Whiskey In The Jar
Hollywoodbets Greyville 21st July: Favourite backers got off to a nice start on Sunday when ELECTRIC SURGE did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1600m. Backed into 11/10 at the track, the daughter of Querari was soon at the head of affairs. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the friendless MISS MISSOURI by a length and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1600m in total and in the fastest of these, a maiden plate, UNCLE FRANK opened his account. Sent off third in the betting market at 9/2, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score very comfortably from the running on WHAT A BLAST.
A graduation plate topped the bill and in a time slower than that of the MR72 Handicap, WHISKEY ROAD caused a major upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the six horse party at 28/1, the son of Master Of My Fate raced fourth early on. He put his head in front early in the short home straight and held on by a quarter of a length from the very steadily gaining favourite SUGAR GIRL.
Titbits
Baulked for a run 150 out en-route from midfield, WORLD CRUISE did very well indeed to get up on the nod when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1900m.
Easy Victories
Vaal 23rd July: There were a number of very easy victories at the Vaal on Tuesday, but none more so than that of ROUGE ALLURE in the MR89 Handicap over 1600m. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off the Kahal mare raced fifth of the six early on. She put her head in front going through the 300m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by six.
Another to win with authority on this card was the newcomer BALLETTO in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Backed into the red before the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon prominent. She assumed command 400m out and went on to score by three with some in hand.
By just 1/100th of a second the bill topping MR94 Handicap was the fastest of the three 1000m events and here the Paul Peter trained OPERETTA registered her fifth career victory. Always handy, Operetta ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller she got the verdict on the nod over the 6yo DONNY G.
Titbits
Backed into the red to open her account in the maiden plate over 2400m, MISS TYCOON won going away by three.
Ultra Impressive
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 24th July: The MR72 apprentice handicap was by far the fastest of the three 1600m races on the card and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo NOBLE JOSHUA. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Gareth Van Zyl’s charge was content to sit sixth of the nine for most of the journey. He began to take closer order early in the straight and cruised clear over the final 150m to score by three.
The fastest of the two 1000m races was also an apprentice handicap (MR64) and here the 4yo Twice Over gelding BLAZE OF SILK registered his third career victory. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on CHARLIE-FOX by a length and a half.
They also ran two races over 1200m and stopping the clock in by far the faster time here was the impressive ULTRA MAGNUS. Backed into favouritism during the afternoon, Brett Crawford’s charge led throughout. He only had to be pushed out at the business end of the race and with plenty in hand he cruised clear to score by six.
Titbits
Positioned in ninth as the eleven runners turned for home in the maiden plate over 1400m, the newcomer KING JULIAN was running on nicely at the finish when a four length runner up to the form horse ARIZONA SILK.
Smile And Wave Boys
Vaal 25th July: Four of the nine races at the classic track on Thursday were staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was EIGHTFOLDS LASS when gaining her second career victory from just seven starts in the MR68 Handicap. Soon positioned close to the speed, this 3yo daughter of Eightfold Path took up the running 250m out and easily accounted for the running on ELEGANCIA by three and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1200m where the faster of the two was not surprisingly the assessment plate won by the sparingly raced 3yo GIMME A WAVE. Now a winner of three from eight, Alec Laird’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride here, but despite that he struck the front before passing halfway. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the 2yo GROBAN by a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by LITHUANIAN’S DREAM when causing an upset in the MR64 Handicap over 1000m. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Syster, the bottom weight was soon a length and three quarters clear. He quickened nicely when asked for his effort and won going away by four and a half.
Titbits
Easy to back at 13/2 on the off, DESERT KITTEN made all when easily accounting for her nine rivals in the maiden plate over 1200m.
On The Radar
Fairview 26th July: The listed Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m topped the bill on the turf in Port Elizabeth on Friday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three events over the distance we saw a smart performance from the Alan Greeff trained FOREIGN SOURCE. Confidently ridden by Greg Cheyne, the son of Bold Silvano sat sixth for most of the journey. He cut through the field quickly when given rein and won going away after striking the front 250m from home.
