Popular Prince
Vaal 3rd January: Getting off the mark in the opening girl’s maiden event over 1200m at the Vaal’s outside track on Thursday was the ultra consistent ANTIGUA. Placed in no less than eight of her previous eleven outings, Alex Laird’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and kept on strongly from there onwards to beat another well tried individual in HELLO POLLY by a length and a half.
The boys division of the maiden 1200m was won by the heavily supported PRINCE JAZEEM. Backed into 5/2 from 4/1 at the track, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well from halfway and comfortably accounted for the deposed favourite TOBIT by two. Having only his second career outing here Prince Jazeem won going away and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
The fastest of the four 1200m events on the card was the MR80 Handicap in which the 4yo son of Mogok MOON OF RANGOON registered his third career victory. Easy to back at 13/2 on the off, Scott Kenny’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. The rejuvenated MEMEZA was the first to make a move and on striking the front 200m from home he looked to have done everything right. Moon Of Rangoon ran on best of all at the business end of the race though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to score by a neck.
Titbits
After losing three lengths at the start of the third division of the maiden 1200m the newcomer CASEY NOVAK raced at the back. He ran on by far the best in this very moderate contest and won going away by three and a quarter.
For the second race in a row TRUE IMPERIUM ran on well from the rear when runner up in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.
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John In A Rush
Fairview 4th January: The easiest of the two victories recorded in the maiden ranks on Friday was that of SCREW TOP in the 1400m event. Sent off as one of the outsiders of the sixteen horse party at 55/1, Alan Greeff’s charge was positioned towards the back end of midfield as they rounded the turn. Once in the long home straight though he ran on stoutly and under a well judged ride from M J Byleveld he got up late to beat one of the joint favourites DOUBLE NELSON by a length and a quarter. Also worthy of note in this race was the performance of the fourth placed runner MATRIX MODE. He too ran on well from the rear but didn’t find the clearest of passages.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Lady’s Bracelet over 1600m and here victory went to the Cape Town raider RUSH FOR JOHN. Allowed to drift out to 7/1 from 9/2 at the track, the daughter of Jet Master was always in touch with the leaders. She made her move early in the straight, and after striking the front 150m from home she kept on strongly late to beat the steadily gaining RIVATORIO (came from the rear) by a neck.
The fastest of the four 1600m events on the card though was the MR72 affair in which the top weighted IRON GREY registered his third career victory. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and easily accounted for the unfancied DIAMOND EMBLEM by three and a half.
Titbits
Drawn widest of the fifteen the formless NICCI’S VICTORY came from the rear when winning the maiden event over 1600m going away.
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Just Reward
Vaal 5th January: Saturday’s action took place on the inside track where as expected SEBASTIAN BOLT gained just reward for his consistency in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1600m. Soon nicely positioned in fourth by Charles Ndlovu, the 5yo son of Goldkeeper was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 500m and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by seven.
Another to win very easily in the maiden ranks on this card, although not in as fast a time as some would have us believe, was KATCH in girl’s 1000m event. Taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena, the lightly raced daughter of Kahal led throughout. She led by just a length and a half for most of the journey, but once given rein she drew clear easily and won by six and a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR87 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the two 1800m events victory here went to the 5yo VARLET. Another winner on the card for last season’s runner up in the national jockey’s log Gavin Lerena, Varlet raced sixth of the eight during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all when the race began in earnest 500m out and got up nicely late to beat the easy to back CYCLONE MICHELLE going away.
Titbits
Beaten just three quarters of a length in the MR79 Handicap over 1800m, the runner up LUMINOUS LOVE came from the rear.
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Repeat Performance
Kenilworth 5th January: The joint biggest winning margin in Cape Town on Saturday was just two and a quarter lengths and one of these was recorded by the shortest price favourite on the afternoon WESTERN JET. Deep in the red at 4/10 to win the maiden event over 1600m, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the unfancied GOLDEN CRYSTAL.
