King Has The Power

Rhapsodic Composition

Vaal 20th May: Favourite backers got off to a good start at Tuesday’s inside track meeting when TIGER WOULD did the business in the opening maiden plate over 2000m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and in a race where only a length and a quarter separated the first four home he just held off the determined challenge of DYNAMITE JIM by a neck. Back in fifth beaten just two and a quarter was INN AGREEMMENT. He had raced in the rear and was finishing best of all.
At the other end of the scale the biggest winning margin was the 3,25 lengths recorded by TZIGANE in the MR89 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 9/1 on the off (op 5’s), Barend Botes’ charge raced in midfield early on. She cut through the field quickly from the halfway mark and won going away after striking the front 220m or so from home.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR91 Handicap won by VULCAN. Taken straight to the front in what soon became a strung out field, the 5yo son of Kahal attempted to make all. He was briefly headed by DE VAR HYT 150m out, but rallied gamely below the distance to score by a neck.
The lightly raced J’S OUTSIDER found good support to win the MR80 affair over 2400m and the Miesque’s Approval gelding didn’t let down his followers. Confidently ridden by Marco Van Rensburg, J’s Outsider sat in midfield for most of the journey. He moved through to take up the running going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to fend off the running on KINGSTON MINES.
Titbits
SUNDAYS SISTER ran on well from midfield and did have the rest some 4,75 lengths in arrears when runner up in the maiden 1700m.

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Assuming Command

Durbanville 21st May: Backed as if unbeatable to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1300m at the country course on Wednesday was the Lonhro colt THE CONGLOMERATE. Deep in the red at 11/20 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced towards the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well after having to switch out for a run 250m from home and comfortably accounted for his only serious rival in the betting market VALERIN by a length and a quarter. This was the fastest of the three 1300m races on the card.
Another to land the spoils after having to switch out for a run was FRENCH LASS in the maiden 1600m. Running on stoutly from the rear, Glen Kotzen’s charge finished by far the best once seeing daylight and did well to collar the well exposed TOBESURETOBESURE close home.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR88 Handicap over 2400m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite PRIVATE DOOWALEY. On leaving the stalls it was HOLD ON TIGER who elected to make the running whilst Alan Higgins’ charge raced close up in fourth. The second favourite SURRUPTITIOUS was the first to make a move and struck the front at the 400m pole. Private Doowaley always had him in his sights though and once given rein he quickly took command.
Titbits
In the rear early on the newcomer KARKLOOF ran on stoutly after switching out for a run 300m from home when beaten less than half a length in the second division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1300m.

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Mine All Mine

Vaal 22nd May: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m went to the favourite MISSMASALA. The friendless LADY LIBERTY (4/1 out to 10/1) made the early running whilst Sean Tarry’s charge raced close up in second. She moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and won well by a length and three quarters.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was IMPERIAL KING in the 1450m event. Soon at the head of affairs, the well supported son of Jay Peg (7/1 into 3/1) raced clear throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four and a half.
The biggest winning margin on the afternoon was recorded by the well exposed MERLINS GEM in the girls’ division of the maiden 1450m. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Brett Webber’s charge struck the front 250m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by six and a quarter.
A conditions plate over 1450m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy front running performance from the 3yo Jet Master filly BE MINE TONIGHT. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Ryan Munger, Dominic Zaki’s charge kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and although the favourite SILENT FORCE gave her all in a bid to get on terms, she didn’t relinquish an inch of her advantage.
Titbits
Lightly raced THE RED TZAR ran on strongly from well off the pace when third beaten a length and a half in the maiden plate over 1000m.

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Powerful Sail

Fairview 23rd May: The Windrush gelding BLAST was all the rage to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m in Port Elizabeth on Friday, but unfortunately for his followers he had to settle for second. Allowed to flirt with 1/3 at one stage, Yvette Bremner’s charge raced some three lengths off the pace in fifth for most of the journey. The friendless TACITUS (16/1 out to 40/1) made the running and going through the 400m was showing no signs of stopping. Indeed, he found extra at the business end of the race and although Blast ran on strongly he couldn’t get within a length and a half at the wire.
A juvenile plate for the girls over 1400m was next up and here we saw a gutsy performance from another unfancied runner in PRICELESS SAIL. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the daughter of Sail From Seattle broke well and was soon at the helm. She was headed by the more fancied HOLLYWOOD SUNSET going through the 600m, but rallying gamely when the race began in earnest she got back up late to score by a half.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by BRIDGE TOO FAR in the maiden 1000m. Well supported on course to go off as one of three co-favourites at 7/2, the Trippi filly was taken straight to the front by Francois Herholdt and led throughout. She was always in command and ran out a comfortable winner by three and a half.
Titbits
BRIDE’S DOWRY and MO’PEPPER both ran on strongly from the rear when 1st and 3rd respectively in the MR63 Handicap over 1400m
WOGSY came from the backend of midfield when winning the MR74 Handicap over 1400m very comfortably by a length and three quarters.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

Karkloof (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape)
The Conglomerate (J Ramsden, W-Cape)

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