Full Of Life
Scottsville 22nd May: They raced in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday where four of the eight races were staged over 1200m.The fastest of these was the MR94 Handicap won by ELUSIVENCHANTMENT. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, Duncan Howells’ charge raced with the pace throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won fair and square by three quarters from SHEZALEADER.
A pinnacle stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here victory went to the former Cape Town campaigner ASSTAR. Having his first outing since joining the stable of Garth Puller, the son of Ashaawes lost two lengths at the start and raced at the back. He ran on best of all at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the 12/10 favourite GUINESS.
The faster of the two Juvenile Plates that got proceedings underway was the girl’s affair won by BLAZE OF MYSTERY. She broke well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led throughout. She was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and a half.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the lightly raced ROYAL LIFE when winning the MR88 Handicap over 1600m. Always handy, Alistair Gordon’s charge took up the running at the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the always handy favourite NEVER SETTLE by three and three quarters.
Titbits
HORSE GUARDS followed up on his easy five length debut win with a comfortable victory in the boy’s division of the juvenile plate over 1200m.
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Flying Start
Vaal 24th May: The action took place on the new classic track on Tuesday where all three of the 1200m races were won by the horse setting the pace. Recording the fastest time in these was FIRST DANCE when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR92 Handicap. Drawn in pole position, the daughter of Danehill Dancer was very quickly in command of a length and a half advantage. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and despite the efforts of the chasing CROWN OF ROSES, she went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
The MR86 Handicap was the faster of the two 1000m races and here it was nice to see the 3yo AL AZRAQ recover his earlier form. A little troublesome at the start, Clinton Binda’s charge raced at the back early on. Once given rein though, he quickened best of all and comfortably accounted for the more fancied MAGIC after striking the front 150m or so from home.
They also ran two races over 1450m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when VIKING CASTLE registered his second career victory in the MR68 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 11/1 from 14’s, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge took a bump shortly after the start and raced in midfield. He ran on well when the race began in earnest, and after getting the better of WOZA MADODA 100m out, he went on to score by a length.
Titbits
Two lengths clear throughout the newcomer BONNIE DAWN was always in command when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
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Destined For Success
Greyville 25th May: Three of the nine races at Greyville’s poly track meeting on Wednesday afternoon were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the recent maiden winner COASTAL SPELL when completing a quick double in the MR70 Handicap. Sent off a co-second favourite at 6/1, Dennis Drier’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well coming off the bend and kept on strongly after striking the front 250m out to beat RIVER COURSE by three quarters.
They also ran three races over 1900m and quickest home here was KITTY’S DESTINY when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR95 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was THIRTYTWO SQUADRON who somewhat predictably made the running whilst the son of Argonaut raced close up in fourth. He made his move as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the well supported 2/1 favourite DEPUTY JUD by a length and a half.
The faster of the two maiden plates that had gotten proceedings underway was the boy’s affair won by ANTE OMNIA. Returning from a four month layoff here, the son of Speightstown was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest some four and a half lengths adrift, he beat the favourite HEJIRA by a length.
Titbits
Guarding the rear as the ten runners turned for home, the newcomer SOLDIER’S BRIDE ran on strongly over the final 400m and only failed by a neck to land the girls’ division of the maiden plate over 1200m.
Having only his second career outing here, SILVER ROSE ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up very late to win the maiden plate over 1600m.
Now a winner of three from five FERRIE completed a hat-trick when comfortably accounting for his eleven rivals in the graduation plate over 1000m.
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Flashy Double
Vaal 26th May: There were a number of very easy victories at the Vaal’s inside track meeting on Thursday and none more so than that of MALINGA when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1700m. Backed into favouritism at the track (33/10 into 2/1), Alec Laird’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by just over six.
There were three races run over 1700m in total and the fastest of these was the MR86 Handicap won by NETFLIX. Just seven went to post and although the son of Tiger Ridge was content to sit in the rear for most of the journey, he was only three lengths off the pace when the race began in earnest. He struck the front 100m out and kept on strongly late to beat the determined SEVEN SINGLE by a half.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1400m was the girls’ affair in which we saw a smart performance from the 8/10 favourite MALEFICENT. On leaving the stalls it was the consistent, but limited MIGHT AS WELL who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Judpot raced handy in fourth. She put her head in front as they approached the 200m pole and won going away by five and a half.
Titbits
Backed into 33/10 from 6’s, ENAAD ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the MR86 Handicap over 2400m very easily by four.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Laventelhaan 35
Race 2: (1) Emmypot 28
Race 3: (2) Consonance 17
Race 4: (6) Alpha Girl 20
Race 5: (12) Special Effects 4
Race 6: (9) Summer Cruise 78
Race 7: (1) Aspen Fire 12 (EW)
Race 8: (18) Tall Ship 42
Scottsville (sat)
Race 1: (7) Qeyaadah 6
Race 2: (6) Streets Of Gold 11
Race 3: (9) Roy’s Winter Patch 60
Race 4: (13) Royal Tree 63
Race 5: (8) The Secret Is Out 51
Race 6: (4) Oomph 51
Race 7: (1) Carry On Alice 95 (NAP*)
Race 8: (3) Captain Alfredo 106
Race 9: (10) Between The Sheets 46
Race 10: (10) Obrega 37
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (10) Whose That Girl 10 (EW)
Race 2: (3) Moulina 7
Race 3: (6) Streaming 22
Race 4: (1) Navasha 17
Race 5: (2) Kirumbo 59
Race 6: (10) Secret Society 66
Race 7: (3) Star Academy 40
Race 8: (1) Show Stealer 9
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (10) Shortstop 8
Race 2: (6) Might As Well 1
Race 3: (1) Flying Dream 10
Race 4: (7) Angel’s Smile 8
Race 5: (5) Diamond Conker 16
Race 6: (5) Profit Ratio 77
Race 7: (11) Luca Delago 47
Race 8: (6) Premier Chance 59
Race 9: (11) King’s Summit 52
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Top rated winners last week included
Royal Life won 10/1
Deputy Ryder won 6/1
Bank The Cash won 3/1
Winter Breeze won 18/10
Captain’s Flame won 2/1
Lady Linda won 2/1
Equator won 18/10
Brave Queen won 13/10
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Notebook:
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Ferrie (D Drier, KZN)
Maleficent (A Laird, Gauteng)
Soldier’s Bride (W Whitehead, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 22nd May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Asstar 56,33
1200m (4) Elusivenchantment 67,64
1400m (1) Lavender Bank 86,00
1600m (1) Royal Life 95,71
2400m (1) Bank The Cash 152,37
Vaal (classic) 24th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (2) Al Azraq 56,34
1200m (3) First Dance 69,93
1450m (2) Viking Castle 86,90
1800m (1) Sheet Weaver 110,48
2000m (1) Shepherds Warning 123,09
Greyville (poly) 25th May
Going Rain Affected
1000m (1) Ferrie 56,58
1200m (2) Ante Omnia 70,43
1600m (3) Coastal Spell 95,96
1900m (3) Kitty’s Destiny 114,82
Vaal (inside) 26th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Quattro 57,47
1200m (1) William Nicol 69,29
1400m (2) Maleficent 82,70
1700m (3) Netflix 101,78
2400m (1) Enaad 148,41
