Worthy King
Greyville 21st February: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville. They raced on the poly track on Sunday afternoon where the fastest of the three maiden events over 1000m was the first division won by the only female in the race GIRL GONE WILD. Priced up as the favourite in the morning (15/10 out to 5/2), Michael Roberts’ charge was soon at the head of affairs. She was two lengths clear for most of the journey and although SEATTLE LIGHT ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race, she still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.
The faster of the two 2000m races on the card (the maiden 2000m had been originally scheduled for 2400m) was the non-black type umThombothi Stakes (in real terms, a MR96 Handicap) in which the 6yo SERISSA registered his fifth career victory. Another to lead from pillar to post, Sean Tarry’s charge raced two and a quarter lengths to the good and didn’t surrender an inch of his advantage on the run to the line.
Sharing top billing was the non-black type Fever Tree Handicap over 1400m and here victory went to the well supported 2/1 favourite DIAMOND KING. He lost three lengths when the gates opened and very quickly found himself positioned at the back. Producing his usual turn of foot when given rein though, the More Than Ready gelding quickened best of all and in a blanket finish he got up late to score by a half.
Titbits
After racing handy the 3yo PREMIER CHANCE won the maiden plate over 2000m going away by five and three quarters.
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Steeplechase Margins
Fairview 22nd February: They also raced on the poly on Monday where the faster of the opening two maiden plates over 1200m was the boy’s affair won by SPORTSTRADER. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1, the son of Fort Wood raced fifth of the eight for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for LEGO HOUSE by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1900m races was the bill topping MR92 Handicap in which SENSUOUS SALLY gained her fifth career victory. Content to amble along in the rear for most of the journey, Alan Greeff’s charge quickened best of all at the top of the short home straight, and won going away by two and three quarters.
Even easier a winner was her stable companion RHUMBA MAGIC in the maiden plate over 2200m. Always handy, the 3yo son of King’s Chapel put his head in front at the top of the straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by seven and three quarters.
Titbits
Never a threat to the winner, VERLAINE made up lengths in the straight when sixth beaten 1,7 in the MR63 Handicap over 1000m.
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Two To Follow
Vaal 23rd February: The best bet on the card for many at Tuesday’s outside track meeting was JANOOBI in the boy’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1100m, and in doing the business he couldn’t have been more impressive. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus the son of Silvano led throughout. He began to assert his authority 250m from home and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by seven.
Another to win in impressive fashion on this card was CAPTAIN’S CAUSEWAY in the MR78 Handicap over 1200m. In the rear early on, Sean Tarry’s charge was still five lengths adrift of the leaders going through the 400m. He quickened in good style at that point though, and with a ton in hand won going away by a length.
Six of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in fastest time amongst these was JO MALONE in the MR91 affair. Another to lead throughout, the daughter of Tiger Ridge quickened nicely at the business end of the race and won fair and square by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, the newcomer Kahula ran on well from the rear when winning the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1100m going away.
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Pillar To Post
Durbanville 24th February: The action in Cape Town on Wednesday took place on the country course where the faster of the two 1600m races was the MR70 Handicap won by KILRAIN. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Mike Bass’ charge was soon at the head of affairs. He raced a length and a half clear for most of the journey and extended that advantage to two and three quarters over the final 300m.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and quickest against the clock here was CATKIN when successful in the feature event, a MR86 Handicap. The field was always tightly bunched and racing in sixth, the top weight was perfectly placed to challenge. He ran on strongly in the straight and in a blanket finish he got the verdict by a half over the easy to back CAVALLINO.
Race four on the card was a maiden plate over 1400m and here it was nice to see the 4yo RAVISHING LAD finally open his account. Having his twenty third start in the maiden ranks here, the son of Ravishing was taken straight to the front by Aldo Domeyer and led throughout. He was always a couple of lengths clear and won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from the rear in the MR76 Handicap over 2000m, PIRANGI had to switch 250m out and only failed to reel in the well supported GOOD GRACE (led 150m) by the narrowest of margins.
