Birthday Special
Scottsville 17th September: The 4yo More Than Ready gelding LLOYD’S LEGACY was the best bet on the card for most in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1000m races, he didn’t let down his supporters. Sent off a strong favourite to win the MR88 Handicap, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and won going away by a length and three quarters.
The faster of the two 1200m maiden plates was the first division won by SACRED FLAME. The first of five winners on the card for birthday boy Dennis Drier, the son of Oratorio raced up with the speed throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won comfortably by two and a half.
They also ran two races over 2400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was ONE MAN SHOW in the MR86 Handicap. Prominent throughout in what was a small but strung out field, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge struck the front 250m from home and with the rest some seven lengths adrift, he kept on strongly to beat the rallying pacemaker TECHNO CAPTAIN by three quarters.
Titbits
AMRITSAR ran on strongly from midfield when only beaten a neck in the second division of the maiden plate over 1200m.
Rock On Tommy
Turffontein 19th September: Tuesday’s action took place on the old stand side track where three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1000m. The fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by Sporting Post’s Best Handicapped runner MAGIC. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the Mogok gelding was always handy. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish he got the verdict by a half.
By far the quicker of the two maiden plates over 1400m that opened up proceedings was the girls’ division won by the newcomer RAVEN GIRL. Backed into second favourite before the off, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was soon in touch with the leaders. She put her head in front going through the 300m and went on to win easily by three with some in hand.
They also ran two races over 1600m and in what proved to be the faster of these it was nice to see the 5yo TOMMY WATERDEVIL register his third career victory. Nicely positioned in fifth for most of the journey, Erico Verdonese’s charge quickened by far the best after switching out for a run 250m from home, and in a classic finish he got up to deny the favourite PILOU in the very last stride.
Titbits
After racing handy the newcomer EXPLORATORE won the maiden plate for 3yo fillies going away.
Good Thing At The Weights
Kenilworth 20th September: They were still racing on the old course on Wednesday where four of the eight races were staged over 1400m. The graduation plate was the fastest of these and it was no surprise to see it won by the best weighted of the six runners OUR MATE ART. Placed in features in each of his last three starts, the Artie Schiller gelding was soon prominent. He put his head in front 200m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the rapidly improving 3yo COT CAMPBELL by three quarters.
Three of the four remaining races were run over 1200m and in the fastest of these it was nice to see the consistent DAYONAUT get off the mark. Another to race handy, Dayonaut took command 250m out and won going away by two.
The remaining race was the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1000m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the second favourite HEART OF A LEGEND. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and won going away from the staying on pacemaker SECRET NAME by two and a half.
Titbits
Backed into favouritism, LOVE SUPREME (9/2 into 18/10) won the fillies’ maiden plate over 1400m with some in hand.
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Greyville 22nd September: As is usually the case on a Friday evening they raced on the poly track. Four of the races were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was PROCAL HARUM when winning the MR78 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Keagan De Melo, the son of Querari raced in midfield early on. He put his head in front halfway down the short home straight and won comfortably from the course specialist MUMSY’S JET by a length and a quarter.
Three of the remaining races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was DANCE OFF when registering his second career victory in the MR65 Handicap. Always handy, Andre Nel’s charge took up the running early in the straight and had the runner up MASTER SHOGUN well held by three quarters at the wire.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 1900m and here we saw an impressive performance from the Dean Kannemeyer trained KAPEN PRIDE. Well supported on course, the odds on favourite raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score with plenty in hand by three and a half.
Titbits
ROY’S RIVIERA got off the mark with authority in the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1600m.
Always handy, JUST ONE MORE drew clear easily over the final 400m when opening her account in the maiden 1400m.
Flying In From Missouri
Turffontein 23rd September: A novice handicap was the faster of the two 1200m events at the inner track on Saturday and here we saw an impressive performance from the lightly raced MISSOURI. Detached at the back as the eight runners came off the strip, Sean Tarry’s charge fairly flew in the short home straight and did very well indeed to reel in the feature placed odds on favourite FLYING FREE close home.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1450m and quickest home in these was the veteran RAMBO when registering his eleventh career victory in the MR72 Handicap. Racing off a mark some 14 points below that of his former best, the 9yo son of Victory Moon was always handy. He was ridden to lead 150m out by Chase Maujean and won well by three quarters.
