Greek Historian
Kenilworth 30th October: The going was good in Cape Town on Tuesday where a half of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1600m. The MR80 Handicap was by far the fastest of these and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo HERODOTUS. The pace was a good one and nicely positioned in fourth the son of Trippi was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 400m and won going away from the uneasy favourite CROWN TOWERS.
Two 1000m maiden plates had gotten proceedings underway and the quickest of these was the girls’ affair won by WINTER FIVE. Soon at the head of affairs, the What A Winter filly led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she held on by three quarters from the always handy ALSFLAMINGBEAUTY.
The two remaining races were handicaps over 1400m and surprisingly the quicker of these was the MR72 affair won by the favourite ROCKET GIRL. Soon up handy, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SANS REGRETS by three quarters.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, SILVANO’S PRIDE won the maiden plate over 1600m going away by five.
6 From 12
Greyville 31st October: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday where the fastest of the three 1200m races that opened up the meeting was the novice plate won by CAPTAIN VON TRAPP. He got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front, led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he got the verdict over the running on TICKET HOLDER (reported lame off fore) by a half.
They also ran three races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was KAZAAR when registering his sixth career victory from just twelve starts in the pinnacle stakes. Always handy in this his first outing of the season, Dennis Bosch’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 300m, and comfortably accounted for the always handy SIR BERNADINI by a length and a half.
A maiden plate over 1200m had been first up and here we saw a smart performance from Glen Kotzen’s newcomer FINAL ATTEMPT. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, the 3yo son of Byword quickened best of all in the short home straight, and under a well-judged ride from Keagan De Melo he got up late to deny the strongly fancied BELLS APOSTLE.
Titbits
Freely available at 22/1 on the off, the newcomer WAITING FOR CHANGE won the girls’ maiden plate over 1400m going away by three and a half.
Winning Formula
Vaal 1st November: Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where victory in the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1400m went to the Paul Peter trained ALGEBRA. Beaten over ten lengths in her only previous outing, the daughter of Black Minnaloushe was easy to back at 13/1 on the off. Belying those odds though, Algebra (made all) cruised clear over the final 300m to score by eleven and three quarters. This was the fastest of the three 1400m events.
The last three events on the ten race program were all MR66 Handicaps over 1200m and marginally the fastest of these was the third division won by the nibbled at SHORT AND SWEET. Content to sit in the rear for most of the journey, the 5yo son of Fan Club’s Mister ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in a race where just 0,65 lengths covered the first five home, he got the verdict by a short head..
The two 2000m races were both very moderate maiden plates and much the faster of these was the girl’s affair won by the easy to back EZIEZA. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the daughter of Twice Over lost a couple of lengths at the start, but despite that was soon up handy. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and just had enough in hand to beat the running on MATANUSKA (came from the rear) by a half.
Titbits
Returning from an almost six month layoff, well weighted LIKE A PANTHER showed his well-being with a facile win in the Assessment Plate over 1800m.
Cutting It Fine
Fairview 2nd November: The best bet on the card for many at Friday’s poly track meeting was the former Gauteng campaigner JIKA in the graduation plate over 1300m. Backed into the red on course, Alan Greeff’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten he very narrowly got the verdict over the easy to back HIGH DEFINITION. This was the fastest of the three 1300m races.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m where the faster of the two MR66 Handicaps was the first division won by the Lithuanian mare STRAWBERRY GIRL. Soon up handy, Duncan McKenzie’s charge put her head in front 300m out and won well by a half from the always handy BUTTERFLY SPIRIT.
A MR82 Handicap over 1300m topped the bill and here it was nice to see LORD WINDERMERE back in the winner’s enclosure. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1, the son of Trippi raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead approaching the 100m pole and went on to score with authority from one of the joint favourites AMAZON KING.
Titbits
Making her seasonal debut here, the 3yo RARE SPICE won the opening maiden plate over 1200m with authority going away.
