On The Beach
Scottsville 27th May:
Four Gr1 events over 1200m topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday and the quickest home in these was BULL VALLEY when winning the Tsogo Sun Sprint. Nibbled at throughout the day into 61/10 from 10/1, Sean Tarry’s charge raced two and a half lengths off the pace in what was always a very tightly bunched field. He put his head in front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the consistent SEARCH PARTY by a length and a half.
They also ran four races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was MARK MY CARD in the KZN Series Leg 3. Freely available at 9/2 on the off, the Sporting Post’s value bet for the afternoon raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on best of all when the race began in earnest and just got the better of the more fancied KAHULA who also finished well.
The one remaining race was a MR82 Handicap over 1400m and here victory went to the easy to back CARBON OFFSET. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the Gimmethegreenlight gelding also came from the rear. He ran on strongly in the straight and just got the better of the well-supported favourite HEAD HONCHO. The runner up ran on well from midfield, but hanging and racing wide, he didn’t aid his own cause.
Titbits
Slow into stride and positioned at the back early on, SAND AND SEA couldn’t have been more impressive when winning the prestigious Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m going away.
Surprisingly The Faster
Kenilworth 27th May:
Five of the ten races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1200m and surprisingly the fastest of these given that the afternoon’s two feature events took place over the distance, was the work rider’s maiden plate won by MARK’S GLORY. Positioned in midfield going through halfway, Darryl Hodgson’s charge ran on best of all over the final 600m and comfortably accounted for the 5yo DAYONAUT by a length and a half.
A maiden plate was also surprisingly the faster the two 1000m events where WEEKEND WARRIOR ran out an easy winner. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 18/10, Greg Ennion’s charge raced in second for most of the journey. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m marker and won well from the always handy LOVE TO FLY.
They also ran two races over 1800m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was the favourite PLATINUM PRINCE in the MR78 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the second favourite BENJAN who elected to make the running whilst the son of Silvano raced close up in fifth. He took up the running shortly after PLANO struck the front 250m out and went on to score comfortably from that one by three quarters.
Titbits
The two feature events for juveniles, the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery and the listed Kenilworth Fillies Nursery, were both slowly run and developed into 400m sprints.
After racing in the rear the newcomer HALL OF FAME flew late when winning the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Oratio 27 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Moment To Shine 10
Race 3: (1) Pampierstad 10
Race 4: (10) Scarlet Lady 10
Race 5: (4) Imagination 19
Race 6: (6) Dunham 34
Race 7: (8) Kent Rock 56
Race 8: (11) Rock Burner 51
Race 9: (3) Elusive Singer 24
Race 10: (16) Last Laugh 22
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (12) Hope Solo 26
Race 2: (7) Let It Flow 20
Race 3: (6) Mutawaary 12
Race 4: (1) Chapati 27
Race 5: (16) Russian Friend 36
Race 6: (10) Calico Quiver 38
Race 7: (13) William Grace 33
Race 8: (6) Danza 57
Race 9: (9) Pearl Valley 35
Race 10: (10) Green Crest 37
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (5) First Crusade 21 (NAP*)
Race 2: (8) Kateecador 6
Race 3: (11) Concealed Secret 21
Race 4: (4) Khetiwe 26
Race 5: (4) Pina Colada 22
Race 6: (8) Our Destiny 80
Race 7: (6) South Paw 54
Race 8: (7) Ever Dear 72
Race 9: (13) River Garden 37 (nb)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Unchained Melody 15
Race 2: (3) Claremorris 9
Race 3: (3) Free The Wind 9
Race 4: (11) Hakeem 14 (NAP*)
Race 5: (17) Time To Be Great 50
Race 6: (12) Shankly Gates 34
Race 7: (10) Carla The Rebel 39
Race 8: (13) Chief Sioux 41
Top rated winners last week included
Bull Valley won 61/10
Carry On Alice won 2/1
Weekend Warrior won 18/10
Magical Wonderland won 21/20
Dutch Philip won 7/10
Notebook:-
Sand And Sea (D Drier, KZN)
Weekend Warrior (G Ennion, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville 27th May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,14s fast
1200m (4) Bull Valley 67,72
1400m (1) Carbon Offset 83,60
1600m (4) Mark My Card 96,79
Kenilworth (old) 23rd May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,28s fast
1000m (2) Weekend Warrior 58,71
1200m (5) Mark’s Glory 72,67
1400m (1) Midtown Manhattan 87,36*
1800m (2) Platinum Prince 109,48
