Early Gains

Two Greats

Vaal 18^th April: They raced on the outside track on Thursday where five of the nine races on the card were run over 1200m. The fastest of these was the bill topping MR94 Handicap in which ABBOTTSBURY caused an upset. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the 6yo son of Grey Eminence ran on well from midfield and got up late to deny the more fancied YUKON GOLD.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by MASTER SABINA when impressively winning the MR72 Handicap over 1600m. An eye catching winner in the maiden ranks last time out, Geoff Woodruff’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. He made his move shortly after passing halfway and after striking the front 400m from home he cruised clear to score by three.

The biggest winning distance amongst the four maiden events was the two lengths recorded by ONE UP in the boy’s 1600m event. Nibbled at into 4/1 second favourite from 5’s at the track, the 3yo son of Imperial Stride also came from off the pace. He quickened well over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the all out GREYSTONE by two.

Another to win well on this card was FLYING FOO in the MR86 Handicap over 1200m. Allowed to drift right out to 40/1 from 14’s at the track, the friendless daughter of Lake Coniston was always handy. She took up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole and easily accounted for her stable companion MISS CANTONA by two and a quarter.

Titbits

Now racing off a mark some 13 points below that of his former best, EDICT signalled a return to form when running on stoutly from the rear to take second position in the MR77 Handicap over 1200m. He was only beaten a neck and that despite not finding the clearest of passages.

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Four From Nine

Fairview 19^th April: Friday’s meeting in Port Elizabeth also staged five of it’s nine races over 1200m and the quickest of these was the MR90 affair won by BLACKMALKIN. Registering his fourth win from just nine starts here, the son of Black Minnaloushe raced up with the speed throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with LE VAR he got the verdict by a length and a quarter.

Although not in terms of prize money the non-black type Derby Plate over 2000m effectively topped the bill and here victory went to the highly regarded Tamburlaine gelding BURLAINE FOREST. A winner of three from six coming into the race, Yvette Bremner’s charge was content to guard the rear for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though he soon began to make headway. One might have expected him to have gone clear after striking the front 200m from home, but both WAY CLEAR and SKIPPYJON JONES also finished strongly and it was only by a half length that Burlaine Forest got the verdict.

Race two on the card was a juvenile plate for the girls over 1100m and here we saw a smart performance from the favourite YOSHIE. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by two and three quarters.

Titbits

For the second race in a row SPORTING ROONEY ran on strongly from well off the pace when third in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.

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Eric In Command

Kenilworth 20^th April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday and here victory went to the uneasy favourite WHEREDOWEGO. Allowed to ease right out to 16/10 from 11/10 at the track as money in the main came for CATCHPHRASE (16/1 into 4/1) and HIATUS (5/1 into 33/10), Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly from there onwards to beat the running on money horse Catchphrase. The runner up (a newcomer) came from the rear and was only beaten 0,4 lengths.

Much easier a winner in the maiden juvenile ranks was Wheredowego’s stable companion MY NEPHEW ERIC in the 1400m event. Another favourite to ease in the betting market (2/1 out to 28/10), the newcomer also raced prominent throughout. He took up the running as they approached the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for the easy to back COUNTS ROCKET by two and three quarters.

The afternoon’s feature race was a MR94 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1200m events on the card victory here went to the 4yo PRESIDENT OF POP. The field was surprisingly strung out considering that just five went to post and racing in fourth Justin Snaith’s charge was five lengths off the pace. He ran on best of all as the field began to concertina 400m out though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides to deny LORD PARAMOUNT.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of M’LORDS THROAT in winning the fastest of the three 1400m events, a MR90 Handicap. Running on from midfield the top weight finished best of all and did well to collar the improving SAGE OF SIVANA in the dying strides.

Titbits

WANDA ran on well from the rear when winning the maiden 1800m. The runner up LONDON THEATRE was badly baulked 200m out when running on from a similar position in this race to take second spot.

HENRY THE FOURTH quickened well late when running on from midfield to take third position in the MR73 Handicap over 1400m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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