Time Marches On
Greyville 11th September: They raced on the poly track on Sunday afternoon where by far the fastest of the four 1200m races was the not so lucky last, a MR76 Handicap, won by TIME MARCHES ON. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, the 5yo Overlord mare raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She put her head in front approaching the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Three of the five remaining races were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was MAGICAL BET when winning the MR68 affair. Not the quickest into stride, Glen Kotzen’s charge also came from off the pace. He ran on stoutly in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at IT DOESN’T MATTER by a length and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by JOY TO JOY when opening her account in the false paced maiden plate over 1600m. The only one to really take off when the race began in earnest, the daughter of Horse Chestnut cruised clear over the final 400m and came home lonely by five and a half.
Titbits
Poorly drawn SEE THE SEA came from the back when getting up in the dying strides to win the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
Another poorly drawn runner OUT MY WAY also came from the rear when winning the MR74 Handicap over 1000m.
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Miller Special
Flamingo Park 12th September: The best bet for many in the Northern Cape on Monday was RED SPECIAL in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m and in what proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, the son of Kahal didn’t let down his supporters. The third of three winners on the card for the combination of Stephanie Miller and Gunter Wrogemann, Red Special was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 500m and went on to score with authority by two and a half.
Three of the nine races were staged over 1800m and causing a bit of an upset in the fastest of these was IL PALIO. Another to race handy, the Fortune ridden 10/1 shot took up the running 100m from home and won going away by two and a quarter.
Quickest home in the two races over 1000m was ONE COOL CAT when registering his fifth career victory in the MR78 Handicap. Close to the speed throughout, Corrie Lensley’s charge finished best of all and got up late to deny the similarly fancied EASY TO PLEASE (raced handy – led 200m).
Titbits
Forced to race wide early on, YELLOCLOVER ran on well from midfield when keeping his unbeaten record in tact in the MR66 Handicap over 1200m. Beaten five lengths into fourth in this race was SECRET DELIGHT. Detached at the rear early on, the joint favourite did very well indeed to get as close as he did.
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Flying Dream
Vaal 13th September: Tuesday’s action took place on the outside track where victory in the fastest of the three 1200m races went to the lessor fancied of Clinton Binda’s two runners SILVER KAVALIER. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the lightly weighted son of Kahal raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest some three lengths adrift, he got the better of his stable companion GOLD STATUS (28/10 fav) by a neck.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the MR76 Handicap won by NIKKI. Easy to back at 6/1 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages to fend off a determined challenge from the more fancied SHIVERING SEA by a length and a quarter.
The bill topping MR96 Handicap was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m races and here the 5yo son of Parade Leader RAFA gained just reward for his consistency. Always handy, Leon Erasmus’ charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and got the better of a thrilling tussle with the year older GREASEPAINT by a neck.
Titbits
The newcomer TEENAGE DREAM was flying at the finish when only failing by the narrowest of margins to catch the winner in the maiden plate for 3yo fillies over 1200m.
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Quick Six
Durbanville 14th September: Three of the seven races at the country course on Wednesday were run over 1400m and quickest home in these was LUCKY TUESDAY when completing a quick double in the MR68 Handicap. Nicely positioned in sixth as the fourteen runners turned for home, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 150m out.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m (2 races) and quickest home here was PERCIVAL in the bill topping MR96 Handicap. Returning from a four month break here, the son of Var was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 300m and won well by a length and a half from the well-supported 16/10 favourite OVAR.
The stable of Brett Crawford saddled four winners on last Saturday’s card and they completed a double here when CARBON OFFSET won the last. Sent off third in the betting market in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1600m, the son of Gimmethegreenlight raced close up in third for most of the journey. He took command approaching the 200m marker and won comfortably by a length.
Titbits
The 20/1 shot MIGHTY HASH ran on well from the back when a three quarter length runner up in the maiden plate over 1000m.
NORTHERN BALLET also came from the back when runner up in the MR77 Handicap over 1800m.
