Showing Potential
Scottsville 10th September: The best bet on the card for most in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was ZEN ARCADE in the opening maiden plate over 1200m and the son of Ideal World didn’t let down his supporters. Soon positioned close to the speed, Louis Goosen’s charge was ridden to lead 200m out, and won going away by three and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of the these was the MR84 Handicap in which we saw a smart performance from the easy to back WYNKELDER. Freely available at 20/1 on the off Tony Rivalland’s charge raced at the back for most of the journey. Once given rein though he cut through the field like a knife and cruised clear 160m out to score by three.
They also ran three races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was AMOR ARDIENTE in the boy’s division of the maiden plate. Nicely drawn in gate two, this lightly raced son of Antonius Pius took up the running 400m out and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite DRAUGLUIN by three quarters.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, LATERS BABY asserted her authority 300m out when winning the girls’ division of the maiden 1400m going away.
13 Day Double
Turffontein 12th September: Four of the eight races on the old stand side track on Tuesday afternoon were run over 1160m and quickest home in these was CUMBERLAND when winning the MR80 Handicap. Completing a quick 13 day double here, the Casey Tibbs gelding was again taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena and led throughout. He kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and beat his fellow 6yo GOLDEN MAN fair and square by just over a length.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on the card was 1600m where by far the faster of the two maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by the 18/10 favourite ALSSAKHRA. Soon up handy in what very quickly became a strung out field, Paul Peter’s charge was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 200m and with the rest some five lengths adrift, he comfortably accounted for the lightly raced KING’S COUNTY by a length and a quarter.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SWEET JULIET when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1000m. Always handy, the daughter of Twice Over put her head in front approaching the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Titbits
Returning from a 15 week break here, ZOUAVES was steadily gaining at the finish when a 1,4 length runner up in the MR84 Handicap over 1400m.
Solid As A Rock
Kenilworth 13th September: Following 60mm of rain during the previous seven days, the going was posted as good to soft in Cape Town on Wednesday. A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the fancied FOOL PROOF. Soon up handy, the first of three winners on the card for trainer Candice Bass-Robinson raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front approaching the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the favourite HENRY TUDOR by a length and a quarter.
Four of the nine races were run over 1200m and marginally the quickest of these was the bill topping MR94 Handicap won by ROCK OF AFRICA. Always available at around 10/1, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk, he got up 50m from home. The faster of the two maiden plates over 1600m was the boy’s affair won by the Justin Snaith trained MADE TO CONQUER. Baulked for a run in his first start since relocating from Gauteng last time out, the son of Dynasty raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and won going away, after striking the front 50m out.
Titbits
After running on from midfield the newcomer ONTENDERHOOKS won the maiden plate over 1200m with some in hand.
Positioned 7th of the eight turning for home, SECOND NATURE ran on best of all in the straight when a comfortable winner of the MR70 Handicap over 2000m.
Finest Hour
Turffontein 14th September: They again raced on the old stand side track on Thursday where the fastest of the three 1160m races was the MR68 Handicap won by ELUSIVE STRIKE. Soon at the head of affairs in a race where they were always very tightly bunched, Elusive Strike gave her all over the final 400m and despite being reported as there being something amiss, she held on by the narrowest of margins.
They also ran three races over 1400m and surprisingly the quickest of these, given that just four went to post, was the MR92 Handicap in which DARKEST HOUR caused an upset. Priced up as the rank outsider of the four at 14/1, Barend Botes’ charge sat at the back for most of the journey. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and got the better of the 1/3 favourite SIR DAVID BAIRD by a half.
There was also an upset in the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 1000m when THE THINKER landed the spoils. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the bottom weight was always handy. He was ridden to 100m out and kept on strongly late to beat the rallying pacemaker ISPHAN by a third of a length.
Titbits
MRS O battled to find a clear passage at the business end of the race before getting up in the very last stride to share first prize in the MR84 Handicap over 1160m.
Shocking Stuff
Fairview 15th September: The MR100 Handicap was the fastest of the four 1200m events on the eight race program and here a bit of an upset was to be had when FAVOUR’S PRIDE registered her fifth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 16’s, the daughter of Harry Hall led throughout. She kept on strongly in the short home straight and just held on from the steadily gaining favourite VOUS ET VAR by the narrowest of margins.
