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Fairview 12th January: They raced on the poly track on Friday where three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1300m. The non-black type Aloe Handicap was marginally the faster of these and here victory went to the second favourite VEEIPEE CLUB. Soon up handy, Yvette Bremner’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on WHAT A PLAYER by three quarters.
They also ran three races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was JUST TOO EARLY in the MR66 Handicap. Always one to run on stoutly from off the pace Gavin Smith’s charge finished best of all and won going away by a length.
Two of the three remaining races took place over 1000m and the quicker of these was the MR88 affair in which VARSITY CUP registered his fourth career victory from just twelve starts. At the head of affairs throughout, the Var gelding kept on doggedly at the business end of the race to hold off a determined challenge from the recent recruit from Gauteng SPRING STEEL.
Titbits
Positioned at the back coming off the bend, TUBULAR BELL finished best of all in the short home straight, and got up in the very last stride to deny the more fancied CRISTIAN.
Picturesque Feature
Turffontein 13th January: The listed Swallow Stakes for 3yo fillies over 1160m topped the bill on the old stand side track on Saturday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three sprinting events, the progressive COVERED IN SNOW completed a hat-trick. Now a winner of three from four, Diane Stenger’s charge raced in midfield early on. She put her head in front 100m out and after a thrilling tussle with the rallying FREDERICO’S DREAM (raced handy – led 450m), she only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins. Beaten just 0,3 of a length, third placed SAN FERMIN had to switch for a run at a crucial stage and was finishing best of all.
The girls’ affair was the faster of the two maiden events over 1000m and here the heavily supported favourite CARMALITA got off the mark. Soon a length and three quarters clear, Paul Peter’s charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and didn’t relinquish an inch of her advantage.
They also ran two races over 1400m and in marginally the faster of these the Mike De Kock trained top weight ALILEO gained her third career win. Another to race from the front, the daughter of Captain Al ran on strongly over the final 400m and although DAME KELLY did cut her advantage in half, she did have that one held by three quarters at the wire.
Titbits
Positioned towards the rear for most of the journey, SABINA’S DYNASTY won the faster of the two 2000m handicaps going away by three and a quarter.
735/1 Feature Race Double
Kenilworth 13th January: By far the faster of the two 1000m events that got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday was the opening maiden plate in which we saw an impressive performance from the lightly raced PACIFIC TRADER. Narrowly beaten by his useful stable companion PATA PATA when green in his only previous racecourse appearance, this son of Sail From Seattle was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 300m and only having to be pushed out won with authority by four and a quarter.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1200m feature events was the listed Sophomore Sprint in which the easy to back SIR FRENCHIE caused an upset. Freely available at 15/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge raced second last early on. The field was always very tightly bunched though and once given rein he soon began to make headway. He ran on best of all below the distance and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the front running BOLD RESPECT.
The Snaith stable were also on the mark in the bill topping Gr2 Diadem Stakes when the lessor fancied of their two runners BISHOP’S BOUNTY suddenly bounced back to form. Easy to back at 45/1 on the off, the Western Winter gelding also came from off the pace. He struck the front shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by two.
Titbits
GREENSTREETTRACTOR made up many lengths from the back when getting up very late to open his account in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Beaten just a neck, regular place getter COMMANDER BOND didn’t find the clearest of passages when flying up late to finish third in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
New Course Record
Scottsville 14th January: The easiest victory in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was undoubtedly that of REDEEMER when making it two from two since relocating to the province in the MR83 Handicap over 1600m. Now a winner of three from nine, this full brother Captain America was soon up handy. He took command of a very strung out field going through the 300m, and cruised in by six and a quarter.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1200m and by far the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap in which Brett Crawford was again on the mark when SUNSET EYES did the business. Sent off a strong favourite at 21/10, Sunset Eyes was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a thrilling three way finish he got the verdict by a neck.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2400m where the course record was broken in the faster of the two by TECHNO CAPTAIN. Run in a time 2,46 seconds faster than that of the maiden event, this MR92 Handicap showed very little pace initially. Once Techno Captain took the bull by the horns, so as to speak though, the small field of five soon became very strung out. Indeed, he was eight lengths clear approaching the home turn and there was a good eighteen lengths to the horse at the back. ONE MAN SHOW raced second and Dean Kannemeyer’s charge did marginally strike the front 150m out. Techno Captain rallied gamely below the distance though and got back up in the very last stride to score by a short head.
Titbits
DAYDREAM BELIEVER didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from off the pace to finish a three quarter length third in the girl’s division of the maiden 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Alfeo 9
Race 2: (1) Count Nu 3
Race 3: (4) Love Talk 9
Race 4: (2) Espera 12
Race 5: (2) Sanctuary 54 (EW)
Race 6: (9) Minds Eye 58
Race 7: (7) Corker 35
Race 8: (8) Flying Rock 34
Race 9: (5) Reine Tonnerre 49 (NAP*)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Pieces Of Gold 17 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Brave Zndaya 9
Race 3: (13) Hero’s Honour 16
Race 4: (10) Fareeq 79
Race 5: (4) Full Of Attitude 46
Race 6: (3) Arte 25
Race 7: (1) Splendid Garden 65
Race 8: (15) Exclusively Trendy 43
Race 9: (13) Carve The Turkey 38
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) Chatuchak 16
Race 2: (4) Rikitikitana 64
Race 3: (3) Earl Of Warwick 17
Race 4: (8) Zanadu 19
Race 5: (6) Royal Chian 34
Race 6: (6) Glamorous Life 69
Race 7: (5) Rubyana 42
Race 8: (5) Unicorn 12
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Wild Rendezvous 6
Race 2: (1) Rodney 67 (NAP*)
Race 3: (3) Rosie Bubbles 18
Race 4: (3) Great Dictator 30
Race 5: (9) Le Harve 51
Race 6: (8) Interferometer 43
Race 7: (11) Warrior’s Stone 41
Race 8: (2) Dawn Calling 62
Race 9: (6) Unbelievable Lad 16
Race 10: (9) Travel Guide 13
Top rated winners last week included
Zaida won 22/1
Seventh Son won 8/1
Mark Tapley won 61/20
Lucky Dancer won 17/6
Tripod won 15/10
Carmalita won 11/10
Miss Boomerang won 5/8
Pacific Trader won 1/4
Notebook:-
Pacific Trader (B Crawford, W-Cape)
San Fermin (MG&AA Azzie, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 12th January
Going Standard
Course Variant: 2,20s slow
1000m (2) Varsity Cup 58,45
1300m (3) Veeipee Club 77,60
1600m (3) Just Too Early 97,61
1900m (1) Tough Harry 120,30
Turffontein (stand side) 13th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,21s fast
1000m (2) Carmalita 57,20
1160m (1) Covered In Snow 66,71
1400m (2) Alileo 85,01
1600m (2) Awfaa 98,93
2000m (2) Sabina’s Dynasty 125,13
Kenilworth (new) 13th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,19s slow
1000m (2) Pacific Trader 58,92
1200m (3) Sir Frenchie 71,13
1600m (4) In The Jungle 99,88
2000m (1) Intothelimelight 125,21
Scottsville (inside) 14th January
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,38s fast
1200m (4) Sunset Eyes 67,54
1600m (1) Redeemer 93,18
1950m (1) Too Free Too 120,38
2400m (2) Techno Captain 147,71
