Winning With Authority
Flamingo Park 29th August: The fastest of the four races over 1200m in the Northern Cape on Monday was the pinnacle stakes won by the 6yo Caribbean Bay. Priced up third in the betting market at 6/1, Bill Human’s charge led throughout. She was two lengths clear coming off the bend and that proved to be just enough to beat the similarly fancied DUKES IDOL by a neck.
The easiest victory on the card in terms of distance was that of SEATTLE SUNSET in the MR84 Handicap over 1600m. Soon up handy, the Sail From Seattle gelding took up the running 500m out and cruised clear in the straight to score by eight.
Another to win with authority on this card was JELLYLORUM in the not so lucky last, a MR61 Handicap over 1200m. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, the 6yo was content to sit in midfield early on. She quickened well at the top of the straight and with a ton in hand won going away by four and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home.
Titbits
Up with the pace throughout, the 20/1 bottom weight QUANTITY won the MR61 Handicap over 1000m going away by four and three quarters.
Beaten just a neck in the six runner MR72 Handicap over 1200m, SECRET DELIGHT had been detached at the rear turning for home.
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Key To Success
Vaal 30th August: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where quickest home in the four 1600m races was NATIONAL KEY when registering his sixth career victory in the MR100 Handicap. Freely available at 7/1on the off Brian Wiid’s charge was soon up handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict on the nod over the more fancied PIVOTAL PURSUIT.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the MR84 Handicap in which MOVIE AWARD registered her fifth career victory. Just seven went to post and nicely positioned in fourth the daughter of Dupont was always well positioned to strike. She did so shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly below the distance to fend off the running on BEAUTIFUL SHAY by a neck.
The two remaining races were maiden plates for 3yo’s over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was PENULTIMATE in the boy’s affair. Sent off a strong favourite at 13/10, Sean Tarry’s newcomer was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead approaching the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer ROWNAK came from the back when winning the work rider’s maiden plate over 1600m going away.
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Ready For The Throne
Kenilworth 31st August: The going was still good to soft on the old course on Wednesday where five of the nine races were staged over 1200m. Surprisingly the fastest of these was the MR85 Handicap won by CANDALEEYAH. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the Argonaut mare raced in the rear early on. She struck the front 200m out and kept on determinedly from there onwards to hold off the rallying AZARENKA by the narrowest of margins.
The four remaining races were all run over 1600m and in the fastest of these, a MR94 Handicap, we saw an impressive performance from PRINCE OF WALES. Sent off a strong favourite at 9/10, Justin Snaith’s charge made all, He was a length and three quarters clear turning for home and had he not been eased right down in the closing stages of the race he would have won by a hell of a lot more than the official length and a quarter will reflect.
Marginally the quickest home in the three maiden plates over 1200m was PARA HANDY. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 16’s, Glen Puller’s charge came from well off them. He struck the front 50m from home under a well-judged ride from apprentice v’d Hoven, and won going away.
Titbits
IMPERIAL DANCER looked to have a touch in hand when making all in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Well Overdue
Greyville 31st August: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday evening where the fastest of the three 1400m events was the MR64 Handicap won by BIG SI. On leaving the stalls it was CHILL (reported lame off fore) who somewhat predictably made the running whilst the son of Mogok (a little slow into stride) raced in midfield. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the Gauteng raider ARAMOUSE.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m (two maiden plates) where quickest home was TOO COOL in the boy’s affair. Backed into second favourite at the track, the King’s Appostle gelding was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly in the straight and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the 33/1 shot PATROCLUS by three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BRAVE AND BOLD when registering her third career victory in the MR64 Handicap over 1400m. Soon up handy in what was a very tightly bunched field early on, the top weight was always poised to strike. She made her move as they approached the 200m marker and won going away by two and a half.
Titbits
The 5/2 favourite TANAMI won the maiden plate for fillies and mares over 1600m with authority by a length and a half.
