Serious Horse Play
Vaal 13th November: Somewhat unusually, four of the nine races at the Vaal on Tuesday were run over 2400m. The Assessment Plate was by far the fastest of these and here victory went to the heavily supported HORSEPLAY. Backed into favouritism at the track, Robbie Sage’s charge was always handy. He assumed command 400m out and easily accounted for the well exposed VILLAGE DEEP by four.
Three of the five remaining races were staged over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the 4yo GALACTIC WARRIOR. Allowed to drift right out to 18/1 from 7’s before the off, the son of Querari also raced close to the pace. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten he got up to deny the front running REBEL RENEGADE.
A work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the favourite AMERICAN HUSTLE. In the red at the off, Paul Peter’s charge sat in midfield during the early part of the race. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m marker and went on to score with authority by three.
Titbits
Lightly raced RUSTLING LEAF was finishing at least as well as the first two when third in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
Six Hitters
Greyville 14th November: The only distance to stage more than one race on Wednesday afternoon’s poly track card was 1600m. The first division of the MR64 Handicap for the girls was the fastest of these and here it was nice to see EDEN GARDENS GLITZ gain a well-deserved second career victory. Positioned eighth of the eleven coming off the bend, Doug Campbell’s charge ran on stoutly over the final 450m and under a well-judged ride from Donavan Dillon, she got up close home.
At the other end of the scale there were a number of very easy victories on the card and none more so than that of Sporting Post’s best bet NERIA in the maiden plate over 1600m. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the 13/10 favourite led throughout. She quickened nicely at the top of the straight and went on to score very easily by six and three quarters.
Anton Marcus also finished over six lengths clear in the maiden plate over 1900m when guiding the lightly raced SECRET DYNASTY to victory. Stepping up in distance here, Dennis Bosch’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and quickly skipped clear.
Titbits
Third in the second division of the MR64 Handicap over 1600m, GREEN ICE took a bump 450m out, had to switch 300m out, and was then baulked for a run 100m out.
Beaten just 0,3 lengths, JOSEPHINE BAKER ran on well from the rear when dead-heating for third in the MR68 Handicap over 2000m.
Women In Black
Kenilworth 15th November: Surprisingly the fastest of the three 1000m races in Cape Town on Thursday was the opening maiden plate won by the KZN raider MASTAGAMBIT. Always top of the boards, Dennis Drier charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the second favourite SILVA’S FLING by two.
The visiting stable of Dennis Drier were also on the mark in the fastest of the three 1600m events, the bill topping pinnacle stakes, when LADY IN BLACK registered her fifth career victory from just ten starts. Always handy in a race that still looked wide open 250m from home, the daughter of Dynasty finished best of all and won going away from the favourite OH SUSANNA.
The final race on the card was a MR90 Handicap over 1000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Brett Crawford trained PACIFIC TRADER. Taken straight to the front by stable jockey Piere Orffer, the 4yo Sail From Seattle gelding led throughout. He was always in command and won well by two and a half from the in form WHAT A WINNER.
Titbits
The 15/1 shot SUMMER OLIMPICS came from the rear when getting up late to deny the front running ROCK ON WOOD in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m.
Flying High
Turffontein 15th November: Making his first appearance for over six months, and that over a trip well short of his best, LEGAL EAGLE showed his well-being in no uncertain terms when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1160m. Not surprisingly caught for early toe, Sean Tarry’s charge raced at the back and was still a good five and a half lengths off the pace going through the 400m. He fairly flew at the business end of the race and got up late to beat the always handy PINNACLE PEAK.
Three of the evenings’ eight races were staged over 1000m and quickest home amongst these was the aptly named ROSE IN BLOOM when landing the listed Gardenia Stakes. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced seventh of the nine early on. She ran on stoutly when the early effort began to take its toll on the strong front runner KISSABLE, and after striking the front 70m from home she won well.
The Gr3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the Mike De Kock trained TAKINGTHEPEACE. Backed into favouritism at the track, the daughter of Visionaire was always in touch with the leaders. She ran on strongly in the long home straight and with the benefit of first run, she got the better of SABINA’S DYNASTY by three quarters.
