Polar Bares!
Durbanville 29 June: The wild Cape Winter weather played havoc with punter emotions but this meeting miraculously went ahead with the jockeys agreeing to play ball and give each other space during the races. A glaring wet patch at the 1000m marker made the racing treacherous and the day turned sour in the eighth race with CHIPPENDALE and MR VINDALOO taking a terrible tumble. Conflicting reports abound and we do not want to pre-empt the NHRA enquiry with speculation. Jockey Morne Winnaar suffered a fractured clavicle while Ossie Noach is brusied and shaken. Both horses got up and kept galloping but CHIPPENDALE had very sadly to be euthenased as a result of internal injuries.
POLAR BOUND looks a nice type and he won the eighth race under a welter 62kg. The son of Western Winter had lost his way a little, but now seems back to best and he will pay to follow. JET INTO THE WIND was all the talk and the rage in the market, but he had no chance with the winners and may be overrated somewhat. JUDGE’S RULES showed nice toe after a break and while he faded late, could improve with another run or two under the belt.
Horses running from the front seemed most at ease and underrated jockey Robert Kathi took full advantage of this tactic in the final event. He bounced the Andries Steyn-trained daughter of Jet Master, LAST FLIGHT , out nicely and kept her to her task. Harold Crawford’s FIERY MOON flew up late, but she is very in and out and must be watched with caution. MILE HIGH ran on realy well in third and the daughter of Captain Al may now start improving. KWITIZINA attracted betting support but faded right out to finish at the bottom of the barrel. She may not have enjoyed the mud.
Trainer Paul Reeves doesn’t have a large string but he takes his profession and his horses very seriously. He found the right race for the long time battling maiden OUTSWINGER in the first , a Qualified Maiden Plate over 1400m. Outswinger jumped and kept galloping and while he may battle to win again at this centre, his loyal owners must feel vindicated. The opposition don’t warrant a mention.
Justin Snaith’s GUSTING was an easy winner of the second race from a good draw. She plugged on well to beat an improved TELEPATHY, with RUSHING ELF plodding into third. The winner has a nice stride on her and should be a better filly in the summer months.
Noordhoek trainer Mike Stewart is a wet weather wizard, and he sent the Jaffee owned LUCKY JADE out in fighting fettle to win the Fillies Maiden Plate over 1300m. She jumped out and ran all the way to the line to win unchallenged. Shrewd punters may have observed her previous runs where she tired late at Kenilworth and she was great value at 20-1.
Morne Winnaar rode a great race to keep the plodding STIRLING RANGE going to win the MR 75 Handicap over 2000m. The Dean Kannemeyer –trained LUNO was unlucky after being squeezed on the rail and his winning turn cannot be far off.
JUDGED EXCELLENT was in a galloping mood and held on to win the MR 97 Handicap over 2000m. Jockey Aldo Domeyer made the right call when deciding to dictate the pace and stole an unlikely win. BLAKE flew late and would have won by two lengths in a matter of ten meters. Be with him next time.
TITBITS
PENTHOUSE has been a model of consistency but got bogged down in the mud in the final race of the day. She must be given another chance. BERMUDA SLOOP is another filly who has been knocking at the door but who has not quite put it together yet. She was pipped by ROCZINTA after running green in the Maiden Plate over 1600m and betting support indicates that she is rated by her connections.
COMIC BEAUTY was called derogatory names by her jockey after winning her maiden, but she has maintained her form well since and she ran on doggedly in the MR 76 Handicap for second place but having no chance with the smart winner, BONIFACE. Watch both horses closely in similar company next time.
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Seeing The Lighter Side
Kimberley 27 June: XANADU KING ran a rare bad race to get punters off to a scratchy start to the PA in the third race, an MR 66 Handicap over 1600m. This type of result un is just what attracts us Monday punters to Kimberley racing but Sherman Brown’s mount appeared to be given every chance and just stopped. Tswaro Appie produced the Shaun Miller-trained DREAM BIG from a wide draw to win readily.
Punters took a further knock in the fourth race, a Maiden Plate over 1400m where the filly THE LIGHTER SIDE improved out of sight to beat an admittedly moderate bunch of boys. The winner attracted betting support into 20-1 and won going away. ELEGANT CORPORAL may never win a race but he is always fair value for a place and he ran on into the money.
Jannie Borman rates his little Classic Flag gelding LITTLE MASTER and this fellow impressed when going all the way to win the MR 84 Handicap over 1400m from the improved SOLOMONS TEMPLE. Sherman Brown rode a determined race to get the Brazillian bred Mar Aberto home in the Pinnacle Stakes over 2200m. He held off a storming late effort from the former Michael Roberts trained GOLDEN OCCASION while RAIN KING held form in third. The backed FAST FANTASY was never in it after breaking through the gates, while the former Diamond town champion LAWFUL LEADER may be ready for a more relaxed career. He has served his owners well with seventeen wins to his credit.
Vernon Rugg’s Lecture gelding EXPERT MAGIC never pulls a good draw, but he did well to win the final event, a MR 66 Handicap over 1200m from the worst draw. He bounded away to beat SUPER SPEED, while KILMAINE ran a fair post-maiden race to stay on for third place.
TITBITS
Arctic Jet was fancied to win the fifth race at Kimberley but his longhaul exertions to and from Port Elizabeth obviously took its toll on him. He ran a great race on the grass just 72 hours earlier and he will benefit from a batter recharge. Give him another chance.
SAXE COBURG has relocated from Gavin Smith’s seaside yard to Jaap Visser and he showed up really well to stay on well for second position in the MR 72 Handicap over 1000m. He had no chance with the smart sprinter SPECIAL ACADEMY who is in the form of his life, but warrants watching over slightly further.
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