Punter’s Pal
Greyville 5th March: A MR86 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill on Sunday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two races over the distance, the favourite MY PAL AL did the business. Well supported into 11/10, Alistair Gordon’s charge made all. He raced a length and a quarter clear for most of the journey and extended that advantage to three over the final 400m.
The faster of the two 1000m races on the card was the MR66 Handicap in which the Curved Ball filly JE SUIS SILVER registered her second victory. Soon up handy, despite being a little slow into stride, Tony Rivalland’s charge struck the front 150m out and kept on strongly late to beat the steadily gaining SEATOPS by a neck.
They also ran two races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was WHAT A SCORCHER when causing an upset in the MR62 affair. Freely available at 28/1 on the off, Jeff Freedman’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and got up late to deny the more fancied DALE HOUSE.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here, OSPREY won the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1400m going away by two and a half.
Just As If Scripted
Fairview 6th March: They also raced on the poly on Monday where victory in the opening maiden plate over 1000m went to the easy to back ON THAT NOTE. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, the lessor fancied of Alan Greeff’s three runners was positioned ninth of the ten coming off the bend. The front running NACRE kept on determinedly in the short home straight, and with the rest comfortably beaten On That Note did well to get up late.
A MR87 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events, the Horse Chestnut gelding NOTTING HILL registered his fifth career victory. Nicely positioned in second in what quickly became a strung out field, Dorrie Sham’s charge took up the running 300m out and comfortably accounted for the always handy MASTER JAMES by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 1300m races was the MR68 Handicap won by AGTERSKOT. Taken straight to the front, in a race where there was no real pace early on, the 4yo led throughout. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and although COASTAL SPELL ran on well from midfield, she still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
SILVAN JAZZ ran on well from midfield when only beaten by the narrowest of margins in the MR78 Handicap over 1000m.
The recent maiden winner CHINA EXPRESS finished well from midfield when getting up late to complete a double in the MR61 Handicap over 1300m.
Four From Twelve
Turffontein 7th March: In terms of distance, the easiest victory at Turffontein’s inner track on Tuesday afternoon was that of the Sporting Post’s top bet ROYAL UTOPIA when getting off the mark in the maiden 2200m. Always top of the boards, the 2/1 favourite was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead approaching the 400m marker and went on to score with authority by three and three quarters.
A MR88 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m races, the well supported FAREEQ registered his fourth career victory. He took a bump when the gates opened, but despite that was soon in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and under a well-judged ride from Callan Murray, he comfortably accounted for the front running CUMBERLAND by a length and a quarter. Mike De Kock’s Charge has now won four from twelve.
1200m was the only other distance to stage more than one race, and the faster of the two here was the MR66 Handicap won by QUATTRO. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Grant Maroon’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well over the final 400m and got up late to beat DRAGOON (raced handy – led 200m) by a half.
Titbits
A little slow into stride, the very uneasy favourite DON CHRISTO (evens out to 5/2) was baulked for a run 400m out when a three quarter length runner up in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
Eased late, the 3yo BOILING POINT showed considerable improvement when getting off the mark in the opening work riders’ maiden plate over 1450m.
No Sprints!
Scottsville 8th March: Very unusually, there were no sprint races in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday. The first three races all took place over 1400m and not surprisingly the fastest of these was the Middle Stakes won by the favourite SECRET WARNING. He got away well when the gates opened and raced close to the speed throughout. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m pole and went on to score very comfortably from the running on THE POET by two.
They also ran three races over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was CHROME BLUE. In a race that looked to be run at a steady pace throughout, the winner raced in the rear for most of the journey. He fairly flew when the race developed into a sprint 400m out, and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up in the very last stride to deny LONELYARETHEBRAVE.
The one remaining race was a MR94 Handicap over 1950m and in an event where there was no real pace early on, victory here went to the progressive 3yo DRESS FOR SUCCESS. Content to sit at the back of the six for most of the journey, Paul Lafferty’s charge made her move early in the home straight. She struck the front 200m out after shifting right across the track, and kept on strongly late to beat the determined LITTLE CHAPEL (raced 2nd – led 350m) by a half.
Titbits
Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question (4/1 out to 18/1), the Charles Laird trained newcomer HOT TODDY won the maiden plate over 1600m for the girls going away by six and a half.
