Causing A Storm
Fairview 18th March: Not surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m events at Friday’s turf meeting was the conditions plate won by the course record holder BLIZZARD BELLE. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Lyle Hewitson, the Western Winter mare led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and held on by the narrowest of margins from the steadily gaining HOUSE OF LORRAINE. Blizzard Belle has now won six in a row.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the pinnacle stakes in which the best weighted runner in the field SUNSET TRIPP did the business. Always top of the boards, Justin Snaith’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead 50m out and beat the second favourite PURELY ATOMIC fair and square by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m and quickest home in these was EVICTION when registering his second career victory in the MR82 Handicap for 3yo’s. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front going through the 200m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict on the nod over the favourite FLY LIKE THE WIND.
The non-black type Lakeside Handicap over 2400m topped the bill and here victory went to the erratic DRILL SARGEANT. Odds on last time out, Gavin Smith’s charge was allowed to ease out to 6/1 from 4’s here. He raced in midfield early on and still had seven lengths to find rounding the home turn. Once in the long home straight though he quickened best of all, and under a well-judged ride from Raymond Danielson he got up late to deny the front running ZOO BISCUIT.
Titbits
The always handy VELVET VERONA was eased late when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1000m very comfortably by a length and a quarter.
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Finishing Speed
Greyville 18th March: They raced on the poly track on Friday evening where three of the eight races were staged over 1200m. The fastest of these was the second division of the MR66 Handicap won by YOU BOLT. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 7’s, Belinda Impey’s charge was soon up handy. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and got the verdict on the nod from the 18/10 favourite MISS BRODY.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR82 Handicap won by CAT IN COMMAND. Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 28/10, the son of Black Minnaloushe raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all in the short home straight and in another classic finish he got up in the very last stride to deny the front running NICKLAUS.
The bill topping MR91 Handicap was the quicker of the two 1900m races and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite CAPE SPEED. Backed into odds on at the track, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon up handy. He made his move early in the straight and won well after striking the front 50m or so from home.
Titbits
ROY’S FOLLY ran on well from off the pace when getting up late to win the first division of the MR66 Handicap over 1200m.
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A Little Disturbing
Turffontein 19th March: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where quickest home in the three 1200m events, a MR68 Handicap, was THE SMELL OF RAIN. Sent off third in the betting market at 9/2, Erico Verdonese’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She made her move at the top of the short home straight and comfortably accounted for DUKES DIME by a length.
Just as she did last time out when weighted to win and odds on in the betting, TROPHY WIFE had to settle for the runners up berth. Allowed to ease out to 11/10 from 7/10 at the track, Sean Tarry’s charge was still at the back 400m out. She ran on strongly from there onwards and gaining quickly at the finish went down by just over a half.
The stable of Sean Tarry did go one better in the faster of the two 1800m races, a graduation plate, when LIEGE registered his second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was his stable companion COUNT TASSILO who elected to make the running whilst the son of Dynasty raced close up in second. He took command coming off the strip and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by six.
Another to win with lengths to spare was TOP SHOT in the faster of the two 1600m events, a MR72 Handicap. Always handy, the A P Arrow gelding struck the front 400m out and went on to score with authority by three and a half.
Titbits
ELEVENSES came from the back when runner up to his stable companion in the maiden plate over 1200m.
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Progressing Nicely
Kenilworth 19th March: Two juvenile plates over 1100m opened up proceedings in Cape Town on Saturday and the faster of these was the boy’s affair won by the favourite BISHOP’S BOUNTY. Deep in the red at 4/10 on the off, the son of Western Winter was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running at the halfway mark and with the rest some six lengths adrift he comfortably accounted for ELEVATED by a length.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap over 1400m and in a blanket finish victory here went to one of the joint second favourites SHEER TROUBLE. Always handy, Mike Bass’ charge quickened nicely when the race began in earnest and got the verdict by the narrowest of margins over his stable companion SPIRIT OF HAMILTON.
