Unbeaten On Sand
Vaal 31st August: Saturday’s action took place on the sand where the fastest of the four 1200m events on the card was the bill topping Gr3 August Stakes won by the up and coming HERE COMES BILLY. Sent off second in the betting market at 4/1, Weiho Marwing’s charge raced in the rear early on The field was closely grouped though and once given rein he quickly began to make headway. He struck the front going through the 300m and went on to beat the very useful sand performer UNCLE TOMMY fair and square by a length and a quarter.
Another to win well over the 1200m trip was TAYBA in the supporting non-black type Sandy Beach Stakes. Unbeaten on the surface, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat FORMATION by three and a quarter.
There were also four 1600m races on the card and the fastest of these was the MR86 Handicap won by SHATTERED IMAGE. On leaving the stalls it was FLITTER who elected to make the running whilst the eventual winner raced close up in second. She struck the front shortly after passing the 400m pole and did well to fend off a renewed challenge from the pacemaker close home.
The easiest victory on the nine race program was undoubtedly that of MISS K when registering her fifth career victory in the MR65 Handicap over 1600m. Nicely drawn in gate four, the top weight got away well when the gates opened and was soon nicely positioned in second. She moved through to take up the running 700m out and drew clear easily from there onwards to win by nine and a half.
Titbits
Detached at the rear early on, the newcomer VELVET FINISH ran on strongly in the first division of the maiden 1200m and was only beaten a length and three quarters.
Another to run on well from the rear was SUB SHAAWES when runner up in second division of the maiden 1200m.
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As Well As Ever
Clairwood 1st September: A graduation plate over 1000m got proceedings underway at the garden course on Sunday and here it was nice to see the very useful looking SCHIFFER return from an eleven month layoff in fine fettle. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 1/7, Dennis Drier’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon at the head of affairs. She was always doing it easily and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race, she won very comfortably by two and a quarter.
Another to win with authority on this card was GONE BABY GONE in the faster of the two maiden events over 1600m. Soon up handy, the son of Greys Inn raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead going through the 500m and despite racing very green and hanging, he won comfortably by three and a half.
The biggest upset on the card occurred in the novice 1000m where the 2/9 favourite JET ON FIRE got rolled. Always handy, Dennis Bosch’s charge did briefly get his head in front passing the 400m pole. He initially battled to quicken when the winner BID FOR SPEED put his head in front 100m later and although he did begin to rally late on, he was still a length and a quarter adrift at the wire.
A MR88 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and perhaps a little unlucky here was the former Cape Town campaigner PARKER. Having his first outing for his new stable, the former Justin Snaith inmate attempted to make all. He fought back gamely after being headed by the winner SERISSA 300m out and despite being disadvantaged by a slipped saddle, he only went down by a neck.
Titbits
JAMAL ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the MR78 Handicap over 1450m very comfortably by two and a quarter.
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Nine Cannonballs
Flamingo Park 2nd August: The fastest of the three 1400m events in the Northern Cape on Monday was the MR80 Handicap won by TENACIOUS TESS. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, the Parade Leader mare was always in touch with the leaders. She quickened well in the straight and in getting up late she looked to win a little more easily than the official one length margin would suggest.
There were a number of very easy victories on the nine race program, but none more so than that of WOZA FRIDAY in the MR64 affair over 1200m. Soon up with the speed, Cliffie Miller’s charge began to assert his authority going through the 300m and fairly cruised clear at the business end of the race to score by eight and a quarter.
The afternoon’s feature event was a pinnacle stakes over 1800m and here it was nice to see the 7yo CANNONBALL take his winning tally to nine. Soon up handy, the son of Lavery was ridden to lead at the top of the home straight. He kept on strongly over the final 600m and won with a length to spare over the rallying pacemaker AFRICAN GLADIATOR, and the running on EYE OF THE WORLD (stumbled and lost position early on).
Titbits
GEMMA ran on strongly from the rear when only beaten two and a quarter in the maiden 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (15) Diamond Tiger 20 Race 2: (2) Captain’ntenille 15 Race 3: (2) Internet Jet 33 (NAP**) Race 4: (10) Ready For Spring 15 Race 5: (10) Victorialaine 76 Race 6: (16) Waging War 56 Race 7: (7) It’s Exciting 52 Race 8: (9) Gianduja 78 Race 9: (17) Mo’ Pepper 53 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (2) Club Flag 12 Race 2: (1) San Limites 13 Race 3: (1) Diamond Lil 18 Race 4: (13) Die Kat 37 Race 5: (1) Red Barrel 62 (NAP*) Race 6: (13) Jumbo 46 Race 7: (11) Decameron 69 Race 8: (9) Lord Hawke 54 Race 9: (9) Ligeti 41 Clairwood Race 1: (5) Flamenco Fusion 17 Race 2: (1) Champagne Showers 25 Race 3: (9) Supreyma 6 Race 4: (12) Resolution 31 Race 5: (1) Blaze The Trail 28 Race 6: (6) Dame Victoria 63 Race 7: (4) Great Rumpus 68 Race 8: (1) Izora 58 Race 9: (8) Al Don Cumarco 37 (EW) Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Return Of The Roar 15 Race 2: (2) Natural 5 Race 3: (6) Headstrong Harry 25 (NAP*) Race 4: (3) Marimba Magic 23 Race 5: (1) Combattimento 46 Race 6: (7) Scarlet Witch 26 Race 7: (6) Golden Crystal 49 Race 8: (13) Delta Dancer 48 Race 9: (12) Marmalady 18 Race 10: (7) Hancock’s Dynasty 19 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (1) Ajuba 11 Race 2: (4) Magic Smoke 86 Race 3: (11) Nondweni’s Filly 12 (EW) Race 4: (3) Right Beauty 67 Race 5: (5) Rooi Nooi 55 Race 6: (8) Seattle Fairy 31 Race 7: (5) Cape Winter 70 Race 8: (4) Banjo Bay 32 .
Top rated winners last week included
Memeza won 5/1 Cadillac Palace won 7/2 Tiger Mater won 3/1 Shattered Image won 5/2 Breeders Cup won 23/10 Norvic won 18/10 Divine Grace won 16/10 Negev won 19/20 .
Notebook:-
Gone Baby Gone (M De Kock, KZN) Here Comes Billy (W Marwing, Gauteng) Schiffer (D Drier, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherVaal (sand) 31st August Going Standard 1000m (1) Tiger Territory 58,92 1200m (4) Here Comes Billy 72,79 1600m (4) Shattered Image 101,99 .
Clairwood 1st September Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (3) Schiffer 57,15 1450m (1) Jamal 85,76 1600m (2) Gone Baby Gone 96,38 1800m (2) Solera 108,12 1900m (1) Taqdeer 115,62 .
Flamingo Park 2nd September Going Standard 1000m (1) Transcendent 57,54 1200m (2) Woza Friday 74,17* 1400m (3) Tenacious Tess 87,19 1600m (2) Captivator 101,54 1800m (1) Cannonball 114,75
