Shining Bright
Fairview 19th August: Despite the fact that the going was good in Port Elizabeth on Friday, the combination of a 29k headwind and a 3-4m false rail all around the course made the times look slow.
The faster of the two 1200m races on the card was the MR89 Handicap won by PEREGRINE KING. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the bottom weight raced handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the deposed favourite CARDINAL (22/10 out to 7/2) by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on this card was 1400m (2 races) and quickest home here was WAY OF ESCAPE in the MR81 Handicap. Another to leave the stalls in double figures, the Greys Inn mare raced eighth of the ten early on. She quickened well down the long home straight and beat the much more fancied KANARA fair and square by a length and three quarters.
In terms of distance, by far the easiest victory on the card was recorded by NEW DEAL when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 2400m. Always handy in a race devoid of pace, Alan Greeff’s charge took up the running 400m out and cruised clear from there onwards to score by nine and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo GIMME THE STARS didn’t find the clearest of passages en-route from the rear when winning the maiden plate over 1400m going away.
An impressive winner of his only previous racecourse appearance, GREEN LANTERN again won with some in hand when running on from the rear to land the MR68 Handicap over 1200m going away.
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Rising Above
Turffontein 20th August: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where the false rail varied from 6,5m in the back straight to 10m around the bend. As with Fairview the previous day this had the effect of making the times look very slow.
Five of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1450m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was NOAH’S ARK when winning the MR73 Handicap. Sent off a clear favourite at 5/2, Paul Peter’s charge was always handy. He took up the running at the top of the short home straight and kept on strongly late to fend off the recent easy maiden winner JUST A GIGOLO.
By far the faster of the two maiden plates over 1450m was race two won in good style by the lightly raced SHUKAMISA. Not the quickest into stride, Ormond Ferraris’ charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well and cruised clear to win by three after putting his nose in front 250m out.
Two of the four remaining races were run over 2000m and quickest home here was SHEPHERDS WARNING in the false paced MR80 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY who elected to make the running and he soon had the field very strung out. PYRAMUS (raced second) was the first to make a move, and he quickly went clear after striking the front 450m out. Running on stoutly from the rear though, Geoff Woodruff’s charge cut through the field quickly in the straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides.
Titbits
The nibbled at Silvano filly WIND CHILL came from the back when getting off the mark in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1450m.
The 5yo PAREE proved that her easy four length victory in MR68 company was not a fluke last time out when stepping up considerably in class to win the MR84 Handicap over 1450m going away by three.
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Three From Four
Kenilworth 20th August: Off a penetrometer reading of 29 in the straight, the going was posted as still being soft in Cape Town on Saturday.
The only distance to stage more than one race on the card was 1400m, the quickest of which was the MR89 Handicap won by the lightly raced 4yo QUINE. Now a winner of three from four, the daughter of Querari was soon positioned close to the speed. She ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in a race where only a short head separated the first three home, she got the verdict on the nod.
At the other end of the winning distance scale was the victory of GIMME SIX in the opening maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m. Positioned in midfield early on, Justin Snaith’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily below the distance to score by four and a quarter.
Another to win well on this card was OLYMPIAN in the MR86 Handicap over 1000m. Nicely positioned in third in a race where just three lengths covered all, the Scarlet Letter gelding began to assert his authority 250m from home and with nothing else quickening up at that stage, he went on to win very easily by three and a half.
Titbits
Headed 600m out, the pacemaker VOLATILE ENERGY regained the lead passing the 400m pole and went on to win the maiden plate over 1400m with authority by two and three quarters.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (8) Apostle Advancing 9
Race 2: (4) Red Special 15
Race 3: (7) Groovy News 53
Race 4: (6) Kartouche 11
Race 5: (8) Elusive Seven 43
Race 6: (2) Tell The Tale 28
Race 7: (11) Quantity 10
Race 8: (6) Speed Lightning 22
Race 9: (4) Imbali 55 (NAP*)
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (4) Charleston Hero 17 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Lebanese Tractor 12
Race 3: (1) Rocky Borough 8
Race 4: (4) Shivering Sea 62
Race 5: (8) She’s A Flirt 37
Race 6: (6) National Key 84
Race 7: (4) Lucky Luciano 48
Race 8: (3) Jackie’s Joy 10
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (7) Rustar Dhow 18
Race 2: (5) Cock-A-Hoop 16
Race 3: (9) Icon King 10
Race 4: (1) Imperial Dancer 27
Race 5: (1) Jingle Belle 18
Race 6: (2) Sail For Gold 77
Race 7: (4) Captain’s Dove 58
Race 8: (9) Rush For Roses 41
Race 9: (6) Shishangeni 50
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (2) Swiss Note 11
Race 2: (3) Shine Up 16
Race 3: (5) Roy’s Monkey 18
Race 4: (11) Super Guppy 45
Race 5: (13) Maria Estella 42
Race 6: (4) Blunderbuss 33
Race 7: (15) Teppanyaki 36
Race 8: (9) Sword Storm 35
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (14) Sweet Pleasures 19
Race 2: (6) Shankly Gates 56
Race 3: (7) Stunned 11
Race 4: (1) Consequentially 14
Race 5: (4) Babbling Brooke 52
Race 6: (2) African Fish Eagle 41
Race 7: (5) Harmston Herald 57
Race 8: (8) Aquabuoy 52
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Top rated winners last week included
King And Empire won 20/1
Northern Ballet won 12/1
My Cherry won 11/2
Thrust won 22/10
Edict Of Nantes won 2/1
Flight Mode won 2/1
Purple Tractor won 18/10
Newcrest won 13/10
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Notebook:-
Green Lantern (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Shukamisa (O Ferraris, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 19th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,70 seconds slow
1000m (1) Newcrest 60,44
1200m (2) Peregrine King 71,83
1400m (2) Way Of Escape 87,50
1600m (1) Star Trek 100,19
1800m (1) True Master 112,29
2400m (1) New Deal 160,38*
Turffontein (inner) 20th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,70 slow
1450m (5) Noah’s Ark 91,10
1600m (1) Capuche 100,98
1800m (1) Sultry 119,03
2000m (2) Shepherds Warning 128,47*
Kenilworth (old) 20th August
Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 1,61 slow
1000m (1) Olympian 60,50
1200m (1) Gimme Six 75,12
1400m (3) Quine 87,25
1600m (1) William Longsword 101,69
1800m (1) Silver Chalice 116,32
2000m (1) Eleadora 131,24
