Weighted To Win
Scottsville 27th August: A pinnacle stakes topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m races victory went to the best weighted runner in the field LONDON CALL. A winner of 8 from 15 coming into the race, the 7yo son of Kahal led throughout. He raced a length clear for most of the journey before extending his advantage to two and three quarters over the final 400m.
Quickest home in the two 1000m races was ISCA in the MR96 Handicap. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced in the backend of midfield early on. He quickened well going through the 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the unfancied LIL RED ROOSTER.
By far the faster of the two 2400m races was the MR66 Handicap won by the 4yo IDEAL WINTER. Sent off a strong favourite at 2/1 the top weighted 4yo was always handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the joint second favourite SILENT OBSSESSION by a half.
Titbits
Always handy, the 3yo son of Dynasty BRIGHTEYEBUSHYTAIL made it two from three when winning the MR63 Handicap over 1950m.
Shocking Stuff
Fairview 28th August: The only distance to stage more than one race on the poly track on Monday was 1900m where by far the faster of the two events was the MR59 Handicap won by the easy to back KATNISS. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Grant Paddock’s charge went straight to the front and attempted to lead throughout. She was headed by BANKS HIDEAL 300m out, but fought back gamely in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on NIGHT DANCER by a half.
A MR84 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here another upset was to be had when AUDRIE DO registered her fourth career victory. Positioned in midfield as the twelve runners swung for home, the daughter of Kahal quickened nicely at the top of the short home straight and under a well-judged ride from Raymond Danielson, she got up late to beat the always handy OKLAHOMA SKY by a half. Fourth placed SWEETCHILD O MINE ran on well from the rear in this race.
The biggest upset on the card came in the novice 1400m where the 36/1 shot AWAIT THE DAY landed the spoils. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, Await The Day beat the two strongly fancied runners VALENTINIK and CAPTAIN MARMALADE (both prominent throughout) fair and square.
Titbits
Detached at the rear after losing ground at the start, DIE KAT was fairly flying at the finish when a length and a half runner up in the MR76 Handicap over 2200m.
Unbeaten in Two
Vaal 29th August: four of the eight races on the outside track on Tuesday were run over 1200m and by far the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by the highly regarded 3yo ALWAHSH. Taking a big step up in class here after shedding his maiden tag at the first attempt, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was always doing it easily and won going away after putting his head in front 250m out.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m where the fastest of the three events was the MR66 Handicap won by the consistent SLEEPINSEATTLE. Deposed at the top of the boards before the off, this 6yo Mambo In Seattle gelding was soon up handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing halfway and comfortably accounted for the fancied VAR’S YOUR DADDY by a length and a quarter.
Race four on the card was a maiden plate over 1000m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the heavily supported WELLSPRING. Third to Alwahsh last time out, Clinton Binda’s charge raced in midfield for the first half of the race. He quickened well over the final 500m and won going away from the 30/1 shot STRIKERS BOY.
Titbits
CLARET CUP completed a double in just seven days when winning the MR62 Handicap over 1200m.
Progressing Nicely
Kenilworth 30th August: The going was good to soft on the old course on Wednesday where stopping the clock in the faster of the two 1200m maiden plates was FRESNAYE in the girl’s affair. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten she got the better of the well supported TOWNSHIP MELODY late on.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR80 Handicap in which we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced 4yo DEX DEXTER. Now a winner of two from three, the Dynasty gelding quickened nicely at the business end of the race and won going away by three quarters from the strongly fancied COMMANDER BOND.
They also ran two races over 1400m and quickest home here was CELTIC CHARM in the MR64 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 10’s, Mike Stewart’s charge led throughout. She kept on determinedly over the final 400m and although her length and a half advantage was cut into in the closing stages of the race, she still had a half-length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing here THE SUN ALSO RISES ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when third in the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
Two 3yo’s To Follow
Vaal 31st August: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where victory in the fastest of the three 1700m races went to the unfancied POLAR SECRET in the MR76 Handicap. Freely available at 13/1 on the off, the bottom weight was always handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for PERFECT ORDER by three and a quarter.
