Cup Thriller
Greyville 24th March: With the false rail out 4m, a 30km/h headwind, and 64mm of rain having fallen in the previous seven days, the course was running slow on Sunday afternoon. The listed Kings Cup topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events, victory went to the 5yo DARK MOON RISING. Backed into favouritism at the track, the Ideal World gelding was content to sit second last for most of the journey. He ran on best of all at the business end of the event, and in a race where just two lengths separated the first seven home, he got up in the very last stride.
The faster of the two 1200m races that opened up proceedings was the MR62 Handicap and in another race where the winner was backed into favouritism, the recent maiden winner EXTRAVARGANT completed a double. Now a winner of two from three, Tony Rivalland’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the ultra-consistent veteran GINGER BISCUIT.
They also ran two races over 1800m and stopping the clock in the faster of these was IMPERIAL ROYAL. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the daughter of Potala Palace was taken straight to the front by apprentice Gates and led throughout. She was three lengths clear at the top of the home straight and that proved to be only just enough to beat the well exposed DOM SEGUIDOR.
Titbits
A little slow into stride, the nibbled at THE SULTANS BAZAAR came from the rear when comfortably accounting for his seven rivals in the MR84 Handicap over 1900m.
The Gavin & Roy Show
Vaal 26th March: The stable of Roy Magner has been in devastating form in recent meetings and they were again on the mark with three winners here. Amongst these was DANCING QUEEN, the winner of the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR84 Handicap. Now a winner of four from eight, the daughter of Mambo In Seattle raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the running on MADEMOISELLE by a length.
Another to win well whilst showing good improvement on this card was FLYING FABLE in the fastest of the three 1600m events, also a MR84 Handicap. Nicely positioned in fifth for most of the journey, Michael & Adam Azzie’s charge took up the running 250m out, and went on to score with authority by two.
The MR74 Handicap was the faster of the two 1200m events and here it was nice to see the 4yo CERTIFIABLE gain just reward for his consistency. Close to the speed throughout, the fourth winner on the card for inform jockey Gavin Lerena put his head in front 150m out, and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the low flying SHORTSTOP.
Titbits
The Roy Magner trained newcomer TRUE TO LIFE came from towards the rear of a nineteen horse field when winning the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1000m going away by two.
Full Of Confidence
Greyville 27th March: Two 1000m races got proceedings underway on the poly track on Wednesday afternoon and in the faster of these the Louis Goosen trained DI MAZZIO gained his sixth career victory from just 19 starts. Soon up handy, the 5yo son of Bernardini was ridden to lead from a wall of horses 400m out. He kept on determinedly all the way to the wire and held on by a head from SO VAR.
A MR86 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the improving MISS SMARTY PANTS. Now a winner of six from sixteen (five of these coming in her last eight starts) , Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front 200m out and with the rest well beaten she won comfortably by two from the 3yo SWEET MARY LOU.
By far the faster of the two 1200m events that brought the meeting to a close was the MR72 Handicap in which the top weight GRADUATE registered his second career victory. Freely available at 15/1 on the off, the column’s top rated selection couldn’t overcome the widest draw and raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy, he got up late to win going away.
Titbits
Racing off a mark some fourteen points below that of his earlier best, the 4yo MARCH PREVIEW cruised clear in the straight when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1600m very easily by four.
Good Things
Vaal 28th March: A MR92 Handicap topped the bill on Thursday and in what comfortably proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m races on the card, the clear favourite PALACE CHAPEL did the business. He broke well when the gates opened and under the inform Gavin Lerena elected to make the running. He was headed by the useful CLEVER GUY 400m out, but fought back gamely in the closing stages of the race to win going away by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the faster of the two was the MR66 Handicap won by the Fort Wood gelding HORACE. Allowed to ease out to 6/1 at the track, Ashley Fortune’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and kept on strongly late to fend off a determined challenge from POWERED BEAUTY by a half.
The 3yo BOUNDLESS DEEP was the best bet on the card for many and the daughter of Var didn’t let down her supporters. Soon positioned close to the speed, the former Cape Town campaigner only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 300m out and went on to score with authority by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Thrown in at the weights, PERFECT TIGRESS only had to be pushed out when winning the assessment plate over 1800m as she liked.
