Easy Does It

Workriders’ Day

Vaal 25^th October: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening workriders’ maiden event over 1000m went to the 7yo FIGURINE. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 7’s, Kom Naidoo’s charge was soon up handy. She ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she got the better of the well supported favourite STAMFORD BRIDGE (evens into 7/10) by a half.

There were also a number of very easy victories on the afternoon and none more so than that of ALJAWHARA in the maiden 1450m. Taken straight to the front by Chamu Mabaya, the daughter of Elusive Quality led throughout. Just two lengths ahead going through the 400m, Mike De Kock’s charge quickened clear with ease at the business end of the race and cruised in by fifteen.

Another to win very easily on this card was TALLY BLUE in the MR76 Handicap over 1200m. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She took up the running as they approached the 400m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat TIGER FLO by seven.

A MR80 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the improving THE HANGMAN. Completing a hat-trick here, Brett Webber’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. He quickened well when asked for his effort going through halfway and easily accounted for the friendless SUPER BOY after striking the front 100m from home.

Titbits

Having only his second outing here since returning from a 23 month layoff, DIEGO ran on well from the rear when runner up in the MR72 affair over 1600m.

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Show Time

Arlington 26^th October: The going was very soft in Port Elizabeth on Friday, but that didn’t stop the well supported MARRY ME MULLINS (7/1 into 9/1 fav) from opening her account in the second division of the maiden 1400m. On leaving the stalls it was TYPHOON TASH who elected to make the running whilst Yvette Bremner’s charge raced close up in second. She was asked to take up the running going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat the regular place getter TAMARACK by two.

The best bet on the card for many was LUNAR EMBLEM in the maiden 1600m and the son of National Emblem didn’t let down his supporters. Taken straight to the front by Wayne Agrella, the 11/10 favourite led throughout. He was always in command and although the former Natal campaigner HURRICANE HUNTER did make some headway in the latter stages of the race, he went on to score very comfortably by a length and a half.

Race five on the card was a novice 1600m for the girls and here we saw another smart performance from the aptly named SHOW TIME. Allowed to ease right out to 3/1 from 18/10 at the track although still retaining her position at the top of the boards, the daughter of Tiger Dance was positioned well off the leaders in the back end of midfield as the sixteen runners turned for home. Once in the straight though she quickened best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny the useful THE MAGIC KINGDOM. Show Time has now won both starts in good style.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR94 Handicap over 1400m and here the Fusaichi Pegasus gelding SHUJAA completed a hat-trick. Well supported on course into 28/10 from 7/2, Mitch Wiese’s charge raced prominent throughout. He ran on stoutly in the heavy rain and in what proved to be another classic finish he just held on from KING OF FLAGS by a neck.

Titbits

UPWARDS AND ONWARDS ran on well from midfield when third in the first division of the maiden 1400m.

CATVIEW ran on well from the back in heavy rain when a length and a half fourth to Shujaa in the MR94 Handicap over 1400m.

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Steeplechase Margins

Turffontein 27^th October: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden event over 1000m for the favourite GEM OF DUBAI. Backed into 17/10 from 2/1 jnt fav at the track, Scott Kenny’s charge was taken straight to the front by Raymond Danielson and led throughout. She was three and a half lengths clear coming off the strip and barely relinquished an inch of her advantage in the short home straight.

BROOKS-CLUB was backed as if the result was already known in the graduation event over 1600m, but once again the costly to follow son of Strike Smartly found one better. Deep in the red at 4/10 on the off, Michael Azzie’s charge looked as if he had done everything right as he moved through to take up the running 150m out. Running on best of all at the business end of the race though was BARACAH who had come from the rear, and in what proved to be a real thriller that one got up late and won going away.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of THE KING AND I who won the maiden event over 1600m by a steeplechase margin. He was soon at the head of affairs and coming off the strip was easily six lengths clear. He was kept up to his work all the way to the wire by Anton Marcus and despite the efforts of the chasing ROCKY STALLONE he ran out a very easy winner by eleven.

Another to win very easily on this card was THE WHO when registering his second career success in the MR70 Handicap over 2600m. Always handily placed by Jimmy Van Der Merwe, The Who took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to beat the veteran DREAMY TIMES by seven and a half.

Titbits

The newcomer SMILEY RILEY ran on well from the back end of midfield when third in the maiden event over 1000m.

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Ready For Summer

Kenilworth 27^th October: The Jet Master filly Fly By Night was heavily backed to win the opening maiden event over 1200m in Cape Town on Saturday and she didn’t let down her supporters. Deep in the red at 11/20 on the off, Mike Bass’ charge broke well and raced up with the speed throughout. IMPERIAL ROSE and GOULDIKOVA challenged strongly over the final 300m, but she did have both well held at the wire.

Race five on the card was a pinnacle event over 1100m and here it was nice to see last season’s champion sprinter WESTERN WINTER bounce back to form. As expected it was CAP ALRIGHT who elected to make the running whilst the son of Western Winter raced close up in fourth. He quickened well when asked for his effort and went on to score comfortably with some in hand after striking the front close home.

The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Woolavington Handicap over 2400m and in a race where just six runners went to post we saw a smart performance from the 4yo TAIPAN. The field was always tightly bunched and although Taipan raced at the back he was only five lengths off the pace as they turned for home. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well judged ride from the vastly experienced Karl Neisius he got up late to deny the Winter Derby winner PUNTA ARENAS.

Another to win well on this card was PETARA when registering her second career victory from just five starts in the MR74 handicap over 1600m. Fourteen runners went to post and positioned in the rear coming off the bend Petara looked to have more than enough to do. She quickened in good style as the field began to concertina at the top of the straight though and after striking the front 250m from home she cruised clear to score by three. As well as the winner, one to look out for next time from this race is the runner up PADDY’S GIRL. Positioned against the inside rail, Eric Sands’ charge didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest and she too finished well late on.

Titbits

At the back of the thirteen turning for home, LAST EMPEROR past all when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR78 Handicap over 1600m.

The newcomer ON THE ROAD ran on from the rear when third to the heavily supported Terminator in the maiden event over 1000m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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