No Favs
Turffontein 21st July: Saturday’s action took place on the old stand side track where none of the nine races were won by the favourite. CASEY’S CAUSE was in the red to land the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1160m and ridden to lead 300m out, it looked as if she had done everything right. The Goldkeeper filly ELEGANT TUNE ran on best of all at the business end of the race though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the dying strides.
The bookmakers did have to reach into their satchels in the first division of the maiden juvenile 1160m though when the heavily supported second favourite GREYISH did the business. Backed into 7/2 from 6/1 at the track, the lightly raced daughter of Greys Inn was soon up handy. She moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Race six on the card was a MR86 Handicap over 1160m and winning for the third time in her latest four starts here was the 3yo ROCK THE SYSTEM. Paul Matchett’s charge got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She gave her all over the final 400m and in a race where less than two lengths separated the first five home she got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
Running on from the rear after being squeezed out at the start of the maiden 1160m the newcomer TURNSTONE finished well and was only beaten two lengths.
Easy to back ENCHANTED KINGDOM (8/1 out to 14/1) was finishing best of all when running on from the rear to take fourth place in the MR86 affair won by Rock The System.
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Just The Two
Kenilworth 21st July: The going was heavy in Cape Town on Saturday and with further rain falling throughout the day the meeting was abandoned after just two races.
The opener was a maiden juvenile event over 1000m and here victory went to the second favourite CAT’S PAW. Soon into stride Cat’s Paw raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
The second division of the girls maiden juvenile 1000m was won by the 11/10 favourite SCARLET VEIL. Allowed to ease out from 7/10 at the track as money came for several outsiders, Scarlet Veil was also always prominent. She struck the front as they approached the 200m marker and just had enough in hand to hold off the newcomer EQUINA
Titbits
Equina was fairly flying at the finish and only failed to get up by a neck.
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Improved Over Shorter
Scottsville 22nd July: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here it was nice to see the ultra consistent QUEEN’S COURT get off the mark. She was a little slow into stride when the gates opened, but despite that was soon up handy. She took up the running going through the 300m and easily accounted for the running on newcomer EMALIYAMI (3/1 out to 11/2) by three and three quarters.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of THEMIS who came home smoking in the maiden event over 1400m. Allowed to flirt with 1/5 at one stage after opening up at 9/20, Mike De Kock’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech and led throughout. She extended her advantage from one length to four over the final 400m and that with plenty in hand.
The listed Off To Stud Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here victory went to the Fort Wood filly HIMALAYAN HILL. Well supported at the track Alec Laird’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She made her move at the top of the home straight and kept on strongly to hold off a determined challenge from CHECCETTI after striking the front 250m from home.
Titibits
Newcomer CAPETOWN NOIR impressed when winning a well above average looking maiden event over 1200m going away.
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Speedy Sedge
Fairview 23rd July: The highlight on Monday’s card was the 1400m Gr3 Juvenile Cup won by SEDGE. One of six runners from the stable of in form trainer Gavin Smith, Sedge broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. Stable companion LE VAR tried his best to make a race of it down the long straight and he did have the remainder some four and a half lengths in arrears. Sedge kept up the gallop throughout though and went on to score without any anxious moments by two and a half.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of the lightly raced PRESTWICK in winning the maiden 1200m. Confidently ridden by the very able apprentice Teague Gould, the son of Indigo Magico raced in midfield for the first half of the race. Once given rein though he soon began to make headway and went on to score very easily by four after striking the front 300m from home.
Race three on the card was a MR70 Handicap over 1200m and here a major upset was to be had when AIR POCKET landed the spoils. Freely available at 33/1 on the off, Air Pocket was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker. Also running on stoutly from the rear at that stage though was the supported FORT WILLOW (25/1 into 11/1) and in what proved to be a real thriller it was only by the narrowest of margins that Air Pocket got the verdict.
Titbits
Pacemaker CATALOJ fought back gamely after being headed 300m out when opening her account in the maiden 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (2) Sorrento 9 Race 2: (1) Royal Rajah 6 (NAP*) Race 3: (1) Bright And Smart 9 Race 4: (1) Bold Al 32 Race 5: (5) Lemon Meringue 28 Race 6: (7) Oh So Var 44 Race 7: (9) Beast Of Burden 46 Race 8: (5) Sevenhillsofrome 22 Race 9: (7) Honeyview 25 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Slavetotherhythm 1 Race 2: (1) Gooi Mielies 12 Race 3: (1) Freddy’s Sister 26 (NAP*) Race 4: (10) Shepherds Purse 20 Race 5: (9) Asaal’s Magic 76 Race 6: (10) Tibisi 48 Race 7: (1) Margaret Court 68 Race 8: (11) Bella Nero 66 Race 9: (11) Fabulocity 50 Race 10: (6) Testing The Wind 25 Clairwood Race 1: (2) Caviar 12 Race 2: (1) Overberry 17 Race 3: (2) Stone Reeves 19 Race 4: (13) Wooden Gold 48 Race 5: (2) Bold Alliance 49 (EW) Race 6: (7) Fourth Estate 77 Race 7: (12) Nitro Nori 56 Race 8: (2) Sporty Thong 21 (EW) Vaal Race 1: (1) Al Rashid 19 Race 2: (6) Brandy Nan 66 Race 3: (2) Through It All 21 Race 4: (1) Casey’s Cause 21 Race 5: (8) Valberg 55 Race 6: (6) Fenerbahce 84 Race 7: (11) Lady Cleopatra 43 Race 8: (9) Siciliano 37 Race 9: (1) Black And White 15
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Top rated winners last week included
Air Pocket won 33/1 Kentucky Express won 25/1 Caryl’s Law won 15/2 Tobe’s Jet won 15/2 Last Emperor won 9/2 Napoleon Dynamite won 9/2 Mannequin won 33/10 Tsitikama Strike won 3/1.
Notebook:-
Capetown Noir (D Kannemeyer, KZN) Equina (J Snaith, W-Cape) Greyish (R Sage, Gauteng) Themis (M De Kock, KZN).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Turffontein 21st July Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (8) Star Rating Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (1) Beat The Odds Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
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Kenilworth 21st July Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Cat’s Paw Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (0) No Qualifiers Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
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Scottsville 22nd July Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Capetown Noir Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Mining Prospect Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers.
Fairview 23rd July Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Excellent Cove Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Sedge Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
