Class To Tell

The Long Run

Fairview 4^th May: They raced inPort Elizabeth on Friday where we saw a smart performance in the MR90 Handicap over 1400m from the 5yo RUN RORKUS RUN. Winning for the sixth time in his career here, Alan Greeff’s charge was positioned in the rear early on. Once in the long home straight though, he quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Warren Kennedy he got up late to beat the supported LEMON FIZZ (8/1 into 5/1) by a length and a quarter.

Another to win after running on stoutly from the rear was CHEKECHE in the MR82 affair. Finishing best of all in this 1200m event, Chekeche fairly flew over the final 400m and won comfortably after striking the front close home.

The non-black type Oaks Plate over 1800m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the friendless ALVILDA landed the spoils. Allowed to drift right out to 33/1 from 10/1 at the track, the 3yo Jallad filly raced up with the speed throughout. She kept on determinedly at the business end of the event, and in a race where only three quarters of a length separated the first four home, she just held on from the fastest finisher NIGHT STYLE.

Titbits

After being a little troublesome in the pens, the newcomer BREAKING DAWN ran on strongly when third in the maiden juvenile event over 1000m.

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Back In Favour

Kenilworth 6^th May: The lightly raced 2yo GINOCLOCK (27) always looked to be a good thing in the opening maiden event over 1200m inCape Town on Sunday and so it proved to be. Soon up handy, this daughter of Badger’s Drift began to assert her authority at the halfway mark and with some in hand won very comfortably by four and a quarter.

A maiden juvenile event over 1000m was next up and very impressive here was the lightly raced TEVEZ (36). Visibly cruising as he took up the running 400m out, the Mike Bass trained Tevez glided in by six with a ton in hand. One to follow.

The stable of Mike Bass were again on the mark in the Gr3 Fillies Nursery when the shortest priced favourite of the afternoon HAMMIE’S HOOKER (63) did the business. Deep in the red at 1/5 on the off, the daughter of Trippi was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and went on to beat CAPTAIN’S LULLABY quite a bit more easily than the official winning margin of just three quarters of a length would suggest.

Titbits

INTIMATECONNECTION ran on strongly when third in the Gr3 Fillies Nursery.

The well supported 2/1 favourite (op 7/2) ABERCROMBIE was finishing best of all when only beaten a neck in the Gr3 Cape Nursery.

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A Merry Dance

Vaal 8^th May: Tuesday’s action took place on the turf where the biggest winning margin amongst the four maiden events was that recorded by GAELIC GIRL (23) in the 1600m affair. Ridden to lead 400m from home by Sherman Brown, the daughter of Nysaean kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race and only got the verdict by a half over the well supported outsider LUCKY GAMBLER (20/1 into 10/1).

The St John Gray trained DANCE ALLEY (49) was all the rage to win the MR76 Handicap over 1600m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Backed into 33/10 from 4/1 at the track, Dance Alley sat in midfield during the early part of the race. CARRIBEAN DREAM was the first to make a move, but Dance Alley was already on her heels when she struck the front 300m out. Dance Alley in turn struck the front 150m later and went on to score a little bit more easily than the length and a quarter winning margin would suggest.

In terms of distance the easiest victory on the afternoon was recorded by GOLDSTREAM in the MR80 Handicap over 1000m. Running on best of all from halfway, Clinton Binda’s charge drew clear easily to score by two and three quarters after striking the front 250m out.

Titbits

MYTHICAL PALACE ran on well from the rear when runner up to the improving Aerofoil in the MR77 Handicap over 1200m.

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Impressive Hattrick

Scottsville 9^th May: The easiest victory inNatal on Wednesday was undoubtedly that ofVALDIVIA (54) in the juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m. A very easy winner of her two previous racecourse appearances, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was slow into stride here, but despite that was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels from there onwards, she cruised in by four and a half.

Another to win well, albeit by a much lesser margin, was ROMAN WALL (68) in the graduation event over 1400m. Freely available at 12/1 on the off (op 8’s), the lesser fancied of Sean Tarry’s two runners raced towards the back end of midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened best of all in the straight and did well to get the better of a much improved KUJA close home who had gotten first run.

A MR87 Handicap over 1950m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the lightly weighted BADGE OF CHOICE (50) registered his fourth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 9/1 from 12’s, Michael Roberts’ charge raced sixth of the nine for most of the journey. He made up the deficit quickly in the home straight though and after striking the front at the 200m marker, he comfortably accounted for the running on WHAT NEXT by a length.

Titbits

Newcomer IRISH BLESSING was running on nicely from midfield when only beaten a length and a half in the maiden event over 1400m.

DESERT RAPTOR won the MR74 Handicap over 1950m with authority.

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Speedy Pylon

Vaal 10^th May: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m went to the favourite MEN AND MOUNTAINS. Soon up handy, Leon Erasmus’ charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to score comfortably from the heavily supported STRONGMIND (8/1 into 3/1) by two and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap over1000m and well supported here was the Louis Goosen trained BOSS CAT. In the red at 9/10 on the off (op 14/10), Bosscat was soon in touch with the leaders. He was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and easily accounted for the 14/1 shot LEGISLATURE by three and a half.

The most impressive performance of the afternoon was that of the 3yo PYLON who broke the course record when winning the MR80 Handicap over 1800m. Taken straight to the front by Robbie Fradd, the son ofFortWoodled throughout. The easy to backNEW YORKchased hard over the final 400m, but despite his efforts Pylon extended his advantage to four and quarter from just a length and a half on the run to the line.

Titbits

LA NEGRITA ran on well from the rear when third in the MR76 affair over 1200m.

ALAMEIN came from the back when winning the MR64 Handicap over 1800m going away.

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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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