There were four races run over 1400m in total and surprisingly the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by ROYAL FLYING CORPS. Always handy, in a race run 1,3 seconds faster than that of Sheer Trouble, Greg Ennion’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on ICY TRAIL by a half.
Titbits
Unbeaten WAKE UP MAGGIE won the girls’ division of the juvenile plate over 1100m by a length and a quarter with some in hand.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Pacific Spirit 31
Race 2: (1) Magic Ice 11
Race 3: (5) Gallactic Thunder 14
Race 4: (1) Queen Of Thrones 21
Race 5: (1) Sedge 65
Race 6: (3) Mogok’s Desire 53
Race 7: (4) Emmypot 28
Race 8: (6) Magical Bet 48
Race 9: (15) Rebel Flame 40
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) Fortissimus 5
Race 2: (7) Fire The Rocket 56
Race 3: (5) Portman Square 19
Race 4: (2) Italian Miss 3
Race 5: (3) Let It Rip 47
Race 6: (6) Prof Tiger 49
Race 7: (10) Nishac 61
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (13) Electric Lady 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (14) Rebel’s Diamond 2
Race 3: (1) Resolute Captain 15
Race 4: (9) Inaninstant 57
Race 5: (4) Revelation 68
Race 6: (1) French Navy 96
Race 7: 11) Lazer Star 96
Race 8: (5) Ha Lucy 84
Race 9: (5) Aldiara 65
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (2) Dancer 10
Race 2: (6) Not On My Watch 8
Race 3: (3) Zud Wes 12
Race 4: (11) Dontknowhy 21
Race 5: (10) Irish Dynasty 68
Race 6: (6) Global Destiny 61
Race 7: (16) Hilaria 53
Race 8: (13) Shepherds Purse 35 (EW)
Race 9: (1) Mega Secret 18
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (7) Marron 8
Race 2: (6) Princess Analia 9
Race 3: (2) Kings Eleven 17
Race 4: (6) Black Jade 43 (EW)
Race 5: (1) Trip Tease 97 (NAP*)
Race 6: (6) Crime Victim 78
Race 7: (4) It Is Written 82
Race 8: (1) Roy’s Roll’s Royce 20
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (7) Singita Sweni 12 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Fourteen 23
Race 3: (5) Lego House 7
Race 4: (2) Lemon Lily 3
Race 5: (3) Dreamforest 49 (EW)
Race 6: (7) Chili Chocolate 71
Race 7: (1) Gogetthesheriff 82
Race 8: (13) Chelsea 40
Race 9: (12) Night Dancer 42
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Top rated winners last week included
Royal Flying Corps won 14/1
Eviction won 8/1
Squiddly Diddly won 5/1
Ultimate Survival won 18/10
Ocean Drive South won 14/10
Cape Speed won 19/20
Odd Rob won 17/40 (d/h)
Bishop’s Bounty won 4/10
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Notebook:-
Bishop’s Bounty (J Snaith, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 18th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Blizzard Belle 57,61
1200m (1) Audrie Do 70,64
1400m (2) Sunset Tripp 85,86
1600m (2) Eviction 98,33
2400m (1) Drill Sargeant 150,79
Greyville (poly) 18th March
Going Standard
1200m (3) You Bolt 70,51
1400m (1) Dance City Queen 84,93
1600m (2) Cat In Command 95,20
1900m (2) Cape Speed 115,75
Turffontein (inner) 19th March
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
1000m (1) Gun Fighter 59,26
1200m (3) The Smell Of Rain 73,67
1450m (1) Penny Serenade 89,27
1600m (2) Top Shot 100,13*
1800m (2) Liege 112,41
Kenilworth (new) 19th March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Mission Control 60,38
1100m (2) Bishop’s Bounty 65,60
1400m (4) Royal Flying Corps 86,37
2000m (1) Entrechat 129,20
