Back With A Bang
Kenilworth 24th October: A maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the highly regarded newcomer CHEVACHEE. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced in midfield early on. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and with the rest some four lengths adrift she beat HONEST ALLY with some in hand.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and not surprisingly the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by EXELERO. Easy to back at 12/1 on the off, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was always handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the more fancied LINE BREAK by two and a quarter.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1400m and quickest against the clock in these was EIGHTH WONDER in the bill topping Gr3 Cape Classic. Soon positioned close to the speed, Greg Ennion’s charge took up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole, and won comfortably from the running on RODNEY. The runner up had been in eighth position at the top of the straight and was very steadily gaining at the finish.
The supporting act was the listed Woolavington over 2400m and here OVIDIO registered his fifth career victory. Initially priced up favourite (7/2 out to 9/2), Justin Snaith’s charge raced fourth and was always poised to strike. He quickened well when the race developed into a sprint at the top of the straight, and won going away by a length and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
The lightly raced Dynasty colt PRINCE OF WALES ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the boy’s division of the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m.
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What A Blast
Flamingo Park 26th October: Five of the nine races in the Northern Cape on Monday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BLAST in the pinnacle stakes. Backed into favouritism at the track, the former Eastern Cape campaigner was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running at the 300m pole and with plenty in hand he beat the all-out 8/1 shot LA TOURELLE by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1600m races was also a pinnacle stakes won by a former Eastern Cape campaigner in the shape of KENT ROCK. Winning for the fifth time in six starts since relocating to the province, Stephanie Miller’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He took up the running early in the straight and easily accounted for the much more fancied ALL THE BIDS by four.
Another to win with lengths to spare on this card was JUST A JAG when opening his account in the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1200m. Always a minimum of three lengths clear, the well-supported favourite coasted in by three and three quarters with plenty in hand.
Titbits
Unable to get within sixteen lengths of a winner in any of his four previous racecourse appearances, the Judpot gelding ROYAL ESCAPE (20/1 into 10/1) won the opening maiden plate over 2200m with authority by four.
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Time To Graduate
Vaal 27th October: The fastest of the three 1000m maiden plates on the inside track on Tuesday was the boy’s affair won by the well exposed SILVERDREAM RACER. Nibbled at into 15/1 from 20’s at the track, Leon Erasmus’ charge was soon up handy. He took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat another well tried maiden in MINNESOTA by two and a quarter.
Quickest home in the two 1400m maiden events was the newcomer VAL ET AL when winning the second division. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, Geoff Woodruff’s charge also raced close to the speed. He initially struck the front 500m out, but was headed by the consistent GOLDEN MAN 200m later. He fought back gamely in the closing stages of the race and won well by three quarters after regaining the lead 100m out.
Race five on the card was a maiden plate over 1700m and here we saw a smart performance from the St John Gray trained ANGELIC APPEAL. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the 3yo daughter of Jam Alley raced third for most of the journey. The strongly fancied newcomer SONG OF HAPPINESS made the running and staying on gamely at the business end of the race it looked as if she would go on to land the spoils. Angelic Appeal quickened very nicely late on though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the shadow of the post.
The best bet on the card for most was the progressive GRADUATION DAY in the MR88 Handicap over 1200m and the son of Trippi didn’t let down his supporters. In the red at the off, Joey Soma’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and with some in hand won comfortably by a length from the nibbled at BULLETING HOME (16/1 into 8/1).
Titbits
After racing handy the well-supported favourite RAINY DAY BLUES won the MR71 Handicap over 200m with authority by two.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (1) Tiger Tim 18
Race 2: (2) Gauteng 7
Race 3: (2) Bruno 33 (NAP*)
Race 4: (10) Sissy Gray 51
Race 5: (7) Judd’s Joy 59
Race 6: (8) Storming Home 43
Race 7: (7) Typhoon Tess 73
Race 8: (11) Sister Sybil 49
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (1) Twenty Four Carat 14
Race 2: (1) Arniston 62
Race 3: (1) Spider Web 14
Race 4: (10) Boomtown Belter 36
Race 5: (10) Little Mo 48
Race 6: (9) Magical Bet 48
Race 7: (9) Good Grace 62
Race 8: (4) Nebula 29
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (1) Jin-Go-Lo-Ba 17
Race 2: (9) Magical Moon 30
Race 3: (14) Penteliko 29
Race 4: (6) Rich And Dark 17
Race 5: (12) Perigrine 63
Race 6: (1) Smart Call 82
Race 7: (1) Silver Class 62
Race 8: (2) Gasoline 59
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (6) Brignumberfive 11
Race 2: (1) Shine Up 25
Race 3: (15) Wottalotigot 32
Race 4: (7) Silver Inpiration 34
Race 5: (6) Gold Bank 75
Race 6: (9) Capel Top 48
Race 7: (8) Jamal 39
Race 8: (7) Jade Vine 42
Race 9: (5) Wishful Heart 54 (NAP*)
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (11) First Officer Al 25
Race 2: (2) Samarra 19
Race 3: (1) Captainofmyheart 20 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Soul Of Spain 5
Race 5: (4) Trophy Wife 77
Race 6: (8) Polly Wolly Doodle 55
Race 7: (4) Flaming Spirit 44
Race 8: (8) Scheme Of Things 58
Race 9: (7) Regal Force 51
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Top rated winners last week included
King’s Drive won 15/2
Belenos won 11/2
Valediction won 5/1
Pipette won 9/2
Sheltered won 7/2
Shishangeni won 7/2
Just A Jag won 13/10
My Silver Fox won 9/10
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Notebook:-
Blast (T Prinsloo, N-Cape)
Chevachee (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
Graduation Day (J Soma, Gauteng)
Rodney (M Bass, 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
Kenilworth (old) 24th October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1200m (3) Exelero 69,49
1400m (4) Eighth Wonder 84,83
1600m (1) Arachne 98,65
2400m (1) Ovidio 149,99
Flaming Park 26th October
Going Standard
1200m (5) Blast 72,93
1600m (2) Kent Rock 99,81*
1800m (1) Guest Lodge 116,02
2200m (1) Royal Escape 154,46
Vaal (inside) 27th October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (3) Silverdream Racer 57,44
1200m (1) Graduation Day 68,21
1400m (2) Val Et Al 83,14
1700m (1) Angelic Appeal 103,14
2000m (1) Rainy Day Blues 122,19
2200m (2) Cool Fantasy 136,01
