Coming Along Nicely
Fairview 12th December: They raced on the turf on Friday where three of the nine events were run over 1000m. The fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap in which MISS FRISKIE registered her third career victory. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge raced at the back of the seven early on. The field was always closely grouped though and going through halfway she was only four lengths off the pace. She ran on best of all over the final 500m and with the rest well beaten she got up late to deny the in-form GOULDIKOVA.
The stable of Alan Greeff were again on the mark in the faster of the two 1600m races, a MR64 Handicap, when the progressive KALAMAIN landed the spoils. Dropping in class to complete a hat-trick here, the son of Admire Main was always in touch with the leaders. He took up the running as they approached the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on WOGSY. The runner up had raced in the rear and finished well.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was just the 2,25 lengths recorded by JAY’S FAVOUR. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, the 3yo daughter of Jay Peg was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m pole and won well from the easy to back LEVONCA.
Titbits
The 1200m maiden winner STAR OF FURY ran on strongly from the backend of midfield and did well to get up in the very last stride.
Third placed MURMERING SKY didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to take third position in the 1400m conditions plate won by the useful Highly Decorated.
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Just The Six
Greyville 12th December: Due to there being no power, time constraints, and no ambulance, races 1 & 2 were abandoned. Three of the six races that did take place on the poly track on Friday evening were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock amongst these was LADY KILDARE in the MR65 Handicap. Racing off a mark some 22 points lower than that of her rating on sand, Sean Tarry’s board topper (33/10 into 5/2) led from pillar to post. She was a length and a half clear turning for home and drew clear easily over the final 400m to score by five and half.
Another to win comfortably on this card was WHIMSICAL GAL in the maiden 1600m. Originally priced up favourite (15/10 out to 7/2), Duncan Howells’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She made her move coming off the bend and kept on strongly after striking the front 300m out to beat the running on SWEET ORANGE by two.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the non-black type River Indigo Handicap won by RED LABEL. Freely available at 13/2 on the off the daughter of Solskjaer raced third of the six for most of the journey. She put her nose in front going through the 200m and after a thrilling tussle with CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER she only got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The 3yo FORTISSIMO was baulked for a run 250m out and then took a bump 150m out when running on well from the rear in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
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Day To Remember
Vaal 13th December: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on the old stand side track at Turffontein. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR93 Handicap won by OCTOBER ELEVENTH. Freely available at 10/1 on the off (op 14’s), the lightly raced son of Var raced seventh of the eleven for most of the journey. The field was always closely grouped though, and when asked for an effort he soon began to make headway. He ran on stoutly in the closing stages of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the veteran DENNIS THE MENACE.
There were also three races run over 1600m and the fastest against the clock amongst these was the MR68 Handicap won by the 3yo ALICE SPRINGS. On leaving the stalls it was the 7/1 shot MYSTIC EXPRESS who elected to make the running whilst Mike De Kock’s charge (sweating) raced close up in third. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and no doubt aided by the runner up’s (RODEO DREAM) jockey losing his whip 150m out, she held on to score by a neck.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by FOREST FOX in the workrider’s maiden plate over 1600m. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, Paul Peter’s 3yo wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He struck the front going through the 400m and only having to be pushed out from there onwards, he cruised in by nine and a half.
Titbits
SEVENTH SYMPHONY showed very good pace when winning the maiden 1000m. I clocked the race at 56,71 which is more than two and a half seconds faster than that given officially.
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Answering Every Call
Kenilworth 13th December: A workrider’s maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a very easy victory for the 5/10 favourite CAPTAIN BLACKWATER. Taken straight to the front by Justin Andrews, the Captain Al gelding led throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by seven. Interestingly, this race was run in a faster time than the only other 1200m race, the MR68 Handicap won by COME FLY WITH ME.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR97 Handicap in which SAIL SOUTH registered his fifth career victory from just fourteen starts. It was the top weight BLARNEY BAY who elected to make the running whilst Brett Crawford’s charge was content to sit some seven lengths back in sixth. Once in the long new course straight though, the Sail From Seattle gelding quickened well and after striking the front 130m or so from home, he cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
The Gr2 Vasco Premier Trophy over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the easy to back DYNAMIC. Allowed to ease right out to 12/1 from 7’s at the track, Justin Snaith’s charge was taken straight to the front by Sean Cormack and made all. He kept on determinedly in the straight and answering every call held on to beat the 5/2 second favourite HELDERBERG BLUE by a neck.
Titbits
Despite racing green, the unfancied newcomer CARMINA ran on strongly from midfield when a half-length runner up in the 800m scurry for juveniles.
Set quite a task coming off the bend ACROSTAR (2/1 into 12/10) had to switch out when starting her run in the Gr3 Victress Stakes, and did well to get within a neck of her lesser fancied stable companion (JET SUPREME 8/1).
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (17) Family Fortune 14
Race 2: (1) Zakumi 14 (NAP*)
Race 3: (7) A Bit Of Alright 7
Race 4: (7) Five Moons 57
Race 5: (9) Peregrine King 61
Race 6: (9) Black Thunder 45
Race 7: (2) Le Var 63
Race 8: (5) Land Of Meadows 41
Vaal (tue)
Race 1: (13) Seattle Lady 4
Race 2: (5) Panjo 78
Race 3: (1) General Misty 26
Race 4: (10) Winter Approval 5 (NAP*)
Race 5: (5) Crystal’s Revenge 65
Race 6: (2) Party Peg 49
Race 7: (5) Duty Dance 67
Race 8: (7) Ice Goddess 37
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (4) Sister Act 18
Race 2: (1) Elen Luyddog 16
Race 3: (2) Imibala 12 (NAP*)
Race 4: (4) Swift Wonder 70
Race 5: (8) Vogue Idea 51
Race 6: (9) Sister Lynn 43
Race 7: (7) High Arrow 39
Race 8: (1) Music App 26
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Top rated winners last week included
Big Bucks won 13/2
Feels Like Heaven won 5/1
Sail South won 7/2
Liquid Mercury won 3/1
Fort Meyers won 22/10
Seventh Symphony won 13/10
Highly Decorated won 11/10
Captain Blackwater won 5/10
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Notebook:-
Fortissmo (G Puller, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview 12th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (3) Miss Friskie 57,49
1200m (2) Voices Of Kings 71,32
1400m (1) Highly Decorated 86,57
1600m (2) Kalamain 98,94
2400m (1) Bolt Of Light 157,21
Greyville (poly) 12th December
Going Rain Affected
1200m (1) Legend Dancer 70,68
1400m (2) Red Label 83,25
1600m (3) Lady Of Kildare 95,85
Vaal (inside) 13th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Seventh Symphony 56,63*
1200m (3) October Eleventh 69,01
1600m (3) Alice Springs 95,79
1800m (1) French Navy 109,35
2400m (1) Afterburner 149,63
Kenilworth (new) 13th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
800m (1) Harlem Shake 49,86
1200m (2) Captain Blackwater 73,45
1400m (3) Sail South 85,76
1600m (1) Rushintothewind 101,50
1800m (2) Jet Supreme 112,66
