Expected Improvement
Scottsville 20th December: Surprisingly the fastest of the three 1200m races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was the MR77 Handicap in which the recent maiden winner HUMIDOR (7/2 into 16/10) showed good improvement. Now a winner of two from three, Tony Rivalland’s charge made all. He led by just three quarters of a length for most of the journey before extending his advantage to three under a strong ride from Anton Marcus over the final 400m.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the bill topping pinnacle stakes won by BARBOSA. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 3/10, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front 150m out and went on to extend his winning sequence to four very comfortably by a length and three quarters.
The first juvenile race of the KZN season had gotten proceedings underway and quickest home here was the 7/2 shot ROB’S JEWEL. Soon prominent in this 800m maiden event, Mike Miller’s charge ran on strongly in the closing stages and got up late to deny the front running ANSWERINGENESIS.
The not so lucky last (races 9 & 10 were abandoned) was a MR80 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the former sand campaigner OLYMPIC BOLT. Racing off a mark some fourteen points lower than his rating on that surface, the 8/1 shot was always handy. He took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and won well by a length and three quarters from the similarly unfancied SIR EARL GREY. After being a little slow into stride, CAT IN COMMAND ran on well from the back to fill third position in this race.
Titbits
LITTLEBLACKNUMBER made it three from seven over the course and distance when winning the MR90 Handicap over 1200m.
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Classic Finish
Fairview 21st December: Four of the eight races at Monday’s poly track meeting were run over 1300m and the quickest home in these was PATAUDI in the MR64 Handicap. Soon positioned close to the speed, Justin Snaith’s charge put his head in front coming off the bend and won well by two and a quarter.
In the slowest of the 1300m events, the girl’s maiden plate, we saw a smart performance from the Yvette Bremner trained CLASSIC DELIGHT. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 15/10, the daughter of Lecture could be sighted at the back of the ten turning for home. Once in the straight though she ran on best of all, and under a well judged ride from S’manga Khumalo she got up late to deny the second favourite HAIZI’S DAISY.
The only other favourite on the card to oblige was the recent maiden winner FRATERNIZE in the MR63 Handicap over 2200m. Backed into 22/10 from 4/1 at the track, Pataudi’s stable companion was always in touch with the leaders. She put her head in front going through the 200m and won going away by a length and a quarter.
A MR72 Handicap over 1600m brought proceedings to a close and in what proved to be a real thriller the lightly weighted 14/1 shot LAWS OF SUCCESSION registered his third career victory. The favourite CRUZCAMPO was the first to make a move and when getting his nose in front 200m out he looked to have done everything right. The always handy son of Jay Peg challenged strongly below the distance though, and got the verdict on the nod.
Titbits
The 4yo THE CAPTAIN’S CAT ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when getting up 60m from home to win the novice 1200m going away.
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Romantic Return
Kenilworth 22nd December: The 3yo ROYAL BADGE was nibbled at (5/1 into 4/1) to win what proved to be the fastest of the three 1800m events on Tuesday, a MR80 Handicap, and he didn’t let down his supporters. Taken straight to the front by Donavan Mansour, the son of Go Deputy led by just half a length throughout. He found extra when challenged by BIANZINO over the final 200m and looked to have a little in hand.
They also ran three races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was TONYA in the MR66 affair. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced fifth of the six for most of the journey. She quickened well at the top of the straight and won going away by a length and a half after striking the front 150m from home.
The remaining two races were staged over 1200m and comfortably the faster of these was the MR88 Handicap won by JOINERS ARMS. At the helm from pillar to post, the Greys Inn gelding kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the always handy BLACK TRACTOR by a half.
Titbits
Racing for the first time since winning easily by three and a half on debut 15 months ago, the 5yo LOHNROMANCE was never really asked to race when winning the MR70 Handicap over 1200m by three.
The 3yo NIGHTINGALE won the girl’s maiden plate over 1800m by a length and a quarter with some in hand.
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On The Upgrade
Greyville 23rd December: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville. Two maiden plates over 1200m got proceedings underway at Wednesday’s turf meeting and much the faster of these was the girl’s affair won by MISS BRODY. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Stuart Randolph, the always handy daughter of A P Answer didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest. Once into stride though she quickened nicely, and won well by three quarters from the running on WIND SINGER (also poorly drawn).