The stable of Alan Greeff were also on the mark in the opening maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m where the newcomer WORLD RADAR couldn’t have been more impressive. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10, this daughter of Soft Falling Rain was very quickly two lengths clear. She only had to be pushed out over the final 400m and with the third placed runner some seventeen lengths adrift, she won going away by six.
Race six on the card was the non-black type Friendly City Stakes over 1800m and here victory went to the front running SEEKING WISDOM. Three lengths clear turning for home, the bottom weight kept on determinedly down the long home straight and still had a length and a quarter to spare over the always handy STORY OF MY LIFE at the wire.
Titbits
Many lengths adrift of the leaders early on, PARA HANDY ran on stoutly from halfway and after striking the front 150m from home won going away by five.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Generous Guy 4
Race 2: (9) Palace Queen 1
Race 3: (1) Brevin 12 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Jungle Fairy 59
Race 5: (6) Meryl 74
Race 6: (8) Captain Marooned 55
Race 7: (3) Flying Squadron 63
Race 8: (4) Three Times A Lady 42
Flamingo Park (sat)
Race 1: (4) Master Of The Sea 2
Race 2: (1) Glacier Girl 2
Race 3: (16) Tsessebe 42
Race 4: (7) Delirious Nomad 56
Race 5: (11) Karatage 61
Race 6: (3) Yamoto 53
Race 7: (7) Mac De Lago 80
Race 8: (10) Singfonico 80
Race 9: (6) Monty Python 33
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Doppio Oro 2
Race 2: (8) Missisippi Burning 2
Race 3: (1) Celtic Voyager 13
Race 4: (9) Winter Is Over 25
Race 5: (6) Silver Dazzle 59
Race 6: (5) Waiting For Rain 75
Race 7: (5) It Is What It Is 50
Race 8: (2) African Victory 65
Hollywoodbets Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Liquidity 12
Race 2: (5) Katie’s Treasure 12
Race 3: (9) Twice As Special 20
Race 4: (2) What A Blast 15 (NAP*)
Race 5: (6) Peter Piper 57
Race 6: (5) Roy’s Pony 54
Race 7: (1) Miss Calypso 39
Race 8: (11) Washington Square 46
Race 9: (4) Sauvage 43
Top rated winners last week included
Nawaasi won 8/1
Cat Daddy won 6/1
Rooi Tom won 17/4
African Rock won 53/20
Kasimir won 19/10
Jay Bomb won 29/20
Rainbow Bridge won 14/10
Arizona Silk won 5/4
Notebook:-
Balletto (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Noble Joshua (Gareth Van Zyl, KZN)
Ultra Magnus (B Crawford, KZN)
World Radar (A Greeff, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 21st July
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,13s fast
1200m (1) Over The Limit 69,70
1400m (2) Stormborne Thunder 82,10
1600m (3) Uncle Frank 95,20
1900m (2) Gimme A Cohiba 113,50
Vaal 23rd July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,45s slow
1000m (3) Operetta 57,96*
1200m (1) Balletto 71,73
1400m (1) Now And Forever 83,78
1600m (1) Rouge Allure 95,79
2400m (2) Tough Choice 153,26
Scottsville (inside) 24th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,31s slow
1000m (2) Blaze Of Silk 56,65
1200m (2) Ultra Magnus 67,76
1400m (1) Arizona Silk 84,02
1600m (3) Noble Joshua 95,43
1750m (1) Corrido 106,52
Vaal (classic) 25th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,28s slow
1000m (1) Lithuanian’s Dream 56,93*
1200m (2) Gimme A Wave 68,99*
1400m (1) Rooi Tom 84,20*
1600m (4) Eightfolds Lass 94,90*
2400m (1) Zeal And Zest 150,72*
Fairview (turf) 26th July
Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 2,94s slow
1000m (1) Escape To Vegas 58,42
1200m (3) Para Handy 69,64
1400m (3) Foreign Source 85,76
1800m (1) Seeking Wisdom 112,35
