7 From 25
Turffontein 24th May: They raced on the inside track on Sunday where a half of the eight races were run over 1600m. The fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes in which the 6yo HALVE THE DEFICIT registered his seventh career victory. Always handy, Sean Tarry’s charge took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and went on to win with a bit in hand from RUSHMORE RIVER by a length and a tail.
The listed Syringa Handicap over the same distance topped the bill and in a time over 85 seconds slower than that of Halve The Deficit, victory here went to the grey daughter of Jet Master TOUCH THE SKY. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up to deny the similarly fancied MAAYAAT in the very last stride.
The stable of Geoff Woodruff were also on the mark when SISTERS OF MERCY won the faster of the two 1800m events, a MR71 Handicap. Backed into 7/1 from 14’s at the track, the daughter of Greys Inn also came from off the pace. She hit the front shortly after passing the 200m pole and won going away by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
JOLIE ROGER won the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1200m with plenty in hand by four and a quarter.
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Lots Of Excuses
Fairview 25th May: Monday’s action took place on the poly track where the opening maiden plate over 1900m was won by the 3yo Mambo In Seattle filly MARRIAGE VOWS. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1, Jacque Strydom’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly in the short home straight and just held on by a neck from the running on CHERRY BOMB.
At the other end of the scale of the easiest victory on the card was recorded by GANICUS when getting off the mark in the maiden 1600m. Always top of the boards, the well exposed son of A P Arrow was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 300m and won well by two and a half.
Topping a rather moderate bill was a MR72 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the 4yo VOICES OF KINGS. Nibbled at into 16/1 from 33’s at the track, Dorrie Sham’s charge was content to sit in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened best of all, and under a well-judged ride from Karl Zechner, he got up late to deny the 6yo MANCHURIAN TIGER.
Titbits
The 3yo BIG FREEZE won the maiden plate over 1200m going away by two.
Racing at the back after losing three lengths at the start, the heavily supported WEASEL (5/1 into 22/10) was running on at the finish when sixth beaten 4,75 lengths in the maiden 1300m. The runner up JOY OF HOPE ran on well from the backend of midfield in this race.
Running on from the rear NEW SPRING was looking like a real threat in the MR64 Handicap over 1000m before being baulked for a run 150m out.
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Easy By Eight
Vaal 26th May: The fastest of the four 1600m races at the Vaal’s sand meeting on Tuesday was the MR89 affair in which LAVENDER LANDSCAPE registered his fifth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 12’s, Dominic Zaki’s charge led throughout. He was four lengths clear going through the 600m and although OLYMPIC BOLT ran on stoutly at the business end of the race, he still had over half a length to spare at the wire.
Three of the remaining four races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these on my clock was TORO ROSSO in the lucky last, a MR73 Handicap over 1200m. Another to lead from pillar to post Mike De Kock’s charge held just a length advantage at the 400m pole. Once given rein though, he drew clear easily and came home lonely by eight.
The best bet on the card for most was the heavily supported BIG SHOT (12/10 into 13/20) in the maiden plate over 1600m and the son of A P Arrow didn’t let down his supporters. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and won well by 2,6 lengths from the easy to back DUBLIN REBEL.
Titbits
The 3yo GYPSY BALLAD won the maiden plate over 1200m going away by two and a quarter.
Having his third outing following a nine month break, LORD WINDSOR won the MR71 Handicap over 1600m going away by two.
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Aware Of The Pace
Greyville 27th May: Five of the eight races on the poly track on Wednesday took place over 1200m and fastest against the clock amongst these was ROCK ME VAR in the MR80 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the veteran MR HARRY (reported not striding out) who elected to set the pace whilst Michael Azzie’s charge sat close up in fifth. He put his head in front early in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten he fended off a determined challenge from SALESMAN by a half.
A MR95 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the slower of the two 1900m events, the Cape Town visitor KRAMBAMBULI registered his third career victory. With no pace on Justin Snaith’s charge found himself at the front and stayed there throughout. Both GOLDEN HIGH and ASSEGAI chased hard when the race developed into a 450m sprint at the top of the straight, but neither could make any impression.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by MOONLITE MIST in the girl’s maiden plate over 1200m. Always handy, the daughter of Admire Man took up the running at the 200m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
Titbits
The heavily supported newcomer FLYING FIONA (9/10 into 5/10) ran on well after being a little slow into stride and only having to be pushed out she won the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m with a ton in hand.
