Franco Impressed
Kenilworth 16th April: Two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Tuesday and in the fastest of these (the boy’s division) we saw a very impressive performance from the newcomer GENERAL FRANCO. A R4M purchase, the son of Frankel raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 250m out, and won going away by three and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these (a MR75 Handicap) was CROWDED HOUSE. Allowed to drift right out to 18/1 from 10’s at the track, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced seventh of the nine early on. She quickened well at the top of the straight and with the rest some three lengths adrift, she got the better of KAWAKAMI by three quarters. Also worthy of note in this race was BITTER LEMON. She was baulked twice en-route from the back, and also finished well.
Another newcomer to win well on this card was MIRAGE in the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Always top of the boards, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She quickened nicely over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for another newcomer in SAILING SHIP by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Drawn 14th of 15, CHAKRI ran on well from the rear when a two length runner up in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.
Easy For El’ Zara
Greyville 17th April: Given that the other two races were both MR62 Handicaps, it was not surprising to see that the Maiden plate won well by WHITE CEDAR was the fastest of the three 1400m events on the card. At the head of affairs throughout, Alyson Wright’s charge stamped his authority in the short home straight and won going away by four.
Another to win well from the front on this card was the 2yo EL’ZARA when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1000m. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, the daughter of Captain Al only had to be pushed out over the final 400m and won going away by four and a half.
Run in a time 0,85s faster than that of El’ Zara was the MR66 Handicap in which LESLIES PATHTOFAME registered his third career victory. Positioned in the backend of midfield when the eleven runners swung for home, Frank Robinson’s charge ran on best of all in the straight, and won going away from the always handy HONDO.
Titbits
Having only her second outing following a ten month layoff here, lightly raced CLASSIC GUARD showed her well-being with a comfortable pillar to post victory in the MR76 Handicap over 1600m.
Thrown In
Vaal 18th April: ALYAASAAT was the highest rated runner on Thursday’s card and thrown in at the weights in the assessment plate over 1400m he duly recorded his third career victory. Sent off odds on then in what proved to be by far the faster of the two events over the distance, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 300m out and kept on strongly late to beat WHITEHAVEN by just over a length.
Three of the eight races were staged over 1200m and in the fastest of these, a MR94 Handicap, it was nice to see the 5yo CLEVER GUY back in the winner’s enclosure. Having his third outing here following a short break, Stephen Moffatt’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker, and answered every call late on to score by three quarters.
The MR66 apprentice handicap was the faster of the two 1000m events and here victory went to the 4yo BRIGTNUMBERTEN. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 10’s, the Eightfold Path gelding raced second in a very tightly bunched field. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing halfway and won well by a length from the running on REBEL RENEGADE.
Titbits
Allowed to drift right out to 13/1 from 5’s, ONE OF OUR OWN won the opening maiden plate over 1200m going away by four and three quarters.
27 Months Later
Fairview 19th April: The listed East Cape Oaks for 3yo fillies over 2000m jointly topped the bill on Friday and in what proved to be the faster of the two events over the distance the Cape Town raider MADONNA landed the spoils. Running on stoutly from off the pace, Justin Snaith’s charge only got the verdict on the nod from another Western Cape raider in SNAPSCAN.
The listed Glenlair Trophy over 3200m jointly topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the former KZN campaigner ONESIE gained her first win in the province. Winning for the first time since 1st January 2017, the Ideal World mare raced in the rear early on. She began to take closer order in the back straight and entering the home straight she was already nicely positioned in second. She ran on strongly in the long home straight and comfortably accounted for EVOLVER by a length and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was VIA SEATTLE. Easy to back at 11/1 to win the pinnacle stakes, Yvette Bremner’s charge sat seventh of the thirteen during the early part of the race. She was ridden to lead approaching the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the always handy MRS O by a length.
Titbits
Third last turning for home, IN A PERFECT WORLD only had to be pushed out when winning the Derby Plate over 2000m going away.