The faster of the two 2000m races was the MR66 Handicap and here it was nice to see the ultra-consistent 5yo GENTLEMAN ONLY gain his fourth career win. Sent off favourite at 17/10, Tyrone Zackey’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He took up the running 200m out and with a ton in hand won going away by three and three quarters.
A maiden plate for the girls over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw an impressive performance from the 3yo NINJARA. Sent off fourth in the betting market at 5/1, the daughter of Greys Inn wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she raced in midfield early on. She struck the front 300m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by eight and a quarter.
Titbits
After being baulked for a run 300m out, DARKEST HOUR went on to win the maiden plate over 1400m easing down by five and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Seattle Spell 10
Race 2: (1) Run For Your Life 6
Race 3: (9) Nimble 5
Race 4: (6) Omega Onslaught 58
Race 5: (7) Truly 50
Race 6: (10) Grandissimo 71
Race 7: (11) Red Hot Lady 58
Race 8: (11) Night Dancer 47
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (12) Hampton Court 19
Race 2: (2) Ice Art 19
Race 3: (10) Vacquero 5 (NAP*)
Race 4: (6) Silken 44
Race 5: (7) Lee’s Pick 72
Race 6: (4) Smokey Affair 64
Race 7: (1) Hatfield Square 29
Race 8: (8) Beautiful Emmilee 29
Race 9: (12) Spanish Tune 44
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Seventh Rule 20 (NAP*)
Race 2: (7) Johnny Black 8
Race 3: (1) Runaway Rebel 10
Race 4: (2) Rommel 11
Race 5: (9) Silver Streamer 22
Race 6: (2) Scorpion Queen 6
Race 7: (1) Ahoy Me Matey 43 (EW)
Race 8: (3) Shizam 30
Race 9: (17) In The Jungle 44
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (13) Zen Arcade 27 (NAP**)
Race 2: (6) Coral Queen 15
Race 3: (1) Got Your Back 13
Race 4: (11) Draugluin 22
Race 5: (4) Peggy’s Dream 39
Race 6: (4) Putchini 38
Race 7: (5) Panza 69
Race 8: (15) National Agenda 33
Top rated winners last week included
Await The Day won 36/1
Musette won 17/1
Celtic Charm won 8/1
Isca won 9/2
Cataluga won 37/10
Flying Rock won 37/10
Strathdon won 18/10
London Call won 1/1
Notebook:-
Alwahsh (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Darkest Hour (B Botes, Gauteng)
Die Kat (G Paddock, E-Cape)
Ninjara (M Houdalakis, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 27th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,66s fast
1000m (2) Isca 56,53
1200m (3) London Call 67,53
1950m (2) Warfarer 119,67
2400m (2) Ideal Winter 152,47
Fairview (poly) 28th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,08s slow
1000m (1) Flying Rock 57,20*
1200m (1) Audrie Do 69,30
1300m (1) Margylle 76,38
1400m (1) Await The Day 83,00
1600m (1) Placido 95,65
1900m (2) Katniss 116,11
2200m (1) Jeremy 135,68
Vaal (outside) 29th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,25s slow
1000m (1) Wellspring 59,99
1200m (4) Alwahsh 71,38*
1400m (3) Sleepinseattle 85,74
Kenilworth 30th August
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,91s slow
1200m (2) Fresnaye 74,96
1400m (2) Celtic Charm 90,74
1600m (2) Dex Dexter 102,30
1800m (2) Our Emperor 113,68
Vaal (inside) 31st August
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 3,15s slow
1000m (1) Cataluga 60,27
1200m (1) Ninjara 73,53*
1400m (1) Darkest Hour 87,21
1700m (3) Polar Secret 105,52
2000m (2) Gentleman Only 125,81
2400m (1) Seeking Gold 156,33
