Run Forest Run
Arlington 19th July: The easiest victory in Port Elizabeth on Friday was undoubtedly that of MISTY DAY in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Soon up handy, the grey daughter of Daylami raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four. The winning time was the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1000m races.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was BRUCE P in the 2400m event. Nibbled at on course into 11/1 from 18’s, Tara Laing’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the short home straight though she quickened well and comfortably accounted for the friendless RUSHING STAR.
A conditions plate over 2800m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the once very highly regarded FOREST DIGGER find his form. Winning for the first time since returning from a nine month break in April, Mitch Wiese’s charge came from the rear. He ran on with all his old zest in the home straight and won well by a length and a half. The runner up KEY CASTLE (as he did last time out) also finished very well from the rear in this race.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the novice plate won by LUNAR EMBLEM. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Barend Vlooh, Lunar Emblem was always handy. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and won well from the supported second favourite HEAVENLY FLIGHT by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Runner up in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m, DUKE OF BEAUFORT ran on strongly and gaining quickly at the finish only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.
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S’manga’s Jackpot
Turffontein 20th July: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m was won by the 2yo Dupont gelding SHANNON’S BOY. The lesser fancied of the four runners from the stable of Leon Erasmus in the nine strong field, Shannon’s boy was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away from the favourite (his stable companion) GEMS A PLENTY by three and a quarter.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of SIGNATURE when winning the maiden event over 2450m by a steeplechase margin. Allowed a very healthy six lengths advantage for most of the journey, the 19/10 favourite kept on strongly in the straight and despite the efforts of the chasing pack, he extended his lead to nine and a quarter before reaching the line.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1400m events on the card victory here went to the improving TIGER’S RETREAT. Winning for the fourth time in just eleven starts here, Sean Tarry’s charge was always well positioned to strike. He did so going through the 200m and although the hat trick seeking AHOY CAPTAIN finished well from off the pace, he did have that one held in the latter stages. Tiger’s Retreat was ridden by S’manga Khumalo who went on to ride five winners on the card including all four legs of the Jackpot.
One who did manage to complete a hat trick on this card was ISOBAR when landing the MR79 Handicap over 1400m. Returning from a four month break here, the son of Tiger Ridge ran on well from midfield and has now won three of his five starts.
Titbits
Poorly drawn JET FEVER ran on well from the rear when only beaten a length and three quarters in the maiden 1400m.
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With Authority
Kenilworth 20th July: Four of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were for maidens and the easiest winner amongst these was OMATICAYA in the 1400m event for juveniles. Sent off fourth in the betting market at 9/2, Glen Kotzen’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and with some in hand she went on to win very easily by three and a half.
Race four on the card was a conditions plate over 1000m and here an upset was to be had when the friendless SMART COLLEEN landed the spoils. Allowed to drift right out to 18/1 from 6’s at the track, Ronnie Sheehan’s charge could be found in the rear early on. The daughter of Strike Smartly ran on best of all after having to switch out for a run 250m from home though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to win going away.
Another to win well on this card was NOBLE STAR in the MR76 Handicap over 1600m. Seven of the eleven runners were virtually in line going through the 400m and at that stage the race was clearly still wide open. Noble Star quickened well at that point though and after striking the front 100m later he won well by a length and a quarter from the improving TOLD YOU SO.
Titbits
Running on from the rear the newcomer TAPDANCE was only beaten 0,9 lengths when fourth in the maiden 1000m.
Runner up RECALL TO LIFE was gaining at the finish when only going down by the narrowest of margins in the bill topping MR89 Handicap over 1600m.
After running on from midfield, the lightly raced ROMAN MANNER only had to be pushed out to win the maiden event over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (2) Nomenclature 12 Race 2: (6) Palace Square 12 Race 3: (4) Vestal Virgin 52 Race 4: (4) Old Deuteronomy 1 Race 5: (15) Eden Rose 26 Race 6: (6) Hlamba 25 Race 7: (12) Sioux She 50 Race 8: (6) Here I Am 40 Race 9: (10) Secret Spirit 39 Kenilworth Race 1: (17) I’m Yours 16 Race 2: (19) Third Avenue 32 Race 3: (2) Call Of The Hunt 16 Race 4: (1) Diplomatic 31 Race 5: (13) Lady Burlesque 57 Race 6: (14) Rose Bay Moon 45 Race 7: (3) M’lords Throat 81 Race 8: (1) Greys Inn Control 64 (NAP*) Race 9: (15) Laptev 53 Scottsville Race 1: (5) Diamond Alley 24 (NAP*) Race 2: (11) Three Wishes 8 Race 3: (12) Afnaan 19 Race 4: (4) Run Softly 33 Race 5: (10) Mo Da Di Du 50 Race 6: (2) Falconers Knot Race 7: (14) Music Pass 47 Race 8: (1) Sacred Spirit 18 Vaal Race 1: (3) Handsome Dancer 26 (EW) Race 2: (1) Pintari 38 Race 3: (3) Atso’s Ruby 8 Race 4: (10) Cohiba 57 Race 5: (6) Immediately 38 Race 6: (8) Paintyourface 35 Race 7: (8) Chedwin Park 36 Race 8: (3) Sir Swarovski 22 .
Top rated winners last week included
Jackodore won 7/1 Copy Cat won 6/1 Kono won 7/2 Tayba won 2/1 Signature won 19/10 Rocket Lady won 8/10 Bouclette Top won 7/10 Tamayim won 11/20 .
Notebook:-
Omaticaya (G Kotzen, W-Cape) Tiger’s Retreat (S Tarry, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherArlington 19th July Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (3) Misty Day 60,30 1400m (2) Lunar Emblem 85,71 1600m (1) Tealion 99,90 2400m (1) Bruce P 157,01 2800m (1) Forest Digger 183,13 .
Turffontein (old) 20th July Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (2) Shannon’s Boy 58,66 1160m (1) Here Comes Billy 66,38 1400m (3) Tiger’s Retreat 84,07 1600m (2) Uptothemoon 98,80 2450m (1) Signature 156,76 .
Kenilworth (old) 20th July Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft 1000m (2) Smart Colleen 62,10 1200m (1) Roman Manner 77,15 1400m (2) Captain America 91,08 1600m (2) Big Cat 103,42 2000m (1) Magic Emblem 133,42
