Hasty Retreat
Greyville 23rd March: They raced on both surfaces on Wednesday afternoon. The 3yo SILKEN in the maiden event over 2000m (turf) was the best bet on the card for many and she didn’t let down her supporters. Racing much closer to the pace than she had done in her previous three outings, the daughter of Silvano ran on stoutly in the home straight and just as if scripted she got up in the dying strides to deny the 25/1 shot AVENTURINE.
Two of the three races on the poly track were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap in which the 8yo CHILL registered his fifth career victory. As per usual up with the speed, the veteran kept on determinedly over the final 400m and in a race where half a length covered the first six home, he got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
A maiden plate over 1600m (poly) had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the easy to back TOPOGRAPHY. Freely available at 12/1 in this her first start in the province, the Visionaire filly made all. She was a length and a half clear coming off the bend and cruised clear in the straight to score by five and a half.
Another to win with authority on this card was BEAT THE RETREAT in the boy’s division of the progress plate over 1300m (turf). Sent off a strong favourite at 13/10, Alistair Gordon’s charge raced fourth during the early part of the race. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and with plenty in hand went on to score by five and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo SOLDIER’S CODE won the maiden plate over 1400m (poly) going away by four and a quarter.
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Unbeaten In Four
Vaal 24th March: Five of the eleven races on the inside track on Thursday were run over 1200m, and the fastest of these was the Juvenile Plate for the boys in which JIFFY kept his unbeaten record in-tact. Sent off second in the betting market at 22/10, Erico Verdonese’s charge was caught for early toe and raced sixth of the seven early on. Once into stride though, he quickened well and won going away after striking the front 250m from home.
Race nine on the card was a MR90 Handicap and extending his unbeaten sequence to four here was the Alec Laird trained CHEPARDO. Content to race in midfield in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1700m events, the Trippi gelding made his move 600m out. He struck the front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the fancied COCKADE by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 2000m races was the MR72 Handicap won by KINAAN. In touch throughout, Mike De Kock’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and despite shifting around in the latter stages, he just held on from the running on STREAK. The runner up came from the rear and had to switch 250m out.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by FAST AND ROCKING when landing the girls’ division of the juvenile plate. Having only her second career outing here, the daughter of Curved Ball was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and went on to score with authority by three and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo OUR MIRACLE won the girls’ division of the maiden 1200m very easily by three and a quarter.
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Three Wins In 8 Days
Fairview 25th March: PACIFIC SPIRIT always looked to be a good thing in the opening juvenile plate at Friday’s turf meeting and so it proved to be. Always deep in the red, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He led throughout and won with some in hand from the consistent ZEVENASTIC by three.
The East Cape Nursery over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a very smart performance from the visiting THE MERRY WIDOW. Sent off a strong favourite at 17/10, the daughter of Captain Al was soon up handy. She put her head in front as they approached the 450m marker and after quickly going clear she was eased right down to score by just three quarters.
The faster of the two 1000m events was the MR71 Handicap in which VELVET VERONA gained his third victory in just 8 days. Freely available at 5/1 on the off, the joint second favourite attempted to make all. He was headed by ARCSIGN going through the 400m, but fought back gamely late on to win by three quarters.
Quickest home in the two 1600m events was MAGICAL BET when registering his third career victory in the MR64 Handicap. Positioned in midfield at the top of the long home straight, Glen Kotzen’s charge ran on stoutly over the final 600m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny the always handy LAWS OF SUCCESSION.
Titbits
The 3yo SWEET SURRENDER won the maiden plate over 1200m going away. This was the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1200m events.
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On All Cylinders
Greyville 25th March: Good Friday evening’s action took place on the poly track where they ran just seven races. Two of these were staged over 1000m where the quickest home was FIRE THE ROCKET in the MR82 Handicap. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Kildonan raced seventh of the nine for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Ian Sturgeon he got up late to score by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1400m maiden plates was the boy’s division won by the Gauteng raider WINTER SOLDIER. Another to leave the stalls in double figures (20/1 into 14’s), Tony Nassif’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 300m marker and won comfortably from WHAT A SCORCHER by a half.
Two of the three remaining races were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was PUTCHINI in the MR70 Handicap. Winning for just the second time in 26 starts, the Bezrin gelding made all. He kept on determinedly over the final 400m and held on by the narrowest of margins to deny the running on TRIPLE BEAT.
Titbits
The 2/1 favourite WORK ETHIC came from the rear when winning the MR76 Handicap over 2000m going away by four.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (10) Villanelle 13
Race 2: (1) Magic Ice 11
Race 3: (4) Queen Of Thrones 17
Race 4: (10) Covariance 64
Race 5: (1) Love Everlasting 51
Race 6: (1) Eighth Wonder 55 (NAP**)
Race 7: (13) In Rem 38
Race 8: (4) Chasing Angels 30
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) At Variance 18
Race 2: (4) Seattle Light 24
Race 3: (9) You Bolt 42
Race 4: (11) Yell 35
Race 5: (8) Roy’s Angel 48
Race 6: (14) Putchini 50
Race 7: (10) Queens Diamond 13
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Sisters Of Mercy 56
Race 2: (2) Cloth Of Cloud 29
Race 3: (2) African Ruler 72
Race 4: (7) Seattle Singer 44
Race 5: (1) Legal Eagle 103 (NAP*)
Race 6: (12) Zrinski 76
Race 7: (1) Heaps Of Fun 66
Race 8: (1) Abashiri 79 (nb)
Race 9: (3) Arch Rival 87
Race 10: (1) Thrust 65
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (8) Starflash 11
Race 2: (10) Rebel’s Burst 12 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) Garden Tea Party 19
Race 4: (4) Princess Royal 73
Race 5: (12) Al Wahed 62
Race 6: (10) I Am The Law 58
Race 7: (3) Bezamod 13
Race 8: (15) Disney Queen 48
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Eventual Angel 73
Race 2: (3) Straw Man 19
Race 3: (1) Aldric 46
Race 4: (3) Triptique 84
Race 5: (1) Rob’s Jewel 31 (NAP*)
Race 6: (1) Al Hawraa 14
Race 7: (4) Seventh Symphony 70
Race 8: (1) Luna Sea 8
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Top rated winners last week included
Fire The Rocket won 12/1
Topography won 12/1
Velvet Verona won 5/1
Magical Bet won 9/2
Our Miracle won 7/2
Chepardo won 28/10
Jiffy won 22/10
Beat The Retreat won 13/10
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Notebook:-
Beat The Retreat (A Gordon, KZN)
The Merry Widow (Justin Snaith, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf/poly) 23rd March
Turf Soft – Poly Standard
1300m (2) Beat The Retreat 79,29T
1400m (1) Royalsecuritybaby 86,05T
1400m (2) Chill 84,11P
1600m (1) Topography 98,04P
2000m (1) Silken 127,71T
2400m (1) Qatar Springs 153,45T
Vaal (inside) 24th March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1200m (5) Jiffy 70,22
1700m (3) Chepardo 101,66
2000m (2) Kinaan 122,24
2400m (1) Scare Tactics 151,00
Fairview (turf) 25th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Velvet Verona 55,92
1100m (1) Pacific Spirit 62,53
1200m (3) Sweet Surrender 69,57
1600m (2) Magical Bet 96,79
2400m (1) Man Of The Cloth 153,97
Greyville (poly) 25th March
Going Standard
1000m (2) Fire The Rocket 57,79
1400m (2) Winter Soldier 83,93
1600m (2) Putchini 96,35
2000m (1) Work Ethic 122,10
