Successful Reunion
Scottsville 13th May: Six of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR92 Handicap won by the 5yo CHOIR MAIDEN. Always top of the boards (3/1 into 5/2), the top weight was raced handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m pole and won going away from the younger LITTLEBLACKNUMBER by a length and a half.
The remaining two races were both run over 1400m and quickest home here was PERSIAN RUG in the girl’s division of the juvenile plate. A very comfortable winner of her only previous racecourse appearance, Mike De Kock’s charge raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. She quickened well when given rein and despite losing a shoe she went on to win with authority by a length and three quarters.
In terms of distance one of the easiest victories on the card was recorded by HUNTING OWL in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Duncan Howells’ charge was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 200m and won well by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Reported as taking no interest early on, ALMASHOOQA only got going late when fourth (beaten a length and a half) in the boy’s division of the juvenile plate.
The 3yo SPECIAL ENCOUNTER won the maiden plate over 1200m going away by four and a quarter.
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Cheeky Veteran
Vaal 14th May: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where victory in the fastest of the four 1400m events went to the nibbled at LIGHT THE WAY in the MR90 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 4/1, the son of Miesque’s Approval was always in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and just held on from the rallying pacemaker RUSHING JOSH by the narrowest of margins. MY TREASURE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to fill third position in this race.
There were also four races run over 1200m and in the fastest of these, a MR68 Handicap, we saw a very easy victory for the 3yo TALKTOTHESTARS. Content to race in midfield for most of the journey, the Overlord gelding was ridden to lead going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five.
Another to win with authority on this card was MALAK EL MOOLOOK in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m. After making the running Sean Tarry’s charge was headed by the easy to back ROMAN CALAMITY going through the 300m. Under a typical ride from the cheeky veteran Piere Strydom though, the son of King’s Chapel rallied gamely when asked for an effort and cruised clear to win by three and a quarter after regaining the lead 150m out.
Titbits
The well exposed 4yo HEYWOT showed good improvement when winning the first division of the MR68 Handicap over 1200m going away.
After being baulked for a run at a critical stage, PEEP SHOW did very well indeed to land the MR88 Handicap over 1400m in the very last stride.
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Still On The Prowl
Fairview 15th May: A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway at Friday’s turf meeting and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the easy to back HUMBLE HARRY. Always handy, the Rocky Street gelding put his head in front going through the 200m and only held off a determined challenge from the 40/1 shot MEMPHIS MAFIA by the narrowest of margins.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the boy’s maiden plate won by PIKASTAR. Another to race handy, Jacque Strydom’s charge put his head in front 100m out and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the pacemaker REBEL ROAD by a length and a quarter.
A MR91 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the 5yo STORMY RIDGE. Winning for the sixth time in 37 starts here, the grey son of Tiger Ridge sat seventh of the nine for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
STRONG SCENT ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the fastest of the two 1600m events, a conditions plate, very comfortably by three.
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Timed To Perfection
Greyville 15th May: The lion’s share of the racing took place on the poly track on Friday evening where the fastest of the four 1400m events was the MR70 Handicap won by the heavily supported SOLAR TRIPTYCH. Backed into 11/10 from 5/2 at the track, Alec Laird’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m pole and went on to win with authority by three and three quarters.
The Gr2 Betting World 1900 on turf topped the bill and in what proved to be a much closer finish victory here went to one of the rank outsiders of the sixteen horse party DYNASTIC POWER. Freely available at 66/1 on the off, Stan Elley’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and with the benefit of first run he got the verdict over the much more fancied POWER KING (came from the rear) by a neck.
Titbits
Despite drifting in the betting the 28/10 favourite DYNASTIC won the MR80 Handicap over 1600m very comfortably by two.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (2) Patent Of Nobility 7
Race 2: (6) J P’s Prince 10
Race 3: (2) Draco 12
Race 4: (1) Hera 9
Race 5: (7) King Of The Deep 57
Race 6: (2) Asgard 40
Race 7: (2) Netsuke 34 (NAP*)
Race 8: (6) Chill Factor 48
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (4) Nice Like That 3
Race 2: (1) Tempest 5
Race 3: (1) Big Shot 12
Race 4: (10) Ciao-Ciao 64
Race 5: (4) Shepherds Warning 36
Race 6: (12) Wilhelmina 31
Race 7: (8) River Trip 58
Race 8: (15) Kopi Luwak 39
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (4) Simla 8
Race 2: (10) Son Of Silver 13
Race 3: (2) Wild Namaqua 25
Race 4: (2) Moonlite Mist 8
Race 5: (1) Cinema Scope 51 (NAP*)
Race 6: (1) Balance Sheet 62
Race 7: (9) Eco Storm 46
Race 8: (3) Burrwood 50
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (7) Dragon Li 7
Race 2: (4) Khaleesi 9
Race 3: (1) Blazing Brave 15
Race 4: (12) Winter Al 29 (NAP*)
Race 5: (12) All The Bids 75
Race 6: (7) Ganesh 41
Race 7: (15) Tycoon Touch 55
Race 8: (10) Kayhaladin 73
Race 9: (1) Manx Park 54
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Top rated winners last week included
Easy Street won 8/1
Light The Way won 4/1
Choir Maiden won 5/2
Sail Intotheclouds won 5/2
Flying Luxmi won 18/10
Malak El Moolook won 18/10
Special Encounter won 12/10
Persian Rug won 1/1
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Notebook:-
Peepshow (M Azzie, Gauteng)
Solar Triptych (A Laird, 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 (inside) 13th May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (6) Choir Maiden 69,89
1400m (2) Persian Rug 84,68
Vaal (inside) 14th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1200m (4) Talktothestars 69,33
1400m (4) Light The Way 81,76
2000m (2) Like A Boss 123,19
Fairview 15th May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (3) Pikastar 58,50
1400m (2) Falling Sky 87,32*
1600m (2) Strong Scent 100,62
2000m (1) Hazel Jay 130,37*
Greyville (turf/poly) 15th May
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1200m (1) Harvest Queen 71,73P
1400m (4) Solar Triptych 81,47P
1600m (2) Master James 97,96T
1900m (1) Dynastic Power 116,81T
