Smart Youngsters
Scottsville 23rd September: The first of the ten races to be run in the soft going in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was a maiden event over 1200m and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced EUPHORIA. Sent off a well supported favourite at 2/1 (op 3’s), Garth Puller’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the friendless newcomer ORANGE BLOSSOM (20/1 out to 55/1) by a length and three quarters.
The Sean Tarry trained MYSTICAL MAXI (11/10 into 11/20) was sent off as if unbeatable to win the second division of the girls maiden 1200m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Confidently ridden by Anton Marcus, the daughter of Trippi raced close up in third for most of the journey. She was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and although the easy to back OPEN THE BANK chased hard, she went on to score without any anxious moments by a length.
The most impressive performance in the maiden ranks on this card though was undoubtedly that of the hotpot favourite PANAMA MAN in the 1000m event. Backed into 6/10 from 11/10 at the track, Dennis Drier’s charge was always handy. He took command approaching the 400m pole and only having to be ridden with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race, he cruised in by five with some in hand.
A pinnacle stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here the rapidly improving SHOWMETHEWAY extended his winning sequence to four. On leaving the stalls it was the veteran BATTLESTAR EXPRESS who elected to make the running whilst Mark Dixon’s charge was content to sit in midfield. He made his move going through halfway and did well to get the better of the very useful TETELESTAI in a thrilling finish.
Titbits
Sporting blinkers for the first time in this his first outing since being gelded, the 3yo LUXARDO found good support in the second division of the maiden 1000m and leading from pillar to post, he cruised in by five.
In what proved to be the fastest of the four 1000m events on the card the heavily supported favourite VIA AFRICA (18/10 into even money) cruised in by nine.
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Stylish Performer
Durbanville 24th September: Followers of the money got off to a nice start at the country course on Monday when the heavily supported favourite SLIP ‘N SLIDE did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Backed into 13/20 from 15/10 on course, Yogi Govender’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead passing the 300m marker and easily accounted for the pacemaker LIANSHULU by three and a quarter.
The most impressive performance of the afternoon was undoubtedly that of the 3yo Western Winter colt CAPETOWN NOIR. Sent off a strong favourite at 11/10, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced at the back early on and he didn’t find the clearest of passages when asked to quicken. Once seeing daylight though, the race was over in a matter of strides. Capetown Noir has now won both starts in good style and could well be a top sort in the making.
Another progressive sort to win well on this card was HAMMIE’S DYNASTY in the MR85 Handicap over 1600m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He took up the running early in the straight and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the 10yo COPA DE LA REY by a length and a quarter.
The listed Settlers Trophy over 2400m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from JEPPE’S REEF. Adopting a change of tactics here, the son of Jallad was taken straight to the front by M J Byleveld and led throughout. He ran on strongly in the home straight and although the improving PUTNEY FLYER threw down a determined challenge, he did have that one well held by a length and a quarter at the wire.
Titbits
MALTESE FALCON ran on well in the novice 1800m won by River Crossing and was only beaten a length and a half despite being hampered 130m out.
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Day To Remember
Flamingo Park 24th September: Heritage Day 2012 is a day never to be forgotten for trainer Jaap Visser and apprentice Akash Aucharuz as together they found the winner’s enclosure on five occasions. Their first success came in the girls maiden 1200m where COVETED AWARD opened her account. Running on stoutly from midfield, the daughter of Lundy’s Liability struck the front 220m from home and won going away.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by PEARL RUSH in the MR68 Handicap over 1600m. Supported into favouritism at the track (7/2 into 28/10), the joint topweight was always handy. She moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by seven and a quarter.
Another to win by a big margin on this card was ROVER T in the MR70 affair over 2200m. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the Aucharuz ridden son of Pissaro raced close up in third for most of the journey. He quickened well when the race developed into a sprint early in the home straight and cruised in by five after striking the front 300m out.
A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the fancied CANNONBALL. A winner in Gauteng in his penultimate outing, Cannonball was always in touch with the leaders. He was asked to take closer order as they came off the bend and won going away after taking command 150m from home.
Titbits
After racing detached at the rear, the veteran GANGSTA FURY ran on well in the closing stages of the pinnacle event won by Cannonball and was only beaten 4,75 lengths.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (11) Bubbly Bellini 18 Race 2: (1) Kiwi Island 5 Race 3: No Qualifiers Race 4: (1) Renegade 68 (NAP*) Race 5: (11) Katsamba 59 Race 6: (11) Campo De Santana 62 Race 7: (9) Seven Network 33 Race 8: (5) Asaal’s Magic 62 Race 9: (14) Shadow Pink 41 Vaal (Tues) Race 1: (11) Eye For Emeralds 16 Race 2: (5) Beowulf 15 Race 3: (3) Breathless 25 Race 4: (4) Platoon 18 Race 5: (1) Matilda’s Love 26 Race 6: (4) Jumbo 49 Race 7: (9) Ace Of Hearts 77 Race 8: (11) Funny Glory 67 Clairwood Race 1: (1) Mahabali 19 Race 2: (1) Beach Beauty 86 Race 3: (13) Coy Boy 31 Race 4: (2) My Jelly Bean 63 Race 5: (1) Benjamin Brush 28 Race 6: (1) Heavy Metal 78 (NAP*) Race 7: (12) Fourth Estate 93 Race 8: (17) Maritime Wood 46 Race 9: (1) Turkestan 25 Race 10: (8) Polar Prince 30 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (4) Magnetic Glow 14 Race 2: (1) Sharp Design 16 (NAP*) Race 3: (1) Go Foxy 30 Race 4: (3) Pretty Lady 9 Race 5: (5) Perrier-Jouet 39 Race 6: (1) Uncle Tommy 78 Race 7: (15) Revelry 55 Race 8: (1) Eastern Greeting 52 Race 9: (1) Sixmilebridge 13 .
Top rated winners last week included
Defeat The Desert won 22/1 Maluti won 15/1 Berrymiller won 13/2 Halfway To Heaven won 9/2 Sabadell won 28/10 Ruffle won 2/1 Trade Emblem won 19/10 Taj Mahal Trip won 12/10 .Notebook:-
Capetown Noir (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape) Panama Man (D Drier, KZN) Via Africa (D Howells, KZN) .FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Scottsville 23rd September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (6) Via Africa Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (2) Qin Wei Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Top Mark . Durbanville 24th September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Earth’s Orbit Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) River Crossing Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Daily Flight . Flamingo Park 24th September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Dumile Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4)Cannonball Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Rover T
