Firing On All Cylinders
Turffontein 15th December: Gauteng’s first two 2yo races of the season got proceedings underway on Saturday and stopping the clock in very marginally the fastest of these was ARAPAHO in the boy’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 800m. Soon up handy, Paul Peter’s charge put his head in front 200m out and with the rest well beaten he got the better of his two stable companions RING OF FIRE and ASTRIX.
Four of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1160m and quickest home in these was ALL AT ONCE when winning the assessment plate. Now a winner of two from three, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge made the useful MARDI GRAS have to work hard to beat her in a similar event last time out. She raced with the pace throughout here and kept on strongly late to hold off the very steadily gaining MIGHTY HIGH (previously unbeaten in 3 outings).
They ran three of the remaining races over 1000m. The pinnacle stakes was the fastest of these and here the in-form stable of Paul Peter were again on the mark when REBEL’S CHAMP registered his seventh career victory. On leaving the stalls it was KISSABLE who somewhat predictably made the running whilst the top weighted son of Rebel King raced some five lengths away in sixth. He ran on best of all from halfway and comfortably accounted for the Var mare EXQUISITE TOUCH (had raced alongside him) by a length and a half.
Titbits
BASADI FAITH ran on well from off the pace when winning the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 800m going away.
Silent Progression
Greyville 16th December: Sunday’s action took place on the turf where three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1200m. The pinnacle stakes was the fastest of these and here the sparingly raced 6yo TRIBAL FUSION gained his sixth win from just fifteen starts. Positioned fourth of the six after being a little slow into stride, Shane Humby’s charge was ridden to lead 220m out. He kept on strongly below the distance and won well from the ultra-consistent SIR BERNARDINI by just over a length.
They also ran three races over 1400m where fastest against the clock was the improving MISS SMARTY PANTS when landing the bill topping non-black type River Indigo Handicap. Looking to complete a hat-trick here, the daughter of Horse Chestnut raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the running on ARIANOS SHADOW by two.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was that of FIREFOOT when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 2000m. Always handy in a race that was run in a very slow time, the well-exposed 3yo took up the running 250m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the fancied TORONTO by four.
Titbits
Drawn wide and having to switch out for a run 150m from home to boot, AMBER FURST ran on well from the rear when getting up late to win the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
Remember The Name
Turffontein 17th December: Racing returned to the old stand side track on the Day of Reconciliation where all eyes were on the highly regarded BUFFALO BILL CODY. Confidently ridden by Gavin Lerena, the 9/20 shot sat fourth for most of the journey. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and asked to do no more than was necessary, he won very cosily by three and a quarter.
Jockey Gavin Lerena rode four winners on the eight race program, the first of which being REACH FOR THE LINE in the opening maiden plate over 1600m. Another to leave the stalls deep in the red, the Potala Palace gelding was always in touch with the leaders. He was asked to take up the running 450m out and without looking flashy, he went on to score with authority by three and a half.
The business in the third leg of what was considered by some to be a professional treble, was completed by GREEK FIRE in the assessment plate. Thrown in at the weights, the son of Dynasty was also odds on. Positioned seventh of the eight during the early part of the race, Greek Fire made his move approaching the 400m pole. He struck the front 200m later and with the rest well beaten, he kept on strongly late to fend off a determined challenge from DHABYAAN by a length and a half.
Titbits
PILGRIM’S PROGRESS came from the back when getting up late to win the MR80 Handicap over 2400m going away.
Winning With Authority
Fairview 18th December: They raced on the poly track on Tuesday where victory in the fastest of the three 2000m races, a MR70 Handicap, went to MAHIR. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 8’s, the son of Bold Silvano was always in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front going through the 200m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Another to win with authority on this card was DAMARALAND in the MR72 Handicap. Soon positioned close to the speed, Alan Greeff’s charge took up the running early in the short home straight and won well from the staying on pacemaker LETS PLAY BALL by two and three quarters.
Race six on the card was a MR66 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the front running HIGH DEFINITION. Soon in his favourite position at the head of affairs, Yvette Bremner’s charge enjoyed a length and a half advantage throughout. He was always in command, and won by around that margin without any anxious moments.
Titbits
The 4yo LOVE TALK ran on well from off the pace when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR64 Handicap over 1300m.
