Daylight Robbery
Greyville 28th April: The three 1600m races on Sunday afternoon’s poly track card were maiden events, and in the fastest these the strongly fancied JACQUELINE got off the mark. The best bet on the card for many, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the straight, and with some in hand won very cosily by three and a half.
1400m was the only other distance to stage more than race and in the quicker of two, a juvenile plate MASTER JAY gained his second win from just three starts. Another to race handy, the son of Jay Peg struck the front 200m out and just had enough in hand to beat the running on KNIGHT WARRIOR by a neck. The runner up came from the backend of midfield and was gaining quickly at the finish.
The listed Sledgehammer topped the bill and in new course record time Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner ORPHEUS ran out a very easy winner. Allowed a soft lead going into the first bend, Michael & Adam Azzie’s charge quickly went clear. Indeed, he was still eight lengths to the good going through the 300m. The pack chased hard in the closing stages of the race, but they barely made any impression.
Titbits
Racing in open company, the 2yo KAYDENS PRIDE ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1600m going away by three and a half.
Powerful Storm
Fairview 29th April: They raced on the poly track on Monday where victory in the faster of the two maiden events over 1000m that opened up proceedings went to the favourite SIR CALEB. Backed into odds on at the track, Gavin Smith’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Two 1300m events were next up and the faster of these, a MR66 Handicap, the Dynasty gelding DYNASTY’S BOY ran out a very easy winner. Another to race handy, he took up the running 300m out and cruised clear in the latter stages to score by four.
The MR62 affair for the girls was the faster of the two handicaps over 1900m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well supported EPIC STORM. Backed into second favourite, Alan Greeff’s charge raced at the back of the twelve early on. She quickened best of all when given rein, and after striking the front 150m from home, she won going away by a length.
Titbits
Backed into odds on, SOLEMN PROMISE only had to be pushed out when winning the MR61 handicap over 1600m going away.
Weighted To Win
Vaal 30th April: Three of the eight races at the Vaal on Tuesday were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was VISTULA in the Assessment Plate. Sent off second favourite, the best weighted runner in the field was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the second best weighted runner ANNEKA by two.
They also ran three races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these, a MR71 Handicap, was the 7yo STREET FLYER. Easy to back at 22/1 on the off, the lightly weighted Flying Spur gelding was always handy. He was ridden to lead 250m out, and after a thrilling tussle with the much more fancied PRIVATE RULER, he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Two 1000m events made up the afternoon’s fare and in marginally the faster of these (on my clock) the 3yo Sail From Seattle gelding TOPMAST registered a well overdue second success. Priced up at 7/1 to win this MR80 Handicap, Dorrie Sham’s charge raced prominent throughout. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the better of a determined WHAT A CAPTAIN by a neck.
Titbits
Sent off third in the betting market, the well supported newcomer EDEN ROC only had to be pushed out when beating the Gr3 Protea Stakes third placed runner GREEN LASER in the juvenile plate over 1400m.
Full Of Heart
Greyville 1st May: Racing returned to the poly track on Wednesday, and assisted by a 30km/h tail wind the times were faster than at the previous meeting on Sunday. Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1400m and in the fastest of these, a MR64 Handicap the favourite HIDDEN INFLUENCE registered his second career victory. Nicely positioned in third turning for home, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge took up the running 200m out, and comfortably accounted for the improving TRUST IN GOLD by a length.
A MR84 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events HEART OF A LEGEND completed a quick double. Nicely positioned in third early on, Glen Kotzen’s charge initially struck the front shortly after passing halfway. She was headed by BE YOURSELF 150m out, but rallied gamely below the distance to get the verdict on the nod.
The maiden plate was surprisingly the faster of the two 1200m events on the card and here the well-exposed DALLAS deservedly opened his account. A runner up in four of his last five outings, the A P Arrow gelding made all. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the always handy RED HOT NIGHT.
Titbits
Sent off favourite after the late scratching of ISIKHWAMI SAMI, the newcomer MARSANNE drew clear easily over the final 400m when winning the maiden event over 1400m going away by three.
