An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
Nicolette Roscoe and Peter Mzanyelwa Maqelana lead in Give Me Everything (Craig Zackey) as Julius Zingisile Mbungendlu (back, left) looks on (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
In Time Is Money we look at some of the past weekend’s highlights.
Hollywoodbets Greyville 31 March (originally scheduled for 28 March)
Track Condition
Going: Good to Soft
Penetrometer: 26
Rain: Last 24 hours 3mm – Last 7 days 85mm
Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 15mm
False Rail: Nil with a 2m spur
Wind: 10-30km/h North North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 1,51s slow
Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes (3yo fillies) 1400m
Gimmie’s Countess was best in at the weights on merit ratings, and with her stable companions winning the previous two races, it was not surprising to see this daughter of Gimmethegreenlight sent off deep in the red at 4/10. On leaving the stalls it was the hard held Green Sapphire who made the running whilst Dean Kannemeyer’s charge (lost a length at start) sat close up in third. The pace wasn’t a good one though. Indeed, the first half of the race was run over 3 seconds slower than that of the Byerley Turk! Barely more than 4 lengths covered all entering the straight and the race in real terms developed into a 500m sprint. The pacemaker Green Sapphire ran on determinedly under replacement rider S’manga Khumalo, and although the market leader got up for second, she couldn’t make any impression on the winner.
Gr3 Byerley Turk (3yo’s) 1400m
By far the faster of the two Gr3 features for 3yo’s, this race was run at a good pace throughout. Golden Rule made the running and raced two and a half lengths clear for most of the journey. Meanwhile in the box seat in third sat the only filly in the race, OXALIS GOLD, and she was always doing it easily. She only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 200m from home, and in a time 1,74 seconds faster than that of the Umzimkhulu Stakes, she went on to score in very good style.
KwaZulu-Natal Stakes (NBT) 1200m
Although the second fastest of the six 1200m races on the card, this non-black type event was not a comparatively fast run race. Indeed, they were very tightly bunched entering the straight and the race developed into more of a 500m sprint. Celtic Beauty led them in whilst the 15/10 favourite TEFLON MAN (cast a shoe in running) raced close up in Sixth. Teflon Man was always travelling well and after taking up the running 100m out, he found extra to hold off the running on African Skyline by a half.
Quickies
Running on from the rear to land the Class 3 (f&m) over 1600m, Give Me Everything recorded by far the fastest 400m – finish time of the afternoon (21,18) and won with some in hand. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge has now won four in a row and clearly has more improvement to come.
Fastest Times:
1200m (6) Bevies Delight 71,98
1400m (2) Oxalis Gold 84,93
400-finish Give Me Everything 21,18
Notebook:
Give Me Everything (D Kannemeyer)
Oxalis Gold (Mike/Matthew De Kock)
Turffontein 29 March
Track Condition
Going: Good to Soft
Penetrometer: 26
Rain: Last 24hrs Nil – Last seven days 58mm
Irrigation: Last seven days Nil
False Rail: Zero back straight to 5,5m on bend with 5,5m spur at 700m
Wind: 7-24km/h North Westerly cross/head wind
Course Variant: 1,61 slow straight – 3,82s slow bend
HKJC World Pool Gr Premier’s Champions Challenge 2000m
One of four Gr1 races on this prestigious card, the Champions Challenge boasted prize money totaling R2m. Highlighted in this column’s notebook when a fast finishing runner up in the Gr1 SA Classic last time out, FIRE ATTACK left the stalls, a well-supported favourite at 13/10. The initial pace was not good and positioned towards the rear, jockey Fourie, cleverly, circled runners going through the 1800m and moved up into second position. The pace was still not a strong one and with the field tightly bunched turning for home the race developed into a sprint. Fire Attack struck the front approaching the 400m pole and challenged strongly by the running on Royal Victory below the distance, he then found extra to score by a neck.
TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint
Run at a good pace throughout, the Computaform Sprint was not surprisingly, the fastest of the five sprint races on the card. Backed into odds on at the track, the winner WILLIAM ROBERTSON raced in the middle of what was a tightly grouped field early. He moved up smartly going through the 400m and after striking the front 200m later, he kept on strongly late to beat the running on filly Golden Sickle by a neck.
TAB Gr1 SA Derby & Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks
Although by far the faster of the two 2450m events on the twelve-race program, the Derby was still falsely run. The winner LEGEND OF ARTHUR raced at the back of the thirteen for most of the journey and was easily ten lengths off the leader. The pace did begin to slow on the latter part of the bend though, and going through the 600m just three lengths covered most. Sean Tarry’s charge cut through the field quickly in the long home straight and after joining both Wild Intent and Solar Sail at the 200m marker, he narrowly got the better of a thrilling three-way finish.
Won in a time two seconds slower than that of the Derby, it was amazing to see that the 4/10 favourite FIERY PEGASUS was given a very soft lead in the Oaks. Racing from the front for the first time in her career, the Captain Of All filly was allowed to bowl off in front as if a 50/1 shot. Indeed, rounding the home turn she was easily 8 lengths clear. The pace had been equivalent to that of the Derby early on, and again the pace slowed rounding the second half of the long home turn. The times from there onward clearly show that the winner slowed considerably, and as a result another very tight finish was to be had. The runner up World Of Alice (troublesome loading and lost 2 lengths at the start) had raced some thirteen lengths behind the winner, and running on best of all at the business end of the race, she only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins. The stewards had every right to ask some serious questions here, but they didn’t.
Quickies
The time of race 3 was incorrect. We timed it at 69,86
Fastest Times:
1160m (2) Green Diamond 69,86
1400m (2) Main Defender 86,72
1600m (2) Fatal Flaw 101,23
2450m (2) Legend Of Arthur 159,61
