New Course Record
Scottsville 18th December:
The only race over 1000m in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was a MR104 Handicap and in new course record time victory went to the 4yo son of Var ISCA. Sent off second in the betting market at 5/2, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced at the back of the six early on. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and after striking the front 100m out, he kept on to beat the previous record holder MUSCATT by 0,15.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and quickest home in these was ROY’S AMAZING ASH in the boy’s division of the maiden plate. Taken straight to the front by Brandon Lerena, the well supported outsider (14/1 into 7’s) just kept finding in the straight and held on to beat the 18/10 favourite GLEN COCO by 0,25
They also ran three races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the 5yo top weight BALTIC AMBER. Ridden for the first time by Anton Marcus, the Alado gelding stumbled at the start, but despite that was soon positioned close to the speed. He was visibly doing it easily at the top of the straight and went on to score comfortably by two after taking it up 300m out.
Titbits
Completing a hat-trick here, DRESS FOR SUCCESS ran on well from the rear when comfortably accounting for her twelve rivals in the MR66 Handicap over 1950m.
No Beating About The Bush
Fairview 19th December:
They raced on the turf on Monday where the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR86 Handicap won by the progressive 3yo BEATABOUTTHEBUSH. Now unbeaten in three starts, the Gimmethegreenlight filly was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead 150m from home and only having to be pushed out won well by three quarters.
They also staged three races over 1600m and causing a major upset in the fastest of these, a MR75 Handicap, was TRICIA DUPONT. Freely available at 22/1 in this her first outing since relocating from Gauteng, the daughter of Dupont also raced handy. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by two and a half.
A maiden juvenile plate over 800m had gotten proceedings underway and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the second favourite BRIGHT FLAME. Holding just a narrow lead over the runner up DICKENSIAN throughout, the pair ran on strongly in the second half of the race and with the rest some three and a quarter lengths adrift they could only be separated on the nod.
Titbits
MAIN EXCHANGE only had to be pushed out when running on from midfield to win the girl’s maiden plate over 1600m with authority by three and a half.
A winner with some in hand, OFF THE BIT won the novice plate over 1600m much more easily than the official winning margin of a neck would suggest.
Strong Stuff
Kenilworth 20th December:
All the rage to win the opening maiden plate over 1200m on Tuesday was the newcomer HEAD HONCHO and the son of Querari didn’t let down his supporters. Sent off a strong favourite at 11/10, Andre Nel’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once given rein though he quickened well and in what proved to be the fastest of the three races over the distance, he comfortably accounted for another newcomer in KINGSTON PASSAGE by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the faster of the two was the maiden plate won by VERDIER. Taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie, the 3yo son of Var enjoyed a two lengths advantage for most of the journey. He was briefly headed by PERGOLA 150m out, but fought back gamely below the distance to score by a half.
An allowance plate over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from WHISKY BARON. Backed through all rates into 13/20 from 12/10, Brett Crawford’s charge raced fourth of the six early on. He put his head in front 400m out and went on to win with authority from the well-supported outsider MACDUFF (16/1 into 5/1).
Titbits
Baulked twice despite initially racing handy, the newcomer PHILAE showed a nice turn of foot when getting up late to win the girl’s maiden plate over 1400m.
Sparkling Wine
Scottsville 21st December:
Racing returned to Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday where victory in the fastest of the three 1200m races, a MR64 Handicap, went to the easy to back KINGSVIEW. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the King’s Apostle mare led throughout. She gave her all over the final 400m and held on by a half from the dead-heaters STORM KITTEN and CAMOMILE.
There was another upset in the faster of the two 1400m races, a MR70 Handicap, when the 7yo POIVRE registered his fifth career victory. Priced up at 13/1 on the off, Poivre was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the luckless 55/1 shot JACK THE KNIFE. Drawn wide, the runner up didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the backend of midfield.
Quickest home in the two 1600m races was the Mike De Kock trained NORTHERN CHORUS. Sent off at 11/2 to win the MR66 Handicap, the Fort Wood filly raced sixth for most of the journey. She quickened well at the top of the home straight and despite hanging, she went on to win very comfortably by two and a half.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, the newcomer WYNKELDER ran on very well from the backend of midfield when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1200m going away.
