Day Light Robbery
Kenilworth 14th May:
Three of the nine races in Cape Town on Sunday were maiden events over 1200m, and the fastest of these was the girl’s affair for the juveniles. MISS KATALIN was sent off a heavily supported favourite (evens into 6/10) and she comfortably did the business. Soon up handy, Justin Snaith’s charge was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and although the pacemaker HEART OF A LEGEND kept on strongly after being headed, she won comfortably by two and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one event on the eight race program was 1000m where surprisingly the quickest of these was the maiden plate won by WIND RIVER. In a time 0,26 seconds faster than that of the four runner pinnacle stakes won by LA FAVOURARI, Greg Ennion’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and came home lonely by three and three quarters.
Just five runners went to post for the pinnacle stakes over 1800m and here the confirmed front runner MILTON was allowed to steal the race. Seven lengths clear coming off the bend, Bill Prestage’s charge was rapidly being reeled in by SILVAN STAR late, but he still had 0,4 of a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Sent off second favourite at 7/2, the 3yo LEAVES OF GRASS won the MR81 Handicap over 2000m going away by a length and a quarter.
Just The Two
Greyville 14th May:
Following consistent rain and a heavy downpour shortly before the 1st Race, the harrows were put on the track to disperse the surface water and disperse water which had pooled at the 1200 metre mark. More heavy downpours followed and as a result the meeting was abandoned after race two.
The two events that did take place were both maiden plates over 1600m and by far the quickest of these was the opening boy’s affair won by the favourite BLACKBALL. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four.
Run in a time over two seconds slower on my clock, the girl’s affair was won by the easy to back CELESTIAL GOLD. Allowed to drift right out to 14/1 from 7’s at the track, the daughter of Kildonan made all. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by two.
Titbits
A little slow into stride when the gates opened, the 12/10 favourite FLICHITY BY FARR ran on well in the latter stages of the girl’s division, but it was all too late to be any kind of a threat to the winner.
One Ride, One Winner
Turffontein 16th May:
They raced on the inner track on Tuesday where the going was soft. A MR81 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be a slowly run affair (albeit the faster of the two races over the distance) victory here went to the Mike De Kock trained INTRIGUING LADY. Racing off a mark some eleven points lower than her previous best here, the 3yo daughter of New Approach wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. She put her head in front going through the 200m and kept on strongly below the distance to beat the ultra-consistent DAWN FLIGHT by three quarters.
Anton Marcus travelled to the course for just one ride (Knysna Rose) and so it was no surprise to see her win the maiden plate over 1450m. Always top of the boards, Joey Soma’s charge raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by seven and a quarter. This race was won in a time marginally quicker than the only other race over the distance, a MR73 Handicap.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1200m was the boy’s affair won by PLAY THE NIGHT. Making only his second racecourse appearance here, Sean Tarry’s charge raced fourth for most of the journey. He quickened well coming off the strip and comfortably accounted for the uneasy favourite PILLAROFTHEEARTH by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The lucky last was a MR66 Handicap over 1000m and doing the business for favourite backers here, was STARCRAFT PRINCE. Taken straight to the front by Craig Zackey, the market leader led throughout. He only had to be pushed out over the final 300m and won cosily by a length and a half.
Progressing Very Nicely
Vaal 18th May:
Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where topping the bill was the MR92 Handicap won by ROMI’S BOY (overreached on the near fore). Always in the red, the 3yo son of Querari led throughout. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for ANGEL’S POWER by almost two.
There were four races run over 1200m in total and surprisingly the quickest of these was the MR73 affair won by the Kahal gelding DON CHRISTO. Now a winner of five from fifteen, Scott Kenny’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and with the rest well beaten he had 0,9 of a length to spare over the running on TIMEOFTHEVIKINGS. The runner up came from midfield and finished well.
Another to bring their tally of wins to five on this card was B TWENTY ONE when completing a hat-trick in the middle stakes. Confidently ridden by Anthony Delpech, the daughter of Silvano sat eighth of the thirteen early on. She quickly made headway when given rein and after striking the front 250m from home, she won with some in hand by two and a half.
