Sparkling Performance
Greyville 1st December: They raced on the turf on Sunday where three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1400m. The bill topping pinnacle stakes was the fastest of these and here victory went to the aptly named BORN TO PERFORM. Now a winner of five of his seven career starts to date, this 5yo Silvano gelding sat sixth of the nine for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and won going away from the progressive G G’S DYNASTY (4 wins from ten starts coming into the race) by a length and three quarters.
The MR68 affair was the faster of the two handicap races over 1000m and here we saw a smart front running performance from another 5yo in WASHINGTON SQUARE. Allowed a comfortable length and a quarter advantage for most of the trip, Andre Nel’s charge stepped on the gas coming off the bend, and cruised clear in the straight to score by five and a half.
They also ran two races over 1600m and in the quicker of these, a MR66 Handicap, IN JEST registered her second career victory. Freely available at 8/1 on the off this daughter of Silvano raced in the rear early on. She ran on best of all over the final 400m and after striking the front 130m from home, she won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
Hampered early on, ROY’S MAGIC (racing off a mark 13 points below that of his earlier best) was sat at the back of the fourteen going through the 300m. He fairly flew from there onwards and did very well indeed to finish runner up beaten just a quarter of a length in the MR79 Handicap over 1400m.
In Full Bloom
Vaal 3rd December: With the other two races over the distance being maiden plates for the girls, it was no surprise to see that the MR84 Handicap for fillies & mares was the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1600m events and here we saw another smart performance from CHRISTMAS FLOWER. An eye catching winner in the maiden ranks in just her second outing last time out, this daughter of Flower Alley was again slow into stride and came from the rear. She ran on best of all at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she got the better of the hard knocking KAPAMA (led 300m) by a length.
Two maiden plates over 1200m had opened up proceedings and in the faster of these, the work rider’s event, the Geoff Woodruff trained newcomer CAPTAIN CHORUS opened his account. Nibbled at into 6/10 from 10’s during the morning, the son of Captain Al was a little slow into stride and raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with his jockey later fined for using the crop more than 12 times he got the better of his stable companion IVALO’S PRINCE (also a newcomer) by a quarter of a length.
The MR68 affair for apprentice riders was surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m handicaps and here victory went to the friendless FLORENCE. Allowed to drift in the betting market as if a win was out of the question (14/1 out to 33/1), Clinton Binda’s charge was soon up with the speed. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and won well by a length from the regular place getter CLAREMORRIS.
Titbits
The 4yo CHE BELLA ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the bill topping MR92 Handicap over 1000m.
Fifties Teen Idol
Kenilworth 4th December: A very smart field contested the graduation plate over 1100m on Wednesday and in what proved comparatively to be the fastest of the four sprint races on the card, we saw a smart performance from the lessor fancied of Candice Bass-Robinson’s two runners FABIAN. Freely available at 33/1 on the off, the 4yo son of champion sprinter What A Winter raced at the back earlier on. He only had to be pushed out in order to lead 170m from home and won going away by a length and a half.
1200m was the only distance on the card to stage more than one race and in the faster of the two, a MR76 Handicap, the Twice Over gelding LADDER MAN registered his second career victory. Always handy, Justin Snaith’s charge quickened well below the distance and in a thrilling four way finish he got the verdict by a quarter.
A maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 900m had been first up and here we saw a nice performance from DAD’S CATCH. In touch with the leaders throughout, Glen Puller’s charge put her head in front 50m from home and with some in hand won going away.
Titbits
Fifth beaten 1,8 lengths in the MR80 Handicap over 2400m, the well-supported favourite MIRACULOUSLY OURS ran on well very late after finding no kind of a run in the straight.
Ready To Pounce
Fairview 6th December: A maiden juvenile plate over 800m was first up Friday and in what proved to be a real thriller the favourite TIGER IN THE SUN landed the spoils. In excess of four lengths behind the leaders going through halfway, Alan Greeff’s charge fairly flew below the distance and got the verdict by a whisker.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 2000m and in very marginally the fastest of these, a MR78 Handicap for the girls, the former KZN campaigner RED HERRING caused a major upset. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, Tara Laing’s charge raced sixth for most of the journey. She quickened nicely in the long home straight and won well by a half from the dead-heaters for second FOOLS GARDEN and BLUSHING BRIDE.
Run in a time 0,95 seconds faster than that of the MR74 Handicap, the maiden plate for the girls won by QUERENCIA was the faster of the two 1400m events. A two length leader throughout, the daughter of Querari only had to be pushed out at the business end of the race and won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
Baulked for a run en-route from the rear, MISS JACKSONVILLE showed a nice turn of foot below the distance when easily accounting for her eleven rivals in the MR74 Handicap over 1400m.
