Aiming High
Turffontein 11th June:
Four of the eight races on the old stand side track on Sunday were run over 1160m and the quickest home amongst these was RIVARINE when registering his fifth career victory from just thirteen starts in the pinnacle stakes. Soon up handy, Michael Azzie’s charge took up the running 300m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the 6yo CAPTAIN ALDO (raced 2nd – led 500m) by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on the afternoon was 1600m where Maximizer was quickest home. Easy to back at 7/1 to win the MR80 Handicap, the top weighted son of Querari was always in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m marker and just held on by a neck from the luckless YANKEE CAPTAIN. The runner up took a bump at the start and then running on from midfield was hampered 300m out.
The Gr3 Jubilee Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be a very false paced affair, CORAL FEVER won a nice race. On leaving the stalls it was MASTER ‘N COMMANDER who elected to make the running whilst Robbie Sage’s charge was content to sit in the backend of midfield. He ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint and comfortably accounted for the friendless BANKABLE TEDDY by just over a length. As a result of this performance Coral Fever was supplemented into the Durban July. Mmmm.
Titbits
Racing in open company, the newcomer FRANCO made all when winning the maiden plate over 1600m going away.
Aptly Named
Vaal 13th June:
They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where the first of just two favourites to oblige was DALLEY in the faster of the two 2400m events, the middle stakes. Confidently ridden by Anthony Delpech, the daughter of Ideal World sat in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well when given rein and after striking the front 400m from home, she won going away by three.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1700m and quickest home in these was SHOGUN in the MR66 Handicap. Initially priced up as the favourite (22/10 out to 7/2), Ormond Ferraris’ charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 400m out and kept on strongly late to beat the running on GENTLEMAN ONLY by three quarters.
The three remaining races were all run over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was EFFORTLESS REWARD in the bill topping MR89 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon two and a half lengths clear. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and relinquished very little of her advantage over the final 300m.
Titbits
Beaten by the narrowest of margins in the MR71 Handicap, the rider of EMBRASIATIC dropped his crop 200m out.
A Top Bet At 7/2
Greyville 14th June:
Five of the eight races on the poly track on Wednesday afternoon were run over 1400m and the quickest home in these was MUMSY’S JET in the MR82 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 8’s, Alyson Wright’s charge made all. She was always over a length clear in a race that developed into a sprint and never really looked like being overhauled.
Run in a time just 1/100th of a second slower than that of Mumsy’s Jet was the maiden juvenile plate won by OPERA ROYAL. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 16/10, Glen Kotzen’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on well once realising what was expected of him and won going away by three and a half.
Race seven was a MR86 Handicap over 1200m and here victory went to the Sporting Post’s best bet on the card MACDUFF. Generously priced at 7/2 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and although the front running WALTZED HOME found extra when challenged 100m out, he got up late to score by a neck.
Titbits
Amazingly, the bill topping MR98 Handicap won by BUDAPEST was the slowest of the five 1400m races on the card.
The Secret’s Out
Turffontein 15th June:
A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m was first up on the inner track on Thursday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the easy to back newcomer SECRET HARBOUR. Allowed to ease right out to 12/1 from 13/2 at the track, Paul Matchett’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride when the gates opened and raced in midfield. He quickened well coming off the strip though and with the rest some five lengths adrift, he got up 100m from home to beat the useful looing 1/5 favourite BOATSWAIN going away.
Another 2yo to win well on this card was DAME KELLY when winning the fastest of the three 1400m events, a maiden plate. Sent off a clear favourite despite being allowed to ease a little, the daughter of Dynasty was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the short home straight and with plenty in hand she easily accounted for the running on SHEPHERD’S DELIGHT by two and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1160m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was SPRING STEEL in the bill topping MR87 Handicap. Always second in the betting market, Michael Azzie’s charge raced fifth of the eight for most of the journey. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and although the uneasy favourite PURE BLONDE tried his best to make a race of it, he won well by a length and a half.
Titbits
The 4yo WILD HORIZON comfortably accounted for his thirteen rivals when registering his fourth career victory in the Middle Stakes over 2450m.
