6 From 12
Scottsville 29th April: The listed In Full Flight Handicap was the fastest of the three 1100m races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the Western Cape visitor BOLD RESPECT. Soon up handy, Brett Crawford’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker, and with the rest comfortably beaten he kept on strongly to fend off his stable companion SUNSET EYES.
The Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1200m races and here the Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner at 16/1 SOMMERLIED registered her sixth career victory. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, Dennis Drier’s charge raced seventh for most of the journey. In a tightly bunched field though she was always positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front approaching the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the gaining NEPTUNE’S RAIN by a neck.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where by far the faster of the two events was the MR86 Handicap won by ALSHIBAA. Always top of the boards, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Now unbeaten in three starts, CUE THE MUSIC won the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m going away by three.
Saddle cloth number 12 won the opening maiden plate. The name of the horse was NUMBER EIGHT.
Splendid Sixth Win
Turffontein 1st May: They raced on the inner track on Worker’s Day where the quickest home in the four 1600m races was MAMBO SYMPHONY when causing an upset in the MR84 Handicap. Freely available at 22/1 on the off, Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner was always handy. He was asked to take up the running early in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied HELIOS by two and three quarters.
Another to win with authority on this card was GHOST RIDER when getting off the mark in the maiden 1600m. Nicely drawn in gate 2, the son of Captain Al was soon positioned close to the pace. He put his head in front approaching the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the latter stages of the race to score by four.
A MR96 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the 6yo SPLENDID GARDEN gain his sixth career victory. Positioned second last turning for home, poorly drawn Splendid Garden looked to have more than enough to do. Once into stride though, the Black Minnaloushe gelding ran on best of all and won going away after striking the front 50m from home.
Titbits
The 22/1 shot REVELATION came from the backend of midfield when easily accounting for his twelve rivals in the MR68 Handicap over 1600m.
Speed The Key
Scottsville 2nd May: Racing returned to Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday where the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR74 Handicap won by the grey ELUSIVE WOLF. In the rear early on, Dennis Bosch’ s charge ran on best of all when the race began in earnest and under a well-judged ride from Gunter Wrogemann, he got up late to deny the front running GOOD TO GIVE.
The MR86 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1000m events and here SHE’S A FORTRESS won with authority. Out of the pens in a flash, the daughter of Fort Wood very quickly gained a length advantage. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout, and won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by MISS CALYPSO when getting off the mark in the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Soon prominent, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge took up the running 500m out and went on to win going away by four.
Titbits
Returning from an eighteen week break here, the Western Cape visitor MADE TO CONQUER won the bill topping MR87 Handicap over 1950m very comfortably by three and a quarter.
Better Than Margin Suggests
Vaal 3rd May: A half of the eight races on the outside track on Thursday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BOCKSCAR when completing a smart double in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m. Sent off a strong favourite, Sean Tarry’s charge was easily five lengths adrift of the front running CERTIFIABLE going through the 400m. He quickened in good style from there onwards though, and just as if scripted he got up very late to score by a neck.
Three of the four remaining races were run over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was KING OF MANI when causing an upset in the MR67 affair. Freely available at 30/1 on the off, the 4yo son of Kahal was soon positioned up with the speed. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and just held on from the 6yo WOTTAHOTTIE by a neck.
A MR62 Handicap over 1600m rounded off the afternoon’s fare and here we saw a comfortable victory for SNOW PATH. Backed into favouritism at the track, Brian Wiid’s charge raced second early on. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and won going away by two and three quarters.
Titbits
Detached at the rear after losing two lengths at the start, runner up SAINTS ALIVE ran on stoutly over the final 400m when beaten less than a length in the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Shocking Stuff
Greyville 4th May: Run in a time 2,9 seconds faster than either of the other two 1400m events was the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes, and here we saw a smart performance from the visiting PEROVSKIA. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Harold Crawford’s charge was soon up handy. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and after a thrilling tussle with the favourite UNDERCOVER AGENT, he got the verdict by a head.
The Gr2 Fillies Guineas was next up and here another upset was to be had when the 5/8 favourite SNOWDANCE got rolled. Off the track since winning the Gr1 Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth on Met Day, Justin Snaith’s charge attempted to make all. Perhaps just in need of the run though, she was pipped in the very last stride by the 11/1 shot FIORELLA.