6 Favs
Greyville 6th December: The only distance to stage more than one race on Friday’s poly track card was 1400m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the first division won by the even money favourite MOUNT ANDERSON. Soon up handy, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was ridden to lead going the 200m and won with authority by two from the always Handy AL JAZEERA.
In terms of prizemoney a progress plate over 1800m topped the bill and here victory went to the improving 4yo POLLARD. Taken straight to the front in a race devoid of pace, Tony Rivalland’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly when the race developed into a 400m sprint and held on by a length from the always handy JE NE SAIS QUOI.
A maiden plate over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the well-supported favourite QUANT MASTER. The first of six favourites to win at the meeting, this son of Master Of My Fate was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front 200m out and won well by two and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo WILLIAMS LAND only had to be pushed out when running on from the rear to win the MR78 Handicap over 1700m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (4) Divine Law 13
Race 2: (2) Evermore 15
Race 3: (7) Gimme Katrina 41
Race 4: (6) Para Handy 47
Race 5: (8) Alpine Glacier 63
Race 6: (7) Seattle Swing 55
Race 7: (5) Just My Style 58 (NAP*)
Race 8: (7) World Squared 17
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (6) Duchess Of Windsor 21 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Brilliant Disguise 17
Race 3: (9) All The Way Up 53
Race 4: (10) Brighteyebushytail 48
Race 5: (1) Janice’s Secret 39
Race 6: (3) Born To Perform 62 (nb)
Race 7: (5) Path To Glory 54
Race 8: (2) Hurricane Silva 49 (EW)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Crazy Charlie 14
Race 2: (1) Tuscan Light 27
Race 3: (1) Saragon 61 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) At Hand 47
Race 5: (9) Secret Potion 87
Race 6: (9) Hit For Six 39
Race 7: (7) Fly Away 77 (nb)
Race 8: (1) Mythical Bolt 59
Race 9: (3) Approach Control 80
Race 10: (11) Passion Peach 35
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Alpha Pappa 23
Race 2: (1) Kursk 27 (EW)
Race 3: (1) Celtic Sea 89
Race 4: (2) Invidia 63
Race 5: (4) Run Fox Run 89
Race 6: (1) Do It Again 107
Race 7: (1) True To Life 69
Race 8: (2) Strathdon 77
Race 9: (7) Miss La Dee Da 23
Race 10: (3) Aqua Bolt 46
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (14) Solid Gold 52
Race 2: (13) Lady Of Lutetia 22
Race 3: (8) Divine Hugh 26
Race 4: (7) Holy Guacamole 16
Race 5: (3) Cuvara 66 (NAP*)
Race 6: (10) Candy Galore 58
Race 7: (3) Fire Faerie 36
Race 8: (1) Ruby Cove 20
Top rated winners last week included
Florence won 33/1
Alfred’s Girl won 13/2
Ladder Man won 21/4
Rille won 4/1
Washington Square won 32/10
Velvet Season won 23/10
Twice Golden won 17/10
Mount Anderson won 1/1
Notebook:-
Born To Perform (D Bosch, KZN)
Christmas Flower (A Laird, Gauteng)
Fabian (C Bass-Robinson)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 1st December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,99s slow
1000m (2) Washington Square 58,84
1400m (3) Born To Perform 84,05
1600m (2) In Jest 97,70
2000m (1) Velvet Season 124,18
Vaal 3rd December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,5s fast
1000m (2) Florence 56,44
1200m (2) Captain Chorus 70,15
1600m (3) Christmas Flower 94,62
2000m (1) Meeraas 122,51
Kenilworth (old) 4th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,55s slow
900m (1) Dad’s Catch 55,09
1100m (1) Fabian 65,64
1200m (2) Will Scarlet 73,87
1400m (1) Whisky Tango 88,35
1600m (1) Azores 98,42
2000m (1) Rocamadour 126,02
2400m (1) Mercurana 149,62
Fairview (turf) 6th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,22s slow
800m (1) Tiger In The Sun 47,02
1000m (1) Racine 56,92
1400m (2) Querencia 85,87
1600m (1) American Landing 97,32
2000m (3) Red Herring 124,37
Greyville (poly) 6th December
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,31s slow
1000m (1) Quant Master 58,93
1200m (1) Great Guy 71,04
1400m (2) Mount Anderson 83,01
1600m (1) Down To Earth 95,01
1700m (1) Williams Land 100,40
1800m (1) Pollard 109,12
2000m (1) Crimea 123,10