Titbits
The newcomers KEANAN’S ROCK (Tarry) and FLEXIBLE FUGITIVE (De Kock) both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 2nd respectively in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Gaining quickly at the finish, BLUE DIAMOND ROAD was only beaten a neck when runner up in the MR72 Handicap over 1400m.
Fresh As A Daisy
Fairview 19th May:
Three of the nine races on Friday’s poly track card were run over 1400m and surprisingly the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap won by the favourite BONNE VIE. Soon up handy, Corne Spies’ charge took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the steadily gaining LADY AWAY (came from midfield) by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR 62 Handicap and here it was nice to see the useful 3yo BLIZZARD KING return from a break in fine fettle. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question, (16/1 out to 36/1) Yvette Bremner’s charge raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once in the short home straight though he quickened well and got up nicely late to deny the grey 6yo BAH. Third placed TRULY also ran on well from midfield in this race.
They also ran two races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was DUTCH HARBOR. Nicely positioned in second coming off the bend, the son of Windrush took up the running 300m out, and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the always handy TRACK-KING.
Titbits
Having her third run after a rest here PERFECT TALE couldn’t have been more impressive when winning the maiden plate over 1300m with a ton in hand by four and three quarters.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Copper Trail 30
Race 2: (6) Coyote Creek 30
Race 3: (3) In Tandem 8
Race 4: (1) Thayer 71
Race 5: (2) Kingvoldt 72
Race 6: (6) Arezzo 81
Race 7: (7) Rahvar 80
Race 8: (8) Without Permission 54
Scottsville (sat)
Race 1: (6) Perfect Jay 8
Race 2: (2) Royal Agree 34
Race 3: (2) Roy’s Taxi 41
Race 4: (4) Leisure Trip 55
Race 5: (9) Neptune’s Rain 48
Race 6: (5) Naafer 43
Race 7: (1) Carry On Alice 95 (NAP**)
Race 8: (4) Bull Valley 99
Race 9: (6) Royalsecuritypower 67
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (8) Weekend Warrior 19
Race 2: (2) Lauren Of Rochelle 14
Race 3: (1) Time To Think 20
Race 4: (1) Fire Master 61
Race 5: (3) Northern Corner 50
Race 6: (2) Magical Wonderland 36
Race 7: (3) Dutch Philip 53
Race 8: (7) Hammie’s Game 56
Race 9: (11) Jingle Belle 50
Race 10: (13) Wicked Kiss 38
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (2) Azkur 18
Race 2: (5) Effortless 10
Race 3: (1) Alssakhra 20
Race 4: (13) So Var 22
Race 5: (6) Isphan 66
Race 6: (6) Elusive Flyer 64
Race 7: (16) Star Of Caesour 47
Race 8: (4) Belle Sonata 79 (NAP*)
Race 9: (4) Henry Higgins 57
Top rated winners last week included
Intriguing Lady won 12/1
Quinlan won 72/10
Favour’s Pride won 7/1
Shwanky won 9/2
Blackball won 22/10
Twelve Oaks won 18/10
Miss Katalin won 6/10
Purple Diamond won 4/10
Notebook:-
Blizzard King (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
Keanan’s Rock (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Perfect Tale (A Greeff, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 14th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,23s fast
1000m (2) Wind River 58,17
1200m (3) Miss Katalin 71,78
1400m (1) Wedgwood 86,56
1800m (1) Milton 110,46
2000m (1) Leaves Of Grass 125,50
Greyville (poly) 14th May
Going Standard
1600m (2) Celestial Gold 98,70
Turffontein (inner) 16th May
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 0,90s slow
1000m (1) Starcraft Prince 58,65
1200m (2) Play The Night 73,25
1450m (2) Knysna Rose 89,81
1600m (1) Sputnik Plain 101,43
1800m (2) Intriguing Lady 113,68
Vaal (inside) 18th May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,26s slow
1000m (1) Twelve Oaks 58,57
1200m (4) Don Christo 69,99
1400m (1) Vulcan 83,58
1700m (1) Wild Brier 104,56
2400m (1) B Twenty One 153,46
Fairview (poly) 19th May
Going Standard
1200m (2) Blizzard King 69,82
1300m (1) Perfect Tale 76,01
1400m (3) Bonne Vie 82,60
1600m (2) Dutch Harbor 95,78
1900m (1) Elusive Mist 117,76
