Go West

Five In A Row

Fairview 6^th February: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on 3^rd February.

First up on Monday was a maiden event over 1200m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well supported ROYAL TREASURE (24). Backed into 4/1 from 7’s at the track, Alan Greeff’s charge was taken straight to the front by M J Byleveld and led throughout. He was four lengths clear going through the 400m and although the favourite NOAH FOREVER (evens out to 17/10) did make some headway in the latter stages of the race, he went on to score without any anxious moments by two and a half.

Looking to complete a five timer, the improving TOMCAT (74) was sent off favourite to win the MR90 Handicap over 1400m and the 7yo son of Mogok didn’t let down his supporters. Another to make all, Tomcat held a length and a half advantage turning for home. He kept on strongly down the long Fairview home straight and although the top weight REFINED IN FIRE tried his best to make a race of it, he had extended his advantage to two and a quarter on crossing the line.

The afternoon’s feature event was the Fairview Merchants run over 1200m and here it was nice to see the classy VILLANDRY (74) land the spoils. A winner of the prestigious Gr1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville back in 2009, this son of Var was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on THREE CAPTAINS by two and a quarter.

Titbits

Running on from midfield, Macarthur Park quickened well after having to switch out for a run and won the novice 1200m going away.

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Climb Every Mountain

Vaal 7^th February: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the Vaal’s turf meeting on Tuesday when MIRAVAR did the business in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1400m. Soon up handy, the daughter of Var raced prominent throughout. She was asked to take up the running going through the 500m and kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the fancied FOUNTAIN OF EDEN (3/1 into 22/1) by a length.

The afternoon’s feature event was a conditions plate over 1400m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the Ormond Ferraris trained SNOWDON (92). After racing handy, Snowdon moved through to take up the running going through the 400m. The odds on favourite KAVANAGH had tracked him throughout though and when that one then got his head in front 100m later, it looked as if he had done everything right. Snowdon rallied gamely under a determined ride from Pierre Strydom though and got back up close home.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of PAELLA (80) in the MR100 Handicap over 1200m. A bit of an enigma, Paella was always handy. The field had been very tightly bunched throughout and going through the 400m there was barely four lengths covering all. Paella quickened by far the best at that point and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by four. He won well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.

Titbits

SACRED TEMPLE ran on strongly after being cramped 200m out in the MR76 Handicap over 2000m and did well to get the better of the joint favourite Bibbety Bobbety who also finished well from off the pace.

EDICT ran on strongly after being baulked for a run 300m out in the MR82 Handicap over 1200m and only failed to get to the winner Where’s My Chop by a neck.

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Cool Machine

Greyville 7^th February: The 3yo ICE MACHINE (57) was sent off a strong favourite to win the MR74 Handicap over 1400m on Tuesday evening and he didn’t let down his supporters. Not the quickest into stride, the top weight raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the straight though, the son of Silvano quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Anton Marcus he got up nicely late to beat the regular place getter PRINCETON by three quarters.

The evening’s feature event was a MR87 Handicap over 2000m and here favourite backers were again on the mark when the former Cape Town campaigner MISS MADDIE opened her account in the province. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the friendless SYDNEY’S GIRL (8/1 out to 16/1) by a length and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of WINGED FOOT (52) who came home smoking in the MR70 affair over 2000m, Backed throughout the evening into even money from 16/10, the daughter of Right Approach raced sixth during the early part of the race. She made her move rounding the home turn and after striking the front early in the straight, he cruised clear in the latter stages to score by five and a quarter.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear after losing two lengths at the start, OAK RIDGE ran on best of all when getting up late to beat the favourite Music Pass in the maiden event over 2000m.

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Bobby Dazzler

Kenilworth 8^th February: The most impressive performance in Cape Town on Wednesday was undoubtedly that of RAZZLE DAZZLE ROSE (59) when winning a much smarter than average looking MR70 Handicap over 1600m. Allowed to drift right out to 11/2 from 33/10 at the track as money came for both MAGICAL EVE and HALFWAY TO HEAVEN, Yogis Govender’s charge was content to amble along in midfield for most of the journey. She steadily worked her way into contention in the home straight and quickening impressively after striking the front 100m from home she won going away by a length and three quarters. One to follow.

Another to win well was the improving FLIGHTOFTHEPHOENIX (53) in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m. Taken straight to the front by Felix Coetzee, the 3yo son of Lithuanian led throughout. He was always in command and although GARETH GREY, who had beaten him last time out, tried hard to make a race of it, he went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter.

The lucky last was a maiden event over 1800m and although the favourite CROWN OF GOLD (32) was allowed to drift on course, he did nonetheless do the business. On leaving the stalls it was one of the rank outsiders of the party BOREAS who elected to make the running whilst Crown Of Gold raced close up in sixth. PUTNEY FLYER was the first to make a move in the straight and after striking the front 200m out he had the rest well beaten. Crown Of Gold finished best of all though and after he in turn struck the front 100m from home, he comfortably drew clear.

Titbits

FORT NELSON didn’t get the clearest of passages when running on strongly to take third in the maiden event over 1200m.

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Classic Display

Turffontein 9^th February: Thursday’s action took place on the inner track where the most impressive of the four maiden winners was CLASSIC ILLUSION (32) in the 1600m event. Allowed to ease out to 75/20 from 3/1 at the track, Ormond Ferraris’ charge was soon up handy. She was asked to take up the running at the top of the short home straight and only having to be ridden hands and heels she easily accounted for OLYMPIA BEIJING by three and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR91 Handicap over 1800m and here we saw a smart performance from the 5yo son of Doowaley TITANO (74). A little slow into stride when the gates opened, Erico Verdonese’s charge raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the strip though and after striking the front 200m from home, he easily accounted for the running on BETA by two and three quarters.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of CYCLONE BARBARA in winning the MR76 Handicap over 1450m. Positioned in the rear as the thirteen runners came off the strip, Wallace Tolmay’s charge looked to have more than enough to do. The top weight quickened best of all over the final 400m though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up very late to deny the 12/10 favourite DAZZLING MOON.

Titbits

In what was a very strung out field turning for home, the newcomer GLITTER BAY ran on strongly from the back when winning the workrider’s maiden event over 1200m.

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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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