Ready For Summer
Scottsville 6th September: The best bet on the card for most in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was SAME JURISDICTION in the pinnacle stakes over 1400m and as expected she did the business. Always deep in the red in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three races over the distance, Duncan Howells’ charge raced second for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for DE KOCK by two and three quarters.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1950m and fastest against the clock amongst these was GOLDEN HIGH in the MR86 Handicap. Sent off favourite at 5/2, Sean Tarry’s charge was content to sit sixth of the seven during the early part of the race. He began to take closer order at the top of the home straight and with the remainder some five lengths adrift he got up very late to deny FLYING FELLOW (raced third – led 300m).
The only other race took place over 1000m (a MR90 Handicap) and here it was nice to see the well supported 6yo MR WHATEVER back in the winner’s enclosure. Winning for the eighth time in 29 starts here, the top weight was always handy. He put his head in front approaching the 200m pole and went on to score with authority from the easy to back PIANO MAN.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, IROKO ran on well from midfield when runner up in the maiden plate over 1400m.
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4 4 Justin & Andrew
Fairview 7th September: The fastest of the three 1300m events on Monday’s poly track card was the progress plate in which WEEKEND TEMPER registered his third career victory. Allowed to ease out to 28/10 from 2/1 at the track, Justin Snaith’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and despite being reported as making a respiratory noise in running, he did have the runner up CLIFTON SURF held at the wire by a half.
The combination of Justin Snaith and Andrew Fortune were again on the mark in the fastest of the three 1900m races when the rapidly improving MASTERLY extended his winning sequence to four. Nicely positioned in third in what soon became a strung out field, the 13/20 favourite was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 300m and went on to score by a length with some in hand.
A maiden plate over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and in a time faster than that of the MR60 Handicap we saw a smart performance from the newcomer ENKIDU. Not the quickest into stride, the full brother to DOUBLE WHAMMY raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the straight though, he quickened well and won going away by a length and a quarter with some in hand.
Titbits
The Justin Snaith trained BLUE DAWN won the maiden plate for the girls over 1300m going away by four.
GIFT OF GOLD came from the back when scoring comfortably by a length and a quarter in the MR60 Handicap over 1200m.
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Few To Keep Tabs On
Vaal 8th September: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where victory in the fastest of the three 1400m maiden races went to KUNUNATA. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the son of Kahal raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly from half way and with the benefit of first run he got the verdict over the flying DELFSHAVEN by 0,4 lengths. The nibbled at runner up came from the rear and was flying at the finish.
Quickest home over 1300m was AFRICAN RULER in what looked to be a very competitive MR86 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the winner of his only previous start DUKE NUKEM who elected to make the running whilst Paul Peter’s charge raced close up in second. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and just had enough in hand to beat the steadily gaining favourite ANGEL’S POWER by a short head.
The easiest victory on the ten race program was recorded by JOAN RANGER in the girl’s maiden event over 1400m. Taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena the well-supported favourite (5/2 into 17/10) led throughout. She was always in command and despite being eased down late, she won by four.
Titbits
The front running HOWDYULIKEIT (30/1) won the MR90 Handicap over 1300m with some in hand. Her stable companion FIRSTIMESACHARM (28/10 fav) raced in the rear and was running on stoutly at the finish.
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The Express Keeps Rolling
Durbanville 9th September: A maiden plate over 1300m was first up at the country course on Wednesday and here we saw a nice performance from the newcomer GROEN GEVAARTE. Allowed to drift considerably at the track out to 12/1 from 6’s, Brett Crawford’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He struck the front shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on SEATTLE ROCK by two and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1300m in total and the fastest of these was the MR68 Handicap in which the best bet on the card for many STAR EXPRESS did the business. In the red at 17/20 on the off (op 16/10), Justin Snaith’s charge also raced handy. He quickened nicely in the straight and after putting his head in front 300m out, he won well by a length and three quarters.
The fastest of the three 1400m races was the MR85 Handicap won by BUFFALO TRIP. Another to find few friends on course (7/1 out to 14/1), the 4yo son of Trippi raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. The well-supported STRATOCRUISER made the running and staying on strongly over the final 400m it was only close home that Buffalo Trip got his measure.
Titbits
ARCHIE ran on well from the back when third in the maiden plate over 2000m.
