If All Is Well

Opening Gambit

Durbanville 18^th July: They raced at the country course on Wednesday where victory in the maiden juvenile event over 1400m went to the second favourite BOIS DE BOULOGNE (31). Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Karl Neisius, the daughter of Trippi was always handy. One of the few to race against the outside rail in the straight, Bois De Boulogne took up the running 200m out and comfortably accounted for the favourite FREDDY’S SISTER who had stayed on the inside.

The boys division of the maiden juvenile 1400m was won by the Dean Kannemeyer trained LAST EMPEROR. Priced up as the stable’s second string in the betting market, Last Emperor was soon in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead 150m from home by Grant Behr and with the rest well beaten he kept on strongly late to fend off a determined challenge from TRADE EMBLEM.

A MR91 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here an upset was to be had when the costly to follow MADAME ROONEY (61) registered her second career victory. Freely available at 25/1 on the off (op 14/1), Madame Rooney went straight to the front and was three lengths clear turning for home. She showed real guts and determination when challenged by PELICAN POINT 150m out and finding extra went on to score by three quarters.

The lucky last was a MR71 Handicap over 1400m and here the locals were sent home happy when the favourite WINGS OF FORTUNE (45) landed the spoils. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead going through the 200m and in what proved to be a real thriller she only held on by the narrowest of margins from the faster finishing PASADERA.

Titbits

EDEN ROSE ran on from the rear when runner up in the maiden 1400m, and very steadily gaining at the finish she only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.

PAMELA SUE came from the rear in the MR74 Handicap over 1400m and having been baulked for a run at one stage did well to get up late.

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Turf Hattrick

Vaal 19^th July: Thursday’s action took place on the turf where a bit of an upset was to be had in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m when the form horse FAVOURITE DAUGHTER got rolled. She was given every chance having attempted to make all, but was soon found wanting when the race began in earnest 400m out. Victory instead went to the nibbled at SPANISHLILY (16). Bradley Maroun’s charge had tracked favourite Daughter throughout and kept on strongly after taking up the running 230m from home.

The newcomer NEO JET was backed as if unbeatable (9/2 into 9/10) to win the third division of the maiden juvenile 1000m, but despite racing handy she too was unable to get in a blow. The deposed favourite OPHIRTON on the other hand also raced prominent and won well after striking the front close home.

A MR90 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the 3yo GREAT SMOKEY (58). Backed into 5/1 from 10’s at the track, Paul Peter’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech and led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the pack headed by the well supported GLORIOUS JET chased hard, he never looked like being headed.

In terms of betting odds, the biggest upset on the card was registered by PRESIDENT ELECT (43) in the MR75 Handicap over 1400m. Initially priced up at 50/1 (sent off at 40/1), Bertie Van Der Merwe’s charge had run poorly in his last three outings, but those outings had been on sand and interestingly, he had won his latest two starts on the turf. He ran on well from midfield and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides to deny another outsider DENNIS THE MENACE.

Titbits

Newcomer EXTRA ZING won the second division of the maiden juvenile 1000m with authority.

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Different Class

Arlington 20^th July: Favourite backers got off to a good start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when BREAK OF DAWN did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1400m. The newcomer INCA LAKE made the running and going through the 300m she clearly had the rest well beaten. Break of Dawn had tracked her in second throughout though and quickening nicely in the latter stages, she went on to win with authority.

Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 1000m and here national jockey’s log leader Gavin Lerena was on the mark when the newcomer NATIONAL FAVOUR opened her account. The field was tightly bunched for most of the journey, but racing towards the rear, National Favour still had a few lengths to find turning for home. Once in the straight though, she quickened best of all and after striking the front 200m out she easily accounted for the regular place getter NUNS NARRATIVE.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of SILVERANO who came home smoking in the maiden 1800m. Confidently ridden by Aldo Domeyer, Silverano raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he cut through the field like a knife and drew clear very easily to score by seven and a half after striking the front 200m out.

The Var colt VAROMA (11/2 into 7/2) was well supported to win the final event on the card, a novice 1400m and he didn’t let down his backers. The fifth winner on the card for trainer Gavin Smith, Varoma led throughout. He was always in command and although the deposed favourite SUNNY SPAIN chased hard over the final 400m, he went on to score without any anxious moments by four and a quarter.

Titbits

ICEMBERG and THREE CAPTAINS both ran on well from the rear when 2^nd & 3^rd respectively in the Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m.

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Special Finish

Greyville 20^th July: Despite being drawn out wide, the newcomer MERCURIAL BRAVE was all the rage to win the opening maiden juvenile event on Friday evening and he did indeed land the spoils. Backed throughout the afternoon into 8/10 from 5/2, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon steered into a handy position by the talented Anton Marcus. He quickened well at the top of the straight and with the rest well beaten, he comfortably accounted for his running on stable companion (also a newcomer) ROCK COCKTAIL by a length and a quarter.

Anton Marcus was again on the mark in the next, a maiden juvenile event over 1600m when the lightly raced AMBER ORCHID opened her account. Allowed to ease right out to 33/10 from 2/1 at the track as money in the main came for the favourite SAFAA (15/10 into 9/10), Sean Tarry’s charge made all. Safaa chased hard over the final 400m and did have the remainder some three lengths adrift. Amber Orchid kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race though and extended her length and a half advantage to two and three quarters.

The evenings’ feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 2000m and here victory went to the Yogis Govender trained PETITE MASTER. Sent off as the lesser fancied of the stable’s two runners, Petite Master sat close up in second for most of the journey. He made his move early in the home straight and kept on strongly after striking the front 300m from home to hold off a determined challenge from the odds on favourite CANTERBURY TALE.

A MR72 Handicap over 2000m was next up and here we saw an eye catching performance from the friendless ZIRE SPECIAL (49). Allowed to drift right out to 35/1 from 14’s on course, Kom Naidoo’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and not drawn well to boot, she very quickly found herself in the rear. Once in the straight though she quickened best of all and did very well indeed to get the better of AURUM close home.

Titbits

Poorly drawn PRINCESS LILY ran on well from the rear when finishing runner up in the MR74 Handicap over 1400m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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