 11: (5) Crown Of Gold 80 Race 12: (2) Sister Lynn 47 Turffontein Race 1: (3) Regents Agency 15 Race 2: (7) Steelwing 19 Race 3: (1) Jumpstart 25 Race 4: (6) Supertube 30 (EW) Race 5: (10) Spectroscopic 63 Race 6: (7) Rake’s Chestnut 68 Race 7: (1) Wylie Hall 91 Race 8: (17) Viva La Vie 55 Scottsville Race 1: (8) Straw Man 13 Race 2: (3) Champagne Showers 26 Race 3: (2) Nights On Broadway 12 Race 4: (6) Mediterranean Man 23 Race 5: (9) Assessment 55 Race 6: (9) Luxardo 71 Race 7: (1) Stunning Guy 47 Race 8: (12) Pearly King 47 Race 9: (11) Dancing Arrow 45 .
Top rated winners last week included
Countess Of Rhynie won 8/1 Like The Willow won 7/1 Sister Lynn won 5/1 Uncle Tommy won 33/10 Candy Moon won 15/10 Bay Mariner won 14/10 Lady Jade won 14/10 Inspector Casey won 1/1 .
Notebook:-
Akii Bua (M De Kock, Gauteng) Casey Novak (T Laing, E-Cape) Perini (D Hodgson, W-Cape) Raaees (M De Kock, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherScottsville (new) 29th December Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft 1000m (3) Bay Mariner 57,69 1200m (1) Fully Charged 72,69 1600m (4) Kentucky Guest 98,11 1950m (1) Candy Moon 121,71 .
Fairview 30th December Turf Good – Poly Standard 800m (1) Ciao Caro 44,65 1000m (1) Explosive Move 57,26 1200m (1) West Of London 71,14P 1400m (1) Miss Jamie 85,80 1600m (1) Kindred Spirit 96,71P 1600m (3) Typhoon Tash 97,36 .
Clairwood 31st December Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Party Doll 57,59 1200m (2) Inspector Casey 69,94 1450m (3) Captain Lars 84,81 1600m (1) Raaees 94,49 1900m (1) Heaven’s Duel 115,30 .
Kenilworth 1st January Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (2) Muscatt 58,73 1200m (2) Sister Lynn 73,46 1400m (3) Ottimo 86,41 1800m (1) Mountain Master 113,37 2500m (1) Desert Swirl 159,69 .
Vaal 2nd January Penetrometer 1000m (2) King’s Soldier 56,41* 1200m (1) Weekend Special 68,48 1400m (3) Uncle Tommy 81,30 1600m (4) Orlando Magic 95,38
