New Course Record
Greyville 16th June: Aided by a 17km/h tail wind the course was running fast on Sunday. Sporting post’s generously priced top bet DUC D’ORANGE found good support to win the MR72 Handicap over 1600m, and in new course record time, Glen Kotzen’s charge ran out a very comfortable winner. Adopting a change of tactics here, the 3yo son of Duke Of Marmalade made the running. He kept up a strong gallop throughout and in a time 0,58 seconds faster than the existing record, he cruised in by four and a half.
Another to win very cosily on this card was WINTER TWILIGHT in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Clinton Binda’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead at the top of the straight and went on to score very easily by two and three quarters from the running on UNCLE CHARLIE.
They also ran two races over 2000m where the faster of the two MR64 Handicaps was the first division won by the 4yo SAMSONITE. Easy to back at 13/2 on the off Dennis Bosch’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He began to take closer order early in the home straight, and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy, he got up close home to win going away.
Titbits
Having her third outing since relocating to the province, poorly drawn IRISH WONDER GIRL ran on well from midfield when getting up very late to deny the always handy ROY’S PONY in the MR72 Handicap over 1800m.
Few To Follow
Kenilworth 17th June: A half of the races in Cape Town on Monday were staged over 1000m. The MR80 Handicap was the fastest of the four and here the improving 3yo DRAGON POWER registered his third career success. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened best of all and in a thrilling three way finish he got the better of both TROJAN WINTER and DALIBHUNGA.
The MR84 Handicap for the girls was the second fastest of the four 1000m events and here we saw a smart performance from the progressive BOOMPS A DAISY. Now a winner of three from six, Brett Crawford’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced from the front. She was always in command, and won a tad more cosily than the official winning margin of three quarters of a length would suggest.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m and in the quicker of these, the ultra-consistent SPECTRA FORCE gained a deserved fourth win. Another to race from the front, Harold Crawford’s charge was three lengths clear at halfway and that proved to be just enough to beat the always handy FINDING CAMELOT by a neck.
Titbits
Sporting Post’s Top Bet NEXUS showed a nice turn of foot when quickening well off a sedate pace to win the MR91 Handicap over 1600m.
SUPER SILVANO, the full brother to Bold Respect, got off the mark at just the second time of asking when winning the maiden plate over 1200m going away.
Winter Warmers
Scottsville 18th June: Three of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday were staged over 1000m and in the fastest of these, a MR72 Handicap, the top weighted WINTER BLUES landed the odds. Sent off a warm favourite at 5/2, Louis Goosen’s charge raced fourth during the early part of the race. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 300m marker and went on to score going away from the always handy SATARA.
1950m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in the faster of these the well regarded SOVEREIGN SPIRIT gained his second win from just four starts. Sent off second in the betting market to win this MR72 Handicap, Alyson Wright’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front passing the 400m pole and went on to score with authority by four and a half.
A MR80 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and in what comparatively proved to be the fastest of the four races around the turn, the Cape Town visitor CAT DADDY rekindled earlier promise. Positioned in fifth as the eight runners turned for home, Glen Kotzen’s charge ran on strongly to lead 200m out and comfortably accounted for the hat-trick seeking G G’S DYNASTY by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Freely available at 40/1 having finished seventeenth of Eighteen on debut, COCKNEY PRIDE ran on well from the rear when winning the fifteen runner maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m.
Pretty Talented
Kenilworth 19th June: The conditions were pretty much the same as they had been two days earlier when racing returned to Kenilworth on Wednesday. A pinnacle stakes over 1200m topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be by far the fastest of the three races over the distance, the 3yo LANZA was first past the post. Taken straight to the front by Morne Winnaar, the son of Elusive Fort looked destined for just a place when another of Elusive Fort’s progeny ELUSIVE TRADER struck the front 200m out. He rallied gamely once headed though, and showing a nice turn of foot below the distance he got back up to score by almost a half.
The MR75 Handicap was the faster of the two 1400m races on the card and here victory went to the well-supported ROCKIN’ RINGO. Backed into 9/2 from 8/1 during the afternoon, the bottom weight was always handy. He ran on strongly when the race developed into a sprint 400m out and got up 80m from home to beat PINK FLOYD going away.