The stable of Justin Snaith did go one better in the more slowly run Gr2 Guineas though, when DO IT AGAIN landed the spoils. Never the quickest into stride, the highly regarded Twice Over gelding raced at the back early. He ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint 400m out and went on to score a bit more easily than the official winning margin of a length and a quarter would suggest.
Titbits
TRIBAL FUSION had the rest well beaten when getting the better of WOLJAYRINE by a half in the pinnacle stakes over 1200m
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Tin Tan 13
Race 2: (5) Ohsobright 6
Race 3: (1) Incomodation 7
Race 4: (6) Big Jay’s 7
Race 5: (3) Sanctuary 35
Race 6: (6) Data Link 41
Race 7: (11) Sao Paulo 68
Race 8: (13) Libra 66
Race 9: (14) Equestris 40
Race 10: (16) Harvey Spector 38
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (6) Prince Ardent 15
Race 2: (11) Goldings 31
Race 3: (9) First Apostle 27
Race 4: (14) Maybe 29
Race 5: (14) Aznerak 39
Race 6: (5) Ishnana 63 (NAP*)
Race 7: (11) Lady Lisha 42
Race 8: (8) Dunzie 38
Turffontein (sat
Race 1: (4) Go Thuli Go 10
Race 2: (5) Battle Front 14
Race 3: (1) Hurricane Lass 14
Race 4: (8) Queen Of War 12
Race 5: (1) Imoto 11
Race 6: (1) New Zealand 16 (NAP**)
Race 7: (11) Candela 14
Race 8: (14) Alnasl 7 (nb)
Fairview (sat)
Race 1: (7) Seattle Empress 7
Race 2: (2) Perfect Peace 28
Race 3: (2) Klever Kathy 17
Race 4: (2) Chick With Stick 7
Race 5: (12) Armstrong’s Boy 54
Race 6: (6) Madame Speaker 38 (NAP*)
Race 7: (13) Queen Forever 63
Race 8: (1) Brutal Force 77
Race 9: (1) Star Burst Galaxy 67
Race 10: (12) Arcsign 51
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Farland 8
Race 2: (2) Lucara 19
Race 3: (10) Vanity Fair 41
Race 4: (9) Socrates 56
Race 5: (2) Rainbowinthesky 44
Race 6: (12) Arran Isles 21
Race 7: (12) Minaloushe Venture 52
Race 8: (2) Silver Prancer 21
Top rated winners last week included
Sommerlied won 16/1
Splendid Garden won 12/1
Tribal Fusion won 6/1
Pumpkin Queen won 16/10
Mac ‘n Scar won 8/11
Tia won 8/11
Sky High won 3/4
Return Flight won 1/3
Notebook:-
Bockscar (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Cue The Music (D Bosch, KZN)
Do It Again (J Snaith, KZN)
Made To Conquer (J Snaith, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 29th April
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,68s fast (straight)
1100m (3) Bold Respect 60,81
1200m (2) Sommerlied 67,49
1400m (1) Ashfahan 83,27
1500m (1) Gimme A Brake Nate 92,80
1600m (2) Don Pierro 97,11
Turffontein (inner) 1st May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,28s slow
1000m (1) Arikel 59,33
1200m (1) Splendid Garden 71,03
1600m (4) Mambo Symphony 97,93
2000m (1) Bosphorus 126,75
3000m (1) Tapenzee 191,85*
Scottsville (inside) 2nd May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,03s slow
1000m (2) She’s A Fortress 56,08
1200m (3) Elusive Wolf 68,79
1400m (1) Excellistic 85,04
1600m (1) Haylor 96,30
1750m (1) Pumpkin Queen 107,89
1950m (1) Made To Conquer 120,99
Vaal (outside) 3rd May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,76s slow
1200m (4) Bockscar 70,34
1400m (3) King Of Mani 82,99
1600m (1) Snow Path 95,98
Greyville (turf) 4th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,46s fast (turf)
1000m (1) Outlandos D’amour 58,50T
1000m (2) Jardin 58,40P
1200m (1) Tribal Fusion 69,59T
1400m (3) Perovskia 82,16T
1600m (2) Fiorella 95,73T
2000m (1) Big Blue Sea 124,67T
2400m (1) Top Classman 151,85T