Can’t Beat It
Greyville 29th March: Just 39/100th of a second covered the winning times of the three 1000m races on the poly track on Friday evening. The MR72 Handicap was very marginally the fastest of these and here it was nice to see the ultra-consistent SARABI register her fourth career victory. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She ran on stoutly in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller, she got up in the very last stride to deny the front runner TOUCH OF MAGIC.
By far the faster of the two 1400m races was the apprentice handicap won by the former Gauteng campaigner LAUREN OF ROCHELLE. Having his third outing since relocating to the province here, Darryl Moore’s charge sat in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the bend and in another classic finish he held on by a short head after taking up the running 150m out.
A MR86 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo BEAT IT. Now a winner of three from ten, the daughter of Jackson raced seventh of the ten for most of the journey. She ran on best of all in the straight and looked to have a bit in hand after taking up the running 120m from home.
Titbits
The Chesney Van Zyl trained newcomer ITSAPLEASURE caught the eye running on nicely from midfield when runner up in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (6) Linden Rock 8
Race 2: (2) Great Achievement 15
Race 3: (1) Finley Hill 19 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Beholden 2
Race 5: (10) Oracle Kingdom 45
Race 6: (4) Masterful 52 (nb)
Race 7: (4) Dream A Dream 8
Race 8: (14) Abbeleigh 40
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Ad Altisima 2
Race 2: (1) Canadian Bolt 15
Race 3: (12) Mark Tapley 39
Race 4: (8) Ideal Duel 38
Race 5: (8) Sea Sponge 43
Race 6: (1) Making Waves 57 (NAP*)
Race 7: (7) Washington Square 37
Race 8: (11) Palace Rose 41
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (9) Cinnabon 10
Race 2: (11) Masaaqaat 24
Race 3: (1) Hit For Six 5
Race 4: (8) Lady Val 66
Race 5: (1) Pinnacle Peak 94
Race 6: (9) Dancing Queen 80
Race 7: (2) Dawn Assault 85
Race 8: (12) Cohiba Allday 48
Race 9: (11) Fire Side 44
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (4) Lasata 20
Race 2: (4) Grey Ferrari 7
Race 3: (5) Hidden Strings 8
Race 4: (8) Duntoche 17
Race 5: (2) The Perfect Wave 4
Race 6: (9) Mtoroshanga 44
Race 7: (3) Magic Sailor 42
Race 8: (9) Sacred Story 42
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (5) Elnora 4
Race 2: (3) Compass Fire 5
Race 3: (11) Liquid Irish 16
Race 4: (3) Hard To Play 86
Race 5: (8) Hondo 43
Race 6: (3) Silvano’s Pride 62
Race 7: (2) Desolate Road 58 (EW)
Race 8: (14) Duke’s Dozen 44
Top rated winners last week included
Graduate won 15/1
Di Mazzio won 6/1
The Sultans Bazaar won 6/1
March Preview won 5/1
The Makwakkers won 33/10
Dancing Queen won 26/10
Boundless Deep won 18/10
Isla Morada won 15/10
Notebook:-
Dancing Queen (R Magner, Gauteng)
Itsapleasure (C Van Zyl, KZN)
True To Life (R Magner, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 24th March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 3,16s slow
1200m (2) Extravargant 73,99
1400m (1) Romanesca 87,06
1600m (2) Dark Moon Rising 98,18
1800m (2) Imperial Royal 113,07
1900m (1) The Sultans Bazaar 117,70
2200m (1) Silver Rose 139,38
Vaal 26th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,53s slow
1000m (2) Dancing Queen 56,84
1200m (2) Certifiable 70,06
1600m (3) Flying Fable 96,16
2000m (1) Knight Owl 124,60
Greyville (poly) 27th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,86s slow
1000m (2) Di Mazzio 58,17
1200m (2) Graduate 70,25
1600m (2) March Preview 96,50
1900m (1) Al Jackman 118,75
2000m (1) Jamaica Bay 124,08
Vaal 28th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,53s slow
1000m (1) De La Cruz 58,51
1200m (3) Palace Chapel 70,51
1700m (1) Manitoba 103,60
1800m (1) Perfect Tigress 112,67*
2000m (2) Horace 123,41
2600m (1) Africa’s Gold 165,65
Greyville (poly) 29th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,26s fast
1000m (3) Sarabi 57,47
1200m (1) Beat It 69,67
1400m (2) Lauren Of Rochelle 82,00
1600m (1) King Of Samash 96,49
1700m (1) Isla Morada 102,36
