Solid Base
Greyville 26th August: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway on the turf on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the Dennis Drier trained newcomer HARD CORE. Nibble at on course to go off second favourite at 61/20, the son of Silvano was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to score with authority by two.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was SYLVESTER THE CAT in the MR82 Handicap. There was no pace on in the early stages of the race, and it was still a relatively sedate affair after the winner took up the running. The 6yo kept on strongly when the race developed into a sprint in the straight, and in a race where less than a length and a half covered the first seven home, he got the verdict by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the faster of the two was the pinnacle stakes in which CAMPHORATUS caused a major upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the six horse party at 22/1, the Byword filly raced fifth for most of the journey. She quickened best of all at the top of the straight and won well by a length and a half from another easy to back runner in RAES’ DYNA JET.
Titbits
Now a winner of three from five, the 4yo PERFECT AIR completed a smart hat-trick when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1400m going away.
Ruling The Pace
Vaal 28th August: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where three of the afternoon’s eight races took place over 1200m. The assessment plate was comfortably the fastest of these and here victory went to the 3yo RULE THE NIGHT. Nibbled at on course to go off third in the betting market at 4/1, the Var gelding led throughout. He was always a couple clear and although the favourite BIEN VENUE chased hard over the final 300m, he failed to make any impression.
The event for professional riders was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m maiden plates that opened up the meeting and getting off the mark here was Rule The Night’s stable companion SINGFONICO. Pitched in against a very moderate bunch in this his thirteenth race in the maidens, Toby Spies’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 300m and won going away by four and three quarters.
They also ran two races over 1600m and quickest home in these was ELECTROMAGNETIC in the maiden plate for 3yo’s. He lost two lengths when the gates opened and raced at the back early on. He moved up to dictate matters with the always handy INDY ICE 200m out, and after a thrilling tussle all the way to the wire, he only got the verdict on the nod.
Titbits
PATROL OFFICER (midfield) and the newcomer PALACE GREEN (rear) both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m.
Rivals Outgunned
Greyville 29th August: Racing returned to Greyville on Wednesday where the action took place on the poly track. A MR89 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and in what proved to be by far the faster of the two events over the distance, the 5yo GUNNER registered his third career victory. Racing off a mark some 25 points below that of his earlier best, the son of Gimmethegreenlight was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and after quickly skipping clear, he won with authority by two.
Another to win with authority on this card was ILLUMINATE when gaining her second career victory in the MR62 Handicap over 1900m. In touch with the leaders throughout, Dennis Drier’s charge hit the front 300m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by four.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was GORGEOUS GUEST in the MR62 Handicap. Nibbled at on course to go off a clear favourite at 26/10, Alyson Wright’s charge attempted to make all. She was briefly headed by MITRA MUSIC going through the 200m, but after quickly regaining the lead, she bolted clear to score by three and a half.
Titbits
AMBER FURST ran on well from midfield when easily accounting for her eleven rivals in the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
Soldiering On
Vaal 30th August: The feature event at the Vaal’s classic track on Thursday was a MR93 Handicap over 1600m and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events on the afternoon the 4yo PUGET SOUND registered his fourth career victory. Sent off as the lesser fancied of trainer Mike De Kock’s two runners, Puget Sound made all. He was always travelling well and won without any anxious moments from the luckless SOLDIER ON. The runner up battled to find a clear passage and only really got going when the race had been won.
The MR89 affair was the faster of the two handicaps over 1450m and here the stable of Mike De Kock were again on the mark when GIMME HOPE JOHANNA showed further improvement. Always top of the boards, the Seventh Rock filly was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to hold off her running on stable companion ONLY TO WIN.
They also staged two races over 2400m and quickest home here was BRAND NEW CADILLAC in the MR68 Handicap. Easy to back at 13/1 at the off, Gary Alexander’s charge led throughout. He raced a length and a half clear for most of the journey and although DESERT SUNSET ran on strongly over the final 400m, he still had a good half-length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
After running on stoutly from midfield, PRETTY BALLERINA won the MR84 Handicap over 1800m going away with some in hand.
