Bold Performance
Turffontein 7th July: They raced on the inner track on Sunday where as expected victory in the opening workrider’s maiden plate over 1450m went to the favourite TAMAYIM. Always deep in the red, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on KERRY ROSE by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1800m and the fastest of these was the MR64 affair won by the friendless KAILANI. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, The daughter of Kahal had been drawn wide, but despite that was soon nicely positioned in third. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller she only got the verdict over one of the 7/2 joint favourites THE OAKS by the narrowest of margins.
A MR90 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and in a time surprisingly slower than that of the MR72 Handicap over the same distance victory here went to the 2yo HEART OF A LION. Initially priced up as the favourite (16/10 out to 7/2), the son of Seul Amour led throughout. He answered every call at the business end of the race and went on to score quite easily in the end by four.
Titbits
STORM WARNING ran on well from the rear when comfortably accounting for fifteen rivals by two and a half in the MR72 Handicap over 2600m.
Having only his third career outing here, GREASEPAINT won the maiden 1000m with authority by five.
CAPTAIN GRANT came from the rear when opening his account in the boy’s division of the maiden 1800m.
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Deadly Gunslinger
Fairview 8th July: The easiest victory in Port Elizabeth on Monday was undoubtedly that of TWO GUN KID in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR86 Handicap over 1800m. A 4,25 length winner of his only other outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the 4yo son of Toreador raced fifth early on some four lengths off the pace set by HAVASHA. He made his move early in the long home straight and went on to score very easily by three and a quarter after striking the front 400m from home.
Another to win well on this card was MEDITERREA when opening her account in the maiden 2000m. Easy to back at 14/1 on the off, Grant Paddock’s charge raced much closer to the pace than she had done in recent starts. She took up the running going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for the running on SOUND SURROUND by two and a half.
The faster of the two 1000m races on the card was the MR78 Handicap won by Two Gun Kid’s stable companion EBRO. Placed behind the useful Regal Man in each of his last two starts, Ebro as per usual ran on strongly from well off the pace. He finished best of all and under a well judged ride from Juan Paul V’D Mervwe he got up late to beat the in form QUEST OF SPEED by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
The fancied newcomer FIRST SURPRISE ran on well from the backend of midfield when only beaten three quarters of a length in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
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Flying Sugarbird
Kenilworth 9th July: The going was still soft in Cape Town on Tuesday where we saw a very smart debut performance in the girls’ maiden juvenile 1000m from the Trippi filly CAPE SUGARBIRD. Unfancied in the betting market, Justin Snaith’s charge sat in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. Once given rein though she quickened well and won going away by three and a half after striking the front 200m out.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR100 Handicap over 1800m and here victory went to the Eyeofthetiger colt BAROSSA VALLEY. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 16’s, Riaan Van Reenen’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on CASK by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by the 3yo BOBBY JAMES. Soon up handy under his super heavyweight burden of 61kg, the son of Fort Wood raced prominent throughout. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the well supported favourite SAGE OF SIVANA (3/1 into 16/10) by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
SOLAR STAR and MIDNIGHT MASTER both ran on well from the backend of midfield when first and second respectively in the maiden 1200m.
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Open Company
Scottsville 10th July: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the second favourite SOLE MIO. Allowed to ease a little in the betting market as money in the main came for THREE WISHES (7/1 into 22/10), Mike De Kock’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield early on. He quickened nicely when asked for his effort passing halfway and comfortably accounted for the money horse by three after hitting the front 100m out. After being a little slow into stride, the luckless Three Wishes had to switch out for a run 250m from home and his rider dropped the whip 50m later.
The best bet on the card for most was EXELERO in the maiden 1400m and the 2yo son of Western Winter didn’t let down his supporters. Confidently ridden by MJ Byleveld, the son of Western Winter raced close up in fifth for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m pole and won going away by four and three quarters.
Another juvenile to win well in open company was GARIBONDY in the MR74 Handicap over 1000m. Adopting similar tactics to those used by Exelero, the daughter of Var also won going away.
Titbits
Lightly raced PERFECT CIRCLE ran on well from off the pace when third in the maiden 1200m.
KONO ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1600m with authority.
