Splendid Derby
Fairview 15th May: Five of the nine races at Port Elizabeth’s turf meeting on Sunday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR88 Handicap won by the Western Cape raider PERCIVAL. Sent off a joint favourite at 33/10, Andre Nel’s charge was soon up handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the better of the running on COVARIANCE by a half.
The Gr3 East Cape Derby over 2400m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when CAPTAIN SPLENDID landed the spoils. A stable companion to the well-supported 13/10 favourite, the 16/1 shot was content to idle along at the back for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he picked them off one by one and under a well-judged ride from Lyle Hewitson he got up to deny the deposed favourite WELSH EMPEROR (14/10 out to 2/1).
The supporting act was the listed Dahlia Plate for 2yo’s over 1200m and here we saw another impressive performance from the unbeaten OOMPH. Not surprisingly sent off at very short odds (4/10) after having won both starts going away, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fourth during the early part of the race. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and after quickly skating clear he came home lonely by six and a quarter.
Titbits
After striking the front 120m or so from home, O TAMARA drew clear easily to win the juvenile plate over 1400m very easily by two and three quarters.
.
Can Only Improve
Vaal 17th May: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR80 Handicap won by TOKYO DRIFT. Nibbled at on course into 5/1 from 13/2, Scott Kenny’s charge was always handy. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish he got the verdict over the hat-trick seeking MIRACLE BUREAU by a half.
They also ran three races over 2000m and quickest against the clock in these was HIGH DRAMA in the MR87 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was LEEULOOP JET (sweating) who elected to make the running whilst the son of Trippi was content to amble along in the rear. He began to take closer order going through the 500m and under a well-judged ride from Richard Fourie he got the better of NETFLIX by just under a half.
The two remaining races were both staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was AWESOME ADAM in the MR77 Handicap. Positioned close up in sixth early on, Michael Azzie’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m pole and was made to work all the way to the wire by the rallying pacemaker MENDOZA’S MELDODY who went down by less than a half.
Titbits
After racing very green in the rear, the heavily supported newcomer DAQEEQ ran on strongly in the closing stages of the maiden juvenile plate (boy’s division) over 1200m and with plenty in hand won going away by two.
.
Mixed Fortunes
Greyville 18th May: The combination of Dean Kannemeyer and Anthony Delpech have been in tremendous form on the poly at Greyville of late and it was probably those statistics as much as anything that fuelled the heavy support for the exposed GREGORIAN CHANT in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Not the quickest into stride the 11/20 favourite (sweating) held every chance, but failed to quicken when push came to shove (reported not striding out both fore). Victory instead went to the Mike De Kock trained newcomer COYOTE. Positioned in midfield turning for home, the second favourite ran on well and got up 100m from home to win going away. One to look out for next time from this race is MR O’NEILL who finished fourth. Sent off at 60/1 Dean Kannemeyer’s newcomer ran on well from the back and was baulked for a run 250m out.
There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by ROY’S STRIKE FORCE. He got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by replacement rider Lyle Hewitson led throughout. He was always in command and won with authority by three and a half.
Three of the five remaining races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was SILVER INSPIRATION in the MR66 Handicap. Always available at around 8/1, the daughter of Silvano raced fourth for most of the journey. She quickened well at the top of the straight and comfortably accounted for the unfancied AIRTIME by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Despite racing very green, Sporting Post’s top bet ZADORA made all when easily accounting for her nine rivals in the girls’ division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
.
Vaal Classic
Vaal 19th May: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the new Vaal Classic turf track when the Mike De Kock trained newcomer HEAVENLY BLUE did the business. Sent off at even money to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1600m on what was formerly the sand track, the son of Snitzel was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for SHOTGUN RIDER by two and a half.
The fastest of the six races run over 1600m was the not so lucky last, a MR68 Handicap won by the 2yo in open company UNAGI. A fluent winner in maiden company against his own age group last time out, Gary Alexander’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by five and a quarter.
Race 4 on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1450m and here we saw a smart performance from the 2yo in open company GOLDEN ATTITUDE. Another to race close to the speed, Stanley Ferreira’s charge took up the running going through the 600m and steadily drew clear from there onwards to score by three and a half.
Titbits
After racing in midfield GIVEMEHOPE ran on well in the closing stages to win the maiden plate over 1600m with some in hand.
The 3yo ENBHAAR came from the rear when only beaten 0,4 in the MR80 Handicap over 1600m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Clifton Sands 9
Race 2: (9) Southern Sunset 17
Race 3: (13) Night Dancer 37 (EW)
Race 4: (7) Jam Tart 80 (NAP*)
Race 5: (12) Deepo 42
Race 6: (4) Dreamforest 49
Race 7: (5) Distinguished 81
Race 8: (12) Lecture’s Luck 61
Race 9: (3) Atso Time 47
Race 10: (12) Nomvula 39
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (11) Starsky 8
Race 2: (7) Queen Diva 10
Race 3: (5) Roy’s Sailor 21
Race 4: (15) Panza 54
Race 5: (15) Crime Victim 92
Race 6: (1) Bela-Bela 78 (NAP**)
Race 7: (3) Rabada 76
Race 8: (11) Dark Rose 49
Race 9: (11) Umbusi 49
Race 10: (14) Maachaan 49
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Peonie Rock 19 (nb)
Race 2: (10) Oceans Trip 16
Race 3: (3) Tribal Fusion 21
Race 4: (9) Colour Magic 72
Race 5: (10) Noisette 37
Race 6: (8) The Merry Widow 41
Race 7: (1) Attenborough 46 (NAP*)
Race 8: (5) Silver Salver 61
Race 9: (14) Bruno 62
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (3) Ribovar 31
Race 2: (1) Last Chirp 21
Race 3: (1) Judicial 78 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Russian Friend 15
Race 5: (1) Pachuco 12
Race 6: (5) Global Ethos 17
Race 7: (8) Graduation Day 82
Race 8: (8) Just A Reminder 69 (EW)
Race 9: (14) Catwalk Tease 40
.
Top rated winners last week included
Golden Fort won 28/10
Sun Power won 22/10
Tevez won 1/1
Seattle Singer won 15/20
China Pearl won 11/20
O Tamara won 11/20
Oomph won 4/10
Aventurine won 1/4
.
Notebook:-
Captain Splendid (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Daqeeq (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Mr O’Neill (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
Oomph (A Greeff, E-Cape
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 15th May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Summer Cruise 56,30
1200m (5) Percival 69,48
1400m (1) O Tamara 85,26
1600m (1) Neptune’s Jewel 97,70
2400m (1) Captain Splendid 150,51
Vaal (inside) 17th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (3) Tokyo Drift 70,26
1400m (2) Awesome Adam 82,67
2000m (3) High Drama 122,41
Greyville (poly) 18th May
Going Standard
1200m (4) Roy’s Strike Force 71,27
1400m (3) Silver Inspiration 84,85
1600m (1) Uproar 99,36
2000m (1) Girl On The Run 123,65
Vaal (classic) 19th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Night Editor 57,15
1450m (1) Golden Attitude 88,91
1600m (6) Unagi 97,18
