Just A Work Out
Greyville 22nd November: Due to a waterlogged track all of the races scheduled to be run on the turf were switched to the poly. Because of this the distance of race seven was changed from 2400m to 2000m.
Three of the eight races were run over 1200m and quickest home amongst these was HUNTING OWL when registering his third career victory in the graduation plate. Always handy, the son of Silvano put his head in front 200m out and in a thrilling three way finish he only got the verdict on the nod.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR84 Handicap won by CAGE FIGHTER. Nicely positioned in fourth turning for home, Sean Tarry’s charge was also involved in a classic three way finish and he too only found the winner’s enclosure by the narrowest of margins.
By far the easiest victory on the card was that of WORK ETHIC in the faster of the two 2000m events, a maiden plate for fillies. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 9/10, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He only had to be pushed out after striking the front at the top of the straight and won going away by ten and three quarters.
Titbits
Running on stoutly off a false pace, BELOVED COUNTRY won the conditions plate over 1000m very easily by four and a quarter.
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Lion Strikes Again
Fairview 23rd November: They raced on the poly track on Monday where a half of the eight races took place over 2000m. The fastest of these was the MR71 Handicap won by OH SO MODUS. Sent off favourite at 4/1, the top weight raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on best of all in the short home straight, and under a well-judged ride from Musi Yeni, he got up late to deny the easy to back EMBLEM HONOUR.
Quickest home in the three 1200m events was HAPPY LION in the MR91 Handicap. Solidly supported into 12/10 from 5/2 before the off, Dorrie Sham’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the better of the front running LAND OF MEADOWS by a half.
The one remaining race was a maiden plate over 1600m and here the second favourite ROMAN GARRISON ran out a very easy winner. Taken straight to the front by Warren Kennedy the 3yo enjoyed a healthy lead throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Well-supported MONEY GRUBBER (8/1 into 4/1) comfortably accounted for his seven rivals in the bill topping MR92 Handicap over 2000m.
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Favourite Ladies
Turffontein 24th November: The going was good on the inner track on Tuesday where the fastest of the three 1600m races was the MR77 Handicap won by ANTONIUS CHARM. Freely available at 22/1 on the off, Bradley Maroun’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield early on. He ran on stoutly in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten he got up late to deny the backed into favouritism STREET FLYER (4/1 into 22/10).
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR67 affair in which LADIES CLUB registered her second career victory. Sent off a joint favourite at 7/2 (op 5’s), the daughter of Admire Main raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front 100m out and with the pacemaker AZNERAK rallying below the distance she only got the verdict by a neck.
Favourite backers had also been on the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1450m when HATFIELD SQUARE got off the mark. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on duo of SAMARRA and TANGERINE LADY by three quarters.
Titbits
Detached at the rear after being a little slow into stride early on, the newcomer GIMMEABREAK ran on very well in the closing stages when only beaten a length and a half into fifth in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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From The Front
Kenilworth 25th November: The chestnut gelding SILVER SNAFFLES was strongly fancied to get off the mark in Cape Town on Wednesday and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1600m races, he didn’t let down his supporters. Runner up to the subsequent winner BLACK ARTHUR last time out, Brett Crawford’s charge made all. He was always around a length and a half clear and barely relinquished an inch of that advantage over the final 400m.
There was also four races run over 1200m and fastest against the clock amongst these was JOINERS ARMS in the MR75 Handicap. Another to race from the front the 4yo Greys Inn gelding was challenged strongly by the more fancied IMPERIAL GUARD over the final 100m and found extra to score by a half.
The sole 1400m race was won by yet another frontrunner in MILTON. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 7’s, the son of Lateral was two and a quarter lengths clear coming off the bend. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and won comfortably from the always handy MR WISE GUY by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo MOONLIGHT ‘N ROSES came from the rear when winning the MR76 Handicap over 1600m going away by two and a half.