They also ran three races over 2000m, the fastest of which was the MR75 Handicap won by the costly to follow Jam Alley mare ANGELIC APPEAL. At the back when the ten runners turned for home, St John Gray’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Raymond Danielson she got up close home to deny the improving SEEKING GOLD.
Titbits
Flying up from the rear, the not so well drawn newcomer HARLAN COUNTRY went down by less than a third of a length in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1450m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Mambo Tango 5
Race 2: (4) Corker 30
Race 3: (13) Joking Dice 11
Race 4: (14) Talca 44
Race 5: (10) Cloud Atlas 53
Race 6: (4) Master ‘n Commander 75
Race 7: (9) Quid Rides 46
Race 8: (13) Wicked Lady Jane 54
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (8) Draugluin 22
Race 2: (5) Coral Queen 24
Race 3: (7) Meet The Logans 22 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) War Demon 6
Race 5: (1) Warfarer 64
Race 6: (11) Singh Is King 47
Race 7: (6) Lonely Arethebrave 63
Race 8: (10) La Suerte De Matar 42
Race 9: (13) Astroman 33
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (5) Captain My Captain 13
Race 2: (2) Lily Starlette 19
Race 3: (1) Prima Ballerina 2
Race 4: (6) Old Em 65
Race 5: (4) Pure Blonde 83
Race 6: (2) Brave Mary 58
Race 7: (25) Golden Man 92
Race 8: (10) Shogun 68 (EW)
Race 9: (10) Pearl Valley 40
Race 10: (5) Streetwear 32
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (12) Valentine’s Girl 19 (NAP*)
Race 2: (4) Herodus 23
Race 3: (1) William The Brave 15
Race 4: (9) Into The Limelight 20
Race 5: (6) Gimme One Night 55
Race 6: (6) Shizam 35
Race 7: (5) Joiners Arms 45
Race 8: (15) In The Jungle 40
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Nauticus 18
Race 2: (1) Arran Isles 14
Race 3: (13) Stelvio11
Race 4: (3) Di Mazzio58
Race 5: (4) Isca 93
Race 6: (1) Captain’s Girl 52
Race 7: (4) Perfect Jay 42
Race 8: (3) Redcarpet Captain 87
Race 9: (12) Pearl Glow 37 (NAP*)
Race 10: (5) Blazing Heart 16
Top rated winners last week included
Music World won 16/1
Magic won 8/1
Crazy Vision won 61/10
Goodtime Gal won 37/10
Llandudno won 7/2
Just One More won 37/10
Heart Of A Legend won 32/10
Our Mate Art won 5/2
Notebook:-
Kapen Pride (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
Love Supreme (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Missouri (S Tarry, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 17th September
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,32s slow
1000m (3) Lloyd’s Legacy 56,71
1200m (2) Sacred Flame 69,80
1400m (1) Seventh Plain 82,29
1950m (1) Victory Cross 123,16
2400m (2) Impact Zone 149,37
Turffontein (old) 19th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,10s slow
1000m (3) Magic 58,09
1160m (1) Flying Winger 69,18
1400m (2) Raven Girl 86,67
1600m (2) Tommy Waterdevil 98,86
Kenilworth (old) 20th September
Penetrometer 23 – Good
Course Variant: 1,66s slow
1000m (1) Heart Of A Legend 60,65
1200m (3) Dayonaut 73,89
1400m (4) Our Mate Art 88,15
Greyville (poly) 22nd September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,65s slow
1400m (4) Procal Harem 82,83
1600m (3) Dance Off 96,10
1900m (1) Kapen Pride 115,74
Turffontein (inner) 23rd September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,03s slow
1200m (2) Missouri 73,24
1450m (3) Rambo 89,26
1600m (1) Crazy Vision 98,82
2000m (3) Angelic Appeal 125,54
