No Beatingaboutthebush
Fairview 10th March: With a 39km/h tail wind blowing the straight course was running very fast in Port Elizabeth on Friday. Indeed, the opening maiden plate over 1000m was won in a time of 55,71 seconds. The newcomer LE GRAND ROUGE was the winner. Soon positioned close to the speed, Yvette Bremner’s charge took up the running 250m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and the quickest home on my clock in these was RESTLESS ROAD when registering his fifth career victory in the MR68 Handicap. Run in a time just 0,43 seconds (less than 2,5 lengths) faster than that of his stable companion Le Grand Rouge, the Seventh Rock gelding made all. He raced just a half-length clear for most of the journey, and despite the efforts of the second favourite SURF’S UP, he extended that advantage to a length and a quarter in the closing stages.
The listed Breeders Guineas for 3yo fillies over a mile topped the bill and in what comparatively proved to be the fastest of the six races around the turn, victory went to the improving BEATABOUTTHEBUSH. Now a winner of four from five, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fifth in what soon became a strung out field. Easily eight lengths off the pace rounding the turn, the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight quickened best of all in the straight, and with the rest some five lengths adrift, she was eased late in beating STAR BURST GALAXY (raced 2nd – led 500m) by a half.
Titbits
Always handy, OFF THE BIT won the graduation plate over 1600m going away by a length and a half.
Making Light Of The Weight
Greyville 10th March: Three 1900m races got proceedings underway on the poly track on Friday evening, the fastest of which was the MR59 Handicap won by the easy to back NIGHT LOCK. Freely available at 13/1 on the off, Craig Eudey’s charge was a little slow into stride when the gates opened and raced in midfield. He quickened best of all under his featherweight in the straight and given a well-judged ride from his 4kg claimer apprentice ARRIES, he won going away by a length.
A MR88 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, the top weight JUST ASK ME showed his well-being. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict by a neck over the 6yo NICKLAUS.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR74 affair won by another top weight in ICY SPIRIT. Always handy, the daughter of Western Winter took command halfway down the straight and comfortably accounted for the running on WE’RE WATCHING YOU by a length.
Titbits
Positioned tenth of the eleven turning for home, CHICAGO BEAT was finishing best of all when a two and a quarter length fourth in the MR68 Handicap over 1400m.
Two To Be Listed
Turffontein 11th March: Three listed races over 1000m topped the bill on the old stand side track on Saturday and quickest home in these, albeit by just 4/100th of a second, was EXQUISITE TOUCH in the Bauhinia Handicap. Not the quickest into stride after being restless in the pens, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in midfield early on. She was already on the heels of the leaders going through the 400m though and won going away after striking the front 120m from home.
The faster of the two Juvenile listed races over the distance was the Storm Bird Stakes contested by the boys and in a time just 4/100th of a second slower than that of Exquisite Touch we saw an impressive performance from his stable companion BARRACK STREET. Always second in the betting market, the son of Dynasty was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 400m and drew clear in good style from there onwards to win impressively by three and a half.
The juvenile girls contested the listed Ruffian Stakes and here DARING DIVA kept her unbeaten record in-tact. On leaving the stalls it was the 3/10 favourite KISSABLE who somewhat predictably set the pace. That one faded right out to finish last over the final 300m, and was reported as not striding out near fore and blowing heavily. Daring Diva meanwhile had raced second and after putting her head in front 250m out, she went on to score with authority by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The aptly named BI POT, won the first leg of the Bipot, a MR82 Handicap over 1600m, easing down by five.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Talk Wrench 4
Race 2: (1) Reprieve 1
Race 3: (1) Class Mondiale 9
Race 4: (12) Obladi Oblada 8
Race 5: (13) Border Hopper 31
Race 6: (16) Too Cool 38
Race 7: (6) Silence Descends 55
Race 8: (8) Red Apache 31
Race 9: (9) Soul Of Spain 24
Race 10: (1) Evening Elegance 12
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (2) Western Warrior 20
Race 2: (12) Cat’s Whiskers 38
Race 3: (8) Made To Conquer 20 (NAP**)
Race 4: (13) Daytona Charger 43
Race 5: (8) Favour’s Pride 53
Race 6: (4) Movie Show 63
Race 7: (4) Inyanga 55
Race 8: (7) Pistolero 46
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Victory Cross 12
Race 2: (4) Vested Interest 15
Race 3: (7) Chicago Beat 60
Race 4: (2) Ginger Biscuit 48
Race 5: (1) In Other Words 71 (nb)
Race 6: (10) Academy Princess 50
Race 7: (5) Gold Sail 6 (NAP*)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (7) Uposeupay 13
Race 2: (1) Charter Jet 5
Race 3: (10) Streetwear 62
Race 4: (15) Little Tokoyo 7
Race 5: (9) Woody Cape 44
Race 6: (11) Woody Glow 35
Race 7: (8) Arpad 60
Race 8: (12) Keep On Flying 38
Race 9: (15) Pearl Valley 49
Top rated winners last week included
Restless Road won 35/1
Bold Viking 7/1
Clever Guy won 5/2
Cheat The Cheaters won 6/10
Notebook:-
Barrack Street (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Beataboutthebush (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Le Grand Rouge (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 10th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,78s fast (straight)
1000m (3) Restless Road 55,28*
1400m (2) Classify 82,55
1600m (2) Beataboutthebush 95,93
1800m (2) Duly Ordained 110,62
Greyville (poly) 10th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,01s fast
1000m (1) Kingsmead 58,31
1200m (2) Icy Spirit 71,24
1400m (2) Just Ask Me 82,24
1900m (3) Night Lock 115,52
Turffontein (old) 11th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1000m (3) Barrack Street 56,70
1100m (1) Clever Guy 63,81
1400m (2) Dan The Lad 86,00
1600m (2) Bold Viking 98,26
2450m (2) Zafira 155,50
