Powerful Display
Kenilworth 28th February: The course was running a little fast in Cape Town on Tuesday. A juvenile plate over 1000m was first up and in what proved to be the faster of the two events over the distance, we saw a smart performance from the second favourite SIR FRENCHIE. On leaving the stalls it was the favourite ZODIAC JACK who elected to make the running whilst Justin Snaith’s charge raced close up in second. He assumed command 150m out, and with the rest some 14 lengths adrift, won going away by two
The faster of the two 1600m events on the card was the MR75 Handicap won by the favourite BARONESS MARY. Confidently ridden by Pierre Orffer the daughter of Dynasty raced 8th of the ten for most of the journey. She ran on best of all in the straight and after striking the front 150m from home, won going away by a length and a half.
They also ran two races over 1200m and quickest home here was RUSTAR DHOW when registering her second career victory in the not so lucky last, a MR68 Handicap. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Glen Kotzen’s charge, in a tightly bunched field, raced a handy seventh. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest comfortably beaten, she got up late to deny the front running VARIFAST.
Titbits
The deposed favourite POP THE QUESTION won the maiden plate over 1400m going away by two and a quarter.
With the pace throughout, STARFLASH looked to win the MR80 Handicap over 1000m a little more easily than the winning margin of a length would suggest.
Veteran’s Night
Turffontein 28th February:
They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where a half of the eight races were staged over 1160m. The fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap in which the 9yo KAPELLMEISTER caused a major upset. Easy to back at 22/1 on the off, the veteran Kahal gelding was positioned in the rear early on. He quickened best of all from halfway and went on to score with authority by almost two.
A pinnacle stakes over 1160m topped the bill, and here victory went to the 7yo PIVOTAL PURSUIT. Caught for early toe, Gary Alexander’s charge raced in the rear early on and was still six lengths adrift of the leaders going through the 400m. He ran on best of all once into gear though, and under a well-judged ride from Andrew Fortune he got up late to deny the more fancied AFRICAN RULER.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SHE’S FOXY when getting off the mark in the maiden plate for the girls over 1160m. Positioned in midfield during the early part of the race, the 12/10 favourite struck the front shortly after passing halfway. She ran on strongly from there onwards and easily accounted for the second favourite MADAM SECRETARY by five and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo TIMEOFTHEVIKINGS came from the rear when opening his account in the maiden plate over 1160m.
Are You Sure
Scottsville 1st March: The going was posted as good to soft in Pietermartzburg on Wednesday, but in contradiction the times told us that the track was actually running slightly fast. Five of the afternoon’s nine races took place over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was OVER SURE in the MR70 Handicap. Shouldering top weight of 60,5kg, the 3yo son of Mogok was always handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the remainder some five lengths and a quarter lengths adrift, he got the better of the well-supported favourite ROY’S AIR FORCE by three quarters.
The afternoon’s feature event was the Middle Stakes and here we saw a very easy victory for Sporting Post’s Top Bet MR 0’NEILL. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. 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 five and a half.
Another to win with lengths to spare on this card was the aptly named newcomer TOUCH OF MAGIC when winning the opening juvenile plate over 1000m. Nibbled at on course into 3/1 from 5’s, the daughter of Sepoy wasn’t the quickest into stride. She was soon up handy despite that though, and after striking the front approaching the 100m pole, she cruised clear to win by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Soon up handy despite losing two lengths at the start, the 7yo ARGYLE BAY won the MR74 Handicap over 1600m going away by a length and a half.
Just Reward
Vaal 2nd March: There were a number of easy victories on the outside track on Thursday, but none more so than that of GRATUITY when opening her account in the fastest of the four 1000m events, a maiden plate. Very quickly in command of a two and a quarter lengths advantage, the lightly raced daughter of Dynasty raced clear throughout. The more fancied DE NIMES ran on strongly from the rear to take second position over the final 400m, but even she couldn’t get within four and three quarters at the wire.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1400m and doing the business for the column here was the outsider AQUABUOY. Nibbled at into 22/1 from 40’s, the Sail From Seattle gelding was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 450m out and kept on strongly below the distance to fend off a determined challenge from the rejuvenated INTANDOKAZI.
The faster of the two 1200m races on the card was the graduation plate in which ANGEL’S POWER registered his third career victory. On leaving the stalls it was AL AZRAQ who elected to make the running whilst the 4yo son of Miesque’s Approval raced close up in second. He ran on strongly in the rain that fell throughout, and did well to get the better of the favourite SHE’S A GIVER (raced in the rear – led 150m) close home.
Titbits
Despite sweating up, and Joe Gwingwizha dropping his whip 350m out, the 9/10 favourite ROYAL VARIETY won the work riders’ maiden plate over 1000m very easily by three and a half.
