On A Plate
Vaal 11th February: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where the best bet on the card for most ABASHIRI did the business in the faster of the two 1700m events, a graduation plate. Thrown in at the weights, the 1/5 shot raced in the rear for most of the journey. He didn’t find the clearest of passages when asked for his effort, but despite that won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 140m or so from home.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR86 Handicap won by the lightly raced 3yo PURE BLONDE. A winner of two from four coming into the race, Alec Laird’s charge made all. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and went to score by a half from the easy to back veteran COHIBA.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m was the second division in which DE LUJO finally got off the mark. Sent off third in the betting market, in this his 22nd appearance in the maiden ranks, the son of Ravishing led from pillar to post. He was two lengths clear for the majority of the event and although another with potential to be a long time maiden in WILLIAM NICOL was very steadily gaining at the wire, he still had just under a length to spare.
Titbits
The 4yo HA LUCY came from the rear when winning the allowance plate over 1000m going away by over a length.
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A Walk In The Park
Fairview 12th February: Friday’s action took place on the turf where the easiest victory on the card was registered by AREZZO in the graduation plate over 1800m. Soon up handy, the very well weighted Western Cape raider raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and with a ton in hand cruised clear to score by five and three quarters.
Another to win with authority on this card was O TAMARA in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Positioned fifth of the eight during the early part of the race, the well-supported second favourite was ridden to lead going through the 300m, and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win by two and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was ETERNAL WINTER in the MR60 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Francois Herholdt, the 4/1 favourite sat in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on strongly down the long home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny JAY BELLE.
Titbits
The easy to back 3yo RAVE KING ran out a very comfortable winner of the boy’s division of the maiden 1600m.
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Tasting Success
Greyville 12th February: All of the eight races on Friday evening were run on the poly track. A MR83 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1900m races victory went to the top weight KILEIGH. She got away well when the gates opened and was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite LITTLE CHAPEL by a length and three quarters.
They also ran three races over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was DO BE SNAPPY in the MR80 Handicap. Nicely positioned in fifth in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge took up the running 250m out and with the rest well beaten he won comfortably from the running on SHREYA’S STAR by a half.
The remaining two races were staged over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was GINGER BISCUIT in the MR80 Handicap. Positioned in the backend of midfield as the ten runners swung for home, the daughter of Admire Main ran on best of all in the straight, and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy she got up late to score by a half.
Titbits
The full sister to Paterfamilias MATER FAMILIAS couldn’t have been more impressive when opening her account by five and three quarters in the maiden plate over 1400m.
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A Merry Jig
Turffontein 13th February: They raced on the inner track on Saturday afternoon where five of the nine races were run over 1450m. The fastest of these was the MR75 Handicap won by the well thought of IRISH PRIDE. Allowed to drift out to 7/1 from 9/2 at the track, the poorly drawn son of Ideal World raced in the rear early on. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest comfortably beaten he did well to collar KANGAROO JACK (led 220m) close home. Fourth placed AMERICAN TIGER also ran on well from the rear in this race.
A maiden plate for the girls had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the second favourite LOVINGKINDNESS. Another to run on stoutly from the rear, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge struck the front 150m from home and cruised clear below the distance to score by three and a quarter.
Race two on the card was a maiden plate over 1200m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the favourite YANKEE CAPTAIN. On leaving the stalls it was the well exposed ASHKENAZI who elected to make the running whilst the son of Captain Al raced in midfield. He quickened well at the business end of the race and only having to be pushed out won comfortably by three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo JUNGLE MIST was gaining at the finish when only beaten a neck in the graduation plate over 1450m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (1) Harmston Herald 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Sportstrader 18
Race 3: (9) Hunting Eagle 14
Race 4: (8) Kumiko 78
Race 5: (10) Tiger Hotspur 33
Race 6: (1) Frederick Fox 55
Race 7: (5) Dream To Reality 73
Race 8: (10) Conquering Queen 54
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Beckoning 8
Race 2: (4) Janoobi 16
Race 3: (1) Seal My Fate 14
Race 4: (3) Gaggle 7
Race 5: (4) The Hangman 79
Race 6: (4) Imperial Gold 53
Race 7: (1) Tiger’s Touch 70 (nb)
Race 8: (5) Heywot 51
Race 9: (4) Aldiara 58 (NAP*)
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (10) Molly Chambers 18
Race 2: (6) Pirangi 44
Race 3: (1) Secret Plan 15
Race 4: (1) Twenty Four Carat 10
Race 5: (1) Variance 17
Race 6: (5) Magical Bet 58 (EW)
Race 7: (8) Chanukah 43
Race 8: (7) Half Moon Hotel 58
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (1) Winning Sister 18
Race 2: (5) American Storm 65
Race 3: (1) Koncealed 16
Race 4: (10) Bird Alley 10 (NAP*)
Race 5: (5) Captain Chips 21
Race 6: (4) Kenton On Sea 40
Race 7: (11) Soft Sand 36
Race 8: (1) Mod Barley 67
Race 9: (5) Savethelastdance 57
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Top rated winners last week included
Kissimmee won 6/1
Zrinski won 6/1
Brave Vision won 9/2
Gauteng won 7/2
De Lujo won 33/10
Drifting Dusk won 5/2
Jet Ntombi won 8/10
Tip Of The Glacier won 7/10
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Notebook:-
Abashiri (M Azzie, Gauteng)
Irish Pride (JJ v Vuuren, Gauteng)
Mater Familias (D Drier, KZN)
O Tamara (A Greeff, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal (inside) 11th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Ha Lucy 56,69
1200m (2) Pure Blonde 69,18
1400m (2) De Lujo 83,44
1700m (2) Abashiri 101,17
2000m (1) Tip Of The Glacier 124,56
2400m (1) Rocky Stallone 147,61
Fairview (turf) 12th February
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) O Tamara .57,16
1200m (1) Brave Vision 68,29
1400m (1) Oreo 84,93
1600m (3) Eternal Winter 97,91
1800m (1) Arezzo 109,97
2000m (1) Rock Like Jagger 125,00
2400m (1) Oh So Modus 154,34
Greyville (poly) 12th February
Going Standard
1000m (2) Ginger Biscuit 58,38
1400m (3) Do Be Snappy 83,79
1900m (3) Kileigh 115,96
Turffontein (inner) 13th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1200m (1) Yankee Captain 75,48
1450m (5) Irish Pride 87,71
1600m (1) Wukkin’ Up 97,78
1800m (1) Lovingkindness 112,32
2200m (1) Kissimmee 138,91
