Mixed Emotions
Greyville 26th December
They raced on both surfaces on Boxing Day with the highlight being the Gr3 Christmas Handicap over 1600m on the turf. LUNAR APPROACH was sent off a well-supported favourite, but sadly for connections that one broke a bloodvessel and was pulled out of the race. Victory instead went to Lunar Approach’s stable companion RIKITIKITANA. Positioned at the back for most of the journey, the lightly weighted Toreador gelding ran on best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Lyle Hewitson, he got up close home to deny CELTIC CAPTAIN (raced handy – led 350m).
The only other distance on either surface to stage more than one race was 1400m on the poly where quickest home in the two maiden plates was SCARRABEAST in the boy’s division. Sent off a strong favourite at 11/10, the son of Tiger Ridge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by seven and three quarters.
Another to win with lengths to spare was QATAR SPRINGS when registering his sixth career victory in the pinnacle stakes over 2400m on turf. Not the quickest into stride, the Classic Flag gelding was content to race seventh of the eight early on. He took closer order rounding the home turn and drew clear easily to score by three and a half after striking the front 200m out.
Titbits
Poorly drawn ROY’S SNOWDROPS ran on well from midfield when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1400m (poly).
Holding The Fort
Vaal 27th December
After 78mm of rain during the previous seven days the going was soft at the Vaal on Thursday. Three of the nine races were staged over 1600m with the fastest being the MR88 Handicap for 3yo’s won by TILBURY FORT. Initially priced up favourite (16/10 out to 2/1 2ndfav), Sean Tarry’s charge was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 400m and despite hanging, and being reported as making a respiratory noise, he got the better of a protracted battle with SHUKAMISA by a neck.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR88 Handicap won by GUN FIGHTER. Racing off a mark some 12 points below that of his previous best here, the son of Imperial Stride raced in the rear for most of the journey. He quickened best of all at the business end of the race and despite being baulked for a run 150m out, he got up very late.
By far the easiest victory on the card was that of SIM-ALLEY BANK in the MR64 Handicap. Freely available at 9/1 on the off the daughter of Bankable raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She cut through the field quickly when given rein and went on to score very easily by five.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, LADY OF THE WORLD ran out a very comfortable winner of the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1000m.
On the Right Side
Kenilworth 28th December
The Glen Kotzen trained SOUTH SIDE ran out a very easy winner in Port Elizabeth last time out and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m races, the MR76 Handicap, she repeated the dose here. Soon positioned close to the speed by Richard Fourie, the daughter of Pathfork took up the running going through the 300m. She quickly went clear and after her jockey had had a good look around, she won easing down by four.
Another to win well was KEEP THE FAITH in the faster of the two maiden events for the girls over 1800m. Nicely positioned in third when the race began in earnest, Vaughan Marshall’s charge took command shortly after passing the 400m marker, and went on to score with authority by two and three quarters.
They also ran two races over 1400m and quickest home here was PRIMROSE LANE in the MR76 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back CLIFTON SUNSET who elected to set the pace and she soon had the field well strung out. Primrose Lane meanwhile raced third last and turning for home she had many lengths to find. Once in the straight though, she ran on best of all and just as if scripted she got up close home.
Titbits
The newcomer THE RIGHT ROAD made up many lengths over the final 400m when a half-length runner up in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.
Recently Gelded
Vaal 29th December
With changes made because of rain during the week, they effectively raced on the old Vaal track on Thursday. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 2000m where quickest against the clock was the much travelled KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY. Always one to race up with the pace, Mike De Kock’s charge made all here. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and held off a determined challenged from the more fancied SCOTLAND by a half.
The only other distance run over more than once on the day was 1400m where the faster of the two maiden events was the boy’s affair won by Kingmambo’s Legacy’s stable companion UNREHEARSED. Deep in the red in this his first start since being gelded, the New Approach gelding (sweating) was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and cruised clear from there onwards to score by five and a quarter.
Another to win well on this card, albeit by a much smaller margin, was MALINGA in the MR70 Handicap over 2000m. Completing a quick double over the distance here, Alec Laird’s charge raced handy in fifth. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and won going away by a length and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
After running on stoutly from midfield, WIND CHILL (eased late) won the MR61 Handicap over 2000m much more easily than the official winning margin of a length and a quarter will reflect.
In Command Throughout
Greyville 30th December
They raced on the poly track on Friday evening where the first four races all took place over 1200m. Quickest home in these was LUNAR RUSH when making all to win the bill topping MR88 Handicap. A length and a half clear throughout, the 14/10 favourite kept on strongly in the short home straight and although the second favourite RED MOON AT NIGHT ran on well in the closing stages of the race, she didn’t surrender an inch of her advantage.
