Going The Distance

All Jubilation

Durbanville 22^nd August: Cape Town’s meeting on Wednesday took place at the country course where victory in the opening maiden event over 1400m went to the original favourite MAXIMO. Allowed to ease right out to 5/2 second favourite from 16/10 at the track as money in the main came for TRADE EMBLEM (18/10 into 15/10 favourite) and LABURNAM WALK (12/1 into 11/2), Maximo was skilfully guided over from a wide draw by Karl Neisius and raced handy. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with the newly installed market leader, he got the verdict by a half.

A MR75 Handicap over 2400m was next up and here victory went to the Joey Ramsden trained DANDYMAN CAN. Sent off a joint second favourite at 28/10, the recent Port Elizabeth scorer was content to amble along at the back for most of the journey. Once given rein though, the 5yo son of Silvano quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Glen Hatt, he got up late to deny the well supported ROYAL PERFORMANCE (10/1 into 15/2)

Topping the bill was a MR90 Handicap over 1800m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when REPORTOIRE registered his third career victory. Nibbled at into 11/1 from 16’s on course, Reportoire was taken straight to the front by Robert Khathi and led throughout. He found extra when challenged by both WHY WORRY and PUTNEY FLYER 300m out and went on to win fair and square by a length and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of GENERAL JUBILATION who came home smoking in the MR72 affair over 1400m. Allowed to ease right out to 28/10 from 18/10 on course although still retaining his position at the top of the boards, the General Nadiym gelding was soon in touch with the leaders. He moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five.

Titbits

LINEAL FACTOR came from the rear when getting up late to win the MR81 Handicap over 2000m.

The 3/1 favourite BEULAH won the maiden event over 1600m going away.

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Rough Stuff

Vaal 23^rd August: They raced on the sand on Thursday where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden event over 1000m for the easy to back HANG FIRE. Freely available at 22/1 on the off (op 33’s), Brett Webber’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by six.

A maiden event over 1450m was next up and in a much closer finish the 2/1 second favourite ALOHA BAY opened her account. The well supported outsider HAZELWOOD (25/1 into 10/1) was the first to make a move and kept on strongly after striking the front 600m out. Indeed, after Aloha Bay got her head in front 200m out, she was made to fight all the way to the wire in order to score by three quarters.

The first of the afternoon’s two MR80 affairs that topped the bill was a 1600m event and here the spoils were landed by the well supported outsider MACALLISTOR. Backed throughout the afternoon into 17/2 from 14’s, Kom Naidoo’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened well over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict over ROMAN WARRIOR by the narrowest of margins.

The MR80 Handicap over 1000m was won by the 5yo BENBOW. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Leon Erasmus’ charge ran on well from midfield and comfortably accounted for another outsider in SUPER BOY by three quarters.

Titbits

The only favourite on the eight race program to oblige was ROOI NOOI who made all in the MR64 affair over 1000m.

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C&D Suited

Fairview 24^th August: A maiden event over 1000m was first up in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here the in form stable of Tara Laing drew first blood when STARS AND STRIPES opened his account. He broke well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at SUPER HUNK (6/1 into 9/2) by a length and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was STRIKE TWICE in the 1600m event. He too ran on strongly from a handy position and comfortably accounted for the running on FIXED BET by two. Keep an eye on the runner up Fixed Bet. He came from the rear and finished well.

The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Jockey Club Stakes run over 2000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Justin Snaith trained ALVILDA. A winner of East Coast Oaks over today’s course and distance on her last sortie to the Eastern Cape, Alvilda raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well down the long home straight and comfortably accounted for her unfancied stable companion FLAMING DAME who also finished well.

A MR86 Handicap over 1000m was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the favourite AFRICAN ALLIANCE. Only picked off late by the former Natal campaigner TAKE OVER TARGET last time out, African Alliance ran on strongly from halfway and in a race where a neck separated the first four home she just held on after striking the front 200m out.

Titbits

Fourth placed CAPTAIN DE LAGO ran on very strongly from the rear when only beaten 0,35 of a length in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m.

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Across The Sand

Vaal 25^th August: Saturday’s action took place on the sand where victory in the opening maiden event over 1450m went to the lesser fancied of Sean Tarry’s two runners COTTON EYE JOE.  Returning from an eight month layoff here, the son of Kahal raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for his stable companion SEBASTIAN BOLT (5/2 into 14/10 favourite) by three and a half.

The Cataloochee filly TOMORROW’S MISS was strongly fancied to win the maiden event over 1200m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Running on stoutly from midfield Tomorrow’s Miss struck the front shortly after passing the 400m marker and won comfortably from the easy to back PASSIONATE KISS by a length and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of RIVULET when opening her account in the maiden 1800m. Allowed to ease out to 11/2 from 4/1 at the track, Diane Stenger’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She made up the ground quickly in the home straight and after striking the front 300m from home, she fairly cruised clear to score by ten.

Another to win very easily on this card was the well supported ACROSS THE ICE (7/2 into 5/2 favourite) in the afternoon’s feature event, the Gr3 August Stakes over 1200m.On leaving the stalls it was the fancied FURIOUS DANCER who elected to make the running whilst in a very tightly bunched field going through the 400m, Sean Tarry’s charge raced close up in fourth. He struck the front as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to win by five and a quarter.

Titbits

VICTORY CALL ran on well from midfield when finishing runner up in the 1000m progress event.

Racing for the first time since changing stables in May, the former Kimberley campaigner MUTHIAH PILLAI ran on well from the rear when fourth in the MR88 Handicap over 1800m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included:-

Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES

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