Taking a big step back in distance here, the top weight AWARE only had to be pushed out when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
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Speedy Hat-trick
Vaal 28th May: Six of the nine races on the inside track on Thursday were run over 1000m and the quickest home amongst these was the progressive BAD BOY BUDDY BOY in the bill topping MR93 Handicap. Very quickly into stride, Dominic Zaki’s charge was soon in command of a one and a quarter length advantage. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although MISS DECEMBER was absolutely flying late, the hat-trick completing son of Captain Al still had 0,3 of a length to spare at the wire. The runner up had been six lengths adrift of the winner at the 400m pole and finished particularly well.
Another to show good speed was the 2yo KHALEESI when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Soon at the head of affairs, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge led by just a length going through the 400m. She drew clear with ease from there onwards and despite being eased down late won by four.
The stable of Lucky Houdalakis were also on the mark when the well-supported NOBLE STAR won the faster of the two MR 72 Handicaps over 2400m. Backed into favouritism at the track (9/2 into 33/10), the Kahal gelding raced in the middle of what was a very strung out field early on. He quickened well when the field began to concertina early in the straight and after striking the front 200m out he won well from the running on ROCKY STALLONE by just over a length.
Titbits
VELOCITY VOSSIE and MISTER POTTER (led 250m) both ran on stoutly from the rear when 1st & 2nd respectively in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Rosslyn Chapel 23
Race 2: (1) Air Belle 12
Race 3: (2) Seventh Circle 16
Race 4: (1) Spekboom 20
Race 5: (19) New Spring 42
Race 6: (1) Copper Parade 98
Race 7: (6) Promicing Polly 71 (NAP**)
Race 8: (8) Turnstone 51
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (2) Queen Of Thrones 13
Race 2: (9) Trix Of The Trade 47
Race 3: (2) Azincourt 63
Race 4: (2) Belong To Me 75
Race 5: (7) Harvest Queen 19
Race 6: (8) Red Hot Poker 21
Race 7: (1) Hammie’s Hooker 97
Race 8: (1) Futura 100 (NAP*)
Race 9: (13) Beewithmee 97
Race 10: (15) Maachaan61
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (10) Modjadji 6
Race 2: (12) Lord Victorious 8
Race 3: (1) Rose Of Castille 10
Race 4: (1) Woody Glow 16
Race 5: (6) Rambo 66
Race 6: (15) Lisnoble 56
Race 7: (6) Fire Dancing 70
Race 8: (10) Antonia Major 42
Race 9: (7) Divine Grace 51
Kenilworth (sun)
Race 1: (8) Schachar 14
Race 2: (6) Van Dam’s Force 13
Race 3: (1) Mamselle Al 15
Race 4: (1) Eternal Love 17
Race 5: (7) Twentymanjones 78
Race 6: (9) Western Storm 29
Race 7: (6) Varumba 37
Race 8: (5) Smiling Mistress 47
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Top rated winners last week included
Samba Serenade won 8/1
Moonlite Mist won 7/1
Jay Belle won 7/2
Khaleesi won 18/10
Netsuke won 16/10
Dynamic Speed won 1/1
Big Shot won 13/20
Winter Al won 13/20
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Notebook:-
Aware (G Van Zyl, KZN)
Flying Fiona (J Ramsden, KZN)
Miss December (R Magner, Gauteng)
Velocity Vossie (J J v Vuuren, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (inner) 24th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (2) Jolie Roger 72,57
1600m (4) Halve The Deficit 96,44
1800m (2) Sisters Of Mercy 110,78
Fairview (poly) 25th May
Going Standard
1000m (2) Fort Ozark 57,95
1200m (1) Big Freeze 71,34
1300m (1) Pure Spice 77,02
1600m (2) Voices Of Kings 95,84
1900m (1) Marriage Vows 119,03
2200m (1) Badger’s Trail 136,92
Vaal (sand) 26th May
Going Standard
1200m (3) Toro Rosso 74,05*
1450m (1) Bodega 94,45
1600m (4) Lavender Landscape 102,66
Greyville (poly) 27th May
Going Standard
1000m (1) Aware 57,89
1200m (5) Rock Me Var 69,62
1400m (2) Told You So 117,73
Vaal (inside) 28th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (6) Bad Boy Buddy Boy 56,28
1700m (1) Urgent Fury 102,29
2400m (2) Noble Star 149,25