Titbits
KILRAIN was finishing best of all when beaten less than half a length in the MR92 Handicap over 1800m.
Winning In Style
Fairview 16th November: Five of the eight races at Friday’s turf meeting were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these, a MR87 Handicap, was JUST MY STYLE. Allowed to ease in the betting market out to 6/1 from 7/2, the bottom weight was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 100m pole and kept on strongly late to score by a length.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by AFRICAN VICTORY in the MR85 Handicap over 1200m. Positioned fourth of seven in what was always a very tightly bunched field, the 13/1 shot quickened best of all over the final 400m, and won going away by three and a half.
Another to win with authority on this card was MADAME SPEAKER in the Guineas Plate (3yo’s) over 1600m. Confidently ridden by Greg Cheyne, the daughter of Pathfork sat fifth for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead 150m out and won going away by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The top weight DOUBLE BLACK quickened nicely late when coming from the rear to win the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Money Buys Love 4
Race 2: (2) The Donegal Man 2
Race 3: (7) Beautiful Beat 11
Race 4: (5) Data Link 39 (EW)
Race 5: (4) Magic Sailor 41
Race 6: (11) Aviemore 37
Race 7: (1) Afrikaburn 69
Race 8: (11) Berry Crush 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Laptop Wizard 4
Race 2: (2) Mighty And Magic 64
Race 3: (8) Emily Hobhouse 47
Race 4: (7) Volcanic Sunset 45
Race 5: (7) Pilou 66
Race 6: (8) Brave Zndaya 32
Race 7: (10) Swing Vote 42
Race 8: (2) National Park 79
Race 9: (2) Ronnie’s Candy 65
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Cradleofgratitude 16
Race 2: (2) Made To Conquer 78
Race 3: (3) Elusive Fortune 4
Race 4: (3) Santa Clara 56
Race 5: (2) Sergeant Hardy 99
Race 6: (1) Cirillo 45
Race 7: (1) Chimichuri Run 63
Race 8: (7) Magic Mary 62
Race 9: (1) Crome Yellow 18
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Lady Wisteria 25 (NAP**)
Race 2: (3) Frozen Tune 10 (nb)
Race 3: (9) Buffalo Soldier 69
Race 4: (2) Nijinsky’s Son 21
Race 5: (3) Bulleting Home 82
Race 6: (8) Supreme Orator 63
Race 7: (4) All Aboard 18
Race 8: (2) Chatty Cathy 3
Top rated winners last week included
Ponchielli won 22/1
Summer Olimpics won 15/1
Master And Man won 9/1
Biker Babe won 8/1
Legal Eagle won 15/4
Donny G won 71/20
Flying Winger won 61/20
Goede Hoop won 2/1
Notebook:-
Pacific Trader (B Crawford, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal 13th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,57s fast
1000m (3) Galactic Warrior 55,95
1200m (1) American Hustle 70,59
1400m (1) Elusive Coral 82,20
2400m (4) Horseplay 149,46
Greyville (poly) 14th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,20s slow
1000m (1) Candy Galore 58,72
1400m (1) Edge Of The Sun 83,21
1600m (4) Eden Gardens Glitz 97,56
1800m (1) Escape Club 113,03
1900m (1) Secret Dynasty 117,31
2000m (1) Expresso Martini 123,63
Kenilworth (old) 15th November
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,01s slow
1000m (1) Pacific Trader 57,70
1200m (3) Mastagambit 70,98
1400m (1) What A Summer 85,70
1600m (3) Lady In Black 97,29
2400m (1) Shabba Ranks 151,74
Turffontein (old) 15th November
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,37s slow
1000m (3) Rose In Bloom 57,57
1160m (1) Legal Eagle 67,54
1600m (2) Secret Potion 99,05
1800m (2) Takingthepeace 112,74
Fairview (turf) 16th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,73s slow
1200m (1) African Victory 69,15
1400m (1) The Bluff 86,55
1600m (5) Just My Style 96,64
2400m (1) Shallcross 153,81
