Speed The Key
Fairview 14th August: The non-black type Speedsters Stakes over 1000m topped the bill at Friday’s turf meeting and here victory went to the top weight THE WEST IS WIDE. Taken straight to the front by Raymond Danielson, the son of Western Winter made all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the always handy SEDGE. The favourite AL DON CUMARCO had to switch en route from the backend of midfield, and finishing best of all only went down by 0,6 lengths.
The faster of the two 1400m events was not surprisingly the pinnacle stakes in which the 5yo GOGETTHESHERIFF registered his sixth career victory. The 2/1 favourite SIR DUKE made the running and going through the 200m it looked as if he would go on to score. Jacque Strydom’s charge ran on stoutly below the distance though and under a well-judged ride from Andrew fortune he got up in the dying strides to score by a neck.
Another to cut it fine was VADE MECUM in the quicker of the two 1200m events, a MR60 Handicap. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, the former Cape Town campaigner ran on best of all and got up in the shadow of the post to deny SPUTNIK SWEETHEART.
Race two on the card was a maiden plate over 1400m and here we saw a nice performance from the newcomer NGONG HILLS. Nibbled at on course into 11/2 from 6/1, Alan Greeff’s charge (sweating and racing green) could be found at the back early on. Once given rein though, she quickened well and won cosily by a length and three quarters after striking the front 250m out.
Titbits
CHOPPIES (backend midfield) and ROSSLYN CHAPEL (raced at the back) both ran on well over the final 400m when 1st & 3rd respectively in the novice plate over 1000m.
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Lazer Beam
Turffontein 15th August: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1160m. The fastest of these was the conditions plate won by the best weighted runner in the field LAZER STAR. On leaving the stalls it was BELONG TO ME who elected to set the pace and very quickly three and a half lengths clear, the rest were never sighted. Nicely positioned in second though, Lazer Star quickened well going through the 200m and won going away by a length and a quarter after hitting the front 50m from home.
The fastest of the three 1400m events, surprisingly, was the MR72 Handicap won by VAR BAY. Always top of the boards, the 3/1 favourite raced fourth for most of the journey. He put his head in front as they approached the 400m marker and challenged strongly from the 200m pole by the veteran LAVISH GAL, he had to give his all in order to get the verdict on the nod.
The two remaining races were maiden plates over 2000m and quickest home in these was FELIX M in the boy’s affair. He got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led by three quarters. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and extended his advantage by a length.
Titbits
The well supported INYANGA (6/1 into 33/10) showed good pace when making all to win the work rider’s maiden plate over 1160m with plenty in hand by five.
With the rest some six lengths adrift, the newcomer CAPTAIN NEMO only had to be pushed out to beat another newcomer in NEW PREDATOR (5/1 into 17/10) by three quarters.
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Impressive Debut
Kenilworth 15th August: The exceptionally well bred R1,4M purchase Bela-Bela made her debut in the heavy going in Cape Town on Saturday, and she certainly impressed. Always top of the boards (16/10 out to 18/10) in this maiden plate over 1000m, Justin Snaith’s charge lost two lengths at the start and as a result she raced second last for the first half of the race. Once given rein though she quickly cut through the field, and only having to be pushed out to get up 50m from home, she went on to win with plenty in hand by a length and a quarter.
There were four races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by CAPTAIN SAM. Well supported on course into 12/10 from 22/10, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the very steadily gaining MUSCATT by three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by THAT COWBOY KID when completing a hat-trick in the faster of the two 1600m events, a MR75 Handicap. Now a winner of five from twelve, Brett Crawford’s charge made all. He was just a length and a half clear coming off the bend and running on strongly in the straight he extended his advantage to five and a quarter.
Another to win with lengths to spare was HARLEM SHAKE in the not so lucky last, a MR69 Handicap over 2000m. Also at the helm from start to finish, Glen Puller’s charge won going away by three and a quarter with some in hand.
Titbits
With the remainder over eleven lengths adrift, SEA GLASS quickened very nicely late when getting the better of EVOKE EMOTION in the dying strides of the MR87 Handicap over 2000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Act Away 2
Race 2: (1) Evercell 35
Race 3: (5) Indian River 65
Race 4: (6) Guest Lodge 8
Race 5: (1) Strictly Business 7
Race 6: (4) Boarding Call 54
Race 7: (7) The Big Show 31
Race 8: (3) Cape Siskin 50
Race 9: (9) New Spring 20 (EW)
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (17) Latino Heat 13
Race 2: (8) Angel Of Mercy 19 (NAP*)
Race 3: (4) Picardi Pink 14
Race 4: (14) Matilda’s Daughter 26
Race 5: (6) Max The Man 39
Race 6: (3) Flag Of France 64
Race 7: (3) Seventh Symphony 77
Race 8: (4) Manx Park 55
Race 9: (2) Gold Status 13
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Hot Chilli 3
Race 2: (11) Barcelona Babe 15
Race 3: (7) My Lovely 44
Race 4: (2) Nishac 15
Race 5: (11) Eco Storm 48
Race 6: (5) Just Lucky 62
Race 7: (5) Elephant Matriarch 34 (NAP*)
Race 8: (8) Glinka 50
Tuffontein (thur)
Race 1: (1)Fiesta De Espana 5
Race 2: (11) In The Moment 23
Race 3: (3) Top Shot 25
Race 4: (4) Sisters Of Mercy 56
Race 5: (6) Penstock 40
Race 6: (12) Shaipur 46
Race 7: (8) Tell My Star 56
Race 8: (6) Wild Dancer 32
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Top rated winners last week included
S’way won 12/1
Harlem Shake won 7/1
Balli Miracle 5/1
Mambo Fever won 7/2
Shine Tiger won 7/2
Roy’s Angel won 33/10
Netflix won 18/10
Lazer Star won 1/1
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Notebook:-
Bela-Bela (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Captain Nemo (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 14th August
Penetrometer 22 – Good
1000m (2) The West Is Wide 57,93
1200m (2) Vade Mecum 72,13
1400m (2) Gogetthesheriff 85,49
1600m (1) Forest Nymph 100,25
2400m (1) Valmode 145,72
Turffontein (old) 15th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1160m (4) Lazer Star 67,03
1400m (3) Var Bay 85,09
2000m (2) Felix M 125,62
Kenilworth (old) 15th August
Penetrometer 31 – Going Heavy
1000m (4) Captain Sam 60,28
1600m (2) That Cowboy Kid 102,32
2000m (2) Sea Glass 133,98
