Eye-catching Opener
Scottsville 7th February: A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the Mike De Kock trained newcomer AL HAWRAA. Sent off at the prohibitive odds at 1/5, the daughter of New Approach lost two lengths at the start and very quickly found herself detached at the rear. Once into stride though she quickly made up the ground, and was already at the front 400m out. She ran on strongly from there onwards and with the rest some nine lengths adrift she easily accounted for QUEENIE by two and a half with some in hand.
The faster of the two 1000m events was not surprisingly the MR77 Handicap won by BELLICOSITY. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 7’s, the Fort Beluga gelding made all. He was challenged strongly by the running on A P STRIKE below the distance, but he did have that one held by a length at the wire.
Another to win well from the front on this card was PROMISSORY in the faster of the two maiden plates over 1200m. He stepped on the gas going through the 400m and with the remainder well beaten he comfortably accounted for the running on THE MONEY MAN by a length and a half.
Titbits
The uneasy favourite SILKEN (18/10 out to 3/1) was baulked for a run 400m out when third beaten a length and a quarter in the maiden plate over 2000m.
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Oh So Easy
Fairview 8th February: They raced on the poly track on Monday where the fastest of the three 1000m events was the boy’s division of the maiden plate won by GREEN GRASS. Sent off fourth in the betting market at 5/1, the son of Seventh Rock was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the 11/10 favourite SPORTSTRADER by a length and a half.
There was also three races run over 1900m and quickest against the clock in these was SCARLET BERRY in the MR89 Handicap. Always handy in what soon became a strung out field, Grant Paddock’s charge got up late to deny GLOBAL EXPRESS (led 1200m).
The lucky last was a MR76 Handicap over 1200m and here the locals were sent home happy when BELLA SPUMANTE did the business. An incredibly easy winner on her first start in the province last time out, Alan Greeff’s charge raced third, and was always travelling well. She struck the front 200m out, and eased down at the finish won with plenty in hand by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo HARMSTON HERALD was flying at the finish when only failing to land the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1000m by the narrowest of margins.
SLEWSGATE also ran on very strongly late in the MR72 Handicap over 1300m and he did get up to win by that very same margin.
DREAMFOREST showed considerable improvement when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1900m going away by three and a half.
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Three From Seven
Kenilworth 9th February: The faster of the two 1000m races in Cape Town on Tuesday was the MR70 Handicap won by SAILS SET. Sent off second favourite at 28/10, Brett Crawford’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She put her head in front 100m out and won well by three quarters from the nibbled at outsider SUN AT MIDNIGHT.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m and in the faster of these two handicaps, a MR97 affair, the 3yo MIDNITE ZONE registered his second career victory. The third of three winners on the seven race program for trainer Brett Crawford, the son of Trippi was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and won going away from a very useful older horse in SAIL SOUTH.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by PERSIAN SILK when opening her account in the maiden plate over 1200m. Another to race handy, the Captain Al filly struck the front going through the 400m and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race won going away by four.
Titbits
PREOCCUPATION came from the back when winning the MR67 Handicap over 1800m going away by a length and a quarter.
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Promising Debut
Turffontein 9th February: By just one hundredth of a second the faster of the two juvenile plates over 1000m on Tuesday evening was the boys’ affair won by the newcomer HE’S A VAR. Taken straight to the front by Sherman Brown, Leon Erasmus’ charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won fair and square from the running on favourite RIVARINE.
There were four races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap won by the rank outsider of the nine horse party VIKING HERO. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, the Mullins Bay gelding raced in the rear early on. The field was always tightly bunched though, and running on best of all over the final 400m he got up very late to deny SPLENDID GARDEN.
The best bet on the card for many was TROPHY WIFE in the pinnacle stakes and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events she did indeed do the business. Always in the red, the well weighted daughter of Tiger Ridge raced sixth of the seven for most of the journey. She made up the ground quickly when asked for her effort and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for FORTITUDE by a length.
Titbits
Racing for the first time since finishing third on debut a year ago, MOMBELA won the maiden plate over 1160m going away by three.