Hearty Breakfast
Greyville 3rd March: Friday’s evening’s action took place on the poly track where the fastest of the three 1400m events was the MR77 Handicap won by the 4yo BREAKFAST CLUB. Supported at the track into 11/2 from 7/1, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running early in the short home straight, and comfortably accounted for the easy to back ARCHILLES by three quarters.
The faster of the two 2000m races that brought proceedings to a close was the MR62 Handicap in which the deposed favourite FASHION TALK landed the spoils. Cleverly ridden by Anthony Delpech, the always handy daughter of A P Answer struck the front 700m out. She quickly went two and a half lengths clear and despite the efforts of the chasing pace, she didn’t relinquish an inch of that advantage on the run to the line.
A maiden plate over 1200m had been first up and here we saw a smart performance from the aptly named 3yo BYE BYE BABY. She lost two lengths at the jump and very quickly found herself second last. Once in the straight though, she quickened best of all and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
The improving 3yo STRUCTURED REPLY had the rest well beaten when getting up late to deny the speedy VARBRATION in the MR78 Handicap over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (10) Rainbow Skink 11
Race 2: (9) Seattle Swing 59
Race 3: (3) Kellie Firth 30 (EW)
Race 4: (5) Silver Laurel 13
Race 5: (9) Pay As You Go 53
Race 6: (4) Rake’s Chestnut 60
Race 7: (1) The Merry Widow 50 (NAP*)
Race 8: (8) Restless Road 46
Race 9: (2) Portrait 43
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (9) Palace Mystery 15
Race 2: (3) Queen’s Bridge 8
Race 3: (10) Jamal 43
Race 4: (10) Saber’s Beads 46
Race 5: (9) Roy’s Winter Patch 69
Race 6: (9) Cold Shot 40
Race 7: (4) Ginger Biscuit 51
Race 8: (1) Arran Isles 14
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (8) Moment To Shine 10
Race 2: (7) Dalaal 43
Race 3: (1) Cheat The Cheaters 20 (NAP**)
Race 4: (6) Silver Stripe 71
Race 5: (8) Crazy Vision 50
Race 6: (5) Quinlan 36
Race 7: (2) Kissable 30
Race 8: (2) Scandal 78
Race 9: (2) Clever Guy 57
Race 10: ( 1) Tharoos 27
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (9) Rose In Bloom 16 (NAP**)
Race 2: (2) Come On Sonny 17
Race 3: (1) Dawn Rising 20 (nb)
Race 4: (8) Indonesia 12
Race 5: (11) Sister Soozie 10
Race 6: (6) Amarillo Rose 72
Race 7: (5) Le Harve 67
Race 8: (11) Sunshine Lady 44
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Bright Blessed Day 14 (nb)
Race 2: (14) Simply Scrumptious 4
Race 3: (4) Khetiwe 12
Race 4: (1) Punta Arenas 87
Race 5: (2) Serissa 72
Race 6: (3) Panza 65
Race 7: (5) Cosmic Burst 53
Race 8: (1) Indian Tractor 16 (NAP**)
Top rated winners last week included
Aquabuoy won 22/1
Timeofthevikings won 11/1
Inyati won 28/10
Kir Royale won 22/10
La Suerte De Matar won 2/1
Queen Diva won 2/1
Mr O’neill won 12/10
She’s Foxy won 12/10
Notebook:-
Sir Frenchie (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Touch Of Magic (P Lafferty, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (stand side) 28th February
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,97s slow
1000m (1) Freely Forever 58,75
1160m (4) Kapellmeister 67,69
1400m (1) Shukamisa 86,82
1600m (1) Arctica 99,55
1800m (1) Dawn Flight 113,75
Kenilworth (new) 28th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,02s fast
1000m (2) Sir Frenchie 58,76
1200m (2) Rustar Dhow 72,39
1400m (1) Pop The Question 88,16
1600m (2) Baroness Mary 100,13
Scottsville (inside) 1st March
Penetrometer 24 G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,15s fast
1000m (1) Touch Of Magic 57,32
1200m (5) Over Sure 68,85
1600m (1) Argyle Bay 98,48
1750m (1) Queen Diva 110,01
1950m (1) Mr O’neill 121,39
Vaal (outside) 2nd March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,27s slow
1000m (4) Gratuity 57,24*
1200m (2) Angel’s Power 69,95
1400m (3) Aquabuoy 81,62
1600m (1) Rebel Baron 96,48
Greyville (poly) 3rd March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,14s fast
1000m (1) Structured Reply 57,29
1200m (1) Bye Bye Baby 71,37
1400m (3) Breakfast Club 82,55
2000m (2) Fashion Talk 123,34
