In Switzerland And France

Heavy And Rain

Durbanville 15^th August: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the country course on Wednesday when SHERIFF MARSHALL did the business in the opening maiden event for 3yo’s over 1200m. Allowed to ease out to 5/2 from 18/10 at the track, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon up handy. He quickened nicely over the final 200m and got up late to beat the 40/1 shot READYTOGORIGHTNOW. 

Trainer Vaughan Marshall was also on the mark with an uneasy market leader in the girls division of the 3yo maiden 1200m when ROSITA TIBBS opened her account. Sent off at 22/10 after opening up at 18/10, the daughter of Casey Tibbs was taken straight to the front by MJ Byleveld and led throughout. She led by a length and a half throughout and won comfortably without surrendering an inch of her advantage.

Race five on the card was a maiden event over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the easy to back BLOOD BUCCANNEER. Freely available at 25/1 on the off the lightly raced son of Captain Al raced many lengths adrift in midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though he ran on stoutly and did very well indeed to get to the front running favourite THE HELSMAN close home.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR89 Handicap over 1600m and here victory went to the nibbled at CROWN HILL. Always prominent in a race run in pouring rain, Crown Hill began to assert his authority 250m from home and comfortably accounted for the in form MYSTERY DAME by a length and three quarters. With the going already heavy prior to the rain falling during this event, the remaining three races on the card were abandoned.

Titbits

Lightly raced MAN TO MAN ran on well from the back when only beaten 2,75 lengths in the maiden event won by Blood Buccaneer

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 As Well As Ever

Vaal 16^th August: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1000m went to the favourite GEOLINA. On leaving the stalls it was the ultra consistent IMMEDIATELY who elected to make the running whilst Roy Magner’s charge raced close up in second. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.

Another to win very comfortably on this card was Geolina’s stable companion MASTER ENTERTAINER. Sent off a strong favourite at 17/10, the son of Black Minnaloushe was soon up handy. He took up the running passing the 600m marker and easily accounted for lightly raced GOLDEN STREAM by three and a quarter.

A MR90 Handicap over 1450m topped the bill and here victory went to the Fort Wood gelding EUGENES. Returning from a seven month break here, Michael Azzie’s charge led throughout. He was always clear and despite the efforts of his stable companion LOCHLORIEN, he cruised in by nine and a half.

The lucky last was a MR68 affair over 1200m and here the locals were sent home happy when SUMMER SARI landed the spoils. Backed into 5/2 favourite from 4/1 before the off, Summer Sari was always handy. She struck the front 500m from home and in what proved to be a real thriller she just had enough in hand to hold off the running on TO REMEMBER.

Titbits

COLORADO SKI and BERRYMILLER both ran on very well from off the pace when 3^rd and 4^th respectively in the MR72 Handicap over 1450m.

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Oh So Easy

Fairview 17^th August: A maiden event over 2400m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here we saw an improved performance from the well supported FLEURISTE. Backed into 7/2 from 7/1 at the track, the well tried daughter of Casey Tibbs was content to sit in midfield for most of the journey. She made her move early in the long home straight and went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter after striking the front 250m front home.

Another to show good improvement on this card was the aptly named OH SO EASY who came home smoking in the graduation plate over 1200m. A maiden winner at her ninth attempt last time out, Oh So Easy sat in the rear during the early part of the race. The field was always tightly bunched though and when asked for her effort she soon began to make headway. She struck the front going through the 200m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to beat the easy to back MENORAH by four and a quarter.

The first of the two plate races to be run was a conditions event over 1400m and here it was nice to see the 4yo Qui Danzig gelding RUSSIAN MIG rewarded for his consistency. Another to run on from off the pace, Hekkie Strydom’s charge took up the running at the 200m marker and kept on strongly at the business end of the race to hold off both BOB ‘N WEAVE and KING OF FLAGS by a half.

Another regular place getter to be rewarded for his consistency was the 7yo MAKZOOS in the 1800m Pinnacle Stakes. The uneasy favourite FABIANI (15/20 out to 11/10) got first run and looked to have the race at his mercy on striking the front 300m out. Makzoos ran on best of all in the closing stages of the race though and with the rest well beaten, he got up nicely late to win by three quarters.

Titbits

Positioned in midfield going through halfway, the lightly raced SUPREME POWER (6/1 into 9/2) caught the eye running on strongly in the closing stages of the maiden event over 1200m and gaining at the finish was only beaten half a length.

ODONATA came from the rear when runner up in the MR70 affair over 1800m.

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Power Returns

Turffontein 18^th August: Saturday’s action took place on the old stand side track where as expected the best bet on the card for most ACONCAGUA did the business in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1600m. Deep in the red at 1/3 at one stage, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge sat in midfield during the early part of the race. She made her way to the front quickly in the home straight and having only to be pushed out with hands and heels over the final 400m she easily accounted for the well supported TOUCH THE CLOUDS (6/1 into 7/2) by three and three quarters.

There were also a number of very close finishes on the card and none more so than that of the maiden 1160m where the 3yo TRUE IMPERIUM got off the mark. The well supported THE INTERVENTION (9/2 in 75/20) got first run and on striking the front 150m from home, she looked to have done everything right. True Imperium ran on best of all at the business end of the race though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride.

A conditions plate over 1160m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the talented Toreador gelding DELIVER THE POWER make a winning seasonal debut. Allowed to ease right out to even money from 11/20 at the track, Deliver The Power broke well and raced just a length off the pace set by VARIOMETER. He struck the front going through the 400m and although UNCLE TOMMY ran on well from off the pace, he went on to score very comfortably by a length and a half.

Race eight on the card was a MR78 Handicap over 2000m and here an upset was to be had when the Kimberley raider CANNONBALL registered his seventh career victory. Backed into 14/1 from 33’s during the afternoon, the son of Lavery was taken straight to the front by Marthinus Mienie and led throughout. He answered every call over the final 400m and staying on doggedly he just had enough in hand to hold off the faster finishing KING’S CASTLE. The runner up came from the rear.

Titbits

GREAT WHITE and CASEYS CAUSE both ran on well from off the pace when third and fourth respectively in the 1160m maiden event won by Winning Wild.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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