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False Activity
Vaal 15th September: Thursday’s racing took place on the new classic track where three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 2000m. Surprisingly the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap won by SCOTLAND. Positioned in the backend of midfield when the race began in earnest, Paul Peter’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 300m and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on BARACAH by a neck.
Despite developing into a bit of a 400m sprint, by far the fastest of the two 1000m races was the graduation plate won by RIVARINE. Positioned fifth of the seven early on, Michael Azzie’s charge cruised clear passing the 200m pole and eased down late won a lot more easily than the official winning margin of a length will reflect.
They also ran two races over 1450m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was FLYING FOOL. Another to quicken up well off a dodgy pace, the ultra-consistent Daring Bid gelding drew clear easily after striking the front 200m out and won going away by three and three quarters.
Titbits
The improving 5yo HIDDEN AGENDA completed a hat-trick when winning the slowly run MR85 Handicap over 2000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Winter Streak 8
Race 2: (4) Blue Dawn 76
Race 3: (2) Nurse Harriet 13
Race 4: (10) Facebook 41
Race 5: (5) Scent 57
Race 6: (7) Fire Dancing 67
Race 7: (12) Imperial Velvet 73
Race 8: (12) Stir It Up 53
Greyville (fri
Race 1: (1) At Variance 18
Race 2: (6) Winter Is Coming 28
Race 3: (8) Ledimasprincess 23
Race 4: (6) Millrace 34 (EW)
Race 5: (3) King Django 35
Race 6: (9) Stockade 69
Race 7: (6) Mackdesi 58
Race 8: (5) Mr O’neill 20 (NAP**)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Reminiscence 13
Race 2: (1) Time To Be Great 22
Race 3: (11) Turn Back Time 11 (NAP*)
Race 4: (5) Pajama Party 28
Race 5: (5) Norgay 61
Race 6: (12) Hamley 46
Race 7: (8) Kissimmee 81
Race 8: (6) My Cherry 55
Race 9: (4) Zoo Alley 24
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (3) Moulina 18
Race 2: (7) Fortissimus 47 (NAP*)
Race 3: (6) Logan 28
Race 4: (7) This Is Sparta 65 (EW)
Race 5: (3) Azarenka 64
Race 6: (4) Sun At Midnight 39
Race 7: (8) Roman Discent 78
Race 8: (4) Figure Of Grey 25
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Accidental Tourist 31
Race 2: (8) Cabinda 40
Race 3: (7) Amazon King 38
Race 4: (8) Interferometer 11
Race 5: (5) La Gitanila 27
Race 6: (3) Shezaleader 65
Race 7: (5) Mater Familias 46
Race 8: (1) Asstar 86 (NAP*)
Race 9: (13) Maria Estella 30
Race 10: (1) Florrick 15
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Top rated winners last week included
Streetwear won 14/1
Out My Way won 12/1
Carbon Offset won 11/2
Magical Bet won 5/1
Banking April won 9/2
Rustar Dhow won 28/10
Joy To Joy won 19/10
Sweet Lady Jade won 15/10
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Notebook:-
Secret Delight (L Human, N-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 11th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,77 slow
1000m (1) Out My Way 59,32
1200m (4) Time Marches On 71,43
1600m (3) Magical Bet 97,79
2000m (1) Born To Rule 123,54
Flamingo Park 12th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,83 slow
1000m (2) One Cool Cat 58,30
1200m (1) Yelloclover 74,52*
1400m (1) La Tourelle 87,83
1600m (2) Red Special 101,31
1800m (3) Il Palio 113,23
Vaal (outside) 13th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,4 slow
1000m (2) Rafa 57,92
1200m (3) Silver Kavalier 70,84
1400m (2) Nikki 83,50
1600m (1) Raging Fire 98,06
Durbanville 14th September
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,21 slow
1000m (2) Percival 58,79
1400m (3) Lucky Tuesday 85,03
1600m (1) Carbon Offset 99,73
1800m (1) Captains Companion 111,20
Vaal (classic) 15th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,66 slow
1000m (2) Rivarine 57.99
1450m (2) Flying Fool 89,05
1600m (1) Banking April 99,22
2000m (3) Scotland 123,63
