Just As If Scripted
Fairview 10th June: Off a penetrometer reading of 21 the going was officially good in Port Elizabeth on Friday. However, with rain falling heavily throughout on occasions during the afternoon, it is not easy to compare the times. Indeed, the fastest of the four 1400m races was the first to be run, the Juvenile Plate won by GRANDISSIMO. Positioned in the rear going through halfway, the lesser fancied of Yvette Bremner’s two runners ran on best of all, and with the rest some 5,75 lengths adrift, he got the better of TURBO by a half.
The listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes for 2yo fillies over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the second favourite O TAMARA. The field was well strung out and going through the 500m Alan Greeff’s charge looked to have more than enough to do. She responded gamely to the urgings of jockey Andrew Fortune though, and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to deny the easy to back FAVOUR’S PRIDE.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by CONSONANCE in the maiden plate over 1400m. The best bet on the card for many, the former Cape Town campaigner was soon up handy. He ran on stoutly in the heavy rain that fell during the race and won with authority by three and a half from PARATUS.
Race four on the card was a MR86 Handicap over 1800m and here we saw a comfortable victory for Consonance’s stable companion ORCHESTRATED. Runner up in the Gr3 Algoa Cup earlier in the season, the son of Jay Peg was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 200m and with some in hand won very comfortably by two and three quarters.
Titbits
After running on from midfield, PURELY ATOMIC won the conditions plate over 1400m going away with some in hand.
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Village People
Greyville 11th June: The Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge topped the bill on Saturday and in what not surprisingly was the faster of the two 1600m races (but not by as much as it should have been) the well supported MAC DE LAGO was awarded the race in the stewards room. In what was clearly a false run affair, the first past the post TRIP TO HEAVEN made the first move, and after racing in the rear struck the front 200m out. Mac De Lago meanwhile had raced handy and the pair fought out a thrilling tussle over the final 150m. Trip To Heaven shifted and brushed Mac De Lago on two occasions and the board were of the opinion that but for the interference Mac De Lago would have beaten Trip To Heaven. Third placed FRENCH NAVY ran on best of all in this race.
The supporting act was the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m and in another false paced affair victory went to the Brett Crawford trained ALEXIS. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, the daughter of Dynasty raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened nicely at the top of the straight and did well to get the better of the classy SILVER MOUNTAIN who had gotten first run.
There were three races run over 1400m in total and surprisingly the fastest of these was the listed Devon Air Stakes won by the Gauteng raider MALEFICENT. Always top of the boards, Alec Laird’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 100m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.
Race three on the card was the listed Gatecrasher Stakes for 2yo over 1400m and here we saw a smart performance from the Silvano colt Palladium. A little slow into stride after being troublesome at the start, Charlie Laird’s charge was positioned at the back when the ten runners swung for home. Once in the straight though, he ran on best of all and with the rest comfortably beaten he did well to get the better of the gutsy front runner DAFFIQ by a neck.
Titbits
Vous Et Var was finishing best of all when runner up in the non-black type Durban Dash over 1100m on the poly.
Poorly drawn LIVE ON THE MOON ran on well from the rear when runner up in the MR82 Handicap over 2000m.
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Plenty Of Turbulence
Kenilworth 11th June: Three of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1200m and quickest against the clock in these was DARK FORCE when getting off the mark in the maiden juvenile plate for the boys. Always handy in a very tightly bunched field, the 22/10 second favourite took up the running at the 400m marker, and kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the very steadily gaining KENNY TRIX (came from midfield) by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR72 Handicap won by the 3yo ZUD WES. There was no real pace on in the early part of the race and although Mike Bass’ charge could be sighted at the back, he was never really that far off the pace. He ran on best of all when given rein and went on to score with authority from the regular place getter SAINT DONAN.
The not so lucky last was a maiden plate over 1400m and here we saw a smart performance from the So You Think colt TURBULENT AIR. Having only his second career outing here, Justin Snaith’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all from halfway and under a well-judged ride from Craig Du Plooy won going away after striking the front 50m from home.
Titbits
The striking grey daughter of Captain Al SILVER CAPTAIN never had to engage the upper gears when running on from the rear to win the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Lightly raced DIVA FEVER made up many lengths from the rear when runner up in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Burgundy Rose 8
Race 2: (1) Charock 14
Race 3: (8) Flying Peg 19
Race 4: (3) Pigeon Flyer 52
Race 5: (15) Fuhgedaboudit 32
Race 6: (6) Momentous 25
Race 7: (10) Mystery Leader 42
Race 8: (11) Royal Mater 52
Race 9: (9) Doctorow 55
Race 10: (4) King’s Summit 28
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (9) Red Light Girl 12
Race 2: (12) Oh Behave 12
Race 3: (6) Azarenka 69
Race 4: (2) French Captain 15
Race 5: (2) Gyre 14
Race 6: (1) Prudence Prevails 17
Race 7: (9) Lucky Tuesday 53
Race 8: (12) Moika Dancer 54 (EW)
Race 9: (3) Half Moon Hotel 44
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (3) Hungry Heart 6
Race 2: (9) Lucky Barb 13
Race 3: (1) Shoot The Bull 17
Race 4: (1) Enlightenment 18
Race 5: (2) Enticer 11
Race 6: (7) Barcelona Babe 50
Race 7: (6) Texican 59
Race 8: (1) Piano Man 69
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (5) Dragon’s Breath 13
Race 2: (11) Sail For Joy 5
Race 3: (10) Lebanese Tractor 12
Race 4: (11) Shine Bright 18
Race 5: (5) Save The Day 60
Race 6: (7) La Manga 45
Race 7: (3) Delamere 40 (NAP*)
Race 8: (13) Icy Avalanche 45
Race 9: (3) Streetwear 17
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Top rated winners last week included
Luca Delago won 11/2
Le Tigre won 9/2
Soviet Cosmonaut won 7/2
O Tamara won 5/2
Relish won 5/2
Consonance won 2/1
Juan Two Three won 14/10
Silver Captain won 11/10
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Notebook:-
French Navy (S Tarry, KZN)
Maleficent (A Laird, KZN)
Orchestrated (T Laing, E-Cape)
Silver Captain (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
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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) 10th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Island Express 58,98
1400m (4) Grandissimo 86,63
1600m (1) Themla 101,69
1800m (1) Orchestrated 113,41
2700m (1) Silver Image 180,13
Greyville (mixed) 11th June
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1100m (1) Captain Swarovski 61,69P
1200m (1) Last Winter 70,83P
1200m (1) Top Form 70,33T
1400m (3) Maleficent 83,27T
1600m (2) Mac De Lago 95,48T
1800m (1) Exit Here 110,52T
2000m (1) Rap Attack 122,77T
Kenilworth (old) 11th June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Twinkle Toes 60,38
1200m (4) Zud Wes 72,95
1400m (2) Turbulent Air 88,09*
1600m (1) Mulher De Branco 100,48