The faster of the two 1600m races was a novice plate and here BRUCE’S BEAUTY landed the spoils. Priced up as one of the rank outsiders of the party at 50/1, Jacque Strydom’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. He struck the front 200m out and won by a half from the running on favourite HANDSOME HENRY. The runner up came from second last and was gaining quickly at the finish.
The trend of upsets had begun in the opening maiden plate over 1200m when the stable companion to the 26/10 favourite, NO GREEN STARS got off the mark. Easy to back at 10/1 on the off Tara Laing’s charge raced in midfield early on. She quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won going away after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
The 5/2 favourite OLYMPIC POWER produced a nice turn of foot in the latter stages when getting up late to win the MR66 Handicap over 1900m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Come On Inn 6
Race 2: (2) Masterly 73
Race 3: (4) Seattle Lily 8
Race 4: (12) Heir To Riches 48
Race 5: (1) Maverick Girl 38 (EW)
Race 6: (6) Handsome Henry 48
Race 7: (4) Katies Jay 65
Race 8: (12) Banks Hideal 34
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (14) War Demon 18
Race 2: (7) Coral Queen 24
Race 3: (1) Just One More 7
Race 4: (5) Captain Moss 20
Race 5: (4) Keep Your Light On 46
Race 6: (9) Bengal Boy 52
Race 7: (8) Russian Speed 35
Race 8: (12) The Matador 29
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Over Easy 24
Race 2: (1) Red Indy 8
Race 3: (11) Torry Pines 8 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) The Falls Road 4
Race 5: (8) Evangeline 11
Race 6: (6) Wellspring 41
Race 7: (9) Neuf De Pape 47
Race 8: (7) Crazy Vision 42
Race 9: (8) Seeking Gold 51
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Eternal Night 19
Race 2: (4) Magic Sailor 26
Race 3: (1) Diva Fever 34
Race 4: (10) Libra 55
Race 5: (2) Overshadow 74
Race 6: (7) Eleadora 43
Race 7: (13) Forbidden Duel 79
Race 8: (5) First Swallow 17
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (7) Charming Chick 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (14) Rosie Bubbles 27
Race 3: (1) Toltec 15
Race 4: (1) City Of Stars 8
Race 5: (5) Music World 59
Race 6: (11) Jack The Knife 39 (EW)
Race 7: (6) Sorceress 27
Race 8: (2) Call Me Winter 75
Race 9: (7) Shezaleader 53
Top rated winners last week included
Putchini won 12/1
Laters Baby won 61/10
Peggy’s Dream won 9/2
Alssakhra won 18/10
Boatswain won 16/10
The Puma won 6/10
Zen Arcade won 6/10
Made To Conquer won 5/10
Notebook:-
Mrs O (MG & AA Azzie, Gauteng)
Wynkelder (A Rivalland, KZN)
Zen Arcade (L Goosen, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville 10th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,15s fast
1000m (1) Succesfilly 57,15
1200m (3) Wynkelder 68,17
1400m (3) Amor Ardiente 83,28
1950m (1) Peggy’s Dream 120,08
Turffontein (old) 12th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,67s slow
1000m (1) Sweet Juliet 57,94
1160m (4) Cumberland 67,67
1400m (1) Tandava 85,91
1600m (2) Alssakhra 99,77
Kenilworth (old) 13th September
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,80s slow
1000m (1) Fool Proof 61,78
1200m (4) Rock Of Africa 74,45
1400m (1) Elusive Heart 87,44
1600m (2) Made To Conquer 101,80
2000m (1) Second Nature 131,43
Turffontein 14th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,20s slow
1000m (1) The Thinker 56,59
1160m (3) Elusive Strike 68,06
1400m (3) Darkest Hour 86,59
2000m (1) Noceur 128,16
Fairview (poly) 15th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,27s slow
1200m (4) Favour’s Pride 69,09
1600m (2) Bruce’s Beauty 95,57
1900m (1) Olympic Power 115,26
2200m (1) Chit Chat 136,71