Just As We Said
Vaal 9th March: They raced on the outside track on Thursday where the fastest of the three 1200m races was the bill topping MR96 Handicap won by JUST AS I SAID. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 2/1, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge led throughout. He was challenged strongly by RAFA over the final 150m, and after a thrilling tussle he only got the verdict by a neck.
They also ran three races over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was Just As I Said’s stable companion CAPE MARIGOLD. The six runners were surprisingly well strung out early on and positioned at the rear, the joint top weight had at least six lengths to make up. Once given rein though she quickened best of all, and won well by a length and a half after striking the front 170m or so from home.
Two of the three remaining races were staged over 1000m. The MR72 Handicap was the faster of these and here victory went to the Sean Tarry trained SILVER KING. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 7’s, the 3yo King’s Chapel gelding raced up with the pace throughout. The rank outsider of the fourteen horse party LE TIGRE raced within a length and a quarter for most of the journey and that one launched a determined challenge 200m from home. They fought out a thrilling battle on the run to the line with Silver King only getting the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The newcomer BEN SHEA ran on well from the rear when winning the opening maiden plate over 1200m by a length and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Desert Chief 11
Race 2: (6) Warren Place 4
Race 3: (6) Moonsaballoon 29 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Taffety Tart 65
Race 5: (12) Impressionist 51
Race 6: (8) Killua Castle 80
Race 7: (1) Tar Heel 92
Race 8: (4) Dutch Harbor 40
Race 9: (10) Netherby Hall 43
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Kutlwanoslove 9
Race 2: (1) Kings Empire 9
Race 3: (5) Enticer 11
Race 4: (12) Fashion Fusion 49
Race 5: (3) Secret Success 30
Race 6: (13) Academy Princess 44
Race 7: (2) Natal 63
Race 8: (13) Queen’s Crest 33
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (12) So Var 16
Race 2: (10) Spring Breeze 4
Race 3: (10) Moment To Shine 22
Race 4: (4) Aerobatic 6
Race 5: (3) Tahini 76
Race 6: (7) Racethegreenlight 72
Race 7: (2) The Elmo Effect 95
Race 8: (11) Open Road 37
Race 9: (15) Vogue’s Wood 41
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Apollo Star 11
Race 2: (2) Waiting For Rain 66
Race 3: (1) Hernando’s Promise 13
Race 4: (6) Mistico’s Secret 11
Race 5: (2) Asstar 87 (EW)
Race 6: (6) Azarenka 66
Race 7: (3) Sun At Midnight 40
Race 8: (12) Mr Lover Boy 42
Race 9: (2) Sabina’s Dynasty 13
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Q Behind Me 15
Race 2: (2) Structured Reply 50 (NAP*)
Race 3: (5) Night Circus 60
Race 4: (4) Big Si 33
Race 5: (6) Captains Moll 40
Race 6: (8) Draco 38
Race 7: (1) Spanish Captain 52
Race 8: (2) If Only 4
Top rated winners last week included
Je Suis Silver won 8/1
William Nicol won 11/2
Sisters Of Mercy won 3/1
Secret Warning won 5/2
Just As I Said won 2/1
Royal Utopia won 2/1
Star Profile won 16/10
Trellis won 15/10
Notebook:-
Hot Toddy (C Laird, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 5th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,27s fast
1000m (2) Je Suis Silver 57,77
1200m (2) My Pal Al 68,83
1400m (1) Osprey 83,93
1600m (2) What A Scorcher 96,06
2000m (1) Good Grace 123,48
Fairview (poly) 6th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,77s slow
1000m (2) Varonella 57,92
1200m (1) Blue Castle 70,91
1300m (2) Agterskot 76,32
1600m (2) Notting Hill 95,47
2200m (1) Bruce’s Beauty 137,64
Turffontein (inner) 7th March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,30s slow
1000m (1) Zip Line 59,08
1200m (2) Quattro 72,56
1450m (1) Boiling Point 89,51
1600m (3) Fareeq 97,72
1800m (1) Pagoda 112,41
2000m (1) Aristocat 126,73
2200m (1) Royal Utopia 140,82
Scottsville (inside) 8th March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,63s slow
1400m (3) Secret Warning 84,11
1600m (3) Chrome Blue 98,41
1950m (1) Dress For Success 119,38
Vaal (outside) 9th March
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,46s slow
1000m (2) Silver King 57,55
1200m (3) Just As I Said 70,32
1400m (1) My Friend Lee 82,44
1600m (3) Cape Marigold 97,15