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Strong Fancies
Vaal 26th November: Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where four of the nine races were staged over 1700m. The lightly raced VAL ET AL was one of the day’s main fancies and in what proved to be the fastest of these he did the business. A fluent winner in the maiden ranks on his only previous racecourse appearance, the Captain Al colt was always handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m, and with the rest left trailing in their wake, he got the better of the second favourite LEIGH WOODS by a half.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the MR78 Handicap in which the lightly raced TAMARIND registered his second career victory. Having only his second outing following a full year’s absence, Robbie Sage’s charge was always handy. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the much more fancied MOVE LIKE JAGGER by a half.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 1700m and here the best bet on the card for most SONG OF HAPPINESS duly obliged. Always deep in the red, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running approaching the 400m marker and went on to score with authority by four and three quarters.
Titbits
The grey KISSIMMEE ran on strongly from off the pace when a neck runner up in the MR76 Handicap over 1700m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (10) King’s Fire 10
Race 2: (2) Blizzard Belle 59
Race 3: (1) Badger’s Belle 15
Race 4: (3) Arniston 64
Race 5: (1) Political Playboy 71
Race 6: (6) Captain On The Run 88
Race 7: (8) Suedette 80
Race 8: (13) Wogsy 60
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (5) Samovar 20
Race 2: (6) Zagora 9
Race 3: (1) Caligari Carnival 12
Race 4: (3) National Chimes 31
Race 5: (1) Translunar 45
Race 6: (6) Mission Rapids 76
Race 7: (5) Nineteen Fourteen 71 (NAP*)
Race 8: (9) The King’s Hand 71
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: No Selections
Race 2: (2) Fancy Dancer 16
Race 3: (9) Mutakayyef 25
Race 4: (5) Wedgwood 19
Race 5: (1) Bouclette Top 87 (NAP*)
Race 6: (8) Belenos 57
Race 7: (5) Shea Devon 64
Race 8: (8) Lady Al 500
Race 9: (7) A P Chanel 50
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Astrapi 12
Race 2: (2) Honest Ally 20
Race 3: (9) Roman Ridge 47
Race 4: (2) Captain Bagg 53 (NAP**)
Race 5: (3) Jet Explorer 88
Race 6: (5) Little Genie 91
Race 7: (1) Silver Mountain 68
Race 8: (9) Dance In The Woods 42
Race 9: (2) Kilrain 41
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (11) Neruda 24 (NAP*)
Race 2: (2) Masked Girl 15
Race 3: (1) Colonel Bling 14
Race 4: (10) Miss Brody 13
Race 5: (4) Burrwood 38
Race 6: (2) Miss Argentina 54
Race 7: (2) Split The Breeze 79
Race 8: (3) Rainier 42
Race 9: (3) Protea Power 24
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Top rated winners last week included
Antonius Charm won 22/1
Angelic Appeal won 14/1
Roving Jet won 10/1
Hunting Owl won 7/1
Milton won 5/1
Happy Lion won 12/10
Work Ethic won 9/10
Master Sam won 7/10
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Notebook:-
Gimmeabreak (G Maroun, Gauteng)
Moonlight ‘n Roses (W Prestage, W-Cape)
Work Ethic (G Van Zyl, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 22nd November
Going Standard
1000m (1) Beloved Country 56,69
1200m (3) Hunting Owl 70,33
1600m (2) Cage Fighter 95,52
2000m (2) Work Ethic 123,07
Fairview (poly) 23rd November
Going Standard
1200m (3) Happy Lion 70,15
1600m (1) Roman Garrison 97,73
2000m (4) Oh So Modus 122,76
Turffontein (inner) 24th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Qarman 59,26
1200m (2) Ladies Club 72,42
1450m (1) Hatfield Square 89,51
1600m (3) Antonius Charm 97,57
2000m (1) Consider The Cat 126,29
Kenilworth (old) 25th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (4) Joiners Arms 72,76
1400m (1) Milton 85,88
1600m (4) Silver Snaffles 98,68
Vaal (inside) 26th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Atso Cool 57,97
1200m (1) Honolua Bay 69,99
1400m (2) Tamarind 82,40
1700m (4) Val Et Al 102,99
2000m (1) Superwoman 123,21