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Unbeaten On Poly
Greyville 10th February: After the scratching of OLMA the Sean Tarry trained IN OTHER WORDS looked to be a good thing in the conditions plate on Wednesday afternoon and so it proved to be. Eventually sent off at 8/10 in what was the fastest of the five 1600m events on the card, the daughter of Trippi raced third for most of the trip. She put her head in front 200m out and won going away from MAMASITA (led 300m) by two. Interestingly, In Other Words has now won all five starts on the poly whilst she has not managed to win in two outings on turf.
The 3yo SCARLET RIVERA was all the rage to win the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m and in what proved to be the slowest of the 5 x 1600m races she did indeed do the business. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, the Go Deputy filly (sweating) led throughout. She found extra when challenged early in the straight and only having to be pushed out won with some in hand by a length and three quarters.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR78 Handicap where PETER PIPER scored a very easy victory. Another to make all Dennis Bosch’s charge led by just a length and a quarter for most of the journey. He quickened well early in the straight and won with authority by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo CAROLINE’S CALL won the maiden plate over 1000m very comfortably by a length and a half.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Eviction 11
Race 2: (5) Air Belle 10
Race 3: (8) Seattle Storm 74
Race 4: (12) Evening Storm 49
Race 5: (8) Chelsea 41
Race 6: (3) Kanara 47
Race 7: (4) Thayer 63
Race 8: (9) Restless Road 53 (EW)
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Hatton Garden 11
Race 2: (7) Overly Impressed 12 (NAP*)
Race 3: (9) Jamming 59
Race 4: (4) Royal Champion 16
Race 5: (8) Battle Hammer 44
Race 6: (7) Between The Sheets 47
Race 7: (1) All True Man 43
Race 8: (13) Mynameisbond 53
Race 9: (9) Royal Honeymoon 30
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (5) See You Jimmy 5
Race 2: (4) Relish 29
Race 3: (9) Beating Heart 11
Race 4: (9) Heptagon 61
Race 5: (11) Bright Bronte 43
Race 6: (12) Can You Hear Me 49
Race 7: (3) Rebel’s Girl 49
Race 8: (4) Green Crest 41
Race 9: (10) Double Bind 49
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (7) State Ballet 16
Race 2: (4) Final Judgement 10
Race 3: (2) Line Break 83
Race 4: (2) Captain’s Dove 50
Race 5: (4) Come Fly With Me 87
Race 6: (3) Gallica Rose 84
Race 7: (2) Night Trip 88
Race 8: (8) Vitoria 39
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Himalayan Empress 5
Race 2: (2) Protea Power 32
Race 3: (3) Burfi 15 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) African Dream 88
Race 5: (10) Silken 25
Race 6: (10) Golden High 85
Race 7: (11) Nineteen Fourteen 92
Race 8: (10) Rainier 60
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Top rated winners last week included
Midnite Zone won 13/2
Eighth Wonder won 5/1
Green Grass won 5/1
Preoccupation won 4/1
Ostentation won 33/10
Persian Silk won 28/10
Killarney House won 14/10
Trophy Wife won 13/20
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Notebook:-
Al Hawraa (M De Kock, KZN)
Bella Spumante (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Midnight Zone (B Crawford, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (standside) 7th February
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
1000m (2) Bellicosity 57,00
1200m (2) Promissory 70,12
1600m (2) Pioneer Spirit 99,62
2000m (1) Modernista 126,10
2400m (1) Great Rumpus 154,68
Fairview (poly) 8th February
Going Standard
1000m (3) Green Grass 57,79
1200m (1) Bella Spumante 70,39
1300m (1) Slewsgate 75,47
1900m (3) Scarlet Berry 114,21
Kenilworth (new) 9th February
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Sails Set 59,06
1200m (1) Persian Silk 73,05
1400m (2) Midnite Zone 85,20
1600m (1) Eighth Wonder 98,50
1800m (1) Preoccupation 113,34
Turffontein (old) 9th February
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (4) Viking Hero 56,52
1160m (1) Mombela 68,26
1400m (1) Forest Fox 85,50
1600m (2) Trophy Wife 97,61
Greyville (poly) 10th February
Going – Standard
1000m (1) Caroline’s Call 58,75
1200m (2) Peter Piper 69,46
1400m (1) Lokshina 84,84
1600m (5) In Other Words 96,11