Come In Number Six
Vaal 22nd December:
Three maiden plates opened up proceedings on the inside track on Thursday and quickest home in these was the newcomer BRIGTNUMBERSIX when getting off the mark in the only division for the girls. Nibbled at throughout the day into 5/1 from 14’s, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She quickened well when the race began in earnest and won going away by a length and three quarters after striking the front 100m from home.
Race four on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1800m and here we saw a very easy victory for the 18/10 favourite END GAME. Confidently ridden by Piere Strydom, Sean Tarry’s charge sat sixth early on. She put her head in front going through the 400m and went on to score as she liked by just over four.
The faster of the two 2000m races on the card was the MR81 affair won by the lightly weighted SEAL MY FATE. Sent off at 13/1 after opening up at 20’s, the daughter of Horse Chestnut attempted to make all. She was headed by the uneasy favourite ORCHID ISLAND 400m out, but fought back gamely in the latter stages of the race to score by a neck.
Titbits
TORRE DEL ORO (raced midfield, baulked 250m) and HIGHLANDER (raced in rear) both ran on well from off the pace when 3rd & 4th respectively in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Lady Away 16
Race 2: (1) Lightning Bolt 37
Race 3: (8) Thunderwood 55
Race 4: (1) British Fairy 5
Race 5: (1) Villa Del Largo 84 (NAP*)
Race 6: (3) Dance In The Woods 36 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Valmode 48
Race 8: (4) Diamond Dynasty 40
Race 9: (14) Talca 48
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Cabinda 36
Race 2: (2) Sonic A P 12
Race 3: (1) Shezaleader 60
Race 4: (7) Thaler Point 37
Race 5: (12) Roy’s Horse 45
Race 6: (1) Gusheshe 13
Race 7: (2) Roy’s Past 11
Race 8: (1) Secret Service 17
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (2) Lakahal 37
Race 3: (2) Charter Jet 21
Race 4: (11) Winning Sister 45
Race 5: (4) Rafeef 81
Race 6: (9) Casciano 53
Race 7: (3) Dollar Dazzler 90
Race 8: (2) Cannes 52
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Captain My Captain 1
Race 2: (4) Gregorian Chant 53
Race 3: (2) Moonsaballoon 17
Race 4: (1) Cossack Guard 22
Race 5: (5) Elusive Stars 36
Race 6: (11) Joy To Joy 57
Race 7: (7) Shishangeni 50
Race 8: (2) Light Chaser 18
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Argo Magic 2
Race 2: (2) Glen Coco 12 (NAP**)
Race 3: (1) Florrick 25
Race 4: (14) Seattle Belle 35
Race 5: (12) Dhaamer 45
Race 6: (8) Pure Valor 67
Race 7: (12) Dawn Calling 83
Race 8: (4) Napoli 46 (EW)
Race 9: (2) Ho’oponopono 52
Top rated winners last week included
Roy’s Amazing Ash won 7/1
Reine Tonnerre won 3/1
Bright Flame won 28/10
End Game won 18/10
Main Exchange won 16/10
Hot Mambo won 15/10
Almost Human won 1/1
Tern Unstoned won 1/1
Notebook:-
Beataboutthebush (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Dress For Success (P Lafferty, KZN)
Head Honcho (A Nel, W-Cape)
Philae (A Nel, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 18th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,26s fast
1000m (1) Isca 55,68
1200m (1) Albert 69,01
1400m (3) Roy’s Amazing Ash 8287
1600m (3) Baltic Amber 94,85
1950m (1) Dress For Success 120,41
Fairview (turf) 19th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,31s slow
800m (1) Bright Flame 45,46
1000m (1) Lady Willow 57,44
1200m (3) Beataboutthebush 69,66
1600m (3) Tricia Dupont 97,95
Kenilworth (new) 20th December
Pentrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,43s slow
1200m (3) Head Honcho 72,30
1400m (1) Philae 91,18
1600m (2) Verdier 101,92
1800m (1) Whisky Baron 114,19
2000m (1) Gimme One Night 126,19
Scottsville (inside) 21st December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,08s fast
800m (1) Royal Explorer 45,97
1200m (3) Kingsview 69,25
1400m (2) Poive 83,95
1600m (2) Norther Chorus 96,94
Vaal (inside) 22nd December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,6s slow
1400m (3) Brigtnumbersix 82,78
1600m (1) Copper Pot 96,00
1800m (1) End Game 110,92
2000m (2) Seal My Fate 125,46
2400m (2) Kanonkop 151,54
