Misbehaving
Kenilworth 11th March: By far the fastest of the four 1400m races in Cape Town on Saturday was the MR86 Handicap won by the front running OH BEHAVE. Soon clear, the 3yo held a three and a half lengths advantage coming off the bend and that proved to be just enough to hold on from the aptly named Eastern Cape raider FLY LIKE THE WIND (ran on from midfield).
The only other distance to stage more than one race on this card was 1200m, the faster of which was the maiden plate for the girl’s won by the well supported favourite DAWN RISING. Backed into 9/10 from 18/10 at the track, the daughter of Trippi was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for EMERAL GAL by three quarters.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by HANABI when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR88 Handicap over 1400m. Taken straight to the front in what proved to be a false paced affair, Eric Sands’ charge led throughout. She quickened well when the race developed into a sprint 500m out and won well by two and a half from the 6yo NTOMBE.
Titbits
Sporting blinkers for the first time, FIRE WALKER showed considerable improvement when coming from the rear to win the slowly run maiden plate over 1000m.
Progressing Nicely
Scottsville 12th March: Four of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was COSMIC BURST in the MR80 Handicap. Sent off the lessor fancied of Dennis Drier’s two runners at 13/1, the 4yo daughter of Var was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 200m and kept on strongly below the distance to fend off a determined challenge from the hat-trick seeking top weight LUNAR RUSH by a neck.
Race five on the card was a pinnacle stakes over 2400m and here we saw a very easy victory for the progressive MR WINSOME. Sent off an uneasy favourite at 2/1 (op 13/10), Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was a little slow into stride and raced fifth of the eight during the early part of the race. He quickened well early in the straight and cruised clear to score by five after striking the front 220m from home.
Another to win with authority on this card was ADMIRAL’S GUEST when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1200m. Taken straight to the front by Brandon Lerena, the 2/1 second favourite led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
Titbits
ROY’S AIR FORCE ran on well from the rear and despite being hampered 200m out, he won the non-black type Middle Stakes going away by three quarters.
What A Shambles
Vaal 14th March: After a long absence whilst work was being done on drainage, racing returned to the Vaal’s new classic track (formerly the sand track) on Tuesday. However, for various reasons, amongst them the fact that the recently laid drainage channels had rendered the track uneven in places, the meeting was abandoned after just four races.
The first two races were maiden plates over 1000m and quickest home here was TWINKLE TOWN in the girl’s division. Positioned in the rear early on after losing two lengths at the start, the daughter of Mogok fairly flew over the final 400m and in eyecatching style she beat her front running stable companion MEMPHIS BELLE (a newcomer) going away by three.
The girls were also the quickest home in the two maiden plates over 1700m. Three and a half lengths covered all nine runners going through the 400m and in a race where less than half a length separated the first four home, the nibbled at JUBA (8/1 into 6/1) got the verdict.
Titbits
Soon clear, DE NIMES ran on strongly over the final 300m when opening his account in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Another Early Finish
Scottsville 15th March: Racing was also brought to a premature close on Wednesday when the persistent threat of lightning caused the meeting to be abandoned after the running of race five.
Three of the five that did race took place over 1000m and by far the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by the uneasy favourite ELUSIVENCHANTMENT. Allowed to ease out to 18/10 from 13/10 at the track, Duncan Howells’ charge led a very tightly bunched field throughout. MISS VARLICIOUS and CALL ME WINTER both challenged strongly over the final 300m, but always held, they couldn’t get nearer than a half at the wire.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR66 Handicap in which the 5yo son of National Emblem PHOEBUS registered his fifth career victory. In a race that always looked wide open, Lizanne Forbes’ charge took up the running 300m out and kept on strongly in the latter stages to fend off the running on BIG BIRD. Third placed LA SUERTE DE MATAR ran on very well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the newcomer REAL VISION cruised clear over the final 250m when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m by five with some in hand.
Couple To Follow
Turffontein 16th March: They raced on the old stand side track on Thursday afternoon where four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1160m. The maiden plate for fillies & mares was surprisingly the fastest of these and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer STATE STAR. Despite not being the quickest into stride when the gates opened, Alec Laird’s charge was soon up handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and won going away by two and three quarters after striking the front 100m from home.
