Distance Suited
Fairview 29th May: The fastest of the three 1200m races at Friday’s turf meeting was the MR68 Handicap won by the well-supported DISTILLER. Backed into 9/2 second favourite from 7’s at the track, the top weighted daughter of Mogok raced in the backend of midfield early on. Once given rein though she quickened well and with the rest well beaten she got up late to deny another supported runner in PURELY ATOMIC.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the non-black type Fairview 1400 won by the 12/10 favourite SIR DUKE. Very well in at the weights with the vast majority, Tara Laing’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although GOGETTHESHERIFF (the other well weighted runner in the field) ran on strongly from the back, he still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire. Gogetthesheriff had raced detached at the rear after being slow into stride and did well to get as close as he did.
The listed Glenlair Trophy of 3200m topped the bill and here favourite backers were again on the mark when CROWN OF GOLD did the business. Always handy in what was a slowly run affair, the 6yo son of Silvano struck the front 300m out and went on to score by a half from the 8yo PADDY O’REILLY.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by DYNAMIC SPEED in the opening juvenile plate over 1400m. He got away well when the gates opened and nicely positioned in second was always poised to challenge. He put his head in front going through the 500m and after quickly going clear he cosily accounted for the second favourite KING OF CHAOS by four and three quarters.
Titbits
BRIDE’S DOWRY came from the rear when winning the conditions plate over 1800m.
Making her first appearance in the Eastern Cape, the Justin Snaith trained QUEEN’S JET didn’t find the clearest of passages en-route from the rear when getting up late to win the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
.
A Class Above
Turffontein 30th May: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the easiest victory on the card in terms of distance was recorded by the lightly raced OLD EM when getting off the mark in the fillies juvenile plate over 1160m. Well-supported on course into 28/10 jt2ndfav from 9/2, Sean Tarry’s charge led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by four and three quarters.
Another to win with authority over this distance was the best bet on the card for most, ARABIAN BEAT in the boy’s division of the juvenile plate. The winner of the Gr1 SA Nursery last time out, the son of Black Minnaloushe was not surprisingly very deep in the red. He wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield early on. Once given rein though he cut through the field like a knife and won going away by three and a half.
There were six races run over 1160m in total and the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by APPROVAL RATING. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the former Zimbabwe campaigner was positioned eighth of the nine passing the 400m pole. He quickened best of all at that point though and under a well-judged ride from Randal Simons he got up late to win by three quarters.
Three of the remaining four races were run over 1400m and fastest against the clock amongst these was DUE AND PAYABLE in the MR77 affair. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, the 5yo Dupont gelding struck the front shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at VICTORY CRUISE (10/1 into 7/1) by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After losing four lengths at the start VICTOR’S CASTLE ran on strongly from the rear when beaten less than half a length in the workrider’s maiden plate over 1400m.
.
In The Navy
Greyville 30th May: Topping the bill at Greyville on Saturday afternoon was the Gr1 Daily News 2000 which was won by the Sean Tarry trained FRENCH NAVY. Not the quickest into stride the son of Count Dubois raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the short home straight though he quickened best of all and won going away after striking the front close home.
The supporting act was the Gr1 Woolavington for 3yo fillies over the same distance and in the absence of MAJMU victory here went to the easy to back SMART CALL. Freely available at 14/1 on the off the daughter of Ideal World was always in touch with the leaders. She loomed alongside the front running PINE PRINCESS 150m out and after a thrilling tussle she got the verdict by a neck.
The hat-trick seeking SOLID SPEED was sent off favourite to win the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and the son of Dynasty didn’t let down his supporters. Nicely positioned in midfield as the thirteen runners swung for home, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on DISCO AL by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride the newcomer ABASHIRI ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1600m.
Poorly drawn EVERCELL came from the rear when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Trip To Paradise 8
Race 2: (3) Fabrizio 12
Race 3: (5) Je’taime Flamenco 14
Race 4: (14) Princess Chichibu 22
Race 5: (1) San Vicenzo 33
Race 6: (13) Shirla 33
Race 7: (10) Yesan Star 34
Race 8: (4) Wine Master 41
Race 9: (1) Luv U Babes 36
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (8) Magic 10
Race 2: (3) Victory Silks 6
Race 3: (5) Attract The Crowd 19
Race 4: (5) Form Up 80
Race 5: (12) Lord Windsor 53
Race 6: (2) River Trip 51
Race 7: (9) Ride Of Honour 47
Race 8: (5) S’way 46
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (8) Nephrite 7
Race 2: (4) Miracle Rising 24
Race 3: (1) Roy’s Angel 16
Race 4: (1) Corker Stalker 23
Race 5: (15) Lady Cougar 49
Race 6: (8) Tanaburs 58
Race 7: (8) Billy Boy Blues 69
Race 8: (16) The Arabian 17
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Fannalies Girl 10
Race 2: (12) Caughtinthedeep 17 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) The Midnight Train 15
Race 4: (4) Dusk To Dawn 20
Race 5: (2) S’il vous Plait 72
Race 6: (6) Sisters Of Mercy 62
Race 7: (15) Arabian Arrow 37
Race 8: (4) Sir Cecil 44
Race 9: (12) Eusebius 49
.
Top rated winners last week included
Samba Serenade won 8/1
Sir Henry won 4/1
Jay Belle won 7/2
Khaleesi won 18/10
Dynamic Speed won 1/1
Fleetfox won 7/10
Winter Al won 13/20
Let It Rip won 5/10
.
Notebook:-
Arabian Beat (D Zaki, Gauteng)
French Navy (S Tarry, KZN)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview 29th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (3) Distiller 71,27
1400m (2) Sir Duke 83,97
1600m (1) Jay Belle 99,50
1800m (1) Bride’s Dowry 112,37
3200m (1) Crown Of Gold 213,22
Turffontein (old) 30th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1160m (6) Approval Rating 65,76
1400m (3) Due And Payable 84,46
1800m (1) Deo Juvente 109,88
Greyville (turf/poly) 30th May
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1400m (2) In Other Words 81,74P
1600m (3) Down Under 94,77P
1600m (2) Abashiri 99,57T
2000m (2) French Navy 122,79T
2400m (1) Solid Speed 148,83T