Three of the other four races were maiden plates over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was ROY’S PAST in the first division for the boys. Another to win from the front, Pat Lunn’s charge raced a length clear for most of the journey. He kept on determinedly in the straight and extended his advantage to a length and three quarters before crossing the line.
A MR64 Handicap over 1400m completed the evening’s fare and here we saw a nice performance from the favourite EL BOMBERO. Positioned in midfield turning for home, the Jet Master gelding ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from apprentice Ngwane, he got up close home to score by a half.
Titbits
GROUND BREAKER and CHICAGO BEAT both ran on well from the backend of midfield when 1st & 2nd respectively in the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth (fri)
Race 1: (1) Katniss 13
Race 2: (8) Come On Sonny 21
Race 3: (5) Bushy Park 12 (EW)
Race 4: (9) Cape Quarter 52
Race 5: (8) Tin Soldier 65
Race 6: (10) Captain Gambler 81
Race 7: (1) Carry On Alice 95
Race 8: (6) Seven Wood 58
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (13) Tropical Blow 11
Race 2: (1) Soldier’s Bride 22
Race 3: (7) Sonic A P 12
Race 4: (14) Academy Princess 38
Race 5: (1) Aldric 40 (EW)
Race 6: (12) Princess Ida 48
Race 7: (7) Golden Fort 53
Race 8: (12) Roy’s Hollyhock 30 (NAP*)
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Desert Lark 24
Race 2: (13) Romantic Crusade 11
Race 3: (5) Tomba La Bomba 67
Race 4: (12) St Tropez 94
Race 5: (1) Horizon 63 (NAP)
Race 6: (9) Safe Harbour 96
Race 7: (1) Legal Eagle 101
Race 8: (4) Royal Badge 94
Race 9: (8) She’s A Giver 99
Race 10: (4) The Stone Thrower 73
Scottsville (sat)
Race 1: (6) Easy Peasy 14
Race 2: (2) Mighty Hash 24
Race 3: (11) Asyouplease 17 (NAP*)
Race 4: (13) Hanji 31
Race 5: (15) Obrega 42
Race 6: (1) Red Chesnut Road 57
Race 7: (9) Piano Man 86
Race 8: (10) Lily Gray 37
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (1) Punta Cana 27
Race 2: (1) Flying Ice 75
Race 3: (2) Rights Of Man 13
Race 4: (1) Al Azraq 68
Race 5: (7) Zante 89
Race 6: (1) Al Fahad 50
Race 7: (5) Romany Prince 87 (NAP*)
Race 8: (10) Storm Ruler 13
Top rated winners last week included
Rand Club won 50/1
Al Dangeur won 12/1
Qatar Springs won 11/1
Icon King won 6/1
Roy’s Snowdrops won 4/1
Jungle Mist won 7/2
Bold Reign won 2/1
Pivotal Pursuit won 18/10
Notebook:-
South Side (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (mixed) 26th December
Turf Soft/Poly Standard
Course Variant: Turf 2,40s slow/Poly 2,05s slow
1200m (1) Amazon King 73,57T*
1200m (1) Roy’s Saint 72,22P
1400m (2) Scarrabeast 84,57P
1600m (1) Rikitikitana 98,00T
1900m (1) Bold Reign 120,35T
1900m (1) Silver Rose 118,08P
2400m (1) Qatar Springs 152,75T
Vaal (outside) 27th December
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 0,75s slow
1000m (2) Gun Fighter 57,85
1200m (2) Pivotal Pursuit 71,11
1400m (2) Sim-Alley Bank 83,36
1600m (3) Tilbury Fort 96,27
Kenilworth (new) 28th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,48s slow
1000m (2) South Side 60,29
1200m (1) Al Dangeur 73,27
1400m (2) Primrose Lane 88,07
1800m (2) Keep The Faith 114,41
2000m (1) Shangri La 127,03
2500m (1) Omaha Tribe 160,26
Vaal 29th December
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 0,71s slow
1200m (1) Jungle Mist 70,05
1300m (1) Rand Club 78,69
1400m (2) Unrehearshed 84,30
1600m (1) Leopard Lily 98,15
1800m (1) Just Cruised In 113,47
2000m (3) Kingmambo’s Legacy 123,68
Greyville (poly) 30th December
Going Standard
Course Variant:
1200m (4) Lunar Rush 70,90
1400m (1) El Bombero 83,81
1400m (3) Roy’s Past 97,90