Highly Competitive
Kenilworth 19th December: Three of the eight races in Cape Town on Wednesday were staged over 1000m. The MR84 Handicap was the fastest of these and here victory went to the 4/1 second favourite VARSITY LOVER. Soon up handy, the daughter of Var raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead 130m from home and kept on strongly below the distance to beat the gaining OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR by 0,3 lengths.
The faster of the two 1200m events was the MR74 Handicap and in a race where less than a length separated the first six home, the 3yo GREEN JACKET registered his second career victory. Positioned in the middle of a very tightly bunched field for most of the journey, Justin Snaith’s charge quickened nicely from halfway. He struck the front 200m from home and kept on determinedly in the closing stages of the race to score by a neck from the staying on pacemaker PARA HANDY.
They also ran two races over 1400m where MERAKI was quickest home in the MR80 Handicap. Close up in sixth as the nine runners turned for home, the son of Canford Cliffs put his head in front 150m out and kept on strongly late to hold off the determined PRICELESS RULER (raced 3rd – led 400m) by a half.
Titbits
Given a clear run in the latter stages of the MR71 Handicap over 1600m, HEAVEN’S EMBRACE would probably have won quite a bit more easily than the official winning margin of just a short head will reflect.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) All Night Long 8
Race 2: (1) Ferrari’s Moon 5
Race 3: (8) Hither Green 13
Race 4: (5) Data Link 50 (EW)
Race 5: (10) Aim For The Stars 41
Race 6: (5) March Music 61
Race 7: (3) High Definition 28
Race 8: (10) Bayeto 29
Race 9: (11) Capaill 34
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Vase 4
Race 2: (7) Juanita 29
Race 3: (4) Fleek 13
Race 4: (1) Awayinthewoods 5 (NAP*)
Race 5: (12) Flaming Desire 47
Race 6: (9) Zilla 48
Race 7: (2) The Grey Crusader 21
Race 8: (12) Song Of The Forest 28
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Fort Carol 20 (NAP*)
Race 2: (8) Dhabyaan 61
Race 3: (2) Tongue Twister 15
Race 4: (1) Silver Thursday 59
Race 5: (6) Top Rank 56
Race 6: (3) Shifting Shadows 56
Race 7: (1) Rebel’s Champ 92
Race 8: (7) Made In Hollywood 61
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) Jacqueline 20
Race 2: (1) Silva’s Bullet 51
Race 3: (8) Caprera 18
Race 4: (3) Boundless Deep 26
Race 5: (10) Love To Fly 42
Race 6: (4) Perfect Air 51
Race 7: (2) Sergeant Hardy 99
Race 8: (8) Charge D’Affaires 46
Race 9: (2) Temp The Tiger 36
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Astrix 6
Race 2: (8) Woodstock Festival 21 (NAP*)
Race 3: (5) Desolate Road 55 (nb)
Race 4: (4) Call Me Tonight 8
Race 5: (7) Bon Bon 43
Race 6: (4) Kahula 61
Race 7: (10) Wisp Of Glory 14
Race 8: (9) Banjo On My Knee 57
Top rated winners last week included
Announcing Rain won 11/1
Amber Furst won 10/1
Haylor won 8/1
American Hustle won 71/20
Rebel’s Champ won 2/1
Greek Fire won 6/10
Greener Pastures won 6/10
Reach For The Line won 4/10
Notebook:-
Buffalo Bill Cody (M De Kock, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (old) 15th December
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,03s slow
800m (2) Arapaho 46,20
1000m (3) Rebel’s Champ 57,73
1160m (4) All At Once 68,17
1400m (1) Greener Pastures 87,29
Greyville (turf) 16th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,40s slow
1200m (3) Tribal Fusion 71,36
1400m (3) Miss Smarty Pants 84,50
1600m (1) Expresso Martini 98,85
2000m (1) Firefoot 131,71
Turffontein (old) 17th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,83s slow
1000m (1) Great Shaka 57,85
1400m (2) Greek Fire 86,22
1600m (2) Buffalo Bill Cody 98,27
2400m (3) Pilgrim’s Progress 156,83
Fairview (poly) 18th December
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,79s slow
1200m (1) High Definition 72,17
1300m (2) Love Talk 77,11
1600m (1) French Nobility 99,87
2000m (3) Mahir 125,35
2200m (1) Jay’s Hawk 144,18
Kenilworth (new) 19th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,31s slow
1000m (3) Varsity Lover 59,13
1200m (2) Green Jacket 73,19
1400m (2) Meraki 87,61
1600m (1) Heaven’s Embrace 100,73
