Early Kick Off

To The Point

Kenilworth 28^th April: A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway inCape Town on Saturday and here victory went to the second favourite GRAND NATIONAL. Soon up handy, the National Assembly filly raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and after a protracted battle with the easy to back TESTING THE WIND, she only got the verdict by a neck.

A MR96 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the rank outsider of the seven horse party CYPRESS POINT landed the spoils. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was slow into stride and as a result raced detached at the rear during the early part of the race. Undeterred though, Grant Behr steadily worked him into contention and under a well judged ride he got up late to deny the nibbled at TRUST FUND (10/1 into 15/2).

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of REFLECTIVE IMAGE when winning the MR82 Handicap over 1200m. In touch with the leaders throughout, the 3yo daughter of Tamburlaine quickened best of all at the business end of the race and went on to score comfortably after striking the front close home.

Titbits

Without being given a hard ride, the newcomer SOLID SISTER was running on nicely at the finish when third in the maiden event won by Grand National.

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Ending The Drought

Fairview 30^th April: Favourite backers got off to a nice start inPort Elizabeth on Monday when PLACIDO (27) did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1200m. Soon up handy, Alan Greeff’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and drew clear easily late to beat WAY CLEAR by three and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was ODONATA (20) in the 2400m event. Sent off second favourite at 33/10, Odonata raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though, he quickened best of all and comfortably accounted for MUCHO GOLD who also finished well from off the pace.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1800m and here it was nice to see the one time Gr2 Gauteng Guineas runner up HAVASHA (58) find the number one box. Without a win in 23 outings going into the race, Havasha was taken straight to the front by apprentice Naidoo and led throughout. RUN RORKUS RUN through down a determined challenge 100m from home, but he did have that one held by a half at the wire.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear early on, CAPTAIN SURGE ran on best of all when getting up in the very last stride to deny FIELD STAR in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m.

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Quick Compensation

Scottsville 1^st May: The newcomer EL ESTRUENOSO (25) was backed as if unbeatable to win the maiden juvenile event over 1400m in Pietermaritzberg on Tuesday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Deep in the red at 7/20 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was content to guard the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all and although the subsequent winner CHOCOLATE SYMPHONY (flamingo Park 7 May) tried his best to make a race of it, he went on to score comfortably by three quarters.

The first of three listed events to be run was the In Full Flight Handicap over 1000m and here it was nice to see the talented WISHFUL EYE back in the winner’s enclosure. Having her third run after returning from a spell inZimbabwe, Alyson Wright’s charge raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead going through the 100m and although the pacemaker FLOWERS OF SPRING kept on strongly after being headed, she went on to score comfortably by a half.

The first of the two Gr2 features for juveniles to be run was the Debutante Stakes over 1200m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to theGautengvisitor STRAIGHT SET. Always handy, the Pretty Polly Stakes runner up commenced battle with the Cape Town raider ALL IS SECRET 200m out and with both giving their all on the run to the line it was only by the narrowest of margins that Straight Set got the verdict.

Titbits

Beaten by the narrowest of margins when running on stoutly last time out, the luckless SKY MARSHALL again finished well after being baulked for a run 200m from home in the listed In Full Flight Handicap won by Wishful Eye.

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Punter’s Content

Turffontein 1^st May: Tuesday’s action took place on the old stand side track where the best bet on the card was HEART’S CONTENT (21) in the maiden juvenile event over 1400m. Deep in the red at 3/10 on the off, the daughter of Jet Master was soon prominent. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and with the pacemaker finding extra once headed she was made to work all the way to the wire in order to score by a length and a quarter.

Somewhat unusually on an eight race card, the biggest winning margin was that of LUMINOUS LOVE (55) in the bill topping MR86 Handicap over 2000m which was just two lengths. Running on strongly from midfield, Geoff Woodruff’s charge won well and is clearly still improving.

Another going the right way is FLIGHT ZONE (40) who registered her second career victory from just five starts in the MR69 Handicap over 1400m. Sent off a well supported favourite at 22/10 (op 33/10), Erico Verdonese’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. The consistent PENNY FARE was the first to make a move and after striking the front 300m out, she did have the rest well beaten. Flight Zone finished best of all though and under a well judged ride from Gavin Lerena she got up late to score by three quarters.

Titbits

After racing detached at the rear, the lightly raced 50/1 shot ANY FLAG was running on strongly at the finish when fourth in the maiden event over 1600m.

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Timing It Right

Kenilworth 2^nd May: Race two in Cape Town on Wednesday was a maiden juvenile event over 1200m and here victory went to the most experienced runner in the field LITTLE ONE. Well supported on course into 3/1 from 5’s, Piet Steyn’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the running on PADDY’S GIRL by two and a quarter. Having only her second career outing here, the runner up finished well and can still improve plenty.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks here was SHAFT OF LIGHT in the 1600m event. Positioned in midfield for most of journey, Glen Kotzen’s charge ran on best of all in the home straight and easily accounted for MYSTERE by two and a quarter.

A MR82 Handicap over 2000m topped the bill and here victory went to the costly to follow FEEL MY LOVE. Positioned in the rear turning for home, Feel My Love still had plenty to do when the easy to back APPROACH ME struck the front 350m out. Once given rein though, Feel My Love ran on best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the dying strides.

Titbits

Newcomer THE HIGHEST POINT was running on nicely at the finish when third in the maiden event over 1200m.

After racing towards the rear the recent maiden winner ATAMASCO finished well when fourth in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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