Not So Lucky Last
Scottsville 14th July: Very unusually only two of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over sprint distances. The not so lucky last, a maiden plate over 1200m was comparatively the fastest of these, and here the rank outsider of the twelve horse party MASTER OF FIRE opened his account. Freely available at 70/1 on the off, Michael Roberts’ charge had been unable to get within 8 lengths of a winner in his previous seven starts. He raced clear throughout here and still had two lengths to spare at the wire.
The two 1400m races were both maiden events and in the faster of these the heavily supported SNOW PALACE did the business. Soon up handy, the daughter of Potala Palace put her head in front 160m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five.
They also ran two races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was GIMME PEACE when winning the MR64 Handicap. Nicely positioned in sixth coming off the bend, the 3yo Gimmethegreenlight gelding ran on strongly over the final 450m and in a thrilling three way finish he got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
MISS JAGGER was flying at the finish when only failing by the narrowest of margins to collar the favourite Winter Retreat in the maiden plate for the girls over 1950m.
Victory Next Time
Durbanville 16th July: Four of the eight races at the country course on Tuesday were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was THE BLUES when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate. Soon up handy, Paddy Kruyer’s charge put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the odds on favourite JOSEPH JAGGER by two and a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m where the faster of the two handicaps was the bill topping MR88 affair in which the top weight WHAT A WINNER registered his fifth career victory. Another to race close to the speed, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and got the verdict by 0,3 lengths from the luckless AFRICAN VICTORY. The runner up didn’t find the clearest of passages and was flying at the finish.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 2400m and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo son of Horse Chestnut WINTER SHADOW. Guarding the rear as the eight runners swung for home, Adam Marcus’ charge ran on best of all in the straight and won going away after striking the front 200m out.
Titbits
ELUSIVE RAIN ran on strongly from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to open her account in the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m.
Saving The Punters
Greyville 17th July: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday where victory in the fastest of the three 1400m races, a MR72 Handicap, went to the progressive 4yo BORN TO PERFORM. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, the son of Silvano, raced in midfield early on. He began to take closer order coming off the bend and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got the better of the 4yo TOLTEC (led 200m) close home. Born To Perform has now won three from five.
The MR72 Handicap was the faster of the two 1000m events and in a race where less than a length separated the first six home the Global One mare ZADORA gained her sixth win. Freely available at 18/1 on the off Greg Antony’s charge raced eighth of the eleven early on. She ran on stoutly in the straight and under a well-judged ride she got up very late.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a gutsy performance from the 3yo TRIPLE FATE LINE. Installed as the favourite after the late scratching of SILVA’S BULLET, the son of Master Of My Fate led a very tightly bunched field throughout. He found extra when the pack tried to mount a challenge in the straight and never looking like being caught, he won well by three quarters.
Titbits
At the back easily 8 lengths adrift when the ten runners came off the bend in the maiden plate over 1400m, KNIGHT WARRIOR cut through the field like a knife in the straight and after striking the front 130m from home won going away by three and a quarter.
Blazing A Trail
Vaal 18th July: Trainer Paul Peter continued his excellent run of form on Thursday with another three winners. Amongst these was FLORIDA QUAYS when winning the faster of the two 1500m events, a MR74 Handicap. Now a winner of four from thirteen, the top weighted daughter of Jay Peg led throughout. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten she won by a half from the second favourite PINK.
The two 1600m events were both maiden plates and in the faster of these (the girl’s division) CHARMZ LUCK got off the mark. Freely available at 15/2 on the off Candice Dawson’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. The veteran of some 28 starts in the maiden ranks SEA LIKE GLASS got first run and it was only close home that Charmz Luck managed to get the upper hand.
They also ran two races over 1200m. The MR66 Handicap was the fastest of these and here victory went to the 4yo MOGGIE BROWN. Easy to back at 22/1 on the off, the daughter of Sail From Seattle was always handy. She quickened well at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller she got the verdict over I AIN’T TRIPPIN on the nod.
Titbits
Eased late, the heavily supported MADIDA won the boys division of the maiden plate over 1600m with authority by a length and a half.