The lucky last was a maiden plate for the girls over 1400m and here we saw an impressive performance from the favourite PRETTY YOUNG THING. Soon at the head of affairs, Brett Crawford’s charge led throughout. She drew clear with ease from halfway and despite being eased right down in the closing stages, she still had three lengths to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Despite having a shoe replaced at the start, losing a shoe in running, and later being reported by the vet as blowing, the newcomer HOWL ran on well from the rear when a 1,45 length third in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Fresh As A Daisy
Vaal 20th June: A Juvenile Plate for the girls over 1100m got proceedings underway at the Vaal on Thursday and in a time 0,37s faster than that of the boy’s division, the favourite SPRING BREAK did the business. Prominent throughout, Sean Tarry’s charge was ridden to lead 200m from home and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to hold off the rallying pacemaker SEEMYVISION by a length.
The two 1200m races on the card were both low grade handicaps and in the faster of these, the MR66 affair, the 4yo Antonius Pius gelding BATTLE CREEK registered his fifth success. At his best from the front, Dorrie Sham’s charge found extra when challenged strongly by CHAINSAW and with the rest some 3,75 lengths adrift, he drew clear again late to score by three quarters.
The MR64 Handicap was the faster of the two races over 1600m and stopping the clock here was the easy to back TRUE WORDS. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Tobie Spies’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 400m and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the running on TRIP TO TROY.
Titbits
Now unbeaten in two starts, the Mike De Kock trained AL JAHBATH was always in command when leading from pillar to post to win the juvenile plate over 1100m by five and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (6) Flame Up 4
Race 2: (2) My Boy Jack 10
Race 3: (8) Alaskan Fate 4
Race 4: (8) Silvari 18
Race 5: (11) Salubrious 36
Race 6: (9) Juniper Spring 65 (NAP*)
Race 7: (2) Born A Bully 39 (nb)
Race 8: (11) Ladysmith 37
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Montreal Mist 34
Race 2: (1) Enjoy The View 38
Race 3: (6) Al Jazeera 13
Race 4: (2) Isingamoya 76
Race 5: (1) Hard To Play 81
Race 6: (3) Classic Guard 48
Race 7: (3) Matador Man 102
Race 8: (5) Vinson 62
Race 9: (1) Master Magic 52
Kenilworth (fri)
Race 1: (7) Backgammon 20
Race 2: (1) Louisa May 22
Race 3: (3) It Is What It Is 44
Race 4: (2) Driving Miss Daisy 30
Race 5: (2) Double Alliance 29
Race 6: (1) Dynamic Diana 76 (NAP*)
Race 7: (1) Helen’s Ideal 60
Race 8: (1) Majestic Mozart 53
Race 9: (4) Black Belt 42 (EW)
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (5) Informative 22
Race 2: (2) Approach Control 68
Race 3: (8) Just Kidding 6 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Captain Flynt 18
Race 5: (5) Snorting Bull 64
Race 6: (2) Hampton Court 52
Race 7: (11) Winter Crusade 51
Race 8: (14) Final Occasion 9
Top rated winners last week included
Category Four won 55/1
Dragon Power won 33/4
Djockovic won 3/1
Great Stohvanen won 3/1
Saint West won 5/2
Pretty Young Thing won 2/1
Knights Templar won 19/10
Too Cute won 14/10
Notebook:-
Boomps A Daisy (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Duc D’orange (G Kotzen, KZN)
Nexus (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Pretty Young Thing (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Super Silvano (B Crawford, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 16th June
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,65s fast
1200m (2) Winter Twilight 69,39
1400m (2) Marsanne 82,46
1600m (1) Duc D’orange 93,25
1800m (1) Irish Wonder Girl 107,71
2000m (1) Samsonite 120,87
Kenilworth (old) 17th June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,81s slow
1000m (4) Dragon Power 58,96
1200m (1) Super Silvano 73,51
1600m (2) Spectra Force 100,15
1800m (1) Rosalie Runs 114,78
Scottsville (inside) 18th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,26s slow
1000m (3) Winter Blues 56,49
1200m (1) Cockney Pride 69,11
1400m (1) Loosen Your Tie 84,20
1600m (1) Cat Daddy 95,08
1950m (2) Sovereign Spirit 119,22
Kenilworth 19th June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,85s slow
1000m (1) Fly Miss Kim 59,60
1200m (3) Lanza 71,40
1400m (2) Rockin’ Ringo 87,04
1600m (1) Saint West 99,90
1800m (1) Knights Templar 113,17
Vaal 20th June
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,46s fast
1000m (1) Category Four 57,21
1100m (2) Spring Break 63,01
1200m (2) Battle Creek 68,91
1400m (1) Zephira Rain 83,51
1600m (2) True Words 94,87
2400m (1) Born Rich 150,21
