Mike’s Night

In The Money

Flamingo Park 15^th October: The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of the 3yo Daylami filly LADY LAVAN when opening her account in the maiden 1800m. Allowed to flirt with 28/10 at one stage before returning to her opening call of 22/10, Lady Lavan was always handy. She quickened well at the top of the home straight and went on to score going away by six and a half after striking the front 250m from home.

The first of just two favourites to oblige on the nine race program was CAPITAL GAIN in the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 2200m. Taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg, the son of Opera King led throughout. He was close to five lengths clear turning for home and although the PE Gold Cup winner CAMPO DE SANTANA did make some headway over the final 600m, he still held a four length advantage at the wire.

At the other end of the scale the biggest upset on the card came in the first division of the MR78 Handicap over 1600m where TRISTRAMS MISTRESS registered her third career victory. Sent off as the rank outsider of the party at 45/1, the Windrush mare also made all. She kept on doggedly at the business end of the race and just held on from the steadily gaining 33/1 shot SOUND TRACK.

A MR63 Handicap over 1000m brought proceedings to a close and in what proved to be a good time taking into account the heavy rain that had fallen at times throughout the afternoon victory here went to the tote favourite DANCE WITH RYAN. Always handy, Vernon Rugg’s charge ran on stoutly over the final 300m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny the well supported pacemaker SWING AWAY.

Titbits

ARABIAN SANDS ran on from the rear when third in the second division of the MR78 Handicap over 1600m.

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What A Thriller

Scottsville 16^th October: A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the second favourite DARWIN CUP. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. The 13/20 favourite RUN WEST threw down a determined challenge going through the 300m and it did look as if that one would go on to land the spoils when briefly putting her head in front 100m later. Darwin Cup found extra at that point though and after reasserting her authority she kept on strongly late to beat the running on TULLYNALLY by three quarters.

Much easier a winner in the maiden ranks was the Mike Bass trained GIFTED FOR GLORY who opened his account at just the second time of asking in the 1600m event. Backed into 3/1 second favourite from 9/2 at the track, the daughter of King Of Kings was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the well supported favourite THE FLYING MACHINE by four.

Race six on the card was a progress event over 1400m and in what proved to be another thriller victory here went to the easy to back KING OF TORTS. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, Duncan Howells’ charge raced in the rear with the strongly fancied ROYAL ZULU GUARD early on. Both ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest a minimum of seven lengths in arrears at the wire, it was only by the narrowest of margins that the Mogok gelding got the verdict.

A MR90 Handicap over 1950 topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the lightly weighted PILOT MIKE. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Mandla Ntuli, the son of Greys Inn led throughout. He found extra when CHERBOURG threw down the gauntlet 200m out and won comfortably by a length.

Titbits

The uneasy favourite REAR ADMIRAL quickened nicely late when opening his account at just the second time of asking in the maiden event over 1200m.

In what was by far the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1200m races, the lightly raced PROTEST SONG won comfortably by two lengths.

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Plenty Of Talent

Turffontein 16^th October: First up on Tuesday evening was a maiden event over 1160m and here we saw an impressive debut performance from the Gary Alexander trained COUNTLESS. On leaving the stalls it was the uneasy favourite WHITE WHISPER who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Count Dubois raced towards the backend of midfield. Once given rein though she fairly flew and won going away by two and a half after striking the front 60m from home.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was ST REMY when opening his account at just the third time of asking in the 1400m event. Easily eight length adrift of the runaway pacemaker SEBASTIAN BOLT going through the 600m, St Remy quickened in good style at the business end of the race and won going away by four and a quarter.

Race five on the card was a progress event over 1160m and here we saw another eye catching performance from the unbeaten TINCHY STRYDER. Caught for early toe, Sean Tarry’s charge was positioned in the rear during the early part of the race. Once into stride though she quickly began to make headway and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to beat the useful looking BLUERIDGE MOUNTAIN who was also unbeaten coming into the race.

The last two races on the ten race programme were abandoned because of the proximity of an electrical storm, but prior to that we did see a smart performance from last season’s Gr2 Dingaans’ winner SILVER FLYER. Drawn widest of the fourteen, Mike De Kock’s charge not surprisingly found himself in the rear early on. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace though, Silver Flyer took full advantage of the stand side track’s long home straight and under a well judged ride from Francois Herholdt he won going away after striking the front close home.

Titbits

After racing detached at the rear, the well supported newcomer PIERNEEF (40/1 into 13/1) caught the eye running on at the finish of what was a very talented progress field.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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