Just The Three

Another Planet

Flamingo Park 19 September: The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of the friendless THEED in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the former Natal campaigner was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 500m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the favourite ROSE CEREMONY by eight.

Another to win very easily on this card was STAR VOYAGER when registering her fourth career win from seventeen starts in the MR68 affair over 1000m. The top weight got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She struck the front 250m from home and drew clear easily from there onwards to beat the running on PRIDEOFTHENATION by four and a half.

The first of just two favourites to arrive was ED’S ANGEL in the MR76 affair over 1800m. She sat seventh of the eight for most of the journey, but the field was always tightly bunched and turning for home just four lengths covered all. She ran on best of all in the straight and after striking the front 200 out, she comfortably accounted for LINDA MY LOVE by a length.

Race seven on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1200m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 4yo MARKET WATCH. Nibbled at on course into 13/2 from 10’s, the son of Goldkeeper was positioned in the rear during the early part of the race. RICHINSTYLE meanwhile, the well supported favourite had raced closer to the pace in fifth and when that one took up the running 200m out, he looked to have done everything right. Market Watch ran on best of all at the business end of the race though and with the rest well beaten he got up in the very last stride.

Titbits

Detached at the rear turning for home in the MR66 affair over 1400m, CASH THE CHEQUE ran on well over the final 400m and did well to get up for fourth beaten just three lengths.

It was a similar story with SHIP’S LANTERN in the MR62 Handicap over the same distance. She too was detached at the rear turning for home and made up many lengths when third also beaten three lengths.

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Impressive Tresco

Clairwood 20 September: We saw some smart performances from maidens at the garden course on Tuesday, the most impressive of which was the newcomer TRESCO (32) in the girls 1450m event. Heavily supported into 2/1 second favourite from 4/1, Sean Tarry’s charge was a little slow into stride and very quickly found herself in the rear. She was easily eight lengths adrift turning for home and with the strongly fancied favourite SPORTY THONG making the running a win looked out of the question. Tresco quickened impressively at the business end of the race though and not only did she get up, but won going away by two. One to follow.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks was WINTER MISCHIEF (28) who opened his account at just the third time of asking in the 1800m event. Racing beyond sprint distances for the first time, Herman Brown’s charge touched 28/10 at one stage after opening up at 4/1. He was always in touch with the leaders and after taking up the running 300m from home, he easily drew clear.

A Conditions Plate over 1000m was next up and here we saw another smart performance from the up and coming RUBY CARTEL (81). Confidently ridden by champion jockey Anton Marcus, the daughter of Mogok was content to sit at the back of the eight for most of the journey. The field was always tightly bunched though and when the race began in earnest, she soon began to make headway. The Allan Robertson winner CHOCOLICIOUS also ran on stoutly in the closing stages of the race and with the rest left trailing in their wake, it was only by a neck that Ruby got the verdict.

A MR97 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and in what proved to be another very tight finish victory here went to the friendless PUNTA DEL ESTE (67). Allowed to ease right out to 12/1 from 7’s at the track, Dennis Drier’s charge was taken straight to the front and led throughout. He kept on determinedly over the final 400m and just had enough in hand to hold off the well supported favourite MIKE’S CHOICE (4/1 into 33/10) by the narrowest of margins. Also worthy of note in this race was the performance of EXCUSE MY FRENCH who finish well from off the pace to take third.

Titbits

Freely available at 66/1 on the off, the lesser fancied of Charles Laird’s three newcomers in the race PIRATE QUEEN finished strongly, and would have been more of a threat to the winner MARY STUART had she not raced very green.

INDIAN HAWK ran on well from the rear when a runner up to Shield The Sheik in the MR78 Handicap over 1450m.

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Five From Fourteen

Durbanville 21 September: The Mossman filly DAINTREE DANCER was backed as if unbeatable to win the opening maiden event over 1200m at the country course on Wednesday and she didn’t let down her supporters. Allowed to flirt with 6/10 at one point after opening up at double those odds, Glen Kotzen’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and made to work all the way to the wire by the easy to back ALPHA LADY, she only got the verdict by a half.

A maiden event over 1600m was next up and much easier a winner here was the nibbled at RUSH FOR JOHN (28). On leaving the stalls it was the fancied MOLLY R who elected to make the running whilst Rush For John raced close up in fifth. She quickened nicely early in the straight and after taking up the running 250m from home, she went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter.

Race five on the card was a novice 1200m and here it was nice to see the Fort Wood gelding LORD FORT WOOD find his form. He raced in the rear during the early part of the race and as they came off the bend, he still had a few lengths to make up. Once in the straight though, he ran on best of all and under a typically confident looking ride from Andrew Fortune, he got up late to score by three quarters.

A MR91 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw another nice performance from the Joey Ramsden trained MAXIXE (67). Freely available at 5/1 on the off, Maxixe got away well when the gates opened and adopting a change of tactics here raced handy. She was asked to take up the running going through the 200m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat SILVER APPLES by a length and a quarter. Maxixe has now won five from fourteen and clearly won’t be stopping here.

Titbits

After not getting the clearest of runs in the home straight, runner up MOZART MEMORIAL only really got going when the winner had flown in the maiden event over 2400m.

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Money Horse

Vaal 22^nd September: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where victory in the opening maiden event over 1600m went to the well supported favourite BURJ DUBAI. Sent off a clear market leader at 75/20 after opening up as one of four co favourites at 9/2, Tyrone Zackey’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the lightly raced SUN ROOM finished well from midfield, he went on to score very comfortably by a length and a half.

The most impressive performance in the maiden ranks was undoubtedly that of the Roy Magner trained SHATTERED IMAGE in the girl’s 1200m event. The easy to back RESOUNDING SUCCESS made the running and clearly cruising going through the 400m it looked as if she might go on to make all. Shattered Image meanwhile had raced in the rear and even at that stage of the race looked unlikely to make the frame let alone win. Once into stride though, the well supported outsider (25/1 into 10/1) fairly flew and got up late in eye catching fashion. One for the notebook.

Race six on the card was a MR76 Handicap over 1450m and here it was nice to see the Announce filly END OF SEASON back in the winner’s enclosure. In touch with the leaders throughout, the top weighted End Of Season quickened well at the business end of the race and after striking the front some 270m from home, she drew clear easily late to score by six.

The lucky last was a MR72 Handicap over 1000m and here followers of the money were on the mark when the heavily supported HORSE OF JOSIAH did the business. Backed throughout the day into 7/2 from 8/1, Paul Peter’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and with some in hand, he comfortably accounted for the easy to back EL CIELO by three and a quarter.

Titbits

Former Cape Town campaigner FORT LODGE ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR72 Handicap over 1800m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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