Up With The Speed
Flamingo Park 27th July: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in the Northern Cape on Monday when THE ARABIAN did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1600m. Backed into favouritism at the track (28/10 into 18/10), the daughter of The Sheik was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score comfortably by two and a half from DROSTDY GIRL.
Run in a time over two seconds quicker was the MR77 Handicap in which EVERCELL landed the spoils. Having only his second outing since relocating from Natal, the 3yo son of Kahal led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and did well to hold off the more fancied ATSO TIME (raced second) by a neck.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was another former Natal campaigner YESAN STAR when winning the MR66 Handicap. Soon positioned close to the speed, Bill Human’s charge struck the front going through the 400m and won well by a length and three quarters from THE BIG SHOW.
The faster of the two 1200m events was the not so lucky last, a MR62 Handicap, won by MATADORAS EL TOROS. Sent off as one of the rank outsiders of the nine horse party at 50/1, the Toreador filly was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Ryan Munger and made virtually all. She was always at least two lengths clear and won going away by five and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo IT’S MAGIC came from the rear when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1400m.
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Big Priced Winners
Durbanville 28th July: They raced at the country course on Tuesday where the only favourite to oblige was the supported BOLD VAR. Initially priced up as the second favourite at 3/1 (sent off 22/10), Vaughan Marshall’s charge was at the helm throughout. He led by just a length for most of the journey before asserting his authority 150 out to score by two and a half. SHISHANGENI ran on well from the backend of midfield in this race.
At the other end of the scale the biggest priced winner was LAST TIGER who caused an upset in the fastest of the four 1400m races, a MR78 Handicap. Sent off as the lesser fancied of Dean Kannemeyer’s three runners at 20/1, the son of Eyeofthetiger was always handy. He put his head in front early in the straight and kept on strongly over the final 400m to beat the staying on pacemaker STRATOCRUISER by three quarters.
Quickest home in the two maiden juvenile plates over 1400m was MR JAY in the boy’s affair. One of three runners setting the pace, the son of Jay Peg kept finding in the straight and got the better of another of the front runners ANGKOR WAT by three quarters.
The faster of the two 2000m races, a MR80 Handicap, was also won by an outsider in VALDE VELOX. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the Horse Chestnut gelding raced in midfield for most of the trip. He quickened well at the top of the home straight and kept on strongly after striking the front 200m out to beat the running on DRAGONSTONE by three quarters.
Titbits
OCEAN’S SWELL (midfield) and ADORADA (rear) both ran on strongly when 1st & 2nd respectively in the girls’ division of the maiden juvenile 1400m.
At the back turning for home, SHOUT only failed to get up in the maiden plate over 1400m by the narrowest of margins.
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Speedy Cat
Scottsville 29th July: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m for the girls was first up in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and here victory went to the favourite NOT A WORD. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. She was headed by WHATAWONDAFULWORLD going through the 300m and when that one then quickly went a length up it looked as if she would have to settle for a place. Under a determined ride from Anton Marcus though, the daughter of Judpot responded gamely and got back up 50m from home to win going away.
There were five races run over 1200m in total and surprisingly the fastest of these was the first of two maiden juvenile plates for the boys won by the heavily supported favourite SYLVESTER THE CAT. Deep in the red at 6/10 on the off (op 15/10), Duncan Howells’ charge made all. He was just a length clear for most of the journey before asserting his authority over the final 400m to score by six and three quarters.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m was the second division won by SIR EARL GREY. The first of two winners on the card for trainer Garth Puller, The Sheik gelding sat in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well and comfortably accounted for the original second favourite SPIRIT OF DOVER (28/10 out to 11/2) by two and three quarters.
The stable of Garth Puller were also on the mark in the MR81 Handicap over 1600m when WAY OF LIGHT registered his third career victory from just eight starts. Confidently ridden by regular partner Donovan Dillon, the son of Mogok raced sixth coming off the bend. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat Caribbean Day by a length.
