Super Strong
Kenilworth 14th July: The Gr3 Winter Derby over 2400m topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the favourite DOUBLEMINT. In touch throughout, Justin Snaith’s charge was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.
Favourite backers were also on the mark in the listed Winter Oaks when FRESNAYE did the business. Always in the red, the daughter of Western Winter took up the running 220m out, and although DYNASTY’S BLOSSOM did challenge strongly below the distance, she had that one held by a neck at the wire.
The only distance on the nine race program to stage more than one event was 1500m where the faster of the two listed juvenile races was the prestigious Langerman won by ONE WORLD. Taken straight to the front by MJ Byleveld, the son of Captain Al led by just a length for the first 1000m or so. Once given rein though he quickened away in good style and cruised in by five and a quarter.
Titbits
The progressive Horse Chestnut filly BRAVE MOVE completed a five-timer when comfortably accounting for her 12 rivals in the Listed Ladies Mile over 1600m.
Beautiful Dawn
Durbanville 17th July: Three of the eight races at the country course on Tuesday were run over 1400m and by far the fastest of these was the second division of the maiden juvenile plate won by SEATTLE FORCE. Always top of the boards, Glen Kotzen’s charge led throughout. He was a length and a quarter clear coming off the bend and despite the efforts of the chasing DUBULA he extended that advantage to two and three quarters before the wire.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the faster of the two maiden events was the boy’s affair won by GIANT FLAG. In a time almost six seconds faster than that of the girls, the son of Jay Peg was always in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and with the remainder finishing some eight lengths adrift, he kept on strongly to beat SARK by a length and three quarters.
A MR80 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo VELVET DAWN. Freely available at 31/4 on the off Paddy Kruyer’s charge made virtually all. She quickened nicely early in the straight and won with authority by three.
Titbits
ENDOFMARCH ran on stoutly from midfield when only beaten 0,3 lengths in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.
Powerful Macduff
Scottsville 18th July: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Sunday 15th July. A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the easy to back EASTBROOK. Freely available at 8/1 on the off the son of Horse Chestnut led throughout. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the well-supported favourite FRANCISCO by a length and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and not surprisingly the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by MACDUFF. Just five went to post and the field was always very tightly bunched. He put his head in front 200m out and won well by two from the more fancied GRATUITY.
The MR76 affair was the faster of the two 1600m handicaps and here the Kildonan filly KILMOKEA registered her second career victory. Close to the speed throughout, Robbie Hill’s charge struck the front 300m out, and with the rest comfortably beaten, she got the better of the always handy ROY’S STINGRAY by a neck.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear after being drawn wide, the 2yo WHITE LIGHTNING was flying at the finish when only failing by a short head to open his account at the first time of asking in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Three From NIne
Vaal 19th July: They raced on the classic track on Thursday where the fastest of the three 1450m races was the MR70 Handicap won by LADY NEGRA. Easy to back at 6/1 on the off, the 4yo daughter of Gimmethegreenlight was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and after quickly going clear, she won very cosily by three and a quarter.
The MR80 Handicap was the faster of the two 1600m events and here the 3yo SOLDIER ON registered his third career victory. Confidently ridden by Marco Van Rensburg, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge raced eighth of the eleven for most of the journey. Once given rein though he ran on best of all, and won going away after striking the front close home. Soldier On has now won three of his nine career outings.
A MR82 Handicap topped the bill and here it was nice to see the well weighted 4yo LA ROQUETTE back in the winner’s enclosure. Freely available at 9/1 on the off Stanley Ferreira’s charge raced in the rear early on. She quickened nicely going through halfway and won well by three quarters from the always handy MODJADJI.
Titbits
Nibbled at throughout the morning, the 6/1 shot ROYAL CAVALIER was always in command when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1000m.
