Flying Start

New Course Record

Fairview 10^th March: Victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m at Monday’s poly track meeting went to the 3yo BELLA K. Nibbled at into 8/1 from 10’s at the track, the daughter of Sail From Seattle was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m pole and got the verdict by a half over the pacemaker NAUTICAL GEM.

A MR80 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events we saw a smart performance from the lightly weighted LAURIE’S DANCER. Not the quickest into stride, Tara Laing’s charge raced in the rear early on and was still a good six lengths off the pace at the top of the short home straight. Once into gear though, he quickly cut through the field and won well by two and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home. BISHOP’S CHOICE also finished well from the rear in this race.

Race four on the card was a MR62 Handicap over 1900m and in new course record time (this was only the seventh race over this distance on the poly) DAYLAMI STAR registered his third career victory. Racing on the surface for the first time here, the former Gauteng campaigner led throughout. He was four lengths clear at the top of the home straight and although ASTRO BOY and the hattrick seeking CINDERFELLA were closing in late, he still had a length to spare at the wire. Not for the first time in recent outings, the 8yo VITAL MATCH ran on stoutly from well off the pace when fourth beaten 2,25 lengths in this race.

Titbits

SACRED CALL ran on well from midfield, and with a bit in hand won the MR60 Handicap over 1900m much more easily than the official winning margin of just half a length would suggest.

After running on from the rear BESHAYER was gaining quickly at the finish when only beaten by a neck in the MR68 Handicap over 1600m.

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Dancing Clear

Vaal 13^th March: They raced on the sand on Thursday where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by DUTY DANCE in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m. Backed into 11/2 from 10’s prior to the off, Paul Matchett’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and drew clear with ease in the closing stages of the race to score by six.

Another to win with authority on this card was COOL TEMPEST when registering his third career victory in the fastest of the two 1450m events, a MR72 Handicap over 1200m. Taken straight to the front by Fanie Chambers, the 6yo Spectrum gelding led throughout. He was always in command and although the favourite CELTIC KING tried his best to make a race of it, he won without any anxious moments by three and a quarter.

The biggest upset on the ten race program came in the opening maiden event over 1000m where the Tiger Ridge filly HILLARY opened her account. Freely available at 35/1 (op 16’s) on the off, Hillary broke well and was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied RUNAWAY TIME by two and a half.

The lucky last was a maiden plate for the girls over 1450m and here the locals were sent home happy when SAUSALITO BAY did the business. Sent off a well supported favourite at 16/10, Sean Tarry’s charge raced much closer to the pace than she had done in recent starts. She struck the front going through the 500m and with the rest left trailing in their wake, she kept on strongly late to beat the easy to back RUN THE ARROW by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

SUMMER SARI made up many lengths in the straight when running on from the rear to take second position (beaten just half a length) in the MR82 Handicap over 1600m.

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Raiders Take Control

Fairview 14^th March: The nine races on Friday were run on the turf. A maiden plate over 1000m was first up and here we saw a comfortable victory for the reserve runner KONFESSIONAL. Allowed to drift right out to 9/1 from 4’s at the track, Glen Kotzen’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and with the rest well beaten she won well by two from the more fancied PIPETTE.

The first of the two listed events on the card to be run was the Breeders Guineas over 1600m and here we saw a very easy victory for the visiting SEA CAT. Clearly best in at the weights, the Western Cape raider was content to sit in midfield for most of the journey. She began to take closer order at the top of the long home straight and won going away by three after striking the front 400m out.

The listed East Cape Fillies Nursery over 1200m was also won by a Cape Town raider. The locally trained CIAO CARO fairly flew when the gates opened and was very quickly five lengths clear. The eventual winner ROSIER meanwhile was always close to the front of the chasing pack and after the early effort got the better of the daughter of Antonius Pius, she got up late to beat the well supported favourite COTTON CANDY (sent off 11/20) by a neck.

The fastest of the three 1200m events was the not so lucky last won by VARIETY STAR. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the top weighted daughter of Var ran on strongly from midfield and in another tight finish got up late to deny the 16/1 shot WATERFALL.

Titbits

The 25/1 shot DREAM TO REALITY ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up close home to beat Ado Annie in the MR60 Handicap over 1400m.

BRIDE’S DOWRY and ALAMO both ran on strongly from the rear when 1^st & 4^th respectively in the girl’s maiden event over 1400m.

Exploding Into Action

Turffontein 15^th March: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where five of the twelve races were run over 1450m. The fastest of these was the conditions plate won by GITIANO. Clearly best in at the weights after the scratching’s, Alec Laird’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. He took up the running early in the short home straight and won well by a length and a quarter from LOCKHEED JETSTAR.

The listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw another gutsy performance from the Mike De Kock trained CAPTAIN LARS. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech the son of Captain Al led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although his fellow joint favourite HALVE THE DEFICIT chased hard he did have that one held by a length and three quarters at the wire.

The non-black type Egoli Mile was next up and here a bit of an upset was to be had when EARL OF DERBY landed the spoils. The strongly fancied SILVA HAWK was the first to make a move and taking up the running shortly after leaving the strip he looked to have done everything right. Alec Laird’s charge quickened best of all in the latter stages though and under a well judged ride from Francois Herholdt, he got up late to score by three quarters.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by the lightly raced ATOMIC RUSH when winning the MR79 Handicap over 2200m. Always handy, the son of Dynasty cruised to the front 200m from home and drew clear easily below the distance to beat the hat-trick seeking HENRY HIGGINS going away by five and a quarter.

Titbits

Poorly drawn POLAR PALACE came from the rear when winning the maiden plate over 1200m going away by four.

As was the case last time out, the well tried STAGE ATTRACTION ran on stoutly from off the pace when placed in the maiden 1450m.

The Mike De Kock trained newcomer QAWAASEM won the maiden juvenile plate over 1450m with authority by two and three quarters.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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