Form Feast
Borrowdale Park 13th February: The easiest victory in Zimbabwe on Sunday was undoubtedly that of RUN FEAST (30) who came home smoking in the novice event over 1600m. Sent off second favourite at 2/1, Kirk Swanson’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear in good style at the business end of the race to score with some in hand by ten! A full sister to the talented local runner JIMINY CRICKET, the unbeaten Run Feast won well and is clearly very useful.
The locals had already had a pointer as to the win of Run Feast as earlier in the afternoon the horse whom Run Feast had beaten by three quarters of a length in her only previous start, TANUS (17) came out and won. Freely available at 7/2 to win the maiden event over 1100m, Tanus was content to sit in midfield during the early part of the race. The recent recruit from Gauteng DESTRIER set the pace and showing no signs of stopping going through the 400m, he had the remainder off the bit. Tanus ran on stoutly once given rein though, and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1600m and here it was nice to see last season’s Zimbabwe Guineas winner CAPTAIN’S TIGER (53) record his first win of the campaign. Captain’s Tiger got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead early in the home straight and although the Republic Cup winner JIMINY CRICKET chased hard over the final 500m, he went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned at the back of a small, but very strung out field turning for home, FLASHING NUMBERS (a winner of 8 of her previous 10 starts) was given a mountain to climb in the listed Ipi Tombe Stakes and did very well indeed to get within four lengths of the winner at the wire.
The former South African campaigner GO ME GAL won the MR80 Handicap over 1000m on her local debut here with plenty in hand.
Gavin’s Big Five
Fairview 14th February: A Juvenile Plate over 1000m was first up on Valentine’s Day and here a major upset was to be had when the rank outsider of the five horse party MILITARY MEDALLION opened his account. The lesser fancied of Gavin Smith’s three runners, this son of Albert Hall was freely available at 25/1 on the off! On leaving the stalls it was Military Medallion’s strongly fancied stable companion FOREST BLADE (the 5/10 favourite) who elected to set the pace. Forest Blade kept on strongly at the business end of the race and did have the rest well beaten. Military Medallion ran on stoutly under a good ride from in form apprentice Andrews though, and when he loomed alongside 150m out, the market leader could find no answers. Trainer Gavin Smith went on to saddle the first five winners on the card.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by the 3yo SET ME ALIGHT who opened her account in the maiden event over 1200m. Allowed to drift right out to 10/1 from 11/2 at the track as money in the main came for the favourite UNDINE, Set Me Alight was always in touch with the leaders. She moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat Undine by four.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of ETON MESS in winning the MR74 Handicap over 1800m. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 2/1, Alan Greeff’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Both he and the in form 6yo COUNT OLIVER ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest left trailing in their wake, it was only by a half that Eton Mess got the verdict.
Titbits
BALLERINA GIRL signalled a return to form when running on well from the back to take fourth in the maiden event over 1200m.
Cutting It Fine
Scottsville 15th February: SYDNEY’S GIRL (23) was the best bet on the card for most in Natal on Tuesday and although there were some anxious moments in this maiden event over 1200m, she did nonetheless do the business. Not the quickest into stride, Yogis Govender’s charge raced towards the rear during the early part of the race and going through halfway she was easily six lengths adrift. The leaders DEVONELLA and ALL MY HEART both kept on strongly when the race began in earnest and now hard ridden it looked for while as if Sydney’s Girl had too much to do. She had nonetheless been steadily reeling the first two in though and finding her stride late she got up close home.
Much easier a winner in the maiden ranks was COFFEE SHEIK (41) who opened his account in the boys division of the maiden 1200m. Prominently positioned throughout, Des Egdes’ charge took up the running 250m from home and in a time much quicker than that of Sydney’s Girl, he went on to score very easily by four and a quarter.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR92 Handicap over 2400m and in what betting wise was a very open contest victory here went to SECRET SYMBOL (64). One of two runners from the stable of Craig Eudey, Secret Symbol was always handy. The field quickly began to concertina on entering the home straight and going through the 300m there were plenty with chances. Secret Symbol ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and after a thrilling tussle with his stable companion BOLSHEVIK, it was only on the nod that he got the verdict.
Titbits
Favourite to win the MR73 Handicap over 1200m, CHEET EM ALL had just begun to take closer order when he was cramped against the rail 300m out and lost his jockey.
Magic
Turffontein 15th February: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where the best bet on the card for many, BOEING BOEING (21) duly landed the odds. Deep in the red at 11/20 on the off to win the maiden event over 1160m, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and went on to score, as a good odds on favourite should, very comfortably by two and a quarter.
A graduation plate worthy of being a feature event was next up and here the finish was fought out by the Triple Crown contenders PERANA and GALILEO’S DESTINY (79). Perana made the running and when push came to shove 300m out, only Galileo’s Destiny could go with him. Perana looked beaten when Galileo’s Destiny flew past 200m out, but once headed Perana found extra. Galileo’s Destiny ran on strongly below the distance though and despite the efforts of Mike De Kock’s charge, he went on to score quite comfortably in the end by a length and a quarter.
The Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo MAGICO (91). Sent off a joint second favourite at 3/1, Paul Peter’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that, he was soon well positioned to challenge. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the improving MR BLACK TOM by two.
Titbits
Beaten just a neck in the maiden event over 1160m, the well supported favourite HURRICANE JEN was finishing strongly.
Anxious Moments
Durbanville 16th February: The locals got off to a rough start at the country course on Wednesday when the easy to back ARABIAN WIND got off the mark in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Mike Stewart’s charge was taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie and led throughout. The favourite POLE OF COLD marginally put his head in front 250m from home, but once challenged, Arabian Wind found extra and fought back gamely in the latter stages of the race to score by a length.
The best bet on the card for most was LUCKY MOON in the novice 1400m and although he couldn’t have cut it any finer, he did nonetheless do the business. Deep in the red at 3/10 on the off, the son of Victory Moon was content to amble along at the back for most of the journey. He made up the ground quickly in the straight, but as he drew alongside his stable companion PARLIAMENT 100m from home, that one duly found extra. Parliament gave his all below the distance and it was only by the narrowest of margins that he went down.
A MR94 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Captain Al gelding SEALED ORDERS gain a well overdue third career victory. Always in touch with the leaders, Piet Steyn’s charge made his move early in the straight. He struck the front as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score comfortably from the running on SABATINO by three quarters.
Titbits
Usually seen out sprinting, SABATINO has been running on nicely in his last two starts over 1600m and could well go one better soon if kept over this distance.
Top rated winners last week included:-
Go Me Gal won 10/1
La Negrita won 15/2
Catview won 4/1
Almavira won 18/10
Strike Master won 17/10
Kwaaihoek won 7/10
Novello won 11/20
Allocation won 5/10
Notebook:-
Go Me Gal (G MacLeod, Zimbabwe)
Magico (P Peter, Gauteng)
Run Feast (K Swanson, Zimbabwe)
Sydney’s Girl (Y Govender, Natal)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Borrowdale Park 13th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Go Me Gal
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Skipper
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Fairview 14th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Romero
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Admiral Camden
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Jervis
Scottsville 15th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (6) Carina Coleman
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (2) Don’t Say Don’t
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Secret Symbol
Turffontein 15th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Magico
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Galileo’s Destiny
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Durbanville 16th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Arabian Wind
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Lucky Moon
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Final Approach
