Easier Pickings

11 From 56

Arlington 24^th February: First up on Friday was a maiden event over 1300m and here the Victory Moon filly LUNAR LANDING scored a comfortable victory. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 7’s, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and easily accounted for the friendless JALMOND by two and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by IN LOCO PARENTIS when opening his account in the maiden 2400m. Another to race handy, the son of Greys Inn was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the latter stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.

The afternoon’s feature event was a pinnacle stakes over 2400m and in a much faster time than that of In Loco Parentis, victory here went to the evergreen veteran OCTOBER CLUB. Gaining his eleventh win from 56 starts here, Alan Greeff’s charge raced towards the rear for most of the journey. He quickened well when the field began to concertina at the top of the short home straight and under a well judged ride from M J Byleveld he got up late to beat SURFIN’USA by a length and a half.

The lucky last was a MR66 Handicap over 1000m and here the locals were sent home happy when BALLINAMORE did the business. Sent off favourite at 75/20, Des McLachlan’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and despite the efforts of the running on SECRET QUEST, she won comfortably by a length and a half.

Titbits

GO DIEGO GO was running on nicely from the rear when third in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.

Positioned towards the rear at halfway, GOLD PANNER ran on best of all in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m and did well to get up in the very last stride.

.

Leon’s First

Turffontein 25^th February: Saturday’s action took place on the old stand side track where the easiest victory on the card was registered by ALESSANDRIA (42) in the maiden event over 2000m. Confidently ridden by Anton Marcus, the odds on favourite (8/10 into 13/20) raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though she soon began to make headway and after striking the front 350m from home, she cruised clear to score by six.

Another to win comfortably from off the pace here was TRESCO (55) in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m. Also carded as a reserve runner in the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Sean Tarry’s charge finished best of all and won comfortably after striking the front 300 out.

The Zimbabwe raider CONTROL FREAK was sent off a well supported favourite (7/2 into 19/10) to win the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas over 1600m and when she struck the front 450m from home it looked as if she would keep her unbeaten record in tact. In what proved to be a real thriller though she was outrun late. Victory instead went to GO INDIGO who in getting the verdict by the narrowest of margins over ILHA BELA gave trainer Leon Erasmus his first graded success.

The Gr2 Gauteng Guineas was next up and here a major upset was to be had when the lesser fancied of Mike De Kock’s four runners GOLDEN CHATEAU (72) landed the spoils. Freely available at 100/1 at the off, the son of Chateau Istana was always handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in an event where only a length and a quarter separated the first five home, he got the verdict by a half.

Titbits

ZIPARANA won the maiden juvenile event over 1160m with authority.

.

What A Steal

Kenilworth 25^th February: A workrider’s maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo Windrush filly SOUWESTER. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once given rein though, she quickened best of all and did very well indeed to get up late.

There were a number of very easy victories on the card, most notably that of IN WRITING when stealing the afternoon’s feature event, the 3200m Chairman’s Cup. Tactically ridden by M J Odendaal, In Writing raced in midfield shortly after the start, but making an early move, he struck the front 1300m out. In a strung out field he was easily six lengths clear of his nearest rival turning for home and showing no signs of stopping at the business end of the race, he didn’t relinquish an inch of his advantage.

Another to cruise in by six on this card was the newcomer VALDIVIA when opening her account in the maiden juvenile event over 1000m. Backed throughout the morning into 13/10 from 4/1, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m and won with plenty in hand.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of LAKE ARTHUR in winning the MR103 Handicap over 1400m. Confidently ridden by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, the son of Jet Master was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for his stable companion POSH JOSH by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

After not getting the clearest of runs, the uneasy favourite DEPARDIEU ran on strongly late when third to Lake Arthur in the MR103 Handicap over 1400m.

.

Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

.

Top rated winners last week included

.

Notebook:-

.

FASTEST TIMES

.

.