Victorious Return Home
Fairview 12th June: A juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway at Friday’s turf meeting and here we saw a smart performance from the Toreador filly BALOO BALEERIE. Sent off a joint second favourite at 28/10, Gavin Smith’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the running on HIGH FASHION. The runner up had raced seventh of the eight and finished very well.
The faster of the two 1200m maiden plates on the card was the boy’s division won by RUSHING HOME. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge sat in midfield for the first half of the race. He ran on stoutly over the final 600m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny the well exposed PLAIN OF WISDOM.
There were also two races run over 1400m and fastest against the clock in these was ADMIRE THE PERSIAN in the conditions plate. On leaving the stalls DINESEN flew, and was very quickly four lengths clear. She kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and it was only close home that the daughter of Admire Man (running on from midfield) put her head in front.
The listed Lady’s Slipper over 1400m topped the bill and in a time over one and a half seconds slower than that of Admire The Persian victory here went to the visiting JANE S PIDDY. Priced up as the 22/10 second favourite when the nine runners left the stalls Glen Kotzen’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the locally trained SHIRAZ CABERNET by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The easy to back TAARISH came from the rear when getting up very late to win the pinnacle stakes over 1800m.
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101 Years Later
Scottsville 13th June: Three of the nine races in Natal on Saturday were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the Allowance Plate won by NINETEEN FOURTEEN. Taken straight to the front by Keegan De Melo, the son of Rebel King was always a couple clear. He kept on determinedly in the straight and despite the efforts of the nibbled at WAY OF LIGHT (4/1 into 3/1) he didn’t relinquish an inch of his advantage.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the non-black type KZN Winter Challenge (effectively a handicap) won by the well handicapped SARATOGA DANCER. On leaving the stalls it was the favourite BALTIC AMBER (6/1 into 7/2) who elected to make the running whilst Duncan Howells’ charge raced close up in fifth. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half. Both ENTRÉE (3rd) and SILVER SPRING (5th) ran on well from midfield in this race.
Quickest home in the two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m was VAR’S DREAM in the boys’ affair. Another to race handy, Robbie Hill’s charge quickened well after switching out for a run 100m from home and won going away by a length.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of the 2yo SHARP PRINCESS when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1400m. Nicely positioned in third for most of the journey Mike De Kock’s charge put her head in front going through the 300m. Anthony Delpech had barely moved a muscle at that point and with an absolute ton in hand she went on to win going away by seven and a half.
Titbits
The improving CRIME VICTIM ran on well from midfield when easily accounting for his eleven rivals in the KZN Winter Challenge over 1950m by three and a half.
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Serious July Runner
Turffontein 14th June: The Gr3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m topped the bill on the stand side track on Saturday and here we saw another impressive performance from the July hopeful LEGAL EAGLE. Sent off second in the betting market at 2/1, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. He quickened well in the long home straight and won going away by four and a quarter after striking the front 200m out. Legal Eagle will now have a crack at the Durban July and has to be a very serious runner.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1160m and fastest home amongst these was JUST AS I SAID in the boys’ division of the juvenile plate. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy was always prominent. He challenged the eventual runner up KINGOFTHEWORLD (led 500m) 200m out and with the rest some six lengths adrift he only got the verdict by a neck.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the maiden plate won by ENOUGH SAID. Freely available at 66/1 on the off, the Stuart Pettigrew trained newcomer sat in midfield during the early part of the event. He quickened well at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the running on BEATING HEART by a length and a quarter. Lightly raced JIN-GO-LO-BA (stable companion to the winner – also 66/1) was badly hampered when moving up to challenge 150m out in this race.
Titbits
After racing fifth of the six LAZER STAR won the conditions plate over 1000m going away.
The 3yo AL FIRENZE ran on well from the rear when third in the MR74 Handicap over 1160m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (3) Calico 14
Race 2: (9) Lightning Bolt 16
Race 3: (6) Patent Of Nobility 7
Race 4: (1) Spekboom 16
Race 5: (12) Divine Invitation 41 (EW)
Race 6: (18) Take Off 37
Race 7: (8) Brave Vision 60
Race 8: (1) Casual Fan 40 (EW)
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (6) Mystical Twilight 20
Race 2: (2) Mamselle Al 17
Race 3: (10) Noisette 7
Race 4: (2) Gift Of Rain 10
Race 5: (14) Valde Velox 50
Race 6: (16) Inn Action 45
Race 7: (16) Dogmatism 57
Race 8: (1) Hurricane Attack 8
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (12) Wow Holiday 11
Race 2: (1) At Variance 4
Race 3: (2) Masked Girl 15
Race 4: (1) Wild Namaqua 25
Race 5: (1) Jet On Fire 66
Race 6: (9) French Mark 44
Race 7: (6) Let It Rip 55
Race 8: (1) Sword Storm 10
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (14) Tripadvisor 8
Race 2: (1) Al Azraq 9 (NAP**)
Race 3: (2) Stunning Angel 8
Race 4: (7) Racing Free 30 (nb)
Race 5: (3) Heywot 43
Race 6: (1) Shepard One 65
Race 7: (16) Tullynally 46
Race 8: (12) Gentle Desire 45
Race 9: (8) Kara 31
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Top rated winners last week included
Miracle Rising won 9/2
Castlethorpe won 4/1
Nineteen Fourteen won 4/1
Caughtinthedeep won 3/1
Just As I Said won 5/2
Nephrite won 2/1
Lazer Star won 8/10
Sharp Princess won 1/4
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Notebook:-
High Fashion (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Legal Eagle (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview 13th June
Penetrometer 20 – Going Soft
1000m (1) Baloo Baleerie 59,97
1200m (2) Rushing Home 73,29
1400m (2) Admire The Persian 85,37
1600m (1) Mambo Italiano 101,28*
1800m (1) Taarish 112,79
2700m (1) Simmering 179,69
Scottsville (inside) 13th June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Var’s Dream 57,64*
1200m (1) Sea Fever 69,28
1400m (3) Nineteen Fourteen82,49
1600m (2) Sarotoga Dancer 95,94
1950m (1) Crime Victim 119,70
Turffontein (old) 14th June:
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Lazer Star 56,27
1160m (4) Just As I Said 66,33
1400m (2) Enough Said 85,93
1800m (1) Legal Eagle 108,78
