Graceful Mover

Ex-Pats

Borrowdale Park 11^th September: Three of the seven races in Zimbabwe on Sunday were won by horses that have campaigned in South Africa, the most impressive of which was WISHFUL EYE (45), winner of the afternoon’s feature event, the Betting World Handicap over 1000m. Sent off second favourite at 12/10, Alyson Wright’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and comfortably accounted for another former South African campaigner in GORTAHAWK by three and a quarter.

Race five on the card was a MR78 affair over 1700m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the favourite PHANTOM RED (36). On leaving the stalls stable companion MRS BUCKET elected to set the pace whilst Phantom Red raced close up in second. Phantom Red was visibly cruising going through the 400m and at that stage it just looked to be a matter of when Derek David was going to press the button. The Kitalpha mare found extra at the business end of the race though and having to give his all it was only in the very last stride that Phantom Red got his nostrils in front.

Another to put in a very gutsy performance from the front on this card was BOOST MY EGO (23) winner of the MR65 Handicap over 1700m. He too looked like he might be overhauled early in the straight, but answering every call from Derek David he gamely held off both SUBSCRIBE and the 22/10 favourite POETRY PARTY by three quarters.

Titbits

Improving SEA BATTLE comfortably accounted for his five rivals in the novice 1600m.

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Good Game

Arlington 12^th September: After contesting the Eastern Cape Derby as a maiden in just his third career start, one might have expected the costly to follow ODYSSEY OF LIGHT (32) to have gotten off the mark before now. Following a few indifferent runs though, he had signalled his return to form last time out and he did then open his account in the maiden event over 2400m here. Positioned in midfield turning for home, Alan Greeff’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and could well pick up a second win quicker than he gained his first.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1400m and here victory went to the lightly weighted TIK TAK TOE (49). A fair fourth at Flamingo Park following a five month break last time out, the nibbled at son of National Assembly (20/1 into 14/1) was always in touch with the leaders. The confirmed front runner CAP ALRIGHT (the favourite) not surprisingly made the running and going through the 300m it looked for a change as if he might hold on. Indeed, he beat the rest comfortably. Tik Tak Toe quickened nicely in the short home straight though and under a well judged ride from Marco Van Rensburg, he got up late to score by a half.

The final event on the card was a novice 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the easy to back MILLION MILES (49) registered his second career victory. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Mitch Wiese’s charge raced towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. The lightly raced favourite DECEPTIVE was the first to make a move in the straight and struck the front 250m out. Million Miles had been steadily reeling that one in from the 400m pole though and after he in turn struck the front 100m later, he easily drew clear.

Titbits

Having only his second outing following a seven month break here MANGALISO ran on strongly from off the pace when second in the MR72 Handicap over 1400m. Fifth placed FORENZIC also finished very well in that race, but having been positioned in the rear turning for home, he found himself with a mammoth task.

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A Merry Tune

Vaal 13^th September: Tuesday’s action took place on the sand where the only favourite to arrive was the veteran POLO (32) in the MR64 affair over 1450m. Nicely drawn in pole position, Stephen Moffatt’s charge was taken straight to the front by Pierre Strydom and led throughout. CHILLI BABY and PERFORMING LIGHT raced close up in second and third and going through the 400m both threw down a determined challenge. Polo goes well with “striker” in the saddle though, and answering every call at the business end of the race she kept on gamely to score by a length and a quarter.

ROSEHIP (19) was well supported (9/2 into 33/10) to win the maiden event over 1450m and she didn’t let down her followers. Soon into stride, Corne Spies’ charge very quickly had the field well strung out. She kept on strongly in the straight and although the fancied BELOVED JEAN did make some headway over the final 500m, she still had a length to spare at the wire. 

A MR90 Handicap over 1450m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the Tiger Ridge filly FOLLOW THE PIPER (66). Trying the sand for the first time, Follow The Piper broke well and was soon up handy. She was asked to take up the running going through the 500m, but with the well supported CALANISH also making his move at that point, she very quickly found herself back in second. Follow The Piper rallied gamely once headed though and after regaining the lead 200m out, she went on to win quite easily in the end by two and a half.

Titbits

With exactly one unit going on to KINEMATIC COUNTESS in the last leg of the Pick Six, a MR76 Handicap over 1000m, somebody could well have been sitting with a full ticket. Positioned in the rear going through halfway, the easy to back Kinematic Countess (7/1 out to 9/1) was gaining at the finish and was only beaten half a length.

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Just The Four

Clairwood 14^th September: With rain changing the penetrometer reading to 26 from 21 prior to the first race there was a track inspection, but it was decided that racing could go ahead.

A maiden event over 1600m got proceedings underway and here victory went to the nibbled at MERIDEN (5/1 into 9/2). Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by M J Byleveld, the daughter of National Assembly was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the long home straight and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on newcomer PRINCESS RASTA by a length and a half. Keep an eye on the runner up Princess Rasta. She raced in the rear after losing a length and did well to get as close as she did.

The Gavin Van Zyl trained TANDRAGEE (34) was well supported (3/1 into 2/1 fav) to win the maiden event over 1450m and he didn’t let down his supporters. A Son of Bezrin, Tandragee was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for MR GIGILO by a length and three quarters.

Race four on the card was a rather moderate looking maiden event over 2500m and so it was surprising that we got a major upset. Priced up as the rank outsider of the eleven horse party at 40/1, the formless PAMINA finished well from the rear and got up late to beat the well tried APPROACH THE JUDGE by a half.

The jockeys launched a protest after the running of race four and as a result the remainder of the meeting was abandoned due to unsafe underfoot conditions.

Titbits

Lightly raced RHEIMS showed good improvement when running on strongly from midfield to beat the newcomer POWEROF THEFLOWER in the maiden event for the boys over 1450m.

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Graveyard For Favourites

Vaal 15^th September: From a punting point of view it was one of those horrendous meetings on the turf on Thursday where all of the races were low grade handicaps, including the maidens. Although it wasn’t surprising to see no favourites find the winner’s enclosure, a couple of nice gambles were landed, most notably that on NATIONAL TREATY (43) in the MR66 affair over 1200m. A winner at the tenth attempt in the maiden ranks last time out, Tony Nassif’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. The field was always very tightly bunched though and once given rein, he quickly began to make headway. He hit the front going through the 300m and although another supported runner CARTWHEEL (12/1 into 7/1) challenged strongly at the business end of the race, he went on to score quite comfortably in the end by a length and a half.

Others to get the money were those following MAGIC POTION (45). Sent off at 10/1 after touching double those odds at one stage, Gary Alexander’s charge also came from midfield when registering her second career victory in the MR62 Handicap over 1200m. She ran on best of all and after striking the front 400m from home she easily accounted for one of the joint favourites HIGHTOWER by four.

A MR66 Handicap over 1600m was next up and here victory went to the Dominic Zaki trained BLUE SPIRIT (33). Easy to back at 7/1 on the off, Blue Spirit sat towards the rear during the early part of the race. He made steady headway throughout under a confident ride from Weichong Marwing though, and after striking the front 150m from home, he comfortably accounted for the uneasy favourite FESTIVAL SPIRIT by two and a quarter.

Titbits

A little slow into stride, EXREMIST was many lengths adrift of the leaders in the rear when fifth in the MR66 Handicap over 1600m. He was running on strongly in the closing stages and did well to get as close as he did.

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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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