Supremely Weighted
Greyville 2nd November: Surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m races on the poly on Friday evening was the opening maiden plate in which KINGSTON PARK got off the mark. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, the Sail From Seattle gelding raced fourth during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and in a thrilling four way finish, he got the verdict by a neck over his fellow joint favourite AMITIEL.
Run in a time 3,42 seconds faster than the moderate maiden plate, the MR72 Handicap won by SUPREME ORATOR was the faster of the two 1600m events. Racing off a mark some 16 points lower than that of his earlier Western Cape best, Brett Crawford’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score with authority by two.
A MR80 Handicap over 1200m topped the evening’s fare and here we saw a comfortable victory for the 3yo MASTER THIEF. Another to race close to the speed, Garth Puller’s charge took up the running 150m out and won going away from the front running QUEEN OF ALAMO.
Titbits
Stepping up in distance, the lightly raced NOBLE JOSHUA showed good improvement when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1800m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (sat)
Race 1: (13) Estimet 8
Race 2: (6) Beautiful Beat 11
Race 3: (6) Lord Marshal 71
Race 4: (3) Ingabangabonga 20
Race 5: (4) March Music 58
Race 6: (4) Zevenastic 61
Race 7: (8) Ess El Kay 31
Race 8: (6) Horse Haizi 41
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (7) Negma 13
Race 2: (3) Chantyman 54
Race 3: (2) Rumbleinthejungle 6
Race 4: (6) Amber Furst 51
Race 5: (6) Little Audrey 13
Race 6: (2) Subtropical 60
Race 7: (9) Heart Of A Legend 48
Race 8: (7) Missibaba 28 (NAP*)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (3) See You Tyger 20
Race 2: (2) Adamo 12
Race 3: (9) D’Arrivee 54
Race 4: (10) Jameson Girl 67
Race 5: (3) Green Top 65 (NAP*)
Race 6: (9) Cranberry Crush 35
Race 7: (6) Corrido 38
Race 8: (7) Private Ruler 36
Race 9: (17) Couldyoube 49
Kenilworth (sun)
Race 1: (2) Tyrian 10
Race 2: (8) Dharma 23
Race 3: (2) Boundless Deep 30
Race 4: (13) Sunshine Lady 43
Race 5: (11) Man About Town 87
Race 6: (9) Anime 83
Race 7: (6) Jailhouse Rock 70
Race 8: (9) Black Belt 52
Top rated winners last week included
Rose Of Peru won 31/4
Winter Five won 31/4
Tubular Bell won 27/4
Captain Von Trapp won 71/20
Sigismund won 31/10
Cantata won 17/10
Apollo Ace won 16/10
Like A Panther won 8/10
Notebook:-
Herodotus (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (old) 30th October
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,31s slow
1000m (2) Winter Five 59,70
1400m (2) Rocket Girl 85,94
1600m (4) Herodotus 97,41
Greyville (poly) 31st October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,32s slow
1200m (3) Captain Von Trapp 70,19
1400m (1) Waiting For Change 83,78
1600m (3) Kazaar 94,10*
2000m (1) Rose Of Peru 124,11
Vaal (inside) 1st November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,27s slow
1100m (1) In The Dance 64,20
1200m (3) Short And Sweet 70,36
1400m (3) Algebra 83,24
1800m (1) Like A Panther 109,66
2000m (2) Ezieza 124,39
Fairview (poly) 2nd November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 2,42s slow
1000m (2) Strawberry Girl 59,42
1200m (1) Rare Spice 73,86
1300m (3) Jika 78,27
1600m (1) Studio Blues 100,50
2000m (1) Tubular Bell 127,62
Greyville (poly) 2nd November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,29s slow
1000m (2) Kingston Park 58,11
1200m (1) Master Thief 69,75
1400m (1) Viking Red 82,95
1600m (2) Supreme Orator 95,20
1800m (1) Noble Joshua 109,83
2000m (1) New Fort 123,34