After taking a bump at the start, MIXED EMOTIONS ran on well from the backend of midfield when runner up in the girl’s maiden plate over 1300m.
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Easy Victories
Vaal 10th September: The course specialist TRIP TEASE was all the rage in the pinnacle stakes over 1000m at the Vaal’s sand track meeting on Thursday and once again he did the business. Clearly thrown in at the weights, the 1/5 favourite was a little slow into stride, but despite that was soon at the head of affairs. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and only having to be pushed out won going away by two.
A maiden plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw an impressive performance from the Geoff Woodruff trained RIVER EMPRESS. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1, the Dynasty filly raced close up in third. She fairly flew past the first two when asked for her effort and won going away by four and a quarter with a ton in hand.
On a card where there were a number of very easy victories the biggest winning margin was recorded by the supported CRISTAL ARROW (20/1 into 11/2) in the MR68 Handicap over 2000m. Another to race handy, Roy Magner’s charge took up the running going through the 600m and cruised clear to score by nine and a quarter.
Titbits
Despite being eased late, MOOGHAMIR won the maiden plate over 1800m with authority by eight and a quarter.
Mooghamir’s stable companion MOOTAHADEE was also eased down before the finish when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1450m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (12) Garden Queen 12
Race 2: (1) The West Is Wide 76 (NAP*)
Race 3: (3) Skrik Vir Niks 17
Race 4: (3) Joy Of Hope 9
Race 5: (1) Brave Vision 35
Race 6: (9) Polar Trip 61
Race 7: (8) Land Of Meadows 77
Race 8: (9) The Captain’s Cat 61
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Barbosa 94
Race 2: (8) Desert Sunset 19
Race 3: (4) Swan Dance 17
Race 4: (4) Shine Up 24
Race 5: (12) Quintella 37
Race 6: (8) Master Archer 85
Race 7: (3) Aware 54
Race 8: (11) Risky Rosco 41
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Mr Balboa 12
Race 2: (2) Oculus 18
Race 3: (1) Spurwing Summer 13
Race 4: (8) Balli Miracle 37
Race 5: (2) Thrust 50 (NAP*)
Race 6: (10) Counterstroke 77
Race 7: (10) Limited Edition 45
Race 8: (11) Lemonade River 64
Race 9: (3) Kalahari Queen 40
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Stockade 22
Race 2: (4) Captain Chaos 60
Race 3: (9) Seattle Rock 10
Race 4: (1) Preoccupation 15 (NAP*)
Race 5: (9) Shishangeni 32
Race 6: (2) Inara 83
Race 7: (8) Irish Dynasty 66
Race 8: (1) Western Movie 56
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Roy’s Strike Force 30
Race 2: (4) Tide Is Turning 25
Race 3: (1) Lighting The Fire 14
Race 4: (2) Zilla 8 (NAP*)
Race 5: (9) Seeking The Dream 43
Race 6: (10) Nishac 63
Race 7: (4) Joan Ranger 42
Race 8: (1) Respect At Bay 44
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Top rated winners last week included
Blue Door won 16/1
Buster Posy won 14/1
Sub Shaawes won 12/1
Ravishing Lilly won 15/2
Mr Whatever won 7/2
Grey’s A Rockin won 1/1
Same Jurisdiction won 1/3
Trip Tease won 1/5
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Notebook:-
Angel’s Power (B Wiid, Gauteng)
Masterly (J Snaith, E-Cape)
Same Jurisdiction (D Howells, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 6th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Mr Whatever 57,03
1400m (3) Same Jurisdiction 83,88
1950m (4) Golden High 122,43
Fairview (poly) 7th September
Going Standard
1200m (2) Enkidu 70,76
1300m (3) Weekend Temper 76,38
1900m (3) Masterly 115,19
Vaal (outside) 8th September
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Buster Posy 58,63
1200m (2) Manx Park 71,14
1300m (2) African Ruler 77,90
1400m (3) Kununata 84,27
1600m (2) Allegorical 96,26
Durbanville 9th September
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
1300m (3) Star Express 78,38
1400m (3) Buffalo Trip 84,16
2000m (1) Charlie Strong 125,57
2400m (1) Blue Door 159,02
Vaal (sand) 10th September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Trip Tease 58,55
1200m (1) River Empress 73,55
1450m (3) Mootahadee 89,08
1800m (1) Mooghamir 115,15
2000m (1) Crystal Arrow 130,10
