Cutting It Fine
Fairview 23rd September: The conditions plate was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1200m races at Friday’s poly track meeting and here we saw a very easy victory for the hat-trick seeking JO MALONE. Backed into favouritism at the track, 28/10 into 22/10, the Tiger Ridge mare was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front at the top of the short home straight and although the deposed favourite CLEAR SAILING ran on well from the rear, she won without any anxious moments by three and three quarters.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and quickest home in these was OFF TO GAUL in the MR71 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 5/1, Tara Laing’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the home straight though he quickened best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the 50/1 shot ORCADIAN FOREST.
The Justin Snaith trained CAPTAIN MARMALADE was all the rage to win the opening maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m, and left the stalls at 9/20. Always handy, the son of Captain Al struck the front 250m out and at that stage he looked to have done everything right. Running on stoutly from midfield though was the nibbled at newcomer JOHNNY WALKABOUT and in another classic finish Jacque Strydom’s charge got up in the shadow of the post.
Titbits
At the back of the field turning for home, ALPINE RIDGE ran on stoutly in the straight and got up in the dying strides when winning the afternoon’s feature event, the non-black type Walmer Handicap over 1800m.
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Heavy Rain At Times
Greyville 23rd September: They also raced on the poly surface at Greyville in the evening where a half of the races were run over 1400m. The fastest of these was the maiden plate won by WINTER IS COMING, but the times were not easy to assess as rain fell heavily during the meeting. Deep in the red at 4/10 on the off, Winter Is Coming was soon up handy. He put his head in front early in the straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by eight.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m and quickest home here was DOUBLE CLUTCH in the MR80 affair. The 6yo top weight got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by apprentice De Gouveia, led throughout. He was a length and a half clear coming off the bend and despite the efforts of the chasing pack, he more than doubled his advantage on the run to the line.
Strongly fancied to win the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m was LEDIMASPRINCESS and the daughter of Rock Of Rochelle didn’t let down her supporters. Positioned in midfield as the twelve runners swung for home, Dennis Bosch’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Poorly drawn ROY’S ROLLS ROYCE ran on well from the backend of midfield when fourth beaten two and a quarter lengths in the MR62 Handicap.
Second last turning for home, PATROCLUS ran on strongly in the rain when third beaten two lengths in the maiden plate over 2000m.
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Tactics The Key
Turffontein 24th September: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where the fastest of the three 1600m races was the MR81 Handicap won by the 5yo TABREEK. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Joey Ramsden’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced from the front. A length and a half to the good coming off the strip, the son of Redoute’s Choice quickly doubled that advantage in the short home straight and went on to score with authority by three and a half.
A pinnacle stakes topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 2600m races the 7yo Jet Master gelding STORM WARNING registered his seventh career victory. With no real pace on early, Scott Kenny’s charge also raced must closer the speed than is the norm. He put his head in front 250m from home and although he was challenged strongly by THE ELMO EFFECT below the distance, he did have that one held by a neck at the wire.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the quickest of the pair was the MR76 Handicap won by MY CHERRY. Easy to back at 9/1 on the off, the lightly weighted Kahal filly ran on strongly in the straight and did well to get the better of the odds on favourite FORTISSIMA by a half.
Titbits
After racing handy, the newcomer SINGAPORE SLING won the maiden plate over 1200m with some in hand by five and three quarters. Back in third in this race was Joey Soma’s newcomer DEVADIP. He ran on well from the rear and didn’t find the clearest of passages.
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Dominant Force
Durbanville 24th September: By far the fastest of the four 1600m races at the country course on Saturday was the MR86 Handicap won by FIFTY CENTS. After a false start KILRAIN set a brisk pace and coming off the bend the runner positioned in third was easily nine lengths adrift. Nicely positioned in second though Fifty Cents was always travelling well, and held on by a half from the running on ICY TRAIL after striking the front 110m from home.
The faster of the two 1200m races on the card was the MR92 Handicap won by TWINKLE TOES. Now a winner of three from five, the daughter of Captain Al was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for CAPTAIN’S DOVE by two and a quarter.
The listed Settlers Trophy over 2400m topped the bill and here the finish was dominated by Justin Snaith’s two runners FRANCIA and CAPTAIN SPLENDID. Francia was cruising as she moved through to take up the running 200m out, and although Captain Splendid finished very well from midfield, she still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Unbeaten CALIFORNIA GIRL (rear) and GIMME SIX (backend midfield) both ran on strongly when 1st & 2nd respectively in the MR75 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Westerly Wind 5
Race 2: (3) Dragon’s Den 14
Race 3: (3) Cozzenes Prince 8
Race 4: (1) Black Flower 17
Race 5: (10) Royal Master 63
Race 6: (5) Kartouche 27
Race 7: (7) Sovereign Magic 27
Race 8: (3) Harrison 49
Race 9: (12) Long Walk 37
Fairview (tues)
Race 1: (10) Bird Of War 10
Race 2: (7) Fortissimus 43 (NAP**)
Race 3: (1) Zama 5
Race 4: (14) Parade Council 61
Race 5: (7) Eternal Winter 46
Race 6: (1) Villa Del Largo 82 (nb)
Race 7: (2) Fire Horse 40
Race 8: (5) Candy Crush 41
Dubanville (wed)
Race 1: (9) Yourmyworld 10
Race 2: (1) Oh Behave 12
Race 3: (1) Icon King 23 (NAP*)
Race 4: (9) Craven 17
Race 5: (7) Rocket Master 48
Race 6: (5) Jingle Belle 42
Race 7: (6) My Emblem 64
Race 8: (8) Essenceoflife 12
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Lively Debate 13
Race 2: (4) Africa Rising 69
Race 3: (8) Brave Nation 28 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Sabre Dance 16
Race 5: (1) Rubybay 10
Race 6: (1) Celtic Lady 30
Race 7: (10) Henry Higgins 87
Race 8: (18) Spectralight 38
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Top rated winners last week included
Gaisce Gold won 6/1
My Cherry won 9/1
Mexican Sun won 7/2
Silvan Star won 5/2
Tabreek won 22/10
Ledimasprincess won 2/1
Turn Back Time won 8/10
Winter Is Coming won 4/1
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Notebook:-
Singapore Sling (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 23rd September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,06s slow
1200m (2) Jo Malone 69,86
1600m (3) Off To Gaul 97,22
1800m (1) Alpine Ridge 110,80
1900m (1) The Stones 118,34*
2200m (1) Dreamforest 138,72
Greyville (poly) 23rd September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,16s slow
1000m (1) Lucky Barb 58,74
1400m (4) Winter Is Coming 82,97
1600m (2) Double Clutch 95,85
2000m (1) For Ever 124,50
Turffontein (inner) 24th September
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,37s slow
1200m (1) Singapore Sling 72,79
1450m (1) Turn Back Time 92,72
1600m (3) Tabreek 98,08*
2000m (2) My Cherry 126,47*
2600m (2) Storm Warning 167,26
Durbanville 24th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,06s fast
1000m (1) Diva Fever 60,00
1200m (2) Twinkle Toes 72,00
1600m (4) Fifty Cents 97,06
2400m (1) Francia 154,51