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Winning With Authority
Vaal 1st September: The new classic track saw the action at the Vaal on Thursday where the best bet on the card for many SPEEDY GONVARLEZ did the business in the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR76 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by 4kg claimer Mjoka, the daughter of Var led throughout. She was a length and a quarter clear going through the 400m and although the supported second favourite MACADAMIA chased hard from there onwards, she extended her advantage by another two lengths.
Three of the remaining six races were run over 2000m and surprisingly the fastest of these was the maiden plate won by STUNNED. Sent off a rather weak favourite at 7/2 (op 5/2), St John Gray’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front 250m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BABBLING BROOKE in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m. In what was a slowly run race comparatively, Ormond Ferraris’ charge raced sixth in a tightly bunched field. She quickened by far the best when the race developed into a sprint 500m out and cruised clear after striking the front 150m later to win by five and a quarter.
Titbits
Always handy, SLEEPINSEATTLE ran out a very comfortable winner of the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Villanelle 20 (nb)
Race 2: (1) Oriental Tiger 65
Race 3: (1) Green Door 1
Race 4: (12) Classy Fighter 65
Race 5: (3) Pirangi 51 (NAP*)
Race 6: (7) Western Force 71
Race 7: (2) Captain On The Run 50
Race 8: (11) Sail intotheclouds 31
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Baby Bean 5
Race 2: (5) Nephrite 66
Race 3: (9) Flying Fool 23
Race 4: (9) Komeshans Flight 4 (NAP*)
Race 5: (11) De Lujo 38
Race 6: (4) Royal Honour 45
Race 7: (7) Just A Reminder 67
Race 8: (8) Rose Of Castille 41
Race 9: (12) Consequentially 44
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (2) Sandy Bay 17
Race 2: (1) Whispering Light 18
Race 3: (1) Flower Blue 2
Race 4: (11) Soaring Past 23
Race 5: (1) Figure Of Grey 11
Race 6: (1) Arachne 47 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Half Moon Hotel 51
Race 8: (5) Kwando 30
Race 9: (1) Purple Tractor 78
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Lebanese Tractor 26 (NAP*)
Race 2: (10) Ledimasprincess 14
Race 3: (1) Royal Regatta 24
Race 4: (1) Taku Wind 17 (nb)
Race 5: (7) Joy To Joy 14
Race 6: (4) Magical Bet 43
Race 7: (9) Sky Arrow 44
Race 8: (6) Out My Way 56
Race 9: (9) Respect At Bay 50
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Top rated winners last week included
Jackie’s Joy won 10/1
She’s A Flirt won 10/1
Caribbean Bay won 6/1
Stunned won 7/2
Imperial Dancer won 3/1
Babbling Brooke won 5/2
Jingle Belle won 2/1
Red Special won 2/1
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Notebook:-
Penultimate (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Prince Of Wales (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
Flamingo Park
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,41 slow
1000m (1) Quantity 58,15
1200m (4) Caribbean Bay 72,62
1400m (1) Rainbow Star 88,20
1600m (1) Seattle Sunset 99,84
1800m (1) Georgie Boy 116,45
2200m (1) Groovy News 151,11
Vaal (outside) 30th August
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 0,77 slow
1200m (2) Penultimate 70,92
1400m (2) Movie Award 83,72
1600m (4) National Key 95,08
Kenilworth (old) 31st August
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,20 slow
1200m (5) Candaleeyah 72,62
1600m (4) Prince Of Wales 101,20
Greyville (poly) 31st August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 2,09 slow
1000m (1) Roy Royale 59,79
1200m (1) Burnburry 73,46
1400m (3) Big Si 83,64
1600m (2) Too Cool 98,47
1900m (1) Barcelona Babe 117,05
Vaal (classic) 1st September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,29 slow
1000m (2) Speedy Gonvarlez 56,87
1200m (1) Sleepinseattle 70,47
1450m (1) Divar 87,42
1600m (1) Babbling Brooke 98,02
2000m (3) Stunned 124,13
