Winning With Authority
Fairview 23rd December
Four of the nine races on the poly track on Friday were staged over 1300m and surprisingly the quickest of these was the MR63 Handicap won by ORACLE. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the son of Tiger Ridge was always handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and went on to score comfortably by two and a half from PAY AS YOU GO.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2200m where by far the faster of the two was the MR66 Handicap in which GLOBAL EXPRESS registered his seventh career victory. As per usual soon up with the speed, Gavin Smith’s veteran asserted his authority going through the 400m and won well by two and a half.
Another to win with authority was DANCE IN THE WOODS when landing the MR60 Handicap over 1300m. Sent off second in the betting market at 33/10, the top weighted Elusive Fort mare was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and won going away by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The National Emblem filly SANCTUARY only had to be pushed out when winning the MR68 Handicap over 2000m going away by a length and three quarters.
Captain In Command
Greyville 23rd December
They also raced on the poly surface on Friday evening where a half of the eight races took place over 1000m. Stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was CAPTAIN ELLIO in the first division of the MR68 Handicap. Nicely drawn in gate four, the once highly regarded son of Captain Al was soon at the head of affairs, He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.
A MR80 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 2000m races on the card the favourite LITTLE CHAPEL scored a very comfortable victory. Content to sit third early on, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge made an early move and struck the front going through halfway. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and went on to score very easily by three.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over the same distance and here the locals were sent home happy when CRYSTAL BALL did the business. Another to race close to the speed, Duncan Howells’ charge put her head in front at the top of the straight and won well by a length and three quarters from the running on QUALITY MATTERS.
Titbits
In the backend of midfield early on, the formless IF ONLY ran on well when only beaten 0,65 lengths into 5th in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Box Office
Turffontein 24th December
They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the lightly raced RAASMAAL. Returning from a six months layoff here, the son of Snitzel was always handy. He began to assert his authority shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear with ease in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
The only other 1000m race on the card was a conditions plate for the girls and in a time 0,45 seconds faster than that of Raasmaal, MOVIE SHOW registered her fourth career victory. On leaving the stalls it was the not so aptly named EASY GAME who elected to make the running whilst Paul Peter’s charge was content to sit in midfield. She ran strongly from halfway and cruised clear to score by almost three after striking the front 170m from home.
By far the faster of the two 1600m races was the pinnacle stakes won by the heavily supported ROMANY PRINCE. Backed into 7/2 from 10/1, Ormond Ferraris’ charge raced third during the early part of the race. He took up the running approaching the 400m pole and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Running on from the back after being a little slow into stride, the newcomer DESERT RHYTHM was gaining at the finish when only beaten three quarters of length in the maiden juvenile plate over 800m.
Still Going Strong
Kenilworth 24th December
The listed Southeaster Sprint over 1100m topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here victory went to the 7yo Caesour gelding TEVEZ. Soon up handy, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge quickened well after switching to the outside rail and won comfortably by three quarters from the running on ASSTAR.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1000m and fastest against the clock in these was SERGEANT HARDY. Out of the pens in a flash, the son of Captain Al led throughout. He raced two and a half lengths clear for most of the journey and went on to score by three easing down. Although never any kind of a threat to the winner, the runner up SOWETO MOON ran on well from the back in this race.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1600m events was the maiden plate won by the 4yo FERRERO ROCHA. In the red at 13/20 on the off, the well-supported favourite raced in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all down the long new course straight and won well by a length after striking the front 100m out.
Titbits
The newcomer PRINCESS PEACH ran on well from midfield when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Turffontein (mon)
Race 1: (8) Lolita Delago 6
Race 2: (2) Flying Russian 22
Race 3: (2) Al Hamd 15
Race 4: (4) Eloquence 50
Race 5: (10) Vogue’s Wood 49
Race 6: (3) Sporting Monarch 54
Race 7: (2) Arissa 51
Race 8: (1) Mombela 65
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (2) Future Fantastic 51
Race 2: (1) Kirkconnel Lass 8
Race 3: (6) Time To Be Great 22
Race 4: (1) Serious Rebel 11
Race 5: (1) Spring Indeed 7
Race 6: (7) Wargames 60 (EW)
Race 7: (4) Dream Leader 36
Race 8: (1) Evening Breeze 51
Race 9: (4) Tripp Force 34
Fairview (wed)
Race 1: (11) Let Her Fly 18
Race 2: (6) Figure Of Grey 17
Race 3: (2) Dream To Reality 38
Race 4: (3) Messageinabottle 8
Race 5: (3) Pont Du Gard 49
Race 6: (3) Stormy Ridge 49
Race 7: (11) Hurricane Shelley 75
Race 8: (12) Mercado 73
Race 9: (15) Stir It Up 57
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Desert Rhythm 7
Race 2: (13) Lucky Lulu 14
Race 3: (6) Parisienne Chic 56
Race 4: (1) Air Force Legend 23 (NAP**)
Race 5: (10) Jet Fever 44
Race 6: (10) Lisnoble 42
Race 7: (4) Vee Man 45
Race 8: (14) Jackie’s Joy 27
Race 9: (15) Angel Of Light 45
Top rated winners last week included
Zama won 12/1
Roy’s Snowdrops won 4/1
Damali won 3/1
Bold Reign won 2/1
Moshav won 18/10
Pivotal Pursuit won 18/10
Captain Ellio won 11/10
Raasmaal won 1/1
Notebook:-
Desert Rhythm (S Tarry, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 23rd December
Going Standard
1200m (1) Nilgiri Hills 72,37
1300m (4) Oracle 76,79
1600m (1) Lord Katawa 99,50
2000m (1) Sanctuary 125,42
2200m (2) Global Express 138,88
Greyville (poly) 23rd December
Going Standard
1000m (4) Captain Ellio 58,02
1400m (1) Missibaba 84,43
1600m (1) Secret Warning 97,24
2000m (2) Little Chapel 124,29
Turffontein (old) 24th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,38s slow
800m (1) Alpine Echo 45,81
1000m (2) Movie Show 57,16
1160m (1) Golddust Woman 68,91
1400m (2) Crystal Glamour 85,50
1600m (2) Romany Prince 97,99
Kenilworth (new) 24th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,8s slow
1000m (3) Sergeant Hardy 59,34
1100m (1) Tevez 65,49
1200m (1) It’s Complicated 73,74
1400m (1) Shall Be Free 87,97
1600m (2) Ferrero Rocha 102,82
2000m (1) King Of The Corn 126,59