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Just The Two
Turffontein 25th February: Due to an electrical storm and a rain affected track, this meeting was abandoned after the running of race two. A work rider’s maiden plate over 1600m got proceedings underway and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 3yo CAMBRIDGE CHOIR. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Devin Little’s charge was always handy here. She put her head in front as they approached the 200m marker and found extra over the final 100m to fend off a determined challenge from ROSE OF CASTILLE by a neck.
A MR86 Handicap over the same distance proved to be the not so lucky last, and in a time over 2,5 seconds faster than that of Cambridge Choir FAH FEE registered his fourth career victory. Another to race handy, Ormond Ferraris’ charge was ridden to lead 150m out and kept on strongly below the distance to hold off the rallying favourite BULLETING HOME (led 200m) by less than a half.
Titbits
BIRD ALLEY in race 4 and MOD BARLEY in race 8 both found good market support prior to the abandonment of this meeting.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) O Tamara 27 (NAP*)
Race 2: (5) Thornbird 14
Race 3: (12) Gallactic Thunder 10
Race 4: (3) Ruby Duchess 3
Race 5: (7) Impressionist 48
Race 6: (5) Welsh Emperor 74
Race 7: (7) King’s Summit 44
Race 8: (8) Admire The Persian 33
Race 9: (16) National King 51
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (13) Zagora 5
Race 2: (11) Poivre 48
Race 3: (9) Camomile 60
Race 4: (9) Beckedorf 44
Race 5: (5) Zavaroni 32 (NAP*)
Race 6: (10) Likeness 37
Race 7: (2) For Ever 14
Race 8: (1) Pocahontas Girl 5
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Eternal Fire 15
Race 2: (8) Little Genie 92
Race 3: (4) Zrinski 70
Race 4: (9) My Favourite Brown 61
Race 5: (1) He’s A Var 26
Race 6: (1) Exquisite Touch 38
Race 7: (2) Ha Lucy 81
Race 8: (2) Buckland 69
Race 9: (13) Luala 55
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Attenborough 5
Race 2: (13) Whose That Girl 10 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Kwando 19
Race 4: (2) Tide Is Turning 18
Race 5: (11) Harry Da Wheels 42
Race 6: (3) Fire Master 50
Race 7: (3) Tonya 48
Race 8: (3) Shall Be Free 17
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Ebtihaal 12
Race 2: (14) Rasta’s Jet 40
Race 3: (1) Natal 76
Race 4: (3) Joan Ranger 58
Race 5: (9) Flying Fellow 62
Race 6: (7) Mater Familias 54 (NAP**)
Race 7: (4) Destined For Dawn 23
Race 8: (17) Roy’s Gold 45
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Top rated winners last week included
Molly’s Chambers won 8/1
Conquering Queen won 7/1
Secret Plan won 7/2
Sportstrader won 3/1
Captains Slipper 22/10
Line Break won 15/10
Janoobi won 1/3
Miss Varlicious won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Captain’s Causeway (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Janoobi (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Sensuous Sally (A Greeff, 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 (poly) 21st February
Going Standard
1000m (3) Girl Gone Wild 58,72
1200m (1) Miss Varlicious 69,69
1400m (1) Diamond King 81,78
1600m (1) Team Guys 95,32
2000m (2) Serissa 122.10
Fairview (poly) 22nd February
Going Standard
1000m (1) Skrik Vir Niks 58,07
1200m (2) Sportstrader 71,17
1300m (1) Captains Slipper 75,61
1600m (1) Chilli Chocolate 96,64
1900m (2) Sensuous Sally 114,78*
2200m (1) Rhumba Magic 138,26
Vaal (outside) 23rd February
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1100m (2) Janoobi 63,91
1200m (6) Jo Malone 69,39
1600m (1) Emaar 97,61
Durbanville 24th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Molly’s Chambers 59,96
1300m (1) Secret Plan 78,91
1400m (3) Catkin 84,35
1600m (2) Kilrain 96,84
2000m (1) Good Grace 125,33
Turffontein (inner) 25th February
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
1600m (2) Fah Fee 100,24
