Easy Does It
Greyville (poly) 18th August: There were a number of very easy victories on Sunday’s poly track card, but none more so than that of FIRE FAERIE in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m. Backed into favouritism at the track, the daughter of Irish Flame was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and despite being eased down late, she cruised in by seven and a half.
Another to win with authority in the maiden ranks on this card was the newcomer DISPICABLE in the opening 1200m event. Always top of the boards, Tony Rivalland’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and extended his length and a quarter advantage to three and a quarter in the short home straight.
A MR96 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, the Sail From Seattle filly BOEING CITY registered her fourth career victory. Nicely positioned in second in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Garth Puller’s charge took up the running 400m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the always handy veteran BIG KING (now an 8yo) by a half.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from four, DRUNKEN SAILOR ran on well from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to land the graduation plate over 1200m. Fourth placed MAC ‘n SCAR also finished well from the rear in this race.
Deeds Not Words
Turffontein 20th August: Five of the nine races on the old stand side track on Tuesday afternoon were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was NO MORE WORDS when winning the MR76 Handicap for the girls. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, the poorly drawn Byword mare was positioned at the back turning for home. She quickened well in the long home straight and did well to get up late after being hampered 300m out.
Three of the four remaining races were run over1160m and by far the quickest home amongst these was PRINCESS NICOLE when winning the bill topping MR84 Handicap. Just five went to post and nicely positioned in second she was always poised to strike. She commenced battle with the odds on favourite MAGIC SCHOOL 200m out and with the rest left trailing in their wake, she got the verdict by a half.
A maiden plate over 2400m completed the day’s fare and here victory went to the favourite FINAL OCCASION. Always handy, Geoff Woodruff’s charge put his head in front 500m out and just had enough in hand to beat the well supported outsider POPPYCOCK by a half.
Titbits
The 3yo daughter of Crusade THE FIFTH WAVE made it two from four when beating a small, but useful looking field going away in the graduation plate over 1160m.
Strong Blast
Greyville 21st August: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Wednesday afternoon and here we saw a comfortable victory for the lightly raced Toreador gelding NINOTTO. Sent off a well-supported favourite, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 60m out and won well from the running on duo of VINODH’S BOY and DOUBLE ESPRESSO.
A graduation plate was the only other race to be run over 1000m and in a time 0,7 seconds faster than that of Ninotto, the lightly raced TRAVELLING LIGHT gained her second win from only four starts. Just five went to post and nicely positioned in second she was always ready to pounce. She did so 250m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to fend off a determined challenge from CANDY GALORE by a quarter of a length.
Three of the eight races were staged over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was the heavily burdened recent maiden winner WHAT A BLAST. Shouldering no less than 61kg here, the 4yo Visionaire gelding raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten, he got the better of the heavily supported NORTHERN ROUTE by a half.
Titbits
The best bet on the card for many, DANCING FEATHER ran out a very easy winner of the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
Four Favs
Vaal 22nd August: The aptly named THERECANBEONLYONE looked to be a good thing in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 2400m on the classic track on Thursday and so it proved to be. Content to track her only serious rival in the betting market LACONIA for most of the journey, Sean Tarry’s charge suddenly found herself with a bit to do when the front running RITCHI stole a march 500m out. The daughter of Twice Over quickened well under a determined ride from Joe Gwingwizha though, and went on to score going away after striking the front close home.
The MR68 Handicap was the fastest of the three 1600m races on the card and here favourite backers were again on the mark when WAQAAS did the business. In the rear for most of the journey, Fabian Habib’s charge ran on best of all at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the supported PELICAN BAY.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m where by far the faster of the two races was the MR76 Handicap won by the favourite BEFORE THE DAWN. A very easy winner in the maiden ranks last time out, Ashley Fortune’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
Now a 9yo, the grand old servant GREASEPAINT took his tally of wins into double figures when landing the MR80 Handicap over 1200m.
Three From Three
Fairview 23rd August: With an 18km/h easterly tail wind the time of the non-black type Speedsters Stakes over 1000m on the turf track was not surprisingly a fast one. On leaving the stalls it was ALDO who elected to make the running whilst the heavily burdened top weight QUINLAN (62kg) sat at the back of the tightly bunched field. Quinlan ran on best of all over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up in the very last stride to deny the always handy CALLA LILY.
The MR86 Handicap was by far the fastest of the two 1400 races on the card and here the Querari mare RINGS AND THINGS made it three from three since relocating to the province. Always handy, Alan Greeff’s charge put her head in front 200m out and comfortably accounted for the running on FLY THOUGHT by two and a quarter.
The listed Jockey Club Stakes over 2000m topped the bill and here the classy MERYL registered her fourth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 10’s, the Tiger Ridge mare raced in midfield for the vast majority of the trip. She ran on stoutly down the long home straight and in another classic finish she got up in the shadow of the post.
Titbits
Now a winner of four from six since relocating to the province, EPIC STORM came from the backend of midfield when getting up late to win the MR76 Handicap over 2000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Thomas Shelby 17
Race 2: (2) Effort 9
Race 3: (4) Bold Linngari 7
Race 4: (10) Coyote Creek 56
Race 5: (3) Redberry Wood 47
Race 6: (13) Keanan’s Rock 42
Race 7: (11) Bold Viking 75
Race 8: (9) Royal Agree 60
Race 9: (7) Oklahoma Sky 43
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (8) Initiator 22
Race 2: (2) Silver Stone 15
Race 3: (10) Wild Date 7
Race 4: (4) Reach For The Line 61 (NAP*)
Race 5: (8) Flattley 39
Race 6: (3) Rouge Allure 67
Race 7: (2) Zouaves 91
Race 8: (3) Rockin Russian 61
Race 9: (9) Ghalyoon 7
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Frankie Two Shoes 21
Race 2: (13) Lady Secret 6
Race 3: (2) News Stream 42
Race 4: (2) Siberian Sunset 15
Race 5: (6) Virtuous 15
Race 6: (9) Path To Glory 50
Race 7: (4) Just Vogue 50
Race 8: (2) Ryker 54
Top rated winners last week included
Mythical Magic won 14/1
Greasepaint won 13/1
Meryl won 6/1
Epic Storm won 11/2
Ration My Passion won 57/20
Duke Of Swing won 22/10
Vijeta won 22/10
Final Occasion won 2/1
Notebook:-
Dancing Feather (G Van Zyl, KZN
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 18th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,27s slow
1000m (2) Boeing City 58,49
1200m (2) Drunken Sailor 70,70
1400m (1) Fire Faerie 85,78
1600m (2) All The Way Up 98,23
2000m (1) Vijeta 124,63
Turffontein (stand side) 20th August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,15s fast
1160m (3) Princess Nicole 66,23*
1400m (5) No More Words 85,05
2400m (1) Final Occasion 156,82
Greyville (poly) 21st August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,88s slow
1000m (2) Travelling Light 57,80
1200m (1) Azeeza 71,85
1400m (1) Oloye 83,65
1600m (3) What A Blast 95,50
2000m (1) Everdene 124,17
Vaal (classic) 22nd August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,24s fast
1000m (2) Before The Dawn 55,89
1200m (1) Greasepaint 69,76
1500m (1) Ration My Passion 92,10
1600m (3) Waqaas 97,15
2000m (1) Angelic Appeal 123,99
2400m (1) Therecanbeonlyone 167,20*
Fairview (turf) 23rd August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,02s slow
1000m (2) Quinlan 55,69
1200m (1) Rock The Cot 68,61
1400m (2) Rings And Things 82,89
1600m (1) Brevin 97,93
2000m (2) Meryl 122,58
