Masterly Hat-trick
Fairview 31st July: They raced on the poly track on Friday where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m for GIRL IN TIME. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Dorrie Sham’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four.
There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by JUDD’S JOY. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Grant Paddock’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and under a well-judged ride from Musi Yeni he got up late to beat JAY’S MAN by a neck.
By far the faster of the two 2000m events on the card was the MR74 Handicap in which the top weight MASTERLY completed a smart hat-trick. Always in the red, Justin Snaith’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though, he quickened best of all and with plenty in hand won going away by three and three quarters.
The non-black type Friendly City Stakes over 1900m topped the bill and here victory went to the uneasy second favourite GOGETTHESHERIFF. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned in second. He put his head in front early in the home straight and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on KALAMAIN by three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo EN ROUTE ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1300m going away.
The always handy SPEKBOOM cruised clear over the final 100m when winning the maiden plate over 2000m by five and a quarter.
.
Gold Cup Day
Greyville 1st August: The first of the four Gr1 events to be run on Gold Cup Day was the Thekwini Stakes over 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when LAUDERDALE landed the spoils. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the daughter of Elusive Fort was soon positioned close to the speed. She ran on stoutly over the final 400m, and in a race where just three quarters of a length separated the first five home, she got the verdict by a neck over the nibbled at MELLIFLORA.
Last season’s runner up WILD ONE always topped the boards for the big one, the Gr1 Gold Cup over 3200m, and he did indeed go one better. On leaving the stalls it was SAVAGE WIND and KINGSTON MINES who made most of the running whilst Mike De Kock’s charge raced close up in sixth. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and after finding extra when BALANCE SHEET threw down a determined challenge 150m out, he went on to score by a length and a quarter. Sixth placed DISCO AL (beaten less than 3 lengths) ran on well from the back in this race.
The well weighted FUTURA was sent off a strong favourite to win the Gr1 Champions Cup over 1800m and he too (albeit very narrowly) did the business. His stablemate LEGISLATE led them into the home straight and when ICE MACHINE put his head in front 200m out it looked as if the son of Dynasty would have to settle for a place. Futura quickened in eye catching fashion below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride.
Another to impress when winning by a short margin was NIGHT TRIP in the listed Darley Arabian Stakes over 1600m. Easily five lengths off the speed coming off the bend, Mike Bass’ charge fairly flew over the final 400m and did very well indeed to deny the veteran UNCLE TOMMY (now an 8yo).
Titbits
The 3yo CAPE SPEED ran on well from the rear when winning the juvenile plate over 1900m going away.
.
Four Stars
Turffontein 2nd August: Five of the nine races on the old stand side track on Sunday were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by the easy to back BAD BOY. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the Count Dubois gelding raced sixth of the nine for most of the journey. He quickened well when the field began to concertina 500m out and got the verdict by three quarters from SHEPHERDS WARNING and BRASS VERDICT who were both running on from behind him.
The four remaining races took place over 1160m and quickest home amongst these was the progressive TALKTOTHESTARS (reported as making a respiratory noise) when extending his winning sequence to four in the bill topping MR91 Handicap. Nicely positioned in fifth in what was always a very tightly bunched field, the son of Overlord took up the running 300m out. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and won well from the consistent NIGHT EDITOR by a length and a half.
Run in a time just 0,6 seconds slower than that of Talktothestars was the fillies maiden plate in which the newcomer LEILA’S CHARGER was an impressive winner. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1 (op 7’s), Dominic Zaki’s charge raced sixth early on. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won going away by five and a quarter.
Titbits
Sporting Post’s each way value bet MAIN SUNDAY (16/1) ran on well from midfield when winning the MR64 Handicap over 1600m with some in hand by a length and a half.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth (mon)
Race 1: (1) Bold Aspen 26
Race 2: (6) Kwando 19
Race 3: (7) Mambo Fever 20
Race 4: (1) Alpha Pegasi 65 (NAP*)
Race 5: (8) Man From Japan 40
Race 6: (2) Vincente 64
Race 7: (10) Dazzling Dancer 35
Race 8: (9) Magical Bet 43
Greyville (tues)
Race 1: (2) The Lonsdale 26
Race 2: (1) Scots Party 14
Race 3: (1) Queen Of Thrones 17
Race 4: (11) Gemstone Glamour 37
Race 5: (4) Savethelastdance 53
Race 6: (7) Jamal 71
Race 7: (6) Respect At Bay 48
Race 8: (15) Zap The Stars 48 (EW)
Vaal (wed)
Race 1: (8) Tripadvisor 18
Race 2: (2) Kwinta 68 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Picardi Pink 6
Race 4: (1) Bevelled Edge 19
Race 5: (2) Netflix 2
Race 6: (8) Consider The Cat 42
Race 7: (7) Inala 68
Race 8: (12) Limited Edition 43
Race 9: (8) Lady Thistle 43
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (6) Justash 14
Race 2: (8) Sweet On You 12
Race 3: (2) Battle Of Arcole 4
Race 4: (4) Delamere 47
Race 5: (3) Fire Horse 78
Race 6: (4) Flag Of France 63 (EW)
Race 7: (8) Kopi Luwak 39
Race 8: (6) S’way 38
.
Top rated winners last week included
Irish Maid won 25/1
Main Sunday won 16/1
Valde Velox won 16/1
Flying Fellow won 10/1
Sutherfeni won 9/2
Royal Union Jet won 4/1
Bollywood Babe won 3/1
Sheik’s Diamond won 1/1
.
Notebook:-
Cape Speed (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
Futura (J Snaith, KZN)
Leila’s Charger (D Zaki, Gauteng)
Night Trip (M Bass, KZN)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 31st July
Going Standard
1200m (4) Judd’s Joy 69,59*
1300m (1) En Route 77,43*
1900m (1) Gogetthesheriff 116,97*
2000m (2) Masterly 122,69*
Greyville (turf/poly) 1st August
Turf G/Soft/Poly Standard
1000m (2) Barbosa 56,75P
1400m (2) Space Launch 82,69P
1600m (2) Rabada 97,85T
1600m (1) Night Trip 94,04P
1800m (1) Futura 111,04T
1900m (1) Cape Speed 117,24T
2000m (1) Gallica Rose 127,39T
2400m (1) Noble Star 149,96T
3200m (1) Wild One 206,34T
Turffontein (old) 2nd August
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1160m (4) Talktothestars 66,29
1600m (5) Bad Boy 96,39
