Classic Beginning
Kenilworth 4th November: A maiden plate over 1200m was first up in Cape Town on Sunday and here we saw a nice performance from the newcomer MONTE CARLO GIRL. On leaving the stalls it was CAPE SERENADE who elected to make the running whilst Justin Snaith’s charge was positioned in midfield. The 14/10 favourite LIFE’S DESIGN was the first to make a move and on striking the front 150m from home she looked to have done everything right. Quickening best of all though, Monte Carlo Girl flew past in the latter stages and won going away by two and a quarter.
Race five on the card was a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m and here it was nice to see the champion miler VARIETY CLUB return from an enforced layoff in fine fettle. Racing for the first time since breaking a bloodvessel, Joey Ramsden’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat his stable companion BRAVURA by a length and a quarter.
A MR90 Handicap for the girls over 1400m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Yogis Govender trained GOLD ACADEMY. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the daughter of Goldkeeper raced towards the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened well and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race she comfortably accounted for the four timer seeking favourite LA PATINEUSE by a length and three quarters.
Topping the bill was the Gr3 Cape Classic over 1400m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the visiting CHAVE DE OURA. Completing a hat-trick here, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and answering every call from Sean Cormack he kept on determinedly late to beat the running on SANSHAAWES by a neck. One to look out for next time from this race is the third horse READYTOGORIGHTNOW. Justin Snaith’s charge had to switch out for a run 250m from home and finished well. Running on from the back of the fourteen, PATERFAMILIAS also ran on well in this race.
Titbits
Jackson ran on very well from the backend of midfield when only beaten 1,65 lengths on his seasonal debut in the pinnacle event won by Variety Club.
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Gutsy Claverhouse
Flamingo Park 5th November: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in the Northern Cape on Monday when KING’S SILVER did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. He was soon up handy and after a protracted battle with the front running GRANDE ALADO in the straight, he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by DYNAMIC DYNASTY when opening his account in the 1800m event. Backed in to 9/1 from 33’s, Jaap Visser’s charge raced close up in second for most of the journey. He made his move at the top of the home straight and drew clear easily over the final 500m to score by five.
Another to win well on this card was HANDSOME HUDSON in the MR63 affair over 1600m. An easy four length winner in similar company over 1800m last time out, the son of Newton raced in midfield early on. He made his move rounding the turn and won going away by a length and three quarters after striking the front 200m from home.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw another gutsy front running performance from the 5yo son of Victory Moon CLAVERHOUSE. Taken straight to the front by Gunter Wrogemann, Claverhouse was three lengths clear turning for home. He kept on strongly over the final 500m and just had enough in hand to beat the running on EYE OF THE WORLD by three quarters. Eye Of The World had been many lengths adrift of Claverhouse in the rear turning for home and did well to get as close as he did.
Titbits
Easy to back ZULU KING won the fastest of the three 1200m events (a MR78 Handicap) with authority by two and three quarters.
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First Light
Vaal 6th November: Tuesday’s turf meeting took place on the inside track where we saw a very easy victory in the opening workriders’ maiden event over 1400m for THE DISCIPLE. Confidently ridden by Phillip Maluka, Leon Erasmus’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well from halfway and after striking the front 400m from home, he easily drew clear.
Also worthy of note in the maiden ranks on this card was the performance of WEEKEND SPECIAL in the 1200m event. Slow into stride when the gates opened Paul Matchett’s charge very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. Undeterred though, she steadily worked her way through the gears and under a well judged ride from Randal Simons she got up late to score by a half.
The fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR72 Handicap in which DAWN LIGHT gained a well overdue second career victory. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, the son of Miesque’s Approval struck the front 150m from home and kept on strongly late to beat the 6yo ABBOTTSBURY by a length.
A MR76 Handicap over 2000m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Mike De Kock trained ANEEFA. Content to race in midfield for the vast majority of the race, the daughter of Encosta De Lago made her move as they approached the 700m marker. She took up the running 250m later and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SACRED TEMPLE. The runner up Sacred Temple came from the rear and finished well.
Titbits
VIRGINIA SOUND (hampered 450m) and WARRIOR’S PASSION (at the back going through halfway) both ran on well from the rear when third and fifth respectively in the maiden event over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (17) Syndicator 14 Race 2: (8) Upwards Onwards 8 Race 3: (1) Captive Action 51 (EW) Race 4: (2) Largesse 51 Race 5: (16) Beyond The Best 51 Race 6: (1) Copper Parade 81 (EW) Race 7: (7) Lydia Lopokovo 63 Race 8: (7) Flying Hawk 46 Kenilworth Race 1: (4) Villa Del Largo 30 Race 2: (1) Testing The Wind 25 Race 3: (4) American Fantasy 47 Race 4: (8) Waterfall 42 Race 5: (1) Run For It 78 Race 6: (18) Talent Scout 67 Race 7: (9) Lineal Factor 91 Race 8: (5) Gentle Brook 19 Turffontein Race 1: (15) Bay Of Bengal 20 (NAP*) Race 2: (5) White Whisper 21 Race 3: (13) Zuccarelli 37 Race 4: (6) Chesalon 103 Race 5: (2) The Hangman 71 Race 6: (16) King’s Destiny 59 Race 7: (5) Demanding Lady 98 Race 8: (14) Saint Claire 34 Scottsville Race 1: (1) Golden Slipper 9 Race 2: (2) Blonde Princess 18 Race 3: (4) Golden Lord 12 Race 4: (10) Kentucky Guest 28 Race 5: (1) Solveig Says 34 Race 6: (6) Reserved Emblem 43 Race 7: (4) Secret Symbol 66 Race 8: (8) Great Detail 48 Race 9: (14) Irish Blessing 50 Race 10: (5) Pashley 15 Vaal Race 1: (1) Inn On The Square 17 Race 2: (5) Facing Fury 15 Race 3: (1) Variety Show 44 Race 4: (6) Western Count 58 Race 5: (2) Kinematic Countess 65 Race 6: (14) Returnee 50 Race 7: (6) Silver Specialist 80 (EW) Race 8: (5) Anka Man 50 .
Top rated winners last week included
Our Way won 12/1 Speed Keeper won 11/1 Showmetheway won 8/1 Golden Dynasty won 6/1 Kiwi Island won 11/2 Cufflinks won 9/2 Love Struck won 18/10 Follow The Piper 1/1 .
Notebook:-
Gold Academy (Y Govender, W-Cape) Jackson (B Crawford, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run over each distance)Kenilworth (old) 4th November Penetrometer 23 Going Good 1200m (1) Monte Carlo Girl 71,28 1400m (4) Variety Club 83,96 1600m (3) Unencumbered 99,65 1800m (2) Hammie’s Dynasty 109,77 .
Flamingo Park 5th November Going – Standard 1000m (1) Gates Of Fortune 58,87 1200m (3) Zulu King 72,64 1400m (1) Nautica 86,81 1600m (2) Handsome Hudson 99,05 1800m (2) Claverhouse 112,62 .
Vaal (inside) 6th November Penetrometer 20 Going Good 1000m (1) La Volta 55,67 1200m (3) Dawn Light 68,40 1400m (2) Decameron 81,26 1600m (1) Secret Obsession 94,47 2000m (2) Aneefa 121,20
