Impregnable Castle

Impregnable Castle

Quickest Route

Clairwood 15^th September: Surprisingly the fastest of the four 1200m races at the garden course on Sunday was the maiden event won by ATSO’S HILL. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1 (op 7’s), Frank Robinson’s charge led from pillar to post. He was always in command and ran out an easy winner by three and three quarters.

A MR101 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and in a time 0.88 seconds slower than that of Atso’s Hill victory here went to the 5yo COSSACK GENERAL. Another to make all, Garth Puller’s charge kept on strongly when the race began in earnest and just held on from the marginally more fancied ISLAND FIESTA by a neck.

Race eight on the card was a Conditions Plate over 1000m and here all eyes were on the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner VIA AFRICA. Thrown in at the weights, the very talented daughter of Var was not surprisingly deep in the red at 2/9 on the off. Positioned in second early on, Via Africa took up the running at the halfway mark and without ever having to engage the upper gears she cruised in by five and a quarter.

Titbits

CIRCLE OF SPEED ran on well from the backend of midfield when runner up in the maiden 1450m.

Lightly raced CONCATENATION quickened well in the latter stages when winning the Conditions Plate over 1900m going away by three and three quarters.

DIAMOND KING came from the back when runner up to KING’S BAY (now won five from seven) in the MR84 Handicap over 1200m.

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Queen Rules

Flamingo Park 16^th September: The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of REBEL QUEEN in the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 1400m. Knocked off the top of the boards despite remaining firm in the betting market, Corne Spies’ charge broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. She was always doing it easily and although the newly installed favourite KINGOFMOUNTAIN (7/2 into 18/10) chased hard, she won very comfortably by four and a half with some in hand.

Another to win with authority was LADY COZZENE in the faster of the two 1600m events, A MR62 Handicap. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the Overlord filly was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily from there onwards to win by three and a half.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of RANDOM AL winner of the maiden 1000m. Another to be removed from the top of the boards prior to the off, the former Natal campaigner was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 300m and with some in hand he easily accounted for the running on ILISABETTA by three and three quarters.

Titbits

Lightly raced THEORY ran on well from midfield when winning the MR62 Handicap over 1000m.

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Running On Strongly

Vaal 17^th September: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m. The fastest of these was the bill topping MR104 Handicap in which DE VAR HYT registered his fifth career victory. Sent off a joint favourite at 19/10, Louis Goosen’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running at the halfway mark and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to fend off a determined challenge from the nibbled at MOGOK’S DESIRE.

The faster of the two fillies maiden events over 1200m was the first division won by KINGS V. On leaving the stalls it was the second favourite BAREFOOT LADY who elected to make the running whilst the King Of Kings filly sat in midfield. She quickened well going through the 600m and after striking the front 200m later she comfortably accounted for the newcomer CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by two. One to look out for next time from this race is MOGOK’S EXPRESS who finished third. Many lengths adrift of the leaders in the rear at halfway, Mogok’s Express made rapid headway at the business end of the race and did well to get within two and a quarter.

The other two races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR72 affair won by SAMMY SILVER. Effectively racing off a mark some seventeen points behind that of his former best, Chris Erasmus’ charge was taken straight to the front by champion jockey Piere Strydom and led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

The 100/1 newcomer CHIEF SIOUX ran on strongly from midfield when winning the maiden 1000m going away by two and a half.

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Cutting It Fine

Durbanville 18^th September: The going was still soft at the country course on Wednesday where the biggest winning margin, somewhat surprisingly, was the length and a half recorded by GULF STREAM in the maiden 1200m. Allowed to drift right out to 7/1 from 7/2, Brett Crawford’s charge quickly overcame his wide draw thanks to the experience of the evergreen Glen Hatt and made virtually all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and despite the efforts of the well supported favourite SET YOUR SIGHTS he won comfortably by a length and a half.

There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the afternoon’s feature event, a MR92 Handicap, won by TRADE EMBLEM. Another to ease in the betting market, the son of National Emblem also made all. VICTORY CRUISE (baulked 500m out) ran on the best of his ten rivals and in what proved to be a real thriller he only held on by the narrowest of margins.

There were also four races run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR89 Handicap won by NONKI POO. Positioned towards the backend of midfield turning for home, the daughter of Stagelight quickened well over the final 600m and in another tight finish she got up very late to deny the ultra consistent BEULAH.

Titbits

Not the quickest into stride, SAIL SOUTH ran on strongly in the maiden 1200m and did well to get up in the dying strides. Fourth placed BLACK PEGASUS (drawn wide and in the rear early on) also finished well in this race.

The aptly named IN THE FAST LANE produced a nice turn of foot when getting up late to win the MR73 Handicap over 1600m.

After losing three lengths at the start, BIZJET came from the back when winning the maiden 1600m going away by a length and a quarter.

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Much Quicker

Vaal 19^th September: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where we saw a number of very easy victories. Perhaps the most impressive of these was the victory of MAURI BLUE in the MR85 Handicap over 1600m. Soon up handy, Sean Tarry’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 500m and in a time much quicker than any of the other three events over the same distance, he cruised in by eight.

Another to win by a steeplechase margin was CHEDWIN PARK in the MR71 Handicap over 1600m. Always handy, Leon Erasmus’ charge took up the running 200m out and with DIVINE INVITATION (led 800m) then going in search of gas, he drew clear easily to score by nine and a quarter.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of the newcomer SHE’S A TIGER in the opening maiden event over 1000m. At the helm from pillar to post, Louis Goosen’s charge kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and won comfortably by three.

Titbits

RIVER TRIP was supported into 5/2 from 6/1 when winning the MR88 Handicap over 1200m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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