Generous Shift
Greyville 19th April: A MR90 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill on Friday evening’s poly track card and here it was nice to see the 6yo ISCA register his fifth career victory. Winning for the first time since Aug’17 here, the grey Var gelding raced at the back for most of the journey. Just four lengths covered all coming off the bend though, and finishing best of all over the final 400m he got up late to deny FILIPPO (led 300m).
RED SHIFT in the MR82 Handicap over 1400m was the best bet on the card for Sporting Post and at the generous price of 11/2, he did the business. Confidently ridden by Gareth Wright, Andre Nel’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He picked them off quickly in the straight and won going away after striking the front 200m out.
The two 1600m races on the card were both MR62 handicaps for the girls and in the faster of these, ROY’S NOVICE completed a hat-trick. A maiden for 21 outings before starting this winning streak, Alyson Wright’s charge was soon up handy. She took up the running early in the home straight and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat ARIZONA SUNSET by a half.
Titbits
The 3yo NIKIYA came from the backend of midfield when winning the MR64 handicap over 1000m with some in hand by two and a half
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Finley Hill 15
Race 2: (6) Rubix 2
Race 3: (8) Perfectproportions 65
Race 4: (6) Cloud Atlas 62
Race 5: (6) Masterful 64
Race 6: (2) Amazon King 56
Race 7: (8) Captain Anne Bonny 51
Race 8: (12) Dinner Date 48
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Doublethink 15 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Flying High 2
Race 3: (1) Destinys Game 18
Race 4: (12) Union Castle 16
Race 5: (10) All Of Me 49
Race 6: (1) Bize 37
Race 7: (12) In The Game 44
Race 8: (8) Josi Di Nero 31
Race 9: (1) Jungle Jane 12
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (12) Will Scarlet 3
Race 2: (6) Scottish Ally 4
Race 3: (3) Duntoche 17
Race 4: (7) Ready Steady Go 78
Race 5: (10) Jay Rock 59
Race 6: (3) Helen’s Ideal 58
Race 7: (3) Vardy 77
Race 8: (1) The Perfect Wave 16
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (13) Candle Rock 2
Race 2: (9) On My Mind 22
Race 3: (1) Spring Fling 14
Race 4: (2) Velvet Season 14
Race 5: (2) Jacqueline 16
Race 6: (8) Orpheus 88
Race 7: (7) Roy’s Flash 39
Race 8: (4) Disney Princess 1
Race 9: (12) Count Dubucks 63
Top rated winners last week included
Certifiable won 29/4
Bold Assassin won 27/4
Red Shift won 11/2
La Bella Mia won 11/4
Day’s Of Thunder won 2/1
Drama Queen won 2/1
Madonna won 14/10
Kamadeva won 11/10
Notebook:-
El’ Zara (L Goosen, KZN)
General Franco (J Snaith, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 16th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) General Franco 60,07
1400m (3) Crowded House 87,81
1600m (1) Fortune Flies 101,80
1800m (1) Al Jalali 116,26
2500m (1) Bold Assassin 160,71
Greyville (poly) 17th April
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,05s fast
1000m (2) Leslies Pathtofame 57,66
1400m (3) White Cedar 83,16
1600m (3) Caliente 95,79
Vaal 18th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,16s slow
1000m (2) Brigtnumberten 57,10
1200m (3) Clever Guy 69,77
1400m (2) Alyaasaat 84,05
1600m (1) Samarra 96,94*
Fairview (turf) 19th April
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,01s slow
1000m (1) Quinlan 56,74
1200m (3) Via Seattle 69,13
1600m (2) March Music 97,19
2000m (2) Madonna 125,09
3200m (1) Onesie 210,.47
Greyville (poly) 19th April
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,41s slow
1000m (2) Isca 57,96
1200m (1) Wildly In Love 71,64
1400m (1) Red Shift 82,37
1600m (2) Roy’s Novice 96,58
1800m (2) Zanzibarian 121,26
