Four From Five
Fairview 29th April: The going was officially good off a penetrometer reading of 22 in Port Elizabeth on Friday, but with heavy rain, and strong winds from before the off, that clearly wasn’t a true reflection of the state of the ground for most of the five races that took place. A maiden juvenile plate over 1400m got proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well-supported favourite VICTOR REBELLIOUS. In the red at 17/20 on the off, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for his running on stable companion BLIZZARD KING. Making his debut here, the runner up came from the rear and made up many lengths in the straight.
After the scratching of Laventelhaan PEPE LE PEW looked to be the right one in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m and so it proved to be. Content to sit sixth during the early part of the race, the son of Gimmethegreenlight put his head in front 400m out and went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter. Not surprisingly the faster of the two maiden plates over 1200m was the first run which was the boy’s affair won by TURBO. On an afternoon when four of the five favourites won (amazing given the conditions), Turbo (13/10 fav) was always handy. He took up the running going through the 300m and skated clear in the closing stages of the race to score by seven and a quarter.
Titbits
The 14/1 shot THE CAT was always clear when winning the MR64 Handicap over 1600m.
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Extending The Sequence
Greyville 29th April: They raced on the poly track on Friday evening where the fastest of the four 1600m races on my clock was the boy’s division of the MR70 Handicap won by LONELY ARETHEBRAVE. Always top of the boards, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running early in the short home straight and went on to score comfortably from the running on BIG SI by two and a quarter. The runner up came from the rear and did well to get as close as he did.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m that opened up proceedings was the boy’s affair won by HORSE GUARDS. Taken straight to the front by Sean Veale the well supported second favourite led throughout. He was two lengths clear coming off the bend and extended his advantage to five over the final 400m.
The remaining two races were staged over 1900m and quickest against the clock in these was CANIGAO in the non-black type Middle Stakes. Extending his winning sequence to four here, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced second for most of the journey. He put his head in front going through the 400m and kept on strongly below the distance to fend off a determined challenge from DELIRIOUS NOMAD.
Titbits
The 3yo MUSIC WORLD ran on well from off the pace when winning the girl’s division of the MR70 Handicap.
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Champion’s Day
Turffontein 30th April: In his bid to land the Triple Crown ABASHIRI was all the rage to win the final leg the Gr1 SA Derby, and although he cut it fine, he didn’t let down his supporters. Allowed to flirt with 2/13 at one stage, Michael Azzie’s charge raced towards the rear early on and was many lengths adrift of the leaders turning for home. He made up the ground quickly in the long home straight though and struck the front 400m out. That effort was clearly taking its toll late on though, and it was only by a neck that the clear best weighted runner in the race got the verdict.
In terms of prizemoney the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge topped the bill and in what not surprisingly was the faster of the two 2000m events, the best weighted runner in the field LEGAL EAGLE did the business. Always handy, the son of Greys Inn took up the running going through the 400m and after putting to bed the challenge of BRAZUCA he went on to beat the running on FRENCH NAVY by two.
Race four on the card was the Gr1 SA Nursery and here we saw another very smart performance from the unbeaten CLOTH OF CLOUD. The only filly in the race, Sean Tarry’s charge raced sixth early on. The front running RIVARINE kept up a healthy gallop throughout and going through the 300m it looked as if he had done enough to score. Showing a very nice turn of foot though, the daughter of Captain Al fairly flew below the distance and did well to get up close home.
Titbits
Having only his second outing following a 6 month layoff, the 4yo GREEK LEGEND ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the opening MR102 Handicap over 1600m.
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Hat-trick For Vaughan
Kenilworth 30th April: Four of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BANDEROS when gaining his second win from nine starts in the MR71 Handicap. Backed into joint favouritism at the track (10/1 into 4’s) Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the new course straight and got up late to deny the always handy SHOUT.
A conditions plate over 1000m topped the bill and here the stable of Vaughan Marshall (three winners on the afternoon) were again on the mark when VARUMBA (nibbled at into 4/1 from 5’s) did the business. She got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led throughout. She was two lengths clear for most of the journey and although the fancied CHEVAUCHEE was steadily gaining over the final 150m she still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Comfortably the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1400m was the girl’s affair won by FOXY PRINCESS. Having only her second career outing here, the Royal Air Force filly raced sixth early on. She was ridden to lead going through the 100m and with the rest well beaten she got the verdict by a long neck over the second favourite ROCK ON WOOD (raced handy – led 400m).
Titbits
After making all VARIANCE won the MR80 Handicap over 1600m going away.
VALADO didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to fill third position in the maiden plate over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (5) Los Ninos 5
Race 2: (1) Solid As A Rock 8
Race 3: (11) Opah Latino 42
Race 4: (6) Celine 28
Race 5: (11) Masnoon 57 (NAP*)
Race 6: (2) Jay Boy 33
Race 7: (1) Salesman 33 (EW)
Race 8: (6) Boarding Call 37
Race 9: (10) Noble Virtue 48.
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (7) Navarone 6
Race 2: (1) Impressed 17
Race 3: (2) King Of The Corn 14
Race 4: (9) Sandy Bay 27
Race 5: (12) Ze Kaiser 84
Race 6: (10) Half Moon Hotel 60
Race 7: (1) Winter Trade 38
Race 8: (8) Star Academy 45
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (2) Golden Ball 5
Race 2: (10) Rebel Rose 3
Race 3: (2) Gemsgalore 12
Race 4: (8) Regardstobroadway 65
Race 5: (11) Victoria’s Love 55
Race 6: (13) Dukes Drift 51
Race 7: (7) South Paw 62
Race 8: (11) Queens Diamond 22
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (3) British Royale 27
Race 2: (5) Fashion Blast 12 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) Let It Rain 21
Race 4: (9) Shankly Gates 41
Race 5: (5) Silver Peg 46
Race 6: (1) Seventh Symphony 65
Race 7: (8) Blazing Brave 54 (EW)
Race 8: (15) Taegan’s Jet 51
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Top rated winners last week included
Juxtapose won 9/1
Arch Rival won 5/1
Trophy Wife won 22/10
Cloth Of Cloud won 15/10
Canigao won 1/1
Pepe Le Pew won 7/10
Plume Del Toro won 13/20
Abashiri won 1/6
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Notebook:-
Blizzard King (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
Cloth Of Cloud (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 29th April
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Pepe Le Pew 59,92
1200m (2) Turbo 72,48
1400m (1) Victor Rebellious 88,33
1600m (1) The Cat 102,18
Greyville (poly) 29th April
Going Standard
1000m (2) Horse Guards 58,80
1600m (4) Lonely Arethebrave 94,84
1900m (2) Canigao 116,17
Turffontein (old) 30th April
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Carry On Alice 55,74
1160m (3) Joan Ranger 65,79
1400m (1) The Smell Of Rain 86,31
1600m (1) Greek Legend 97,58
1800m (2) Legal Eagle 121,77
2450m (2) Abashiri 154,02
3200m (1) Arch Rival 206,86
Kenilworth (new) 30th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going G/Soft
1000m (1) Varumba 58,76
1200m (1) Words Of Wisdom 74,01
1400m (4) Banderos 88,60
1600m (1) Variance 101,89
1800m (1) Elusive Rose 116,19
