Still Going Strong
Greyville 29th November: A graduation plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on Sunday afternoon and here victory went to the well-supported second favourite MR ROY. In what was the first of just two races to be run on the poly, Alyson Wright’s charge raced in midfield early on. He ran on stoutly in the short home straight and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the better of the 8/1 shot NATIONAL APPROVAL.
The fastest of the four 1400m races on turf was not surprisingly the pinnacle stakes won by Sporting Post’s top bet ICE MACHINE. Always in the red, the 7yo son of Silvano also came from midfield. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by three and a half.
The three remaining races on turf all took place over 1800m and quickest home amongst these was OLMA when registering her fifth career victory from fifteen starts in the Conditions Plate. On leaving the stalls it was ONE WAY TICKET who elected to make the running whilst Frank Robinson’s charge raced close up in fifth. She made her move rounding the home turn and won well by a length and three quarters after striking the front 450m out. The runner up SABAHA (backed into favouritism) ran on well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
The 3yo SON OF SILVER won the maiden plate over 1400m going away by three and three quarters.
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Smart Treble
Fairview 30th November: They raced on the turf on Monday where victory in the faster of the two 1800m maiden events went to DREAMFOREST. Making his seventeenth racecourse appearance here, Grant Paddock’s charge, as per usual, raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He cut through the field quickly at the top of the straight, and won going away by five and a half after striking the front 300m from home.
All the rage to win the faster of the two 1200m events, a graduation plate, was CLIFTON SURF and the son of Antonius Pius didn’t let down his supporters. Eventually sent off in the red (11/10 into 6/10), Alan Greeff’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on PLAIN OF WISDOM by two and a quarter.
Another inmate of the Greeff stable (three winners on the card) to win well on the afternoon was the 3yo THAYER when registering his second win from just four starts in the MR62 Handicap over 1000m. Always handy, the Bankable gelding took up the running 300m out and won well by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
DIVINE INVITATION and COUNT ZAFONIC both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 3rd respectively in the MR66 Handicap over 2400m.
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Reputation Restored
Vaal 1st December: Three of the eight races at Tuesday’s inside track meeting were run over 1200m and quickest home here was the highly regarded BUCKLAND in graduation company. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10, Sean Tarry’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by a half from the always handy SEATTLE LADY.
The faster of the two 1700m maiden plates was the girl’s affair in which ESTIMATION scored a very easy victory. Always in the red, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge sat fourth for most of the journey. She only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 350m out and with some in hand won extremely cosily by two and a half.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the bill topping MR80 Handicap in which the veteran CELTIC KING registered his eighth career victory. Backed into favouritism during the afternoon (9/2 into 28/10), the 7yo was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and won well from the former Cape Town campaigner WITHOUT PERMISSION by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After racing detached at the rear and then still a good nine lengths off the pace at the 400m marker, the 20/1 shot MAN’S INN ran on very well in the latter stages of the MR80 Handicap won by CELTIC KING, and was only beaten 1,3 lengths.
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Five From Eight
Kenilworth 2nd December: The fastest of the three 1400m races in Cape Town on Wednesday was the MR86 Handicap won by ZUBBADUBBADOO. Now a winner of five of his eight career starts to date, Brett Crawford’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well when the early effort on the two run away leaders took its toll, and won comfortably from the running on ANNIGONI by a length and a half.
The talking horse CHEVACHEE (7/10 into 11/20) was all the rage to win the graduation plate over 1200m, but once again she found one better. Nicely positioned in second when the race began in earnest it looked as if Joey Ramsden’s charge could get the better of the front running second favourite VICTORIA LAVELLE at any time. Justin Snaith’s charge found extra when the gauntlet was thrown down though, and went on to score going away by a length and a quarter.
The easiest victory on the nine race program was undoubtedly that of SILVAN STAR when opening her account in the maiden plate over 1200m. Freely available at 33/1 on the off (op 16’s), Glen Kotzen’s newcomer was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by six.
Titbits
CHARLIE STRONG ran out a comfortable winner of the MR71 Handicap over 2400m.