Titbits
At the back entering the straight, OLE GUNNAR didn’t find the clearest of passages before running on stoutly late to fill third position in the first division of the maiden 1400m.
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On Death Row
Vaal 30th July: The easiest victory at the doomed sand track on Thursday was recorded by FORMAL REQUEST when causing an upset in the last leg of the Jackpot, a MR67 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, St John Gray’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by 4,6 lengths. This was the fastest of the three 1200m races.
Quickest home in the two 1450m events was CAMPS DRIFT in the maiden juvenile plate (the other was a MR68 Handicap). Another to leave the stalls in double figures (10/1), the son of Toreador was soon positioned close up in second. He too put his head in front going through the 400m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on BLUE BLAZER (came from the rear) by a length and a half.
After three of the better ones were scratched from the bill topping MR85 Handicap over 1800 the improving MASTER ‘N COMMANDER looked to be the right one and so it proved to be. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10, Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced third for most of the journey. He took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and ran on strongly late to hold off the very steadily gaining ISOSHA by three quarters.
Titbits
Detached at the rear for the first half of the race, VIKING CASTLE ran on strongly late when runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1450m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Pataudi 23 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Blue Dawn 3
Race 3: (11) Tall Ship 37
Race 4: (10) Special Effects 53
Race 5: (5) Shauntrel 64
Race 6: (1) Evoke Emotion 49
Race 7: (6) Rushing Elf 69
Race 8: (14) Wogsy 64
Scottsville (sat)
Race 1: (3) Venetian Gold 19
Race 2: (2) Just Lucky 52
Race 3: (15) Roy’s Strike Force 30
Race 4: (2) Goodnight Seattle 5
Race 5: (15) Rio De La Plata 20 (NAP*)
Race 6: (5) Miss Argentina 56
Race 7: (6) Aware 66
Race 8: (11) Royal Roy 48
Race 9: (1) Roy’s Angel 20
Flamingo Park (sat)
Race 1: (5) Je’taime Flamenco 14
Race 2: (12) Styled To Rock 15
Race 3: (3) Cape Siskin 46
Race 4: (6) Boarding Call 54
Race 5: (7) Sartorius 31
Race 6: (1) Capricorn Ridge 56
Race 7: (9) One Cool Cat 59
Race 8: (1) Atso Time 43
Race 9: (9) Seattle Trade 19
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (16) The Berry Lady 17
Race 2: (9) Buster Posy 29
Race 3: (7) Stirling Leaves 41
Race 4: (10) Tiger Hotspur 47
Race 5: (8) Go Gold 59
Race 6: (9) Eau De Creole 35
Race 7: (6) Suedette 64
Race 8: (3) Max The Man 35
Race 9: (6) Tora Tora 64
Race 10: (16) Picardi Pink 30 (NAP*)
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Top rated winners last week included
Valde Velox won 16/1
Flying Fellow won 10/1
Royal Union Jet won 4/1
Seventh Feather won 33/10
Yesan Star won 2/1
Lovar won 12/10
Master ‘n Commander won 12/10
Lanner Falcon won 8/10
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Notebook:-
Ole Gunnar (P Lafferty, KZN)
Sylvester The Cat (D Howells, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Flamingo Park 27th July
Going Standard
1200m (2) Matadoras El Toros 72,60
1400m (4) Yesan Star 86,17
1600m (2) Evercell 99,72
1800m (1) Popular Blues 113,55
Durbanville 28th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Bold Var 59,91
1300m (1) Natatela 80,85
1400m (4) Last Tiger 85,18
2000m (2) Valde Velox 122,90
Scottsville (inside) 29th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (5) Sylvester The Cat 69,99
1400m (2) Sir Earl Grey 85,09
1600m (1) Way Of Light 97,45
1950m (1) Flying Fellow 122,09
Vaal (sand) 30th July
Going Standard
1000m (1) Supanova 59,80
1200m (3) Formal Request 72,83
1450m (2) Camps Drift 91,04
1600m (1) Walking On Air 101,64
1800m (1) Master ‘n Commander 115,23
