Gate Speed

Justin’s Big Five

Fairview 21^st October: Trainer Justin Snaith saddled five of the eight winners in Port Elizabeth on Friday the first of which was ALVILDA in the opening maiden event over 1600m. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Alvilda was taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie and led throughout. She kept on strongly down the long home straight and although RED SCENT finished well from off the pace, she did look to have that one held at the wire.

The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Racing Association Stakes over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD. Off the track since winning at just the second time of asking in June, this son of Go Deputy raced towards the rear for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he quickened well and after striking the front 200m from home, he comfortably accounted for the running on ACT OF SUPREMACY by two. Changingoftheguard won well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.

Another Cape Town based runner to win well on this card was MARY HINGE who did the business for favourite backers in the conditions event over 2400m. Sent off a strong favourite at 18/10, Glen Kotzen’s charge was always handy. She was asked to take up the running early in the home straight and kept on strongly over the final 600m to beat the determined INCA’S SPIRIT by two and a quarter.

Titbits

Returning from a seven month break here, GO DIEGO GO ran on well from the rear and was only beaten two lengths in the second division of the maiden 1600m.

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Ready To Bite

Turffontein 22^nd October: Saturday’s action took place at the inner track where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by NIKKI T (52) when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1800m. Sent off favourite at 18/10, the daughter of El Corredor raced close up in sixth for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead early in the short home straight and drew clear easily over the final 400m to score by six and a half. Nikki T has now won two from four and clearly won’t be stopping here.

A Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the friendless SOUL MASTER (83). Allowed to drift right out to 14/1 from 11/2 at the track, Geoff Woodruff’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced towards the back end of midfield early on. He quickened best coming off the strip though, and under a well judged ride from replacement rider Sherman Brown, he went on to score by a length and a half.

The best bet on the card for many was FLAME FIGHTER in the MR76 Handicap over 1000m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Backed into 18/10 from 22/10, despite solid support for POLISH LADY (6/1 into 7/2), Flame Fighter was always positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running going through the 200m and with the rest well beaten, she comfortably accounted for the running on HOWHIGHCANUFLY by a length and a half.

Titbits

Returning from a bit of a break here, PERANA was running on strongly at the finish in the pinnacle event won by Soul Master.

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Fair Maidens

Durbanville 22^nd October: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the country course on Saturday when NORTHERN HERITAGE did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. In the red at 8/10 on the off, Mike Bass’ charge got away well when the gates opened and nicely positioned in fourth was always poised to strike. He hit the front 230m from home and fairly cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by six and a half.

Another to win very easily on this day when all of the races were for maidens was MISS OCTOBER who opened her account at the first time of asking in the 1000m event. The only runner on the card for trainer Neil Bruss, Miss October was taken straight to the front by M J Byleveld and led throughout. She was always in command and cruised in by five with some in hand.

At the other end of the scale, the closest finish occurred in the 1400m event where we saw a smart performance from the Justin Snaith trained JET BURST.  Sent off a well supported second favourite at 17/10 (op 22/10), Jet Burst raced in the rear for most of the journey, and as the favourite WINTER DYNASTY took up the running 400m out, he looked to be heading for a place at best. Once given rein though, this son of Jet Master quickened very well and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up to deny the market leader in the very last stride.

Titbits

Always at the head of affairs, lightly raced VICTOR IVO won the maiden 1200m with authority.

Newcomer REFLECTIVE IMAGE ran on strongly from the rear when a runner up to Northern Heritage in the maiden event over 1200m.

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Time Management

Clairwood 23^rd October: The biggest upset at the garden course on Sunday came in MR96 Handicap over 1200m when the 11/10 favourite TENNESSEE STRATEGY got rolled. Soon up with the speed, Charlie Laird’s charge looked to have done everything right as he struck the front going through the 400m. Running on stoutly from midfield though was the easy to back NATIONAL CARRIER (10/1 out to 16/1) and when that one loomed alongside 150m out, he could find no extra.

The 1600m non-black type Guineas Trial topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the Jet Master colt POMODORO (53). One of three runners from the in form stable of Sean Tarry in the event, Pomodoro was soon at the head of affairs. He gave a nice kick early in the home straight and after quickly grabbing a two lengths lead he never surrendered an inch of his advantage on the run to the line.

The not so lucky last was a maiden event over 1800m and here an upset was to be had when the friendless PENHALIGON (21) came home smoking. Freely available at 16/1 on the off (op 10/1), Alyson Wright’s charge led throughout. He was three lengths clear coming off the bend and keeping up the gallop all the way to the wire, he went on to score by that margin without any anxious moments.

Titbits

CHILL ran on strongly in the closing stages of the novice event won by the once highly regarded Top Mark and only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.

For the second race in a row, TAKE OVER TARGET caught the eye running on strongly at the finish (3^rd in the MR96 Handicap won by National Carrier) and is clearly coming to hand.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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