Gutsy Alghadeer
Fairview 30th September: They raced on the poly track on Friday where three of the eight races were run over 1200m. Finding the winner’s enclosure in the fastest of these was CARDINAL in the MR89 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 33/10 (op 28/10fav), Justin Snaith’s charge was soon up handy. He put his head in front at the top of the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the easy to back CAPTAIN’S RESERVE by a length and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1300m where the faster of the two was the MR76 Handicap won by PEONIE ROCK. An eye catching winner over the course and distance last time out, the daughter of Rock Of Rochelle again came from off the pace. She ran on best of all in the straight and won well from her stable companion JUST LUCKY by a length and a half.
The non-black type Fairview 1800 topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from ALGHADEER. Having only his second start since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the Dynasty gelding attempted to make all. He was headed by the 12/10 favourite MASTERLY 300m out, but rallied gamely in the closing stages of the race to get the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The Western Cape raider COCK-A-HOOP won the Racing Association Plate for 3yo’s with authority by three and a quarter.
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Still Going Strong
Greyville 30th September: They also raced on the poly surface on Friday evening where by far the quickest of the four 1400m races was the MR74 Handicap won by BIZJET. Easy to back at 10/1 on the off, the son of Jet Master, as per usual, raced in the backend of midfield early on. He ran on best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Brandon Lerena he got up close home to beat the recent maiden winner NEWYORKSTATEOFMIND.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR74 Handicap in which the 4yo VAMPIRELLA registered her second career victory. Nicely drawn in barrier two, Wendy Whitehead’s charge broke well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 300m and went on to score with authority by the biggest margin on the card, a length and three quarters.
A pinnacle stakes over 1600m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the veteran SILVER SPRING landed the spoils. Another to race handy, the 8yo Silvano gelding ran on strongly in the straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the similarly priced front runner MUMSY’S JET.
Titbits
The poorly drawn 3yo MOMO ran on well from the rear when a 0,3 length third in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
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Grand Heritage
Vaal 1st October: It was the much touted Grand Heritage day on Saturday and with the middle rail removed separating the outside and inside tracks, they were effectively racing on the old Vaal turf track. 27 runners went to post for the big one and in a time just 0,19 seconds faster than the only other race over the distance (1475m) the Heritage Consolation, victory went to the 8/1 joint favourite IRISH PRIDE. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, the Ideal World gelding ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and won comfortably by a length from the well handicapped FRONT RANK.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was GREEN PEPPER in the non-black type Sophomore 1000 for 3yo’s. Sent off second favourite in what was priced up as a boat race, Janse Van Vuuren’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. The favourite RIVARINE also raced up with speed and on striking the front 150m from home, she looked to have done everything right. The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight quickened nicely below the distance though and in a classic finish she got up in the very last stride.
They also ran three races over 1200m and quickest home here was SEATTLE LADY in the Heritage 1200. Freely available at 12/1 on the off in what in real terms was a MR93 Handicap, the Sail From Seattle mare was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the more fancied DUKE NUKEM by a length and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer ROMI’S BOY had the remainder almost five lengths adrift when chasing home the very useful looking 4/10 favourite DOOSRA in the maiden plate over 1200m.
The 8/1 shot PRINCE OF ORANGE ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up late to win the Heritage Consolation.
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Lighting The Fire
Scottsville 2nd October: Three of the nine races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1200m and first past the post in the fastest of these was DANCE ON AIR in the MR79 Handicap. The field was always very tightly bunched and although the easy to back top weight raced in midfield he was always well positioned to strike. He ran on strongly from halfway and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the similarly unfancied PROMISSORY.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1950m events on the card was the maiden plate (the other was a MR90 Handicap) won by SHIRLEY VALENTINE. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 8/10, the daughter of Ideal World was content to sit in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened well, and comfortably accounted for the friendless UNDER THE ROSE by two.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by NEWTONS SPARK when registering his second career success in the MR72 affair over 2400m. Not the quickest into stride, the Newton gelding raced in midfield for the vast majority of the trip. He made up the deficit quickly in the home straight though, and drew clear easily to score by four and a quarter after striking the front 200m out.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, the 11/10 favourite SIMONA was always in command when getting off the mark in the maiden plate for 3yo fillies over 1200m.
LA VIDA BANCO ran on well from midfield when winning the MR60 Handicap over 1600m going away.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Edgbaston 11
Race 2: (3) Kingsview 27
Race 3: (10) Long Walk 41
Race 4: (1) Zonke 2
Race 5: (1) Consider The Cat 34
Race 6: (9) Emblem Honour 65
Race 7: (1) Talktothestars 106 (NAP*)
Race 8: (2) Music App 44
Race 9: (16) Uproar 45
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (10) Romi’s Boy 35
Race 2: (6) Pajama Party 28
Race 3: (1) Eversilver 14
Race 4: (14) Spectralight 38
Race 5: (6) Lucky Luciano 68
Race 6: (13) Seventh Pillar 52
Race 7: (1) Comme-Ci-Comme-Ca 41 (NAP**)
Race 8: (7) Fort Eagle 42
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Purple Rock 9
Race 2: (3) Moulina 16
Race 3: (6) Fairy Maker 45
Race 4: (7) Make The Magnet 56
Race 5: (8) Mulher De Branco 73
Race 6: (8) Shishangeni 58
Race 7: (2) Light Chaser 22
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (1) Fish River Canyon 7
Race 2: (1) Golden Mirabilis 57
Race 3: (14) Doubly Attractive 15
Race 4: (11) Pistolero 45
Race 5: (6) Zafira 86
Race 6: (15) Scotland 47
Race 7: (8) Might As Well 31
Race 8: (13) Warbash 41
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Top rated winners last week included
Summer In The City won 11/1
Levi Lady won 6/1
Burundi Bush won 7/2
William Grace won 33/10
Green Pepper won 2/1
Kimberley Club won 18/10
Simona won 11/10
Doosra won 4/10
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Notebook:-
Green Pepper (JJ Van Vuuren, Gauteng)
Romi’s Boy (A Laird, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 30th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,84s slow
1200m (3) Cardinal 69,82
1300m (2) Peonie Rock 75,68
1400m (1) Cock-A-Hoop 82,80
1800m (1) Alghadeer 109,24
2200m (1) Count’s Quest 138,38
Greyville (poly) 30th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,40s slow
1000m (2) Vampirella 58,04
1400m (4) Bizjet 82,70
1600m (1) Silver Spring 95,39
1800m (1) What A Poet 109,16
Vaal (old) 1st October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,34s slow
1000m (3) Green Pepper 56,62
1200m (3) Seattle Lady 69,56
1400m (2) Always A Lady 83,51
1475m (2) Irish Pride 87,05
Scottsville (inside) 2nd October
Penetrometer 28 Soft
Course Variant: 1,26s slow
1000m (1) Sovereign Reign 58,36
1200m (3) Dance On Air 71,00
1400m (1) Sweet Lady Jade 85,99
1600m (1) La Vida Banco 98,61
1950m (2) Shirley Valentine 122,97
2400m (1) Newtons Spark 152,48