The Gr2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the improving HILL FIFTY FOUR. Winning for the fifth time in just ten outings when landing the Gr3 Algoa Cup in Port Elizabeth last time out, Vaughan Marshall’s charge got away well when the gates opened and soon nicely positioned in second raced prominent throughout. He moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole and won well by two and a quarter from the running on PUNTA ARENAS (also runner up in the Algoa Cup).
The fastest of the three 1000m races on the card was a MR78 Handicap and here we saw a nice performance from the lightly raced 4yo SAGE OF SIVANA. Sent off a well supported favourite at 18/10 (op 28/10), Shane Humby’s charge could be sighted guarding the rear early on. He ran on best of all when asked for his effort 400m out and under a well judged ride from Christopher Puller he got up late to deny the ultra consistent veteran TIGHT LINES.
Titbits
TSARINA came from the rear when winning the girl’s maiden event over 1000m. The newcomer TRIPLE RHYME also caught the eye running on from the back (sixth beaten three lengths) in this race.
WOOSH was running on from the rear when fourth in the maiden 2000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (2) Nomenclature 15 Race 2: (13) Quinan 15 Race 3: (8) Pay Master 12 Race 4: (5) Blushing Peter 25 Race 5: (7) What A Beaut 69 Race 6: (1) Cashmere Mafia 63 Race 7: (10) Follow The Light 59 Race 8: (12) Mark Of The Divine 40 Scottsville Race 1: (1) Ravishing Gem 22 Race 2: (2) Westhampton 20 Race 3: (6) Flyfirstclass 47 Race 4: (4) Kentucky Guest 24 Race 5: (2) Winds Of Noordhoek 28 Race 6: (7) De La Danza 83 Race 7: (6) Chief Pigeon 63 Race 8: (3) Sheikina 44 Turffontein Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (1) Tobit 37 Race 3: (2) Flight Of Eagles 25 Race 4: (6) Stylish Bay 19 Race 5: (7) Annaconda Moon 25 Race 6: (7) Tsitsikama Strike 59 Race 7: (5) Two Tone 87 (nb) Race 8: (4) King’s Temptress 64 (NAP*) Race 9: (11) Mastende 39 Kenilworth Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (1) Bay Mariner 17 Race 3: (1) Gogotine 47 (EW) Race 4: (4) Lake Geneva 71 Race 5: (12) Moika Dancer 47 Race 6: (11) Amanzi 43 Race 7: (8) Repertoire 83 Race 8: (4) George Noble 25 (NAP**) Vaal Race 1: (3) Handsome Dancer 26 Race 2: (7) Zephyr Breeze 31 (EW) Race 3: (1) Cherie’s Boy 16 Race 4: (11) Fast Day 40 Race 5: (7) Forestation 65 Race 6: (12) Sparkle With Speed 42 Race 7: (11) Shimmering Gem 47 Race 8: (13) Rue De Rivoli 41 .
Top rated winners last week included
Flaming Forge won 20/1 Red Book won 9/2 Indian Connection won 4/1 Sheikina won 3/1 Antigua won 22/10 Cheshire Cat won 16/10 Sebastian Bolt won 15/20 Elegantes won 11/20 .
Notebook:-
Matrix Mode (J Snaith, E-Cape) Prince Jazeem (S Tarry, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher .Vaal (Outside) 3rd January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1200m (4) Moon Of Rangoon 70,04 1400m (2) Approachable 82,08 1600m (3) Do You Remember 96,36 .
Fairview 4th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1200m (3) Tall Ship 70,78 1400m (1) Screw Top 87,80 1600m (4) Iron Grey 98,37 .
Vaal (Inside) 5th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (3) Boeing Boeing 57,37* 1600m (2) Spandau Ballet 97,14 1800m (2) Varlet 109,16 2600m (2) King’s Line 163,84 .
Kenilworth 5th January Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (3) Sage Of Savana 59,24 1100m (1) Gouldikova 65,59 1600m (1) Western Jet 101,97 1700m (1) Neartic Dancer 108,05 1800m (1) Hill Fifty Four 110,44 2000m (2) Rose Bay Moon 126,10