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Fresh As A Daisy
Turffontein 3rd December: Thursday’s action took place on the inner track where victory in the fastest of the three 1450m races, a MR76 Handicap, went to MISS MAGICAL. Returning from a 20 month layoff here, and drawn wide to boot, Michael Azzie’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and won well by a length.
There was also three races staged over 1800m and quickest home amongst these was RUN FOR REVELRY in the MR80 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by S’manga Khumalo, the Fort Beluga filly led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won comfortably from the running on KRYSTLE CARRINGTON by a length.
Race five on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the top weight CAYMEN SUNSET. Sent off a clear favourite at 16/10, Geoff Woodruff’s charge, in a strung out field, raced fifth. He quickened in good style coming off the strip and with some in hand won going away by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo INDZABA won the girl’s maiden plate over 1800m by a length with some in hand.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fair (fri)
Race 1: (6) Patent Of Nobility 16
Race 2: (1) Martita Ridge 4
Race 3: (1) Roaring Sea 48
Race 4: (4) Oriental Tiger 27
Race 5: (9) Global Express 67
Race 6: (8) Olim Dives 50
Race 7: (4) Storming Home 39
Race 8: (9) Ideal Bloom 39
Race 9: (10) The Night Away 39
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) The Lonsdale 26
Race 2: (2) Durban Blues 11
Race 3: (9) La Gitano 40
Race 4: (5) Saarikh 22 (NAP*)
Race 5: (11) Blaze The Trail 38
Race 6: (13) Bermuda 46
Race 7: (9) Fly Away With Me 53
Race 8: (1) Caligari Carnival 12
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Bubba’s Doll 10
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (3) Smart Call 96 (NAP*)
Race 4: (5) Tripp Force 28
Race 5: (5) Seattle Lady 67
Race 6: (1) Greasepaint 78
Race 7: (2) Master’s Spirit 59
Race 8: (8) Shout Out 57
Race 9: (10) Consider The Cat 47
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (13) Search Party 16
Race 3: (2) Secret Society 55
Race 4: (2) Stockade 26
Race 5: (8) Cape Speed 61 (NAP*)
Race 6: (5) Come Fly With Me 83
Race 7: (2) Punta Arenas 101
Race 8: (6) Sunday Seventh 40
Race 9: (1) Avail 14
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Seventh Moment 13
Race 2: (2) Lord Luton 22
Race 3: (10) Jollerie 7
Race 4: (1) Bank It 25
Race 5: (1) Barbosa 95 (NAP**)
Race 6: (7) Whistling Wonder 47
Race 7: (3) Snow Rose 39
Race 8: (3) Keep Your Light On 47
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Top rated winners last week included
Divine Invitation won 20/1
Caprice Des Dieux won 16/1
Dreamforest won 4/1
Indzaba won 28/10
A Million Dreams won 18/10
Son Of Silver won 18/10
Blizzard Belle won 16/10
Ice Machine won 5/10
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Notebook:-
Buckland (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Man’s Inn (M Houdalakis, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf/poly) 29th November
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1000m (1) Mr Roy 59,73P
1400m (4) Ice Machine 84,15T
1600m (1) Spirit Of Dover 97,49P
1800m (3) Olma 109,72*T
Fairview (turf) 30th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Thayer 55,97*
1200m (2) Clifton Surf 67,87*
1400m (2) Inquisition 84,81*
1800m (2) Dreamforest 111,06*
2400m (1) Divine Invitation 151,63*
Vaal (inside) 1st December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Victorious 55,86
1200m (3) Buckland 68,07
1400m (2) Celtic King 82,57
1700m (2) Estimation 103,18
Kenilworth (old) 2nd December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Moonblanched 59,90
1200m (2) Victoria Lavelle 73,42
1400m (3) Zubbadubbadoo 86,13
1600m (1) Nine Mile 100,52
2000m (1) Romagna 129,35
2400m (1) Charlie Strong 150,20
Turffontein (inner) 3rd December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) A Million Dreams 58,99
1200m (1) Chepardo 74,81
1450m (3) Miss Magical 89,48
1600m (1) Caymen Sunset 98,99
1800m (3) Run For Revelry 112,95
