Shooting Star
Fairview 10th January: All of the action took place on the poly track on Friday where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BLUEBIRD LAKE in the girls’ maiden event over 1200m. Some six lengths adrift in the rear early on, Jacque Strydom’s charge quickened nicely coming off the bend and after striking the front 300m from home she drew clear easily to score by four and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR68 affair won by the top weight FLASHING STAR. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned in second. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and only having to be ridden with hands and heels from there onwards she cruised in by three and a quarter.
A MR92 Handicap topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 2000m events victory here went to the top weight WAY CLEAR. Sent off a well supported favourite at 18/10, the Ashaawes gelding was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the staying on pacemaker ZEZINHO CAMPEAO by a length and a half.
Titbits
KATIE EM ran out a very comfortable winner in the novice 1300m.
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Stylish Performance
Kenilworth 11th January: The prestigious Gr1 Queen’s Plate over 1600m topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a very smart performance from the Western Winter colt CAPETOWN NOIR. Sent off second in the betting market at 5/1, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced close up in sixth for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and won well from the even money favourite JACKSON (raced fourth). Third placed JET EXPLORER ran on very well from the rear and was only beaten 1,55 lengths.
The fastest of the three 1800m events was not surprisingly the Gr1 Paddock Stakes won for a second season in a row by BEACH BEAUTY. Also second in this race in 2012, Dennis Drier’s charge also sat sixth. She quickened well going through the 400m and won comfortably from the running on IN THE FAST LANE after striking the front 150m from home.
The stable of Dennis Drier were also on the mark in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m when the highly regarded MASTER OF MY FATE did the business. Sent off favourite at 2/1, the 4yo son of Jet Master was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Sean Cormack and raced close up in second. He was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and won comfortably from the running on AWESOME POWER by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
SISTER ACT came from the rear when only beaten a short head in the opening maiden event over 1000m.
The newcomer ARRIA only had to be pushed out with hands and heels when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
GIFTED FOR GLORY won the pinnacle stakes over 2800m much more comfortably than the official winning margin of 0,4 lengths would suggest.
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Not Easy To Forget
Clairwood 11th January: The fastest of the three 1000m events at the garden course on Saturday was the non-black type African Holly Handicap won by the veteran MIKE’S CHOICE. Not the quickest into stride, the 7yo raced sixth of the seven for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well and under a well judged ride from Stuart Randolph he got up late to deny the much younger PIANO MAN.
There were also three races run over 2000m and the fastest of these was the MR81 Handicap won by the New Zealand bred FORGIVE NO FORGET. Allowed to drift right out to 5/1 from 5/2 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge was positioned towards the rear early on. The Darci Brahma mare didn’t find the clearest of passages when asked for her effort in the straight, but once seeing daylight she showed a nice turn of foot. Forgive No Forget has now won both starts in this country since being disqualified in a maiden plate (had won a maiden plate overseas) on her local debut and clearly has more to come.
The easiest victory on the ten race program was recorded by WOLF IN WINTER in the maiden 1000m. Taken straight to the front by S’manga Khumalo, the 20/1 shot led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by three and a quarter.
Titbits
CAMPANOLOGIST didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on stoutly from off the pace in the MR62 Handicap and did well to get up in the dying strides.
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Flying Tellina
Turffontein 12th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Sunday where five of the afternoon’s eight races were run unusually over 1800m. The fastest time amongst these was the 109,62 recorded by TELLINA in the bill topping Gr3 London News Stakes. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, the poorly drawn son of Silvano raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened nicely late on and in a race where only a neck separated the first three home he got the verdict over his stable companion KILLUA CASTLE and the favourite WYLIE HALL.
Somewhat surprisingly the biggest winning margin on the eight race card was just the length and a quarter registered by BELMONTE in the MR72 Handicap over 2450m. Positioned in midfield early on, Lance Wiid’s charge ran on strongly down the long home straight and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied RODEO SIOUX.
The faster of the two maiden events over 1400m was the boys’ division in which STEELWING opened his account. Always top of the boards, Alec Laird’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and won well from the running on MOON LAY HIDDEN by a length.
Titbits
ENCHANTED SILK ran on best of all when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1800m. RIVULET also finished well from off the pace in this race.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (4) King Fernando 70 Race 3: (3) Wind At Your Back 35 Race 4: (1) Duck Dodger 24 Race 5: (10) Mediterrea 20 Race 6: (2) New Circle 26 Race 7: (15) Way With Words 38 Race 8: (6) Sarge Tattoo 33 Race 9: (13) Astro Vision 24 (NAP*) Clairwood Race 1: (1) Dukuduku 14 Race 2: (4) Straw Man 14 Race 3: (9) Salander 24 Race 4: (5) David’s Flower 26 Race 5: (2) Bermudabreeze 23 Race 6: (4) A P Strike 40 (NAP*) Race 7: (3) Lemonade River 57 Race 8: (9) Such Fun 45 Race 9: (13) Assessment 53 Turffontein Race 1: (3) Rubies And Pearls 21 Race 2: (1) Sharp Design 95 (NAP*) Race 3: (1) Moon Lay Hidden 23 Race 4: (13) Pretty Special 18 Race 5: (5) Savage Wind 65 Race 6: (1) Chekilli 64 Race 7: (8) Saint Angelique 71 Race 8: (14) Run Girl Wild 52 Race 9: (16) Souplesse 52 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Dinesen 20 Race 2: (2) Soul Sacrifice 54 (NAP*) Race 3: (4) Epicentre 33 Race 4: (5) Cosmonauta 15 Race 5: (9) Victorious Lady 42 Race 6: (6) Desert Swirl 57 Race 7: (5) Western Wu 49 Race 8: (10) Master Barry 56 Vaal Race 1: (5) Corne’s Girl 12 Race 2: (5) El Senorita 6 Race 3: (1) True Lonhro 25 Race 4: (3) Google It 20 Race 5: (16) King Scott 50 Race 6: (8) Control Tower 70 Race 7: (2) Summer Adieu51 Race 8: (8) Enchanted Silk 61 (EW) Race 9: (13) Conne Mara Black 39 .
Top rated winners last week included
Aldric won 12/1 Mike’s Choice won 6/1 Katie Em won 5/1 Flashing Star won 7/2 Supertube won 28/10 Jumpstart won 5/2 My Lovely won 5/2 Steelwing won 2/1 .
Notebook:-
Capetown Noir (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape) Master Of My Fate (D Drier, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview (poly) 10th January Going – Standard 1200m (3) Flashing Star 70,92 1300m (1) Katie Em 77,46 1400m (1) Mark Of The Divine 85,10 1600m (1) Lady Seymour 99,44 2000m (2) Way Clear 123,24 2200m (1) It’s Exciting 139,09 .
Kenilworth (new) 11th January Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (3) Barbosa 58,23 1200m (3) Tell Me More 72,37 1500m (1) Red Tractor 93,30 1600m (1) Capetown Noir 97,94 1800m (3) Beach Beauty 109,22* 2800m (1) Gifted For Glory 181,83 .
Clairwood 11th January Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (3) Mike’s Choice 57,77 1200m (1) Clear Sailing 72,28 1450m (3) Excuse My French 85,39 2000m (3) Forgive No Forget 122,45 .
Turffontein (old) 12th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1400m (2) Steelwing 85,48 1800m (5) Tellina 109,62 2450m (1) Belmonte 115,36
