Time To Boogie
Greyville 22nd July: Other than the bill topping Off To Stud Stakes won by LOVE TO BOOGIE, Sunday’s poly track card was a very moderate one, and so it was no surprise to see that the feature was by far the fastest race. Sent off second in the betting market at 9/2, Andre Nel’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was SILVER CENT in the MR64 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Raymond Danielson in what was always a very tightly bunched field, the well-exposed Bankable gelding led throughout. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and held on by a half from the luckless MARCH PREVIEW. Poorly drawn and a little slow into stride to boot, the runner up was baulked for a run between the 400-250m marks
The faster of the two 1200m events that opened up proceedings was the maiden plate won by LOTSA SILVER. Another to make virtually all, Tony Rivalland’s charge was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Belying her record of no wins from 23 starts coming into the race, MISS FERRIS (raced at the back of the nine) quickened in good style in the latter stages of the maiden 1800m, and won going away by three and a half.
Lording It At Vaal
Vaal 24th July: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where victory in the fastest of the four 1800m events went to the heavily supported favourite LORD SILVERIO. The best bet on the card for many, the very confidently ridden son of Silvano sat third for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 400m marker and with some in hand he cruised clear to score by four and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1000m maiden juvenile plates was the girl’s affair won by ULLA. A little troublesome at the start, the daughter of Querari raced in midfield early on. She ran on strongly from halfway and won going away by two after striking the front 100m from home.
The boys were marginally the quicker in the two maiden plates over 1400m and here the well-supported BRONX BOMBER did the business. Backed into favouritism before the off, Alec Laird’s charge also came from off the pace. He quickened nicely over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten he just got the better of GOLDEN LION by a neck.
Titbits
Always deep in the red, WHAT A CAPTAIN was always in command when getting off the mark in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
963/1 Treble For Mark
Scottsville 25th July: The easiest victory in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday was undoubtedly that of the visiting AMERICAN INDIAN in the MR72 Handicap over 1950m. In what proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, the Gauteng raider was always handy. He put his head in front approaching the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a half.
Another to win with authority on this card was HIGH ALTAR in the MR64 Handicap over 1950m. Nicely positioned in fourth as they turned for home, the King’s Chapel filly took up the running 350m out and won well by three.
In terms of prize money the pinnacle stakes over 1200m topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, ISINGAMOYA completed a hat-trick. Backed into favouritism at the track, Mark Dixon’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead 150m out and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the running on ANNELINE. The Mark Dixon stable won three races on the afternoon and finished runner up in the only other event that they contested.
Titbits
After making the early running ADMIRAL’S GUEST found extra at the business end of the race when winning the MR90 Handicap very comfortably by a length and a half.
Smile And Wave Boys
Vaal 26th July: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where surprisingly the fastest of the four 1200m races was the opening maiden juvenile plate won by the newcomer GIMME A WAVE. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off Alec Laird’s charge raced in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. Once given rein though he quickened best of all, and won going away from SEA DANCE (finished distressed) by two and three quarters.
The remaining four races were all staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the 5yo STREETWEAR in the MR68 Handicap. Very well handicapped on his earlier form, the Visionaire gelding raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead 150m out by Piere Strydom and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the faster finishing LOCK HIM UP.
Race two on the card was a maiden juvenile plate over 1200m and here the Mike De Kock trained ELBI got off the mark at just the second time of asking. Sent off third in the betting market at 10/3, the daughter of Philanthropist flew out of the stalls and was very quickly two lengths clear. She raced clear throughout and although both PARENTAL CONTROL and VIDA ES BELLA were both closing in late on, she still had a half-length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Still at the back of the thirteen 550m out, NORDIC REBEL ran on well in the closing stages of the race when getting up 70m from home to win the MR88 Handicap over 1600m going away.
Flying Wu
Fairview 27th July: The faster of the two 1000m events that opened up proceedings on the turf track on Friday was the maiden juvenile plate won by the heavily supported newcomer MARY O’ REILLY. In the red at 9/10 on the off Yvette Bremner’s charge led throughout. She only had to be pushed out at the business end of the race and won going away by five and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR76 Handicap won by COUNTING STARS. Always handy, the 4yo son of Var kept on strongly over the final 400m and with the benefit of first run, he got the better of the running on ICARUS FLIGHT by a length.
The non-black type Friendly City Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly weighted WESTERN WU. Marginally in under sufferance, the 7yo Dynasty gelding raced at the back for most of the journey. Once given rein though he cut through the field like a knife and under a well-judged ride from Greg Cheyne he struck the front 70m from home.
Titbits
Always handy, THE GOON SHOW cruised clear over the final 300m to score by four and a quarter when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Ex Nihilo 17
Race 2: (1) Oklahoma Sky 27
Race 3: (1) Exelero 74
Race 4: (6) Finley Hill 27
Race 5: (5) Aloysius 35
Race 6: (7) Sanctuary 56
Race 7: (9) Man Of Fire 47
Race 8: (11) Limerick Ridge 45
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Ready To Rumble 4
Race 2: (3) Frank Lloyd Wright 35
Race 3: (2) More Magic 14
Race 4: (6) Magnificent Seven 60
Race 5: (6) Cohiba Allday 24
Race 6: (6) The Boston Rose 44
Race 7: (8) Teutonic Knight 46
Race 8: (3) Over You 19
Flamingo Park (sat)
Race 1: (5) Tough Love 4
Race 2: (8) Tune The Scope 40
Race 3: (16) Wild Hushpuppy 25
Race 4: (1) Grizzard 10
Race 5: (12) Royal Kaitrina 50
Race 6: (10) Skyfire 52
Race 7: (17) Inviting Lily 59
Race 8: (17) Dolphin 67
Race 9: (14) Hammie’s Game 40
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Tuulikki 10
Race 2: (4) Dyno Man 16 NAP*)
Race 3: (4) Mr T 5
Race 4: (9) Roy’s Magic 43
Race 5: (5) Global Pursuit 16
Race 6: (13) Flaming Desire 47
Race 7: (1) Ronnie Rocket 46
Race 8: (1) Light On Her Toes 51
Race 9: (3) Adorned By Beauty 8
Top rated winners last week included
Sailor Girl won 22/1
Captain America won 11/1
Suave won 9/1
Isingamoya won 15/4
Ulla won 61/20
It’s My Turn won 26/10
Royal Rustler won 26/10
Ruby Dancer won 26/10
Notebook:-
Gimme A Wave (A Laird, Gauteng)
Lord Silverio (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Mary O’Reilly (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 22nd July
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,13s fast
1200m (2) Lotsa Silver 70,30
1400m (3) Silver Cent 83,30
1600m (1) Love To Boogie 94,54
1800m (1) Miss Ferris 111,39
1900m (1) Expresso Martini 115,85
Vaal (inside) 24th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Ulla 59,12
1400m (2) Bronx Bomber 85,58
1800m (4) Lord Silverio 109,68
2400m (1) Sailor Girl 149,82
Scottsville (inside) 25th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,16s slow
1100m (1) Royal Rustler 62,84
1200m (2) Isingamoya 68,23
1400m (1) Galaxy Tunes 83,49
1600m (1) Admiral’s Guest 93,27
1950m (2) American Indian 117,57
2400m (1) Swift Move 151,49
Vaal (outside) 26th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,60s slow
1200m (4) Gimme A Wave 71,05
1600m (4) Streetwear 96,16
Fairview (turf) 27th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Mary O’ Reilly 58,70
1200m (3) Counting Stars 70,77
1400m (1) Suave 87,06
1600m (1) The Goon Show 100,80
1800m (1) Western Wu 113,58