Consistency Reward
Fairview 16th June:
The fastest of the five 1200m races on the poly track on Friday was the pinnacle stakes in which the bottom weight FAVOUR’S PRIDE registered her fourth career victory. The most fancied of Corne Spies’ four runners, the 7/1 shot broke well from her wide draw and was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front 250m out and went on to score with authority from the running on STORY OF MY LIFE by two and three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one event on the eight race program was 1000m where the quicker of the two maiden events was that won by the ultra-consistent NACRE. Sent off a strong favourite at 11/10, the Rock Of Rochelle filly raced second for most of the journey. She took up the running as they approached the 100m marker and with the rest a minimum of five and a quarter lengths adrift, she comfortably accounted for the running on IN TANDEM.
The one remaining race was a MR60 Handicap over 1300m and here victory went to the 3yo WICKED LADY JANE. Another to race handy, Gavin Smith’s charge put her head in front 150m out and won well by a length from the coming to hand RIPPIT WHIPPET.
Titbits
PINA won the girls’ division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m going away by three quarters.
Despite having to switch en route from midfield, AWAIT THE DAY won the girls’ division of the maiden 1200m very easily going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Coyote Creek 20 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Joking 29
Race 3: (3) Seattle Flame 29
Race 4: (1) Tamashi 9 (nb)
Race 5: (5) Copper Trail 16
Race 6: (8) Flash Mcqueen 78
Race 7: (3) It Is Written 77
Race 8: (19) Supa- U 25
Race 9: (9) Frederick Fox 77
Race 10: (14) Just Too Early 58
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Toby Coates 11
Race 2: (1) I Am Titanium 4
Race 3: (12) Hello 20
Race 4: (10) Always A Lady 64 (EW)
Race 5: (11) The Right Answer 44
Race 6: (7) Burgundy Rose 38
Race 7: (2) William Nicol 37
Race 8: (12) Hatfield Square 61
Race 9: (10) Goodytwoshoes 50
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) I Am Captain 3
Race 2: (1) Cossack Guard 18 (NAP*)
Race 3: (3) Red Peril 53
Race 4: (9) Too Phat To Fly 26
Race 5: (5) Speedpoint 34
Race 6: (1) Goodtime Gal
Race 7: (1) Whose The Girl
Race 8: (2) Newlands 73
Race 9: (10) Juddering Angel 58
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Celestina 23 (NAP*)
Race 2: (8) Oligarch 9
Race 3: (1) Isingamoya 70
Race 4: (6) Al Ciberano 67
Race 5: (2) Dance On Air 60
Race 6: (6) Overlap 67
Race 7: (6) Roy’s Taxi 41
Race 8: (13) Dawn Calling 96
Race 9: (3) Just Cruised In 76
Top rated winners last week included
Highlander won 10/1
The Wild Mistress won 7/1
Macduff won 7/2
Battle Creek won 22/10
Wild Horizon won 2/1
Dame Kelly won 18/10
Pina won 14/10
Nacre won 11/10
Notebook:-
Opera Royal (G Kotzen, KZN)
Secret Harbour (P Matchett, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (stand side) 11th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,49s slow
1160m (4) Rivarine 66,97
1400m (1) Costa Da Sol 84,95
1600m (2) Maximizer 98,01
1800m (1) Coral Fever 111,32
Vaal (inside) 13th June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,32s slow
1000m (3) Effortless Reward 57,09
1700m (4) Shogun 102,77
2400m (2) Dalley 149,49
Greyville (poly) 14th June
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,15s slow
1000m (1) Vargraves 58,43
1200m (1) Macduff 69,46
1400m (5) Mumsy’s Jet 83,14
2000m (1) Toa Nui 122,66
Turffontein 15th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,47s slow
1000m (1) Secret Harbour 57,95
1160m (3) Spring Steel 67,16
1400m (3) Dame Kelly 87,62
2450m (1) Wild Horizon 154,33
Fairvew (poly) 16th June
Going Standard
1000m (2) Nacre 58,41
1200m (5) Favour’s Pride 69,12
1300m (1) Wicked Lady Jane 75,71
