Cheers Tony

Blown Over

Fairview 2^nd September: It’s was an exceptionally blustery day in the windy city on Friday. Indeed, at one point in the afternoon the stalls were blown over.

A maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite FROSTY MAGIC (23). Soon into stride, Yvette Bremner’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing halfway and went on to score comfortably from the running on newcomer MUNTASIR. Backed into 7/2 from 7/1 at one stage, Muntasir finished well and looks sure to come on stacks next time.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was FOREST DIGGER (32) when opening his account in the 1400m event. Drawn wide and slow into stride to boot, the poorly drawn Forest Digger raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. On entering the long home straight though, he had steadily edged his way into midfield. He ran on best of all over the final 500m and after striking the front 150m from home, he went on to score with some in hand by two and a quarter. Far from disgraced in the Champion Juvenile Stakes last time out, Forest Digger won well here and clearly has more to come.

A MR90 Handicap over 2000m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Jallad gelding ETON MESS (57) back in the winner’s enclosure. Easy to back at 11/1 here, Alan Greeff’s charge as per usual raced a number of lengths off them for most of the journey. He was asked to take closer order early in the straight and after striking the front 300m from home he went on to score comfortably from the running on CAMPO DE SANTANA by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

Having only his second career outing here, VAN LENT ran on well from towards the rear to take third in the maiden event won by the useful looking Forest Digger.

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Holy Smoke

Turffontein 3^rd September: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the newcomer KINGS SQUARE (29). Allowed to drift right out to 11/2 from 28/10 second favourite at the track, Michael Azzie’s charge led throughout. He held a very healthy three lengths lead coming off the strip and although the favourite STROLLER (16/10 into 13/10) did reduce the deficit to just three quarters, he did have that one held at the wire.

The most impressive performance in the maiden ranks on this card though was undoubtedly that of Kings Square’s stable companion MAGIC SMOKE (32) in the 1600m event. Another to make her first racecourse appearance at this meeting, Magic Smoke was squeezed at the start and very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. On entering the strip though, she had already passed many runners, and in eyecatching style struck the front at the top of the straight. She kept on strongly over the final 500m and went on to score very easily by seven and a half.

A MR96 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the improving TITANO (73). Nibbled at throughout the day into 15/10 from 5/2, Erico Verdonese’s charge as per usual raced a few lengths off them for most of the journey. He picked them off quickly when given rein 400m out though and after striking the front 200m from home, he kept on strongly in the closing stages of the event to beat the other likely improver in the race TARA’S SON by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

CAPTAIN HADDOCK won the maiden event over 1600m with some in hand.

Heavily supported favourite TURKISH DELIGHT (18/10 into even money) was beaten fair and square in the maiden event over 2200m.

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Impressive Diamond

Kenilworth 3^rd September: The most impressive performance in the maiden ranks in Cape Town on Saturday was undoubtedly that of PERFECT DIAMOND (37) who came home smoking in the girls 1000m event. On leaving the stalls it was the well supported second favourite SPRINGTIME FLAME who elected to make the running and still three lengths to the good going through the 400m, it looked as if she would take some catching. Perfect Diamond quickened in very good style at that point though and with the rest well beaten she cruised past Springtime Flame 100m from home and went on to score by three and a quarter. One for the notebook.

Another to win well from the Snaith stable on the day was the friendless ANNIE BE QUICK (58) when registering her second success from just five starts in the graduation event over 1000m. Allowed to drift right out to 20/1 from 7/1 at the track as money came in buckets for her stable companion LAKE DRAWSKO (12/10 into 13/20), the 3yo Annie Be Quick was taken straight to the front and led throughout. Lake Drawsko was within a length of her going through the 200m, but Annie Be Quick found another gear when given rein at that point and extended her lead to three on the run to the line. One to look out for next time from this race is PIMPINELLA who finished third. Eric Sands’ charge had raced in the rear and caught the eye running on very nicely late.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of SILVER HAVEN (20) in winning the maiden event over 1400m. Backed into favouritism on course, Silver Haven (5/2 into 17/10) raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the bend and under a well judged ride from Glen Hatt, he got up nicely late to score with a bit in hand.

Titbits

Positioned at the back going through halfway RAINBOW MAN ran on well to take third in the graduation event over 1000m.

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Another Reason

Scottsville 4^th September: After cruising in by six with plenty in hand in the maiden ranks last time out it was no surprise to see REASON TO BELIEVE (48) sent off a well supported favourite to win the MR70 affair over 1200m. In the red at 17/20 at the off after opening up at 13/10, Wendy Whitehead’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and went on to score comfortably from the running on HAPPY HEART by two and a half.

A MR73 Handicap over 1200m was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 3yo INDIGO PRINCESS (58). Freely available at 15/2 on the off, the daughter of King Of Kings was always handy. She moved up to dispute matters as they approached the 200m marker and after a thrilling tussle with both STELLAR SEASON and QUEEN TAMARA, she only got the verdict over the former by the narrowest of margins.

The lucky last was a maiden event over 1950m and here the locals were sent home happy when the lightly raced favourite IBSAAR (28) did the business. Confidently ridden by Anthony Delpech, Mike De Kock’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He began to take closer order early in the home straight and won comfortably after striking the front 130m from home.

Titbits

For the second race in a row, SPACEBEAM (runner up to Slipstream in the maiden event over 1400m) finished strongly to take second after not getting the clearest of runs.

After switching out, WIELAND was running on strongly at the finish when fourth to Arabian

.Empire in the graduation event over 1400m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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