The faster of the two 1400m races was the maiden event in which we saw an impressive performance from the Paul Lafferty trained ROY’S AIR FORCE. Nibbled at on course into 33/10 from 4’s, the second favourite raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened in very good style after switching out for a run 300m from home and then striking the front 100m later he cruised clear to score by three and three quarters.
Another 3yo to show very good improvement on this card was the recent maiden winner TEN GUN SALUTE when landing the MR87 Handicap over 2000m. Sent off third in the betting market at 9/2, the son of Henrythenavigator was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and had the rejuvenated GREAT RUMPUS well held by three and a quarter at the wire.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, the 13/10 favourite SISTER COSMOS ran on well from the backend of midfield when runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
Racing green the lightly raced 3yo SILKEN ran on well from the backend of midfield when only beaten a neck in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Misnomer 13
Race 2: (3) Taketotask 7
Race 3: (7) Brilliant Idea 15
Race 4: (10) Nordic Wind 55 (NAP*)
Race 5: (15) Pikastar 50
Race 6: (9) Briar King 60
Race 7: (5) Sea Cat 66 (nb)
Race 8: (9) All The Bids 59
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (9) Brachetto 32
Race 2: (4) Tigeress Dance 45
Race 3: (11) Sputnik Sweetheart 36
Race 4: (2) Durban Blues 11
Race 5: (6) Super Sonic 11
Race 6: (1) Olma 73
Race 7: (1) Run Rhino Run 58 (NAP*)
Race 8: (6) Racey J 3
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Silver King 6
Race 2: (7) Russian Steward 63
Race 3: (7) Captain Chips 25
Race 4: (1) Global Ethos 25
Race 5: (10) Luala 49
Race 6: (3) Crystal Glamour 58
Race 7: (5) Arabian National 85
Race 8: (17) Delighted 46
Race 9: (1) Golden Man 28
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Felicity Flyer 7
Race 2: (4) My Emblem 51 (EW)
Race 3: (15) Search Party 23 (NAP*)
Race 4: (3) Shall Be Free 25
Race 5: (3) Eastern Front 42
Race 6: (10) Streak Of Silver 63
Race 7: (3) Ernie 74 (EW)
Race 8: (10) No Resistance 61
Race 9: (3) Stockade 26
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (3) Between The Sheets 16
Race 3: (2) Red China 22
Race 4: (6) Respect At Bay 49 (EW)
Race 5: (6) Royalsecuritypower 81
Race 6: (8) A P Strike 41
Race 7: (6) Shezaleader 43
Race 8: (3) Speedjet 11
Race 9: (1) Brave Knight 27
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Top rated winners last week included
Laws Of Succession won 14/1
More Than Grand won 8/1
The Captain’s Cat won 5/1
Cherry Orchard won 7/2
Littleblacknumber won 7/2
Samarra won 33/10
Bank It won 18/10
Barbosa won 3/10
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Notebook:-
Classic Delight (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
Humidor (A Rivalland, KZN)
Lohnromance (A Nel, W-Cape)
Roy’s Air Force (P Lafferty, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (stand) 20th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
800m (1) Rob’s Jewel 45,91
1000m (2) Barbosa 56,08
1200m (3) Humidor 68,65
1400m (1) Cyclone Sassy 86,86
1600m (1) Olympic Bolt 99,34
Fairview (poly) 21st December
Going Good
1200m (1) The Captain’s Cat 71,17
1300m (4) Pataudi 75,86
1600m (1) Laws Of Succession 96,04
1900m (1) Emblem Honour 115,73
2200m (1) Fraternize 137,50
Kenilworth (new) 22nd December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1200m (2) Joiners Arms 72,71
1400m (3) Tonya 86,31
1800m (3) Royal Badge 111,69
Greyville (turf) 23rd December
Penetrometer 25 – Going Soft
1000m (2) Simla 60,67
1200m (2) Miss Brody 73,46
1400m (2) Roy’s Air Force 85,98
1600m (1) Cherry Orchard 100,67
2000m (2) Ten Gun Salute 124,50
