Early Days

Never In Doubt

Arlington 11^th June: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Friday 10^th June.

A Maiden Plate over 1300m got proceedings underway in the Eastern Cape on Saturday and here we saw a much improved performance from the Alan Greeff trained HOBBIT’S MONKEY. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the lesser fancied of Alan’s runners raced towards the rear for most of the journey. Once in the short home straight though, he quickened best of all and after striking the front 150m from home he easily drew clear.

The best bet on the card for many was JELLA LOOCHEE in the Juvenile Plate over 1000m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Always deep in the red, Grant Paddock’s charge was taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni and led throughout. He was always in command and despite the efforts of the chasing FOREST BLADE, he went on to score very comfortably by three and a quarter.

The listed Milkwood Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here victory went to the National Assembly filly PERESTROIKA. One of five runners from the stable of Yvette Bremer in the race, Perestroika got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 500m marker and kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat her running on stable companion CHEKECHE by a length. Keep an eye open for the runner up Chekeche. Having her first outing here since relocating from Gauteng, Chekeche had been positioned in the rear when the race began in earnest and finished very well.

A MR81 Handicap over 1600m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the easy to back FLICHITY. Positioned at the back as the twelve runners turned for home, Gavin Smith’s charge quickened nicely at the top of the straight and after striking the front 200m from home, he went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter.

Titbits

After racing detached at the rear, the Deep Sleep filly NOCTURNAL LADY caught the eye running on nicely to take fifth in the Juvenile Plate won by the useful Jella Loochee and is clearly much better than her bare form would suggest.

CLUB MONTREAL quickened very nicely after being baulked for a run 400m out and did well to get up very late to beat the useful All Ablaze.

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Stable Exactas

Kenilworth 11^th June: This the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Sunday 12^th June. The locals got off to a rough start in Cape Town on Saturday when the 45/1 shot BELOVED BETTY ran out a very easy winner of the first, a maiden juvenile event over 1200m. Positioned towards the middle of the eighteen during the early part of the race, Glen Kotzen’s charge made her move going through halfway. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to score very comfortably from the three 3/1 co-favourites by three and a quarter. One to look out for next time from this race is the fifth horse BIG ZEE. A newcomer from the Joey Ramsden stable, Big Zee caught the eye running on nicely in the closing stages of the race.

The first favourite to oblige was MAXIXE who did the business in the fourth race on the card, a MR94 Handicap over 1600m. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, Joey Ramsden’s charge gave her all under a determined ride from Glen Hatt and in what proved to be a real thriller, she got up in the very last stride to deny LIGHT THE MOON.

A Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m topped the bill and in another very tight finish the two Riaan Van Reenen runners POSH BOY and SUN CITY fought it out. Posh Boy raced the closest to the pace of the two and put his head in front 200m out. Stable companion Sun City had been steadily gaining on him down the short old course straight though and when he in turn got his nostrils in front 100m later it looked as if he had done everything right. Posh Boy found extra below the distance though and in another breathtaking finish, he got back up very late.

The day ended as it had begun with a roughie landing the spoils. The victory of ACAPULCO GOLD in the maiden event over 1200m wasn’t a surprise to everyone though, as Dean Kannemeyer’s charge did find good outside support into 16/1 from 33’s. A 3yo son of Hennessey, Acapulco Gold fairly flew when the gates opened and very quickly had the field well strung out. Indeed, going through the 600m he had the third placed runner some seven lengths adrift. He kept on surprisingly well at the business end of the race and although his more fancied stable companion CARAVAGGIO ran on well from off the pace to take second, he never looked like being caught. Caravaggio made a very promising debut here and looks sure to go one better in the near future.

Titbits

The aptly named newcomer QUICK OF FOOT caught the eye running on nicely from the rear in the maiden juvenile event over 1200m and was only beaten 2,5 lengths.

SCARLET SKY was running on strongly in the latter stages of the MR94 Handicap over 1600m.

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Superman Delivers The Power

Turffontein 12^th June: They raced on the old standside track on Sunday where victory in the opening Juvenile Plate over 1160m went to the second favourite UPTOTHEMOON (36). Despite sweating up at the start, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the well supported SMALL MIRACLE by two and a quarter.

Another to win well in the juvenile ranks on this card was the well supported DELIVER THE POWER (45) who did the business for favourite backers in the boys division. Eventually sent off at 1/3 after opening up at 8/10, the son of Toreador was always handy. The recent maiden winner ROMEOS REWARD made the running and still going strong going through the 200m he comfortably had the rest well held. Deliver The Power had tracked him throughout though and under a typically workmanlike ride from Anton Marcus, he took command 150m out.

The Gr3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Mike De Kock trained CANDY SINGER (74) find her best form. One of just two females in the race, Candy Singer lost a length at the start and not particularly drawn well to boot, she very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. She quickened nicely down the long home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late in receipt of 9,5kg to beat last season’s Triple Crown hopeful PIERRE JOURDAN by three quarters.

Another worthy of note in the maiden ranks was Foxi-Lady (33) in winning the 1000m event. Positioned in midfield going through halfway, St John Gray’s charge only had to be pushed out hands and heels after striking the front 200m out. One to lookout for next time from this race is the third placed runner PIRATE’S BOUNTY. Returning from a two year absence here, Erico Verdonese’s charge was detached at the rear early on and caught the eye running on very strongly to take third.

Titbits

Baulked for a run between the 400m-200m markers, MAGICAL was finishing best of all in the latter stages of the Gr3 Jubilee Handicap and was beaten less than a length.

Making her debut in open company, FLYING ICON raced very green and running on from the rear did well to get up for fifth.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES

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