Jetting In

Impressive Juveniles

Clairwood 7^th April: Followers of the money got off to a nice start at the garden course on Sunday when the well supported favourite BIG CAT DIARY (7/2 into 22/10) did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. The first of four winners on the card for champion jockey Anton Marcus, the son of Tiger Hunt was always handy. He took up the running as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the outsider ALDRIC by two and a quarter.

The first of the two juvenile features to be run was the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes and here we saw an impressive performance from the newcomer ROYALSECURITYBABY. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (7/1 out to 25/1), Kom Naidoo’s charge lost a length at the start and very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. On reaching the 500m pole though, the daughter of Choisir quickened in good style and with the rest well beaten she did very well indeed to collar to the free striding PRINCESS JULIETTA in the very last stride.

Just as impressive was the performance of NORMANZ when winning the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over the same 1100m. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus the Var colt led throughout. He was visibly cruising going through the 400m and went on to score very easily by four and a quarter despite being eased down before the line.

Another to win comfortably from the front on this card was SWEET LILY in maiden 1600m. She raced two lengths clear throughout and won without any anxious moments.

Titbits

PECAN came from the back when winning the girls’ maiden event over 2000m going away by a length and a quarter.

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Scottsville 9^th April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the heavily supported SPRITZER. Backed into favouritism at the track (16/10 into 8/10), Kom Naidoo’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and with the rest well beaten he easily accounted for the newcomer PETER CULTURE by two and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks was the newcomer ADAPT OR DYE in the girls’ 1200m event. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the daughter of Way West raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well from halfway and under a well judged ride from Jarryd Samuel, she got up late to win going away.

The fastest of the four 1200m races on the card was a graduation plate where as expected the finish was fought out by the form horses BARBOSA and TEVEZ. It was the locally trained Barbosa who elected to make the running whilst Tevez (the 7/10 favourite) in a closely grouped field sat third. Tevez ran on stoutly at the business end of the race, but try as he might he couldn’t get the better of Barbosa, who kept on to score by a neck.

The day ended as it had begun with champion jockey Anton Marcus in the winner’s enclosure. He got away well aboard the strongly fancied SOARING FREE and led from pillar to post. The Strike Smartly gelding was always travelling well and led by a length and a quarter throughout.

Titbits

The front running ADMIRAL’S EYE found extra after being headed 200m and went on to win the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m in good style after regaining the lead 100m out.

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Thrilling Stuff

Durbanville 10^th April: They raced at the country course on Wednesday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m went to the 8/10 favourite TSOTSOMA. A close up fourth to the subsequent listed race winner KITTI CAT last time out, Tsotsoma was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for 12/1 shot NEED FOR SPEED by two and three quarters.

The faster of the two 1400m maiden events on the card was the boy’s division in which the strongly fancied FINNIGAN duly obliged. Deep in the red at 11/20 on the off (op 11/10), Yogis Govender’s charge led throughout. He had to give his all over the final 200m and just held on by a neck from the steadily gaining SIR ROBERT.

Three of the eight races on the card were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR88 Handicap in which the uneasy favourite ZE KAISER narrowly prevailed. On leaving the stalls it was MASTER BARRY who elected to make the running whilst Mike Bass’ charge raced fifth. He was ridden to lead passing the 100 pole and at that stage it looked as if he would go on to score comfortably. The lightly weighted Master Barry (in receipt of 7,5kg) rallied gamely once headed though, and very steadily gaining at the finish, he only failed to get back up by the narrowest of margins.

Another tight finish was to be had in the lucky last, a MR70 Handicap over 1600m, where the well supported favourite LUNA DE VICTORIA landed the spoils. Backed into 22/10 from 4/1at the track, Brett Crawford’s got away well from her pole position draw and was always poised to strike. She moved up to dispute matters with the gutsy MOIKA DANCER 100m out and after a thrilling tussle she only got the verdict on the nod.

Titbits

TIGER ISLAND ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.

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Well Bowled

Vaal 11^th April: Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where the easiest victory in the maiden ranks was recorded by ROYAL COOKIE in the girls’ 1200m event. Deep in the red at 4/10 on the off, Sean Tarry’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though she quickly began to work her way through the field. She struck the front shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.

The fastest of the four 1200m events on the card was the MR68 Handicap in which the 3yo BALUGA put in a smart performance. Allowed to ease right out to 11/2 from 33/10 at the track, Weiho Marwing’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She made her move as they approached the 500m pole and went on to score with authority by three and a half after striking the front 300m later.

The most impressive performance of the afternoon though was undoubtedly that of the Geoff Woodruff trained YORKER in winning the bill topping MR82 Handicap over 1700m. Heavily supported throughout the afternoon (18/10 into 17/20), the son of Jet Master was positioned in the rear when the race began in earnest. He cut through the field like a knife when asked for his effort and cruised clear to win by six after hitting the front 250m out. Yorker broke the course record here.

Titbits

Heavily supported DUCHESS TRENTON (5/1 into 22/10) didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the rear to take second position in the MR68 Handicap over 2000m.

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Top rated winners last week included

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