Speedy Local Debut
Fairview 5th June: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place on the turf. Five of the eight races were run over 1000m and the fastest of these was the listed Milkwood Stakes in which the 3yo filly SARVE made a winning local debut. Supported throughout the day into 18/10 favourite from 5/1, Corne Spies’ charge was soon up handy. She ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to deny the front running outsider BLIZZARD BELLE. Although never a threat to the first two, third placed LIELUMS ran on very well from off the pace in this race.
The 7yo COPPER PARADE was sent off a strong favourite to win the pinnacle stakes over the same distance and in a time a fifth of a second slower than that of Sarve, he didn’t let down his supporters. On leaving the stalls it was his stable companion BENEDICT who elected to make the running whilst the son of Lecture raced in the backend of midfield. Once in the short home straight though Copper Parade fairly flew, and under a well-judged ride from Gavin Lerena he got up in the dying strides to beat BLACKMALKIN.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR64 Handicap in which the lightly raced 4yo ULTIMATE SACRIFICE registered his second career victory. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by two and a quarter.
Finding the winner’s enclosure in the sole 1400m event, a MR72 Handicap, was IMPERIAL VELVET. Freely available at 13/2 on the off, the 4yo Imperial Stride gelding ran on stoutly from midfield, and got the better of NATONAL ROAD (also ran on well from midfield) by three quarters.
Titbits
Returning from a four month break here the runner up CALICO didn’t find the clearest of passages en-route from the rear when only beaten half a length in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Tactics Or Design
Greyville 6th June: They raced on both surfaces on Saturday afternoon with the best of the action taking place on the turf. The Gr1 Gold Challenge over 1600m (turf) topped the bill and here it was nice to see the very talented Legislate (7/2 into 2/1) regain his form. After being a little troublesome at the start, the son of Dynasty was taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie and led throughout. He held a one length advantage turning for home and kept on strongly in the straight to beat the always handy WILLOW MAGIC. Legislate’s stable companion FUTURA (8/10 out to 15/10) raced in the rear and given the task he was set, he did very well indeed to finish a 1,15 length fourth.
The supporting act was the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m (turf) and here victory went to the best weighted runner in the field HAMMIE’S HOOKER. The field was always very tightly bunched and in what proved to be a false paced affair Mike Bass’ charge raced fourth. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and found extra late to keep the running on SAME JURISDICTION at bay by a half.
The faster of the two juvenile features over 1400m (turf) was the listed Gatecrasher Stakes won impressively by RABADA. Now an eye catching winner of both starts, the son of Brave Tin Soldier broke well and was always handy. He put his head in front early in the straight and eased down late won by three and a quarter with some in hand. This race was run just 0,38 seconds slower than that of Hammie’s Hooker.
BULLETEER in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m (poly) was the best bet on the card for many and he did indeed do the business. Soon up handy, despite stumbling at the start, Dennis Bosch’s charge struck the front 180m out and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
PUNTA ARENAS and WILD ONE both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 2nd respectively in the Gr3 Cup Trial over 1800m (turf).
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Skating Clear
Turffontein 7th June: They raced on the inner track on Sunday where the fastest home (on my clock) in the five 1450m events was LERTASHA when winning the MR90 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She struck the front going through the 300m, and although the pacemaker BE MINE TONIGHT rallied gamely when headed she held on to score by a neck.
The other four races all took place over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was BEACH IN A BOTTLE when coming home lonely in the MR71 affair. Sent off a strong favourite at 11/10, the 3yo Mullins Bay gelding was soon in touch with the front runners. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and skated clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a half.
Another to win well over 1600m on this card was FAH FEE in the MR86 Handicap. Adopting similar tactics to those of Beach In A Bottle, Ormond Ferraris’ charge took up the running 200m out and won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
FLY PHILLIPPA ran on well from the rear when comfortably winning the MR72 Handicap over 1450m by two.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Keef Kha 8
Race 2: (3) Triumvirate 10
Race 3: (2) The Queen 48
Race 4: (2) Stone Pine 51
Race 5: (8) It’s Magic 36
Race 6: (2) Gypsy Ballad 36
Race 7: (1) Phonetic 44 (EW)
Race 8: (6) Wishful Heart 48 (NAP*)
Race 9: (6) The Big Show 28
Turffontein (tue)
Race 1: (1) Scarlett Ice 8
Race 2: (4) Approval Rating 79
Race 3: (2) Madame Dubois 37 (NAP***)
Race 4: (1) Baahir 18
Race 5: (3) Featherfoot 69
Race 6: (5) Woody Glow 16
Race 7: (18) Lisnoble 56
Race 8: (1) Dusk To Dawn 20
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (4) Delirious Nomad 13
Race 2: (11) Roy’s Marciano 2
Race 3: (5) Chronological 2
Race 4: (1) Polar Trip 11
Race 5: (1) Captain King 21
Race 6: (10) Echuka 67
Race 7: (6) Pioneer Spirit 66
Race 8: (2) Countermove 18
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Penstock 26
Race 2: (4) Attract The Crowd 19
Race 3: (4) Turnuptheheat 9
Race 4: (11) Kopi Lowak 41
Race 5: (2) Trip Tease 94
Race 6: (1) She’s A Tiger 34
Race 7: (6) Fire Dancing 76
Race 8: (6) Shamal 40
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Top rated winners last week included
S’way won 12/1
Fire Dancing won 10/1
Belong To Me won 8/1
Seventh Circle won 28/10
Hammie’s Hooker won 5/2
Victory Silks won 2/1
Trip To Paradise won 14/10
Copper Parade won 1/1
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Notebook:-
Futura (J Snaith, KZN)
Rabada (M Azzie, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 5th June
Going Standard
1000m (5) Sarve 56,24
1200m (2) Ultimate Sacrifice 69,99
1400m (1) Imperial Velvet 82,11
Greyville 6th June
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1100m (1) Belong To Me 63,14 P
1200m (1) Rock Me Var 69,75 P
1400m (3) Hammie’s Hooker 84,03 T
1600m (1) Legislate 96,11 T
1600m (1) Bulleteer 97,15 P
1800m (1) Punta Arenas 108,73 T
1800m (1) Kingmambo’s Legacy 109,05* P
2000m (1) Le Chat D’amour 124,30 P