Greener Pastures
Vaal 2nd May: Quickest home in the three 1100m events at the Vaal on Thursday was MOON WARRIOR when winning the MR68 Handicap. Up with the speed throughout, the 3yo son of Elusive Fort ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the running on MOSHAV by just over a length.
They also ran three races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BULLSADE in the MR92 Handicap. Soon up handy in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Roy Magner’s charge put her head in front 200m out. She kept on strongly late and beat the very steadily gaining CORDILLERA by a neck.
The MR80 Handicap was the faster of the two 1600m events and here the former Cape Town campaigner CARIOCA made it two from three since relocating. Always handy, Joey Ramsden’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race, and with the rest comfortably beaten she got the better of the nibbled at SANS REGRETS by a quarter.
Titbits
Running on from midfield, SEA DANCE won the MR68 Handicap over 1400m in good style going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (4) Ferrari’s Moon 1
Race 2: (1) Cirencester Rose 3
Race 3: (2) Mindmymooood 5
Race 4: (3) Travel In Style 33
Race 5: (14) Oracle Kingdom 57
Race 6: (4) Border Control 62
Race 7: (15) Keep It Green 38
Race 8: (8) Espressivo 46
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Kindavar 17
Race 2: (3) Country Squire 14
Race 3: (1) Baron Rodney 14
Race 4: (2) Caftan 1
Race 5: (4) Royal Pursuit 1
Race 6: (1) Slay The Dragon 3
Race 7: (1) Shezahotti 3
Race 8: (2) Destinys Game 18
Fairview (sat)
Race 1: (3) Big Bay 10
Race 2: (1) Dancing In Seattle 4
Race 3: (1) Captain Anne Bonny 42 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) Tarique 3
Race 5: (3) Make It Raine 61
Race 6: (1) Juan Two Three 75
Race 7: (6) In A Perfect World 49
Race 8: (10) Don’t Stop Dancing 53
Race 9: (8) River Delta 46
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (10)Talia Al Ghul 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Into The Future 35
Race 3: (4) Perpetual Flame 54
Race 4: (11) Laat Lammetjie 53
Race 5: (12) Trippi’s Express 68
Race 6: (9) Blaze of Silk 56
Race 7: (2) Kingston Boy 50
Race 8: (1) Great Stohvanen 20
Durbanville (sun)
Race 1: (7) Roll In The Hay 11
Race 2: (9) Three Two Charlie 6
Race 3: (7) Snow Report 8
Race 4: (2) Cyber Blossom 8
Race 5: (4) Meraki 54
Race 6: (4) Hemero 63
Race 7: (15) Joiners Arms 52
Race 8: (5) Empire Rising 34
Top rated winners last week included
Orpheus won 15/2
Topmast won 27/4
Grey Missile won 9/2
Take My Word won 4/1
Dalai’s Promise won 61/20
Master Jay won 18/10
Jacqueline won 12/10
Sir Caleb won 3/4
Notebook:-
Marsanne (D Howells, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 28th April
Going – Standard
Course Variant: 0,14s slow
1200m (1) Mai Tai 71,87
1400m (2) Master Jay 83,36
1600m (3) Jacqueline 95,68
1800m (1) Orpheus 106,64
1900m (1) Gimme A Cohiba 114,67
2000m (1) Zagara 124,03
Fairview (poly) 29th April
Going – Standard
Course Variant: 0,52s slow
1000m (2) Sir Caleb 58,13
1200m (1) Sun Up 70,85
1300m (2) Dynasty’s Boy 75,48
1600m (1) Solemn Promise 97,61
1900m (2) Epic Storm 117,55
Vaal 30th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,09s slow
1000m (2) Topmast 56,64*
1400m (3) Vistula 82,99
1600m (3) Street Flyer 95,56
Greyville (poly) 1st May
Going – Standard
Course Variant: 0,34s fast
1000m (1) Emerald Band 56,95
1200m (2) Dallas 69,70
1400m (3) Hidden Influence 81,50
1600m (2) Heart Of A Legend 94,06
Vaal 2nd May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,46s slow
1100m (3) Moon Warrior 63,37*
1400m (3) Bullsade 82,66*
1600m (2) Carioca 95,93
2000m (1) Seattle Force 123,70
