Speedy Front runners
Fairview 16th December
Racing in Port Elizabeth on Friday took place on the turf. The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Memorial Mile over 1600m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the lessor fancied of Tara Laing’s two runners READYTOGORIGHTNOW. Taken straight to the front by Wayne Agrella, the 22/1 shot led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and in the quickest of these, a MR64 Handicap, the stable of Tara Laing were again on the mark when CECIL JOHN landed the spoils. Another to leave the stalls in double figures (35/1 into 15’s) the son of Seventh Rock also made all. He was two lengths clear for most of the journey and although the always handy FLYING FOOL tried his best to make a race of it, he still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.
The stable of Tara Laing saddled three winners in total on the day and the last of them came in the faster of the two 1000m races. Sent off second in the betting market at 4/1, in this his first outing since relocating from KZN, OMEGA ONSLAUGHT was also soon at the head of affairs. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and won going away by three and three quarters from the regular place getter ZEVENASTIC.
Titbits
Beaten by the narrowest of margins, lightly raced STANLEY’S LAST was baulked for a run, and later had to switch when running on stoutly from the backend of midfield in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
The Right Move
Greyville 16th December
The non-black type River Indigo Handicap was the highlight on Friday evening and in what proved to be the fastest of the five 1400m events, the Sean Tarry trained STRATEGIC MOVE registered her fifth career victory. On leaving the stalls it was PEARL EMBLEM who somewhat predictably made the running, whilst the Strategic News filly could be sighted in the rear. Once in the short home straight though she ran on stoutly, and in what proved to be a real thriller she only got the verdict over the very steadily gaining WELL IN FLIGHT by a neck.
The faster of the two maiden plates for the girls over 1400m was the second division in which the 1/4 favourite SAVANNAH CAT did the business. At the head of affairs throughout, Duncan Howells’ charge kept on strongly over the final 400m and won with authority by three.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by PORTMAN SQUARE when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1900m. Making his fifteenth appearance in the maiden ranks here, the son of A P Arrow was soon positioned close up in second. He was asked to take up the running coming off the bend and despite his rider briefly dropping the rein 200m out, he went on to open his account with three and three quarter lengths to spare.
Titbits
The 3yo INTERFEROMETER ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the maiden plate over 1200m.
The Signs Were There
Turffontein 17th December
There were ten races on the old stand side track on Saturday, four of which took place over 1160m. The second division of the MR80 Handicap was the fastest of these and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the well-supported JUST AS I SAID (8/1 into 5/1). Having his third outing here since returning from an eleven month layoff, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running approaching the 400m marker and won well by a length and three quarters from the running on TOMMY WATERDEVIL.
Three of the remaining six races were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was INANINSTANT when recording her fourth career victory from just ten starts in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR91 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1, the daughter of Silvano was always handy. She put her head in front going through the 300m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to hold off the rallying pacemaker BAJAN FANTASY by a neck.
The faster of the two 1800m races was the MR72 Handicap won by REVELATION. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, Erico Verdonese’s charge quickly overcame a wide draw and raced fifth. He took up the running shortly after passing the 500m marker and won comfortably by a length from the ultra-consistent SCOTLAND (came from the rear).
Titbits
At the helm from pillar to post, SEEKING GOLD won the maiden plate over 1600m with some in hand.
The 3yo REBUKED was finishing best of all when a 0,6 length runner up in the first division of the MR80 Handicap over 1160m.
Topsy Turvy Times
Kenilworth 17th December
The Gr1 Cape Guineas topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and in a time 0,8 seconds slower than that of the only other 1600m race on the card, the listed Jet Master Stakes, we saw a smart performance from the progressive WILLIAM LONGSWORD. Now a winner of five from seven, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced fourth for most of the journey. He quickened well early in the straight and after taking up the running 250m out, he kept on strongly to beat the running on GOLD STANDARD by a half.
In terms of times there was another surprise in the two 1400m events. Rather than the conditions plate won by the very talented BELA-BELA, it was the maiden plate won by SILVER MASTER that was the faster. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, Silver Master was always handy. The more fancied COME ON SONNY raced just behind him and getting first run that one put his head in front 100m out. Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge ran on stoutly below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got his whiskers in front in the very last stride.
Sanity did prevail in the two 1800m events though, with the Gr2 Premier Trophy won by ICY TRAIL being run over half a second faster than the Gr3 Victress Stakes. Looking to complete a very smart hat-trick here, the Western Winter filly was soon prominent. She ran on strongly when the race began in earnest and held off a wall of horses fair and square.
Titbits
The Choisir colt SIR FRENCHIE came from the rear when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m with some in hand by a length and three quarters.
CARDINAL CALL ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the MR72 Handicap over 1000m going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Lady Of The World 22
Race 2: (1) Moshav 21
Race 3: (1) Chili Con Carne 54 (NAP*)
Race 4: (3) Rhyme Or Reason 10
Race 5: (3) Isphan 61
Race 6: (1) Pivotal Pursuit 82
Race 7: (9) Victor’s Castle 32
Race 8: (10) Pippi Shortsock 33
Race 9: (7) Star Trek 46
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (1) Secret Idea 12
Race 2: (4) Icon King 27
Race 3: (1) Silver Laurel 17
Race 4: (3) Possibly Me 19
Race 5: (7) Elusive Rose 49
Race 6: (1) Juddering Angel 46
Race 7: (3) South Side 58 (EW)
Race 8: (9) Al Dangeur 55
Race 9: (11) Elusive Stars 49
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (5) Milne 16
Race 2: (1) Isolde 11
Race 3: (8) Dawn Flight 36
Race 4: (8) Hieronymus 23
Race 5: (9) Thatho Magestique 71
Race 6: (11) Jet Fever 52
Race 7: (16) Flaming Spirit 29
Race 8: (2) Jungle Mist 55 (NAP*)
Race 9: (13) Silver Kavalier 47
Top rated winners last week included
Fifty Cents won 9/1
Cardinal Call won 8/1
Sha-Boom Sha-Boom won 28/10
Main Exchange won 16/10
Kanara won 15/10
Bela-Bela won 12/10
Rand Hedge won 3/4
Savannah Cat won 1/4
Notebook:-
Gold Standard (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
William Longsword (V Marshall, W-Cape
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 16th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,28s fast
800m (1) Pure Fiction 45,52
1000m (2) Omega Onslaught 55,66
1200m (1) Flight Captain 68,68
1400m (3) Cecil John 84,04
1600m (1) Readytogorightnow 96,77
2400m (1) Dreamforest 151,28
Greyville (poly) 16th December
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,07s slow
1000m (1) Call Me Winter 57,59
1200m (1) Interferometer 70,74
1400m (5) Strategic Move 82,41
1900m (1) Portman Square 116,47
Turffontein (stand side) 17th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,13s slow
1160m (4) Just As I Said 66,88
1400m (1) Alaadel 84,69
1600m (3) Inaninstant 98,42
1800m (2) Revelation 111,58
Kenilworth (new) 17th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,56s slow
1000m (2) Cardinal Call 59,36
1200m (1) Mutzi 72,62
1400m (2) Silver Master 87,86
1600m (2) Fifty Cents 98,54
1800m (2) Icy Trail 112,21
2500m (1) Royal Badge 156,80