Gimmetheprize
Fairview 31st August: The non-Black type Founders Trophy over 1600m topped the bill on Friday’s poly track card and here victory went to the Yvette Bremner trained GIMME THE STARS. Always in touch with the leaders, the Gimmethegreenlight gelding was ridden to lead 150m out and only had to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race to keep DESERT WISDOM at bay.
The MR60 affair was the faster of the two low grade handicaps over 1000m and here the easy to back TOKAVAR stole first prize. Well clear of a strung out field turning for home, Gavin Smith’s charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the pack headed by GOTOLUVHER were closing in quickly late on, she still had a length and a half to spare at the wire.
They also ran two races over 1300m and not surprisingly the quicker here was the MR86 Handicap won by the favourite CAPTAIN MARMALADE. Confidently ridden by Greg Cheyne, the top weight sat in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all in the short home straight, and with the rest well beaten, he comfortably accounted for the front running VALENTINIK by two.
Titbits
MULTI GOLD made up many lengths from the backend of midfield when winning the MR74 Handicap over 2200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (12) Seattle Empress 10
Race 2: (2) Sport Chic 10
Race 3: (5) Ess El Kay 34
Race 4: (6) Game Girl 39
Race 5: (8) Chappaquiddick 40
Race 6: (9) Rocksette 61
Race 7: (10) Apoc 41
Race 8: (7) Don’t Stop Dancing 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (11) Takatul 6
Race 2: (5) Abelie 21
Race 3: (1) An Air Of Success 40
Race 4: (3) Rouge Allure 68
Race 5: (11) Patric 38
Race 6: (9) Shelly 55
Race 7: (3) Finchatton 79
Race 8: (4) Zouaves 90 (NAP*)
Race 9: (8) Virginia Moon 32
Race 10: (2) Arte 59
Race 11: (8) Savannah King 48
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Spy 24
Race 2: (11) Run To Denmark 18
Race 3: (13) Vomandla 25
Race 4: (11) Astrapi 50
Race 5: (6) Sister Soozie 63
Race 6: (1) Tevez 79
Race 7: (11) Sunshine Lady 31
Race 8: (13) Vascostreettractor 23
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Holy Land 14
Race 2: (6) Sorceress 52
Race 3: (9) Anime 95
Race 4: (8) Strummer 31
Race 5: (8) Gold Chalice 39
Race 6: (6) Queen’s Plain 44
Race 7: (7) Little Audrey 17
Race 8: (10) Bridal Veil 51
Top rated winners last week included
Singfonico won 15/1
Pretty Ballerina won 11/1
Dom Seguidor won 10/1
Essenceoflife won 10/1
Playlist won 113/20
Patrol Officer won 15/4
Perfect Air won 14/10
White Lightning won 21/20
Notebook:-
Soldier On (S Pettigrew, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 26th August
Penetrometer 24 – G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,43s slow
1000m (1) Kateecador 58,50
1200m (1) Hard Core 73,10
1400m (3) Sylvester The Cat 85,50
1600m (2) Camphoratus 97,00
2000m (1) Dom Seguidor 126,50
Vaal (outside) 28th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,39s slow
1000m (2) Singfonico 58,18
1200m (3) Rule The Night 70,22
1400m (1) Tsitsikamma Dance 82,91
1600m (2) Electromagnetic 97,14
Greyville (poly) 29th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,79s slow
1200m (2) Essenceoflife 71,69
1400m (3) Gorgeous Guest 84,75
1600m (2) Gunner 95,84
1900m (1) Illuminate 116,16
Vaal (classic) 30th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,30s slow
1450m (2) Gimme Hope Johanna 86,72
1600m (2) Puget Sound 96,27
1800m (1) Pretty Ballerina 111,54
2000m (1) Pokemon Shuffle 125,40
2400m (2) Brand New Cadillac 152,45
Fairview (poly) 31st August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,15s fast
1000m (2) Pen-Chan 58,39
1300m (2) Captain Marmalade 74,60
1600m (2) Gimme The Stars 95,24
1900m (1) American Captain 117,03
2200m (1) Multi Gold 136,61
