Ton In Hand
Fairview 3rd January: They raced on the turf on Friday where the fastest of the three 1200m events was the MR87 Handicap over 1200m won by STORMY RIDGE. Soon up handy, the son of Tiger Ridge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and with the benefit of first run he beat the faster finishing MONEY FOR LOVE by three quarters. The runner up had raced detached at the rear and did well to get as close as he did.
The biggest winning margin on the card was just two and quarter lengths which was recorded by both OATS in the MR69 Handicap over 1200m, and EVARISTE in the maiden 2000m. Oats made virtually all and won well.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Lady’s Bracelet over 1600m and here the Cape Town raider STAR JET won a lot more easily than the form book will reflect. Confidently ridden by Richard Fourie, the 4yo daughter of Jet Master sat fifth for most of the journey. She quickened nicely when given rein and only asked to do the absolute necessary after striking the front 220m from home, she won with a ton in hand by just half a length.
Titbits
GREYSTONE ran on from the rear when only beaten three quarters of a length in the MR80 Handicap over 1400m.
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Gauteng Magic
Greyville 3rd January: The Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m topped the bill on Friday evening and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Gauteng raider CLASSIC ILLUSION. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and won well from the running on duo of MURMERING SKY and ORANGE BLOSSOM.
The faster of the two 2000m events on the card was the MR70 affair in which the Modern Day gelding MODERN SPOT registered his second career victory. Nicely positioned in fifth as the eleven runners turned for home, Modern Spot ran on stoutly in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the favourite BRAVISSIMO (led 400m) after striking the front 150m out.
After a false start the field in the not so lucky last, a MR66 Handicap over 1400m was reduced to just eight, and finding the winner’s enclosure here was the nibbled at ANGIE. Always handy, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge ran on strongly in the straight and after a thrilling tussle with RED ROSETTE over the final 200m she only got the verdict by a short head.
Titbits
EMINENCE DAY ran on well from the rear when fourth (beaten 2,25 lengths – eased late) in the MR74 Handicap over 1600m.
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Five From Ten
Turffontein 4th January: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the old stand side track meeting on Saturday when GREEN CREST did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. On leaving the stalls it was the speedy ARRIVE AT FIVE who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Way West raced some three lengths away in third. She quickened well from halfway and won going away after striking the front 100m from home.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the conditions plate won by the joint top weight TIGER QUEST. Out of the pens in a flash, Dominic Zaki’s charge was soon a length clear. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although ARCETRI PINK chased hard over the final 400m she won well by two and a quarter. Tiger Quest has now won five of her ten starts.
Another to win well from the front on this card was WINTER PASSION in the maiden 1160m. She too was soon a length clear and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and three quarters.
Titbits
Racing handy after losing a length at the start, AGILE COMBAT lost position 500m out, but did then run on strongly over the final 200m when only beaten a half length in the maiden 1400m.
Third placed MISS OCTOBER ran on well from midfield when only beaten 0,35 lengths in the MR104 Handicap over 1000m.
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From A Better Place
Kenilworth 4th January: The faster of the two 1800m events in Cape Town on Saturday was the maiden plate won by SHINGWEDZI. In a race run some 1,3 seconds faster than that of the MR76 Handicap, Mike Bass’ charge came from the rear. He ran on best of all in the straight and under a well judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk she got up late to beat JET TURBINE by a half. The runner up also finished well from the rear.
Another to win well from off the pace on this card was COUNTESS OF RHYNIE in the MR80 Handicap over 1000m. She cut through the field like a knife at the business end of the race and won going away by two and three quarters.
In terms of stakes it was a conditions plate over 1400m that topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Goldkeeper mare GOLD ACADEMY gain just reward for her recent consistency. Regularly slow into stride, Yogis Govender’s charge is more often than not sighted towards the rear. She broke on terms here though and nicely positioned in sixth was always poised to strike. She did so shortly after passing the 200m pole and won going away from the front running JEAN’S PRIDE.
Titbits
Third placed CAPEL TOP ran on well from the rear when only beaten a length and a half in the MR71 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (6) Extra Cover 85 Race 3: (2) Let’s Play 25 Race 4: (1) Evening Rose 15 Race 5: (7) Bandol 76 Race 6: (8) Wilmington 42 Race 7: (4) Guided Arrow 61 Race 8: (13) Front Man 63 Scottsville Race 1: (1) Safe Bet 10 Race 2: (12) Mumsy’s Jet 15 Race 3: (3) Luxardo 59 Race 4: (1) Grey Beret 23 Race 5: (12) Irish Blessing 52 Race 6: (2) Chosen Goddess 52 Race 7: (3) First Lad 73 Race 8: (11) Iswithi 19 (NAP*) Race 9: (4) Resolution 30 Turffontein Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (3) Stirling Leaves 26 Race 3: (6) Mr Mulliner 36 (NAP**) Race 4: (7) Fantastic Mr Fox 82 Race 5: (4) Moroccan 78 Race 6: (8) Henry Higgins 61 Race 7: (8) Ginoclock 70 Race 8: (16) Irish Flyer 46 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Headstrong Harry 21 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (6) Bandana Girl 20 (NAP*) Race 4: (3) Speedy Chestnut 14 Race 5: (2) New Star 17 Race 6: (3) All About The Dash 35 Race 7: (8) Soft Snow 58 Race 8: (7) Juddering Angel 72 Race 9: (8) Mysterio 51 Vaal Race 1: (7) Fort Gossamer 20 Race 2: (1) Across The Ice 85 Race 3: (1) Merlins Gem 8 Race 4: (1) Dragon Fay 34 Race 5: (8) Negev 68 Race 6: (4) Sexy And Free 44 Race 7: (3) Hallowed 58 Race 8: (9) Fall Of Troy 57 Race 9: (14) Sixmilebridge 45 .
Top rated winners last week included
Countess Of Rhynie won 8/1 Silver Bluff won 7/1 Like The Willow won 7/1 Sister Lynn won 5/1 Classic Illusion won 9/2 Uncle Tommy won 33/10 Candy Moon won 15/10 Bay Mariner won 14/10 .
Notebook:-
Shingwedzi (M Bass, W-Cape) Tiger Quest (D Zaki, Gauteng) .FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher .Fairview 3rd January Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Miss Friskie 56,16 1200m (3) Stormy Ridge 67,15 1400m (2) Brother In Arms 83,37 1600m (1) Star Jet 96,43 2000m (1) Evariste 123,94 .
Greyville 3rd January Penetrometer 18 – Going G/Firm 1000m (1) Milky Way 60,39 1400m (2) Angie 86,97 1600m (2) Classic Illusion 96,64 1900m (1) Night Lock 119,42 2000m (2) Modern Spot 125,27 .
Turffontein (old) 4th January Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (3) Tiger Quest 56,15 1160m (2) Torero Dancer 66,10 1400m (1) Botanist 85,57 1600m (2) What A Boytjie 98,15 2000m (1) Gone Baby Gone 123,85 .
Kenilworth (new) 4th January Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (1) Countess Of Rhynie 58,99 1200m (2) Silver Bluff 72,24 1400m (2) Gold Academy 86,63 1600m (1) Silver Image 102,65 1700m (1) Chestnut’s Rocket 105,80 1800m (2) Shingwedzi 114,30