No Beating About The Bush
Fairview 20th July: The listed East Cape Paddock Stakes topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Friday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m events on the card, the well-supported favourite BEATABOUTTHEBUSH did the business. On leaving the stalls it was RED GRANITE who elected to make the running whilst Alan Greeff’s charge was tucked away in midfield. She was ridden to lead 100m out by Greg Cheyne and after a thrilling tussle with SMOKEY AFFAIR she only got the verdict on the nod.
They also ran three races over 1000m and quickest home here was STARFLASH in the MR84 Handicap. Nicely positioned in third, in what was always a very tightly bunched field, the son of Pathfork was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat LE GRAND ROUGE by three quarters. The two remaining races were both staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was LIGHT AS A FEATHER in the maiden plate. Having only her second outing in the province, the daughter of Kabool raced at the head of affairs throughout. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and did have the odds on favourite ZALIKA held at the wire.
Titbits
BIKINI MODEL didn’t find the clearest of passages before running on from midfield to win the MR70 Handicap over 1600m going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Sixtythree 10
Race 2: (11) Seattle Empress 1
Race 3: (5) Pomaceous 13
Race 4: (7) Tundra 17
Race 5: (1) African Victory 43
Race 6: (10) Royal Fort 19
Race 7: (4) Sabbatical 82
Race 8: (6) Sauve 31
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (9) Vi Va Pi Pa 18
Race 2: (7) New Fort 50
Race 3: (7) Inverroche 37
Race 4: (4) Cue The Music 54
Race 5: (7) Mazari 37
Race 6: (2) Bold Eagle 59
Race 7: (2) It’s My Turn 83
Race 8: (3) London Call 97
Race 9: (1) Captain America 95
Race 10: (12) Elusive Heart 73
Race 11: (5) Isca 88
Race 12: (9) Traces 77
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Mr Green Street 16
Race 2: (5) Mumtaz 3
Race 3: (4) Mr Crumford 31
Race 4: (1) Runaway Rebel 11
Race 5: (4) What A Winner 53
Race 6: (1) Goodtime Gal 75
Race 7: (2) Brave Move 86 (NAP*)
Race 8: (2) It’s My Turn 83
Race 9: (3) Nebula 83
Race 10: (9) Flying Ryan 40
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (4) Chitengo 23
Race 2: (1) Affranchi 31
Race 3: (6) Causeway Cruiser 23 (NAP*)
Race 4: (6) Last Girl Standing 40
Race 5: (3) Angel’s Power 80
Race 6: (5) Splendid Garden 86
Race 7: (9) Black Biscuit 49
Race 8: (7) My Cherry 34
Top rated winners last week included
Free Agent won 14/1
La Roquette won 9/1
Eastbrook won 8/1
Velvet Dawn won 31/4
Moon Rock won 9/2
Giant Flag won 26/10
Coral Bay won 2/1
Fresnaye won 9/10
Notebook:-
One World (V Marshall, W-Cape)
White Lightning (P Lafferty, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (old) 14th July
Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 2,90s slow
1000m (1) Crowded House 63,81
1200m (1) Power Grid 76,07
1500m (2) One World 94,10
1600m (1) Brave Move 101,31
1800m (1) Mac De Lago 115,48
2000m (1) Magic Mary 131,67
2200m (1) Fresnaye 145,87
2400m (1) Doublemint 154,56
Durbanville 17th July
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
1000m (1) Velvet Dawn 57,48
1250m (1) Moon Rock 73,60
1400m (3) Seattle Force 83,57
1600m (1) Spectra Force 96,03
2000m (2) Giant Flag 123,60
Scottsville 18th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Just Vogue 57,20
1200m (3) Macduff 68,50
1400m (1) Bravo Bravo 83,64
1600m (2) Kilmokea 96,24
2400m (1) Impact Zone 151,56
Vaal (classic) 19th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Royal Cavalier 58,17
1450m (3) Lady Negra 87,52
1600m (2) Soldier On 97,54
1800m (1) My Cherry 111,94
Fairview (turf) 20th July
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (3) Starflash 57,86
1400m (2) Light As A Feather 86,80
1600m (3) Beataboutthebush 98,52