By far the quickest home in the three races over 1400m was FINCHATTON when registering his fourth career victory in the MR104 Handicap. Prominent throughout, Sean Tarry’s charge had the rest some three lengths adrift when getting the better of a thrilling tussle with the front running CAPTAIN ALDO by 0,4.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1400m had opened up proceedings and running out a very comfortable winner here was Finchatton’s stable companion AURELIA COTTA. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 15/10, the newcomer was a little slow into stride and raced sixth early on. She produced a very nice turn of foot when realising what was expected of her 100m out, and won going away by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The newcomer AURORA AUSTRALIS won the boy’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m going away by two and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Bright Flame 14
Race 2: (9) Princess Violet 10
Race 3: (4) Silver Laurel 10
Race 4: (2) Jet Explorer 76
Race 5: (8) Impressionist 49
Race 6: (2) Dixie Express 61 (EW)
Race 7: (15) Via Seattle 26
Race 8: (5) Elusive Rose 45
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (5) He’s A Keeper 8 (NAP*)
Race 2: (7) Saint Kali 9
Race 3: (1) Dance Off 8
Race 4: (10) Russet Roses 10
Race 5: (1) Figaro 10
Race 6: (6) Velvet Wind 49
Race 7: (4) Roy’s Dollar 27
Race 8: (5) Harry Peppa 39
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (7) Mr Fire Eyes 7
Race 2: (3) Knysna Rose 6
Race 3: (10) Watabout 48
Race 4: (6) Kings Archer 82
Race 5: (8) Costa Da Sol 46
Race 6: (3) Last Outlaw 46
Race 7: (9) Graduation Day 103
Race 8: (17) Be Mine Tonight 82
Race 9: (9) Scott’s Pine 7
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (8) Pen-Chan 3
Race 2: (3) Dynasty’s Blossom 8
Race 3: (3) Amazingly 14
Race 4: (1) Gadget Man 14 (NAP*)
Race 5: (9) Mega Secret 63
Race 6: (5) Juddering Angel 66
Race 7: (9) Professor Brian 69 (nb)
Race 8: (1) Cossack Guard 22
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Callladdi 18
Race 2: (4) Trini’s Var Hyt 14
Race 3: (8) Musigny 22
Race 4: (3) Khetiwe 26
Race 5: (5) Waity Katie 47
Race 6: (2) Bengal Boy 43
Race 7: (10) Jamal 47
Race 8: (7) Rocket Master 44 (NAP*)
Race 9: (13) Magic Memory
Top rated winners last week included
Phoebus won 15/1
Cosmic Burst won 13/1
Parisienne Chic won 8/1
Admiral’s Guest won 2/1
Come On Sonny won 2/1
Sister Soozie won 14/10
Dawn Rising won 9/10
De Nimes won 9/10
Notebook:-
Aurelia Cotta (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Elusivenchantment (D Howells, KZN)
Mr Winsome (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
State Star (A Laird, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 11th March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,77s slow
1000m (1) Fire Walker 61,01
1200m (2) Rose In Bloom 72,95
1400m (4) Oh Behave 85,86
1600m (1) Sister Soozie 128,31
Scottsville (new) 12th March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,38s slow
1000m (1) Arianos Bagofgold 57,32
1200m (4) Cosmic Burst 69,31
1400m (1) Florrick 85,68
1600m (1) Double Clutch 96,42
2400m (1) Mr Winsome 150,92
Vaal (classic) 14th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,01s slow
1000m (2) Twinkle Town 57,21
1700m (2) Juba 103,76*
Scottsville (inside) 15th March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,34s slow
1000m (3) Elusivenchantment 56,55
1200m (2) Phoebus 69,89
Turffontein (stand side) 16th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,74s slow
1160m (4) State Star 67,67*
1400m (3) Finchhatton 84,94
1800m (1) Parisienne Chic 112,83
2000m (1) Highlander 127,44