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Maturing Nicely
Vaal 11th July: The first of a number of very easy victories at the Vaal’s sand track meeting on Thursday came in the opening maiden plate over 1600m where the newcomer SCARLET BERRY did the business. Heavily supported just before the off, Michael Azzie’s charge was always handy. She took up the running shortly after passing the 400m pole and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by seven and a half.
Another to win very easily on this card was HENRY HIGGINS in the MR90 Handicap over 1800m. Adopting a change of tactics here, Paul Peter’s charge was taken straight to the front by Pierre Strydom and led throughout. He was three lengths clear going through the 400m and despite never really being asked to race, he went on to score unchallenged by five and three quarters.
`At the other end of the winning distance scale was the bill topping conditions plate in which the favourite TAYBA scraped home. Racing on the surface for the first time, Mike De Kock’s charge came from midfield. The pacemaker REBEL QUEEN kept on determinedly at the business end of the race though and in what proved to be a real thriller it was only on the nod that Tayba got the verdict.
Titbits
Backed into favouritism, the newcomer ANGER found support throughout the day before winning the maiden 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (1) Triple Rhyme 14 Race 2: (1) Lago Cuomo 11 Race 3: (17) Popular Blues 17 Race 4: (5) Money For Love 49 Race 5: (11) Victorialaine 76 Race 6: (11) Mo’ Pepper 51 Race 7: (13) Royale Mart 47 Race 8: (8) Cash Counter 50 Turffontein Race 1: (2) Crown Bearer 23 Race 2: (7) Our Boy Blake 15 Race 3: (1) Signature 21 Race 4: (16) Roman Express 29 (nb) Race 5: (8) Ahoy Captain 82 Race 6: (5) Exceptional Dreams 56 Race 7: (8) Song Of Camden 57 Race 8: (6) Dame Dubois 61 (NAP*) Race 9: (14) Lady’s Desire 36 Kenilworth Race 1: (5) Abyssinia 21 Race 2: (9) Nightside 20 Race 3: (11) She’s A Honey 18 Race 4: (4) Fly By Night 74 Race 5: (14) Green Tractor 43 Race 6: (9) Maltese Falcon 69 Race 7: (4) Sir Robert 42 Race 8: (2) Chesapeake 25 Scottsville Race 1: (10) Rocket Lady 22 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (5) Dream Away 9 Race 4: (2) Professor X 21 Race 5: (8) Supreme Lord 58 (EW) Race 6: (7) Desert Raptor 84 Race 7: (6) Bambina Stripes 88 (NAP) Race 8: (10) Tiger Cub 49 Race 9: (9) Golden Matador 28 .
Top rated winners last week included
It’s Exciting won 22/1 Elegant Tune won 20/1 Alexander won 10/1 Ebro won 7/1 Jackodore won 7/1 Kono won 7/2 Tayba won 2/1 Tamayim won 11/20 .
Notebook:-
Cape Sugarbird (J Snaith, W-Cape) Exelero (V Marshall, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher .Turffontein (inner) 7th July Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Greasepaint 57,49 1450m (2) No Prisoners 87,76 1600m (2) Parkwood 96,77 1800m (3) Kailani 111.16 2600m (1) Storm Warning 163,79 .
Fairview 8th July Penetrometer 29 – Going Soft 1000m (2) Ebro 60,40 1200m (2) Amarosa Montanna 74,11 1400m (1) Priceless Gem 89,08 1800m (1) Two Gun Kid 114,88 2000m (1) Mediterrea 130,96 2400m (1) It’s Exciting 159,88 .
Kenilworth (0ld) 9th July Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft 1000m (3) Bobby James 61,50 1200m (1) Solar Star 76,95 1400m (1) Half Moon Hotel 88,59 1600m (1) Magical Bet 104,19 1800m (1) Barossa Valley 115,63 2000m (1) Qubla 131,83 .
Scottsville (new) 10th July Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (2) Garibondy 57,51 1200m (2) Lizard’s Passion 70,28 1400m (2) Exelero 85,81 1600m (2) Roy’s Royalty 99,05 1950m (1) Hijacked 121,80 .
Vaal (sand) 11th July Going Standard 1000m (2) Maji Moto 58,58 1200m (2) Tayba 73,37 1450m (1) Baron Zemo 91,30 1600m (1) Scarlet Berry 103,55 1800m (2) Henry Higgins 113,54
