3yo’s To Follow
Turffontein 29th April:
Three of the nine races on the inner track on Saturday were staged over 1450m and the quickest home in these was the lightly raced ZOUAVES when winning the MR87 Handicap for 3yo’s. Sent off an uneasy favourite at 26/10 (op 13/10), the son of Sail From Seattle wasn’t the quickest into stride when the gates opened and raced at the back of the six. He quickened best of all at the business end of the race and won going away with some in hand after striking the front 150m from home. They also ran three races over 1200m where the fastest home was ALILEO when keeping her unbeaten record in tact in the MR89 Handicap. Taking a huge step up in class after winning on debut in the maiden ranks just a month ago, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. She had to bravely take a gap in the short home straight and did well to win by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden plates was the boy’s affair won narrowly by STUDENT GRANT. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, the son of Royal Air Force raced prominent throughout. He hung badly in the straight, and in a thrilling three way finish, he only got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
Lightly raced MUSETTE won the maiden plate over 2000m going away by three and three quarters.
After making all COLD CASH was eased late when winning the MR76 Handicap very easily by two and three quarters.
Shining Bright
Kenilworth 29th April:
The Gr3 Winter Guineas topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the lessor fancied of Justin Snaith’s two runners AFRICAN NIGHT SKY. A stable companion to the favourite, the son of Dynasty raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the new course home straight and won going away after striking the front 180m from home.
The supporting act was the listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes for 3yo fillies and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1400m races, victory here went to the well supported WHOSE THAT GIRL. Backed into favouritism at the track, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SYLVANITE by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1000m races on the card was the conditions plate won in very good style by SOUTH SIDE. Taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie, the daughter of Pathfork led throughout. She was three and a half lengths clear 100m out, but eased right down below the distance, the winning margin evaporated to just a length.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, LACERTA was always in command when getting off the mark in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Scenic Nature Reserve
Scottsville 30th April:
The listed In Full Flight Handicap was the first of the three 1100m feature races to be run and in new course record time we saw an impressive performance from ATTENBOROUGH. Returning from a three month break, and racing for the first time since being gelded, the son of Western Winter was positioned in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. He cut through the field like a knife when given rein and won going away after hitting the front 150m from home.
They also ran three races over 1950m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was BURNT CHERRY in the fillies’ maiden plate. Always handy, Gareth Van Zyl’s charge took up the running early in the home straight and went on to score with authority from the running on UNDER THE ROSE.
In terms of prizemoney the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and here THE SECRET IS OUT showed good improvement. Nibbled at on course into 17/2 from 10/1, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from MJ Byleveld she got up late to win going away.
Titbits
Positioned at the back after losing two lengths at the start, the easy to back newcomer FILIPPO ran on stoutly in the closing stages of the event, and racing green did well to get within a half-length of the useful looking winner PROCAL HARUM.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (7) Qadir 1
Race 2: (2) Bunch Of Thyme 9
Race 3: (4) Scarlet Lady 10
Race 4: (2) Cozzenes Prince 16
Race 5: (11) Doubly Attractive 6
Race 6: (1) Red Star 39
Race 7: (6) First Sea Lord 31
Race 8: (12) Patroclus 27
Race 9: (2) Favour’s Pride 57 (NAP**)
Race 10: (2) Ground Breaker 8
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (11) So Var 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (2) Flying Falcon 8
Race 3: (3) Spanish Blade 8
Race 4: (1) Charter Jet 5
Race 5: (5) Tandana 28 (EW)
Race 6: (7) Chief Sioux 42
Race 7: (6) Dennis The Menace 70
Race 8: (14) Sleepinseattle 43
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (9) Sassy Lady 2
Race 2: (1) Time To Think 12 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Gadget Man 18
Race 4: (4) Savuti 14
Race 5: (11) Storm Front 66 (EW)
Race 6: (7) Sunset Eyes 74
Race 7: (10) Saint Donan 52
Race 8: (2) Captain’s Dove 47
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (7) Mutawaary 8 (NAP*)
Race 2: (9) Spring Poetry 8
Race 3: (3) Flying Russian 23
Race 4: (2) Sassi Model 9
Race 5: (8) Woodland Sage 45
Race 6: (10) Rain Shadow 69
Race 7: (2) Gratuity 43 (EW)
Race 8: (13) Matilda’s Daughter 41
Top rated winners last week included
Tell My Star won 12/1
Embrasiatic won 7/1
New Fort won 41/10
Streak Of Silver won 26/10
Zouaves won 26/10
Only To Win won 5/4
Kenna won 5/4
Flying Free won 12/10
Notebook:-
African Night Sky (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Alileo (M De Kock, Gauteng)
South Side (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
Zouaves (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (inner) 29th April
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,16s fast
1200m (3) Alileo 70,98
1450m (2) Zouaves 87,56
1600m (2) Student Grant 99,67
1800m (1) Cold Cash 112,03
2000m (1) Musette 126,75
Kenilworth (new) 29th April
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,37s fast
1000m (2) South Side 57,10
1400m (4) Whose That Girl 86,74
1600m (1) African Night Sky 99,10
2500m (1) Woodland’s Forest 163,18
Scottsville (inside) 30th April
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 1,00s fast
1000m (1) Procal Harum 56,91
1100m (3) Attenborough 60,89
1200m (1) The Secret Is Out 67,43
1400m (2) The Poet 82,35
1950m (3) Burnt Cherry 120,63
