Magic Stuff
Fairview 7th February:
Racing in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday took place on the poly track where the times were surprising very slow given the weather, and official track conditions. Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1200m and quickest home amongst these was TROUBLE MAKER when registering his fourth career victory in the MR66 Handicap. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, the Captain Al gelding was content to sit ninth of the twelve early on. He quickened well from halfway and won with some in hand after taking up the running 100m from home.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the MR69 Handicap and in what proved to be a real thriller the 4yo JUST LIKE MAGIC landed the spoils. The in-form BOLLEMAKIESIE was the first to make a move, and on striking the front 150m out, he looked to have done everything right. The always handy Just Like Magic also quickened well at that stage though, and with the rest some five lengths adrift, it was only by the narrowest of margins that he got the verdict.
At the other end of the distance scale, the biggest winning margin on the card was recorded by the former KZN campaigner OFF RAMP in the graduation plate over 1600m. Making her first appearance since relocating to the Eastern Cape here, Grant Paddock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 200m and won going away by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The uneasy favourite PONT DU GARD only had to be pushed out when running on from midfield to win the MR76 Handicap very easily by a length and three quarters.
Positioned seventh of the nine turning for home, MATADOR IN RED quickened very nicely in the latter stages when winning the bill topping Conditions Stakes over 2200m going away.
Classy Double
Turffontein 7th February:
The best bet on the card for many on the inner track on Tuesday evening was the progressive filly GREEN PEPPER in the fastest of the three 1000m events, a conditions plate. Allowed to drift right out to 12/10 from 4/10 throughout the day, the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight raced a close up second for the vast majority of the journey. Ridden by a master of pace in Piere Strydom, the second favourite JOAN RANGER made the running. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout, and at the line had the remainder some three and a quarter lengths adrift. Green Pepper was made to give her all over the final 300m, and it was only very late that she got the upper hand. Green Pepper has now won five of her six career starts.
They also ran three races over 1400m and quickest home here was Green Pepper’s stable companion NEW PREDATOR. Well supported on course into 11/10 from 18/10, the son of New Approach also raced handy. He put his head in front shortly after the race developed into a sprint 400m out and rallied gamely after being headed 200m later to beat the easy to back KINGS ARCHER by three quarters.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m had opened up proceedings and here victory went to the nibbled at newcomer TRIBAL FORCE. Despite being the slowest into stride when the gates opened, the son of Antonius Pius was soon positioned in midfield. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and went on to beat the favourite WHORLY WHORLY fair and square by just over a length. Five lengths behind the winner going through the 400m, the newcomer THE PUMA ran on well from the rear in this race and was only beaten a length and a half into third.
Titbits
Clear throughout, SNOW PATH was eased late when winning the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m with authority by three.
Ready For Some Opposition
Greyville 8th February:
By far the easiest victory on the poly track on Wednesday was that of CHICAGO BEAT in the opening maiden plate over 1400m. Backed into 7/10 from even money at the track, the son of Silvano was soon up handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by eight.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BRAVE AND BOLD in the MR76 Handicap. Always handy in a strung out field, Wendy Whitehead’s charge ran on strongly in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the slightly more fancied SCHOOL RUN by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1900m where the faster of the two was the MR82 affair won by READYFORYOURLOVE. Taken straight to the front in a race where there was no real pace throughout, Johan Janse Van Vuuren’s charge was always clear. She quickened well at the top of the straight and won without any anxious moments by three and a half.
Titbits
Pitched in against a very moderate bunch, LIL GAMBLER gained a well overdue first career victory when getting off the mark in good style in the maiden 1400m.
The always handy PRINCE MYSHKIN won the MR78 Handicap over 1200m going away by a length and three quarters.
Fun In The Sun
Vaal 9th February:
Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where three of the nine races were run over 1200m. Quickest home in these was DRAGON’S BREATH when registering his second career victory in the MR66 Handicap. Soon up handy, the Imperial Stride gelding put his head in front going through the 300m, and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the 3yo COSTA DA SOL in the MR68 affair. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 2/1, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was content to sit at the back of the eight for most of the journey. She moved up to dispute matters shortly after TEENAGE DREAM put her head in front 150m out, and with the rest left trailing in their wake she got the better of a thrilling tussle by a neck.
Two of the three remaining races took place over 1000m, the fastest being the MR72 Handicap won by SPRING STEEL. Another to ease a little in the betting market, Michael Azzie’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He struck the front shortly after passing the 200m marker and with the remainder well beaten, he won going away from the front running GIMMETHEMONEY by a half.
Titbits
Now unbeaten in two starts the 2yo DARING DIVA was always in command when winning the Juvenile Plate over 1000m.