Gallant Front Runner
Fairview 19th July: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place on the turf. Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when COATAL STORM did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.Initially scheduled as a work riders race, this event then had to take place with professional jockeys as it was now being run around the turn. Lyle Hewitson got the ride on Coastal Storm and soon in touch with the leaders, the partnership were always poised to strike. They did so early in the straight and went on to score very comfortably by a length.
The listed East Cape Paddock Stakes topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m races MAVERICK GIRL caused a bit of an upset. Soon in her favourite position at the head of affairs, the Rebel King mare answered every call in the short home straight and held on from a wall of horses by a half. Positioned in the backend of midfield turning for home, third placed STUDIO BLUES was flying at the finish and did well to get within 0,6 lengths of the winner.
A MR76 Handicap over 1000m brought proceedings to a close and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Yvette Bremner trained LE GRAND ROUGE. Always handy, the Western Winter gelding took up the running 400m out and went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from thirty two after landing the MR66 Handicap over 1600m here, OKAVANGO DELTA had to wait over 2 years for this second success.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (12) Speechmaker 12
Race 2: (11) World Squared 21
Race 3: (5) Queen Of Pop 16
Race 4: (15) Travel Guide 52
Race 5: (1) Fort Winter 45
Race 6: (3) Ollivander 64
Race 7: (9) Scarborough Fair 44
Race 8: (12) Dinner Date 48
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (10) Heart Stwings 39
Race 2: (9) Mr Greenlight 78
Race 3: (14) Yessiricanboogie 37
Race 4: (12) Sarah 53
Race 5: (3) Cockney Pride 60
Race 6: (2) Eden Roc 59
Race 7: (8) Liege 87
Race 8: (1) Kasimir 101
Race 9: (1) Rainbow Bridge 99
Race 10: (5) Lady In Black 90
Race 11: (10) Priceless Ruler 91
Race 12: (1) Attenborough 83
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (2) In Full Power 13
Race 2: (8) Pick Eight Captain 20
Race 3: (4) Go Jewel 15
Race 4: (4) Howl 4
Race 5: (6) Sacred Arrow 80
Race 6: (8) Red Eight 46
Race 7: (3) Hurricane Silva 47
Race 8: (1) Round The Horn 21
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (14) Zodiac Princess 6
Race 2: (11) Rooi Tom 29
Race 3: (1) Captain Flynt 22
Race 4: (6) Double ‘o’ Eight 64 (NAP*)
Race 5: (9) Alex The Great 52
Race 6: (8) Knight Owl 68
Race 7: (9) Incantation 25
Race 8: (1) Tuscan Light 23
Top rated winners last week included
Silver Dazzle won 93/20
Winter Retreat won 3/1
Born To Perform won 47/20
Winter Shadow won 2/1
Knight Warrior won 12/10
She’s A Crusade won 11/10
Snow Palace won 8/10
Stellar Motion won 8/13
Notebook:-
Knight Warrior (D Bosch, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 14 July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,74s slow
1100m (1) Mac ‘n Scar 63,74
1200m (1) Master Of Fire 69,21
1400m (2) Snow Palace 83,20
1600m (2) Gimme Peace 96,03
1950m (1) Winter Retreat 122,93
2400m (1) Paybackthemoney 149,75
Durbanville 16th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,01s slow
1000m (2) What A Winner 58,11
1600m (4) Dynamite Jack 99,13
1800m (1) Meliora 112,59
2400m (1) Winter Shadow 156,31
Greyville (poly) 17th July
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,59s slow
1000m (2) Zadora 58,26
1200m (1) Captain Demonami 70,99
1400m (3) Born To Perform 82,40
1600m (1) Triple Fate Line 95,41
2000m (1) Lady Abigail 122,27
Vaal (classic) 18th July
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,44s slow
1000m (1) Aristachus 57,06
1200m (2) Moggie Brown 69,41
1500m (2) Florida Quays 89,54
1600m (2) Charmz Luck 97,13*
1800m (1) Corrido 108,63
2400m (1) Factor Fifty 150,55
Fairview (poly) 19th July
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,72s slow
1000m (2) Le Grand Rouge 58,47
1200m (1) Skydancer 72,81
1600m (3) Maverick Girl 95,68
2000m (1) Brigadoon Ely 126,63
2200m (1) Conquering King 143,30
