Huge Drop In Class

Just Cruzing

Fairview 18^th April: They raced on the poly track on Friday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m went to the lesser fancied of Alan Greeff’s two runners SINGITA SUNRISE. Sent off fourth in the betting market at 7/1, the daughter of Sail From Seattle was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to beat her stable companion DANCING NATASHA (5/2 into 13/10 – the favourite) fair and square by a length and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by ROARING SEA in the boys’ division of the maiden juvenile 1200m. At the head of affairs throughout, the uneasy 13/10 favourite (op 7/10) soon had the field very strung out. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and easily accounted for the second favourite FUTURE LEADER by four and a quarter.

There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the Fillies & Mares conditions plate won by the 3yo CRUZWITHMECAPTAIN. On leaving the stalls it was one of the outsiders GLOBAL TRADE who elected to make the running whilst the former Western Cape campaigner was content to sit in midfield. Once in the short home straight though, Cruzwithmecaptain quickened well and under a well-judged ride from Teaque Gould she got up late to deny the Solskjaer mare I GOT YOU BABE.

A pinnacle stakes over 1300m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when BROTHER IN ARMS registered his fifth career victory. Taken straight to the front by Gift Funeka, the son of Cataloochee led throughout. He ran on strongly in the straight and although the well supported 17/10 favourite VAUCLAIR (op 5/2) finished strongly from the backend of midfield, he still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.

Titbits

ICEMAN ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1900m.

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Oh Carolina

Turffontein 19^th April: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where four of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1450m. The fastest of these, albeit marginally, was the MR69 Handicap won by the top weight TELL MY STAR.  Nicely drawn in gate six, St John Gray’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. She moved through to take up the running shortly after leaving the strip and comfortably accounted for the running on SHAYNA by two and a half.

A maiden juvenile plate over 1600m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the Weiho Marwing trained BILATERAL. Easy to back at 12/1 on the off, the daughter of Lateral raced fifth for most of the journey. She made her move coming off the strip and cruised clear to score by five and a half after striking the front 300m out.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was IWO JIMA in the boys’ division of the maiden juvenile 1600m. He ran on stoutly from midfield and with the remainder some nine lengths adrift he got the better of a battle with the more fancied LATUS BLITZ by two and a half.

A MR85 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a comfortable victory for Sporting Post’s best bet SANTA CAROLINA. Backed into 11/10 from 22/10 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the hat-trick seeking MOGGYTWOSHOES by two and a half.

Titbits

Easily seven lengths off the winner at the top of the strip, the 9/20 favourite ECHUKA ran on strongly and did well to get within three quarters of a length.

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Poinsettia Belle

Clairwood 20^th April: They raced at the garden course on Easter Sunday where the easiest victory on the nine race program was that of the strongly fancied MORPHEUS in the maiden 1450m. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and looked to win very comfortably by three and three quarters. On route to the specimen collection area though, Morpheus (moderate post-race distress) exhibited a severe abnormal respiratory noise (displaced soft palate) and became further distressed requiring immediate veterinary treatment.

Another to win with authority on this card was DE LA DANZA in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap over 1900m. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the 6yo Royal Academy gelding raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though, he quickened well and drew clear easily to score by three and a half after striking the front 150m out.

The Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the visiting JET BELLE. The 15/10 favourite ALL IS SECRET made the early running, but surprisingly ran out of gas when the race began in earnest. From a similar position HAMMIE’S HOOKER ran on with Jet Belle and it was only by the narrowest of margins that Glen Kotzen’s charge got the verdict. Third placed LANNER FALCON (came from the rear – beaten a neck) didn’t find the clearest of passages and was finishing best of all.

Titbits

FUTURA only had to be pushed out when winning the 1600m graduation plate going away.

The 3yo NORMANZ rallied gamely after being headed by Barbosa 200m out and won the listed In Full Flight Handicap going away by three quarters.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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