Belying her previous form, REDBERRY LANE raced clear throughout when winning the maiden plate over 1600m for the girls very easily by eight.
Thrown In On Best Form
Greyville 10th February:
Two MR66 Handicaps for the girls topped the very moderate bill on Friday evening, the faster of which was the first division won by TYRON’S JET. Sent off a joint second favourite at 5/1, the ultra-consistent daughter of A P Answer raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly when they came off the bend, and in what proved to be a real thriller, she got the verdict on the nod over the running on 15/1 shot NOODLE.
The faster of the two 1000m events was the MR62 Handicap in which the very well handicapped MR MCSTEAMY gained a well overdue second career victory. Racing off a mark some twenty points below that of his previous best here, the 4yo son of King’s Chapel was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front at the 300m pole and after quickly skipping clear won well by a length and a quarter.
Quickest home in the two 1900m races was the most lightly raced runner in the field AT LONG LAST. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Andre Nel’s charge was yet another to race handy. He was asked to take up the running early in the home straight and won going away by a length from the 5/2 favourite THE MONEY MAN.
Titbits
Allowed to ease right out to 16/10 from 7/10, the best bet on the card for most CUPKING had to give his all when only scraping home by the narrowest of margins in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Aspen Fire 10
Race 2: (8) Bollemakiesie 60
Race 3: (8) Scent 81
Race 4: (11) Strut Your Stuff 19
Race 5: (10) Talca 38
Race 6: (4) La Manga 33
Race 7: (8) Candy Crush 59
Race 8: (11) Itsmydarlin 35
Race 9: (14) Flying Luxmi 46
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (10) Hottest Trend 33
Race 2: (6) Sweet Chestnut 12
Race 3: (2) Mostarda 9 (NAP*)
Race 4: (6) Roy’s Dollar 45 (EW)
Race 5: (13) Jama 76
Race 6: (7) Patroclus 42
Race 7: (3) Fly Peg Fly 45
Race 8: (1) Regardstobroadway 43
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Princess Aurora 10
Race 2: (5) Polyphonic 92
Race 3: (6) Little Tokoyo 7
Race 4: (1) Cheat The Cheaters 20 (nb)
Race 5: (1) Rose Of Soweto 1
Race 6: (9) Dalaal 57 (NAP*)
Race 7: (2) Zante 69
Race 8: (8) Racing Socks 48
Race 9: (14) Wall Of Ice 41
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (4) Herodus 12
Race 2: (1) Dawn Rising 20
Race 3: (1) Desert Lark 5
Race 4: (1) Kapteinspandiseile 11
Race 5: (8) Aviatrix 16
Race 6: (2) Kampala Campari 52 (NAP*)
Race 7: (4) Viking Voyage 50
Race 8: (14) Celtic Charm 44
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Moon Shadow 22 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Mermaid Siren 13
Race 3: (11) Devon Belle 39
Race 4: (6) Team Guys 66
Race 5: (14) Mogokity 44
Race 6: (7) Accidental Tourist 62
Race 7: (5) Celtic Captain 94
Race 8: (4) Secret Service 17
Top rated winners last week included
Trouble Maker won 8/1
Time To Be Great won 13/2
Kudra won 9/2
Pont Du Gard won 22/10
Mr Mcsteamy won 18/10
New Predator won 11/10
Lil Gambler won 8/10
Chicago Beat won 7/10
Notebook:-
The Puma (R Sage, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 7th February
Going Standard
Course Variant: 2,13s slow
1200m (3) Trouble Maker 71,62
1400m (1) Oswego 79,02
1600m (2) Just Like Magic 100,13
1900m (1) Roy’s Butterfly 122,98
2200m (1) Matador In Red 141,29
Turffontein (stand side) 7th February
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,88s slow
1000m (3) Green Pepper 57,30
1400m (3) New Predator 87,12
2000m (1) Balalaika 128,17
2450m (1) Save The Rhino 159,27
Greyville (poly) 8th February
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,79s fast
1000m (1) Vine Street Star 56,79
1200m (1) Prince Myshkin 68,82
1400m (4) Brave And Bold 82,66
1600m (1) What A Poet 94,89
1900m (2) Readyforyourlove 114,23
Vaal (outside) 9th February
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,53s fast
1000m (2) Spring Steel 56,50
1200m (3) Dragon’s Breath 69,76
1400m (1) Golden Man 81,67
1600m (3) Costa Da Sol 95,88
Greyville 10th February
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,90s slow
1000m (2) Mr Mcsteamy 58,96
1200m (2) Tyron’s Jet 71,10
1400m (1) Mackdesi 83,54
1600m (1) Cupking 97,26
1900m (2) At Long Last 116,67
