Consistency Reward
Greyville 3rd February: They raced on the poly track on Sunday where the fastest of the three 1600m events was the bill topping MR88 Handicap won by the ultra-consistent SIR BERNADINI. Winning for the fourth time in fourteen starts here, Dennis Bosch’s charge raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint early in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Anton Marcus, he got up late to deny the always handy TOLTEC.
A MR74 Handicap had opened up proceedings and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m races BRAVO ZULU registered his third career victory. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Sakayi, the son of Brave Tin Soldier led throughout. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and won by just under a length from the running on second favourite KINGSMEAD.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1200m where the faster of the two MR64 Handicaps was the second division in which the veteran PUTCHINI took his tally of wins to eight. Soon up handy, the Bezrin gelding was ridden to lead 250m out and kept on strongly late to beat the gaining BEDAZZLED JOKER (came from the rear).
Titbits
Cramped 400m out, EAST LYNNE was finishing best of all when beaten a length and three quarters into third in the MR78 Handicap over 1600m.
Chief In Command
Vaal 5th February: In terms of distance the easiest victory on the Vaal’s classic track on Tuesday was that of CHIEF OF STATE in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1000m. Soon positioned close to the speed, Paul Peter’s charge took up the running 350m out and with the rest some nine lengths adrift, he beat his staying on stable companion SAINT MICHAEL (made the running) by two and three quarters.
They ran three races over 1000m in total and the quickest of these was the MR74 Handicap in which ULLA found the winner’s enclosure. Now a winner of three from nine, the daughter of Querari was always handy. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and got the better of the more fancied ELBI by a half.
The MR83 Handicap for the girls was the faster of the two 1600m races and here victory went to the Mike De Kock trained ONLY TO WIN. Another to race handy, the daughter of Var took up the running 150m out, and kept on strongly late to beat the running on CRIMSON ROYALE by a half.
Titbits
Sent off a strong favourite at 21/20, SRING POETRY took up the running 300m out and comfortably accounted for the running on AZKUR by two and a quarter.
Doing The Business
Scottsville 6th February: CAPTAIN’S GIRL in the pinnacle stakes over 1000m was the best bet on the card for many in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and the Noordhoek Flyer mare didn’t let down her supporters. More often than not seen racing up with the speed, Louis Goosen’s charge raced 6th a good five lengths off the pace here. Once given rein though she quickened well and under a well-judged ride from Anton Marcus she got up late to beat the running on VISION TO KILL (came from the rear) by a half.
The MR88 Handicap was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1400m races and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the easy to back DIAMANTE. Sent off as the rank outsider of the ten horse party at 28/1, Mark Dixon’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and held on by the narrowest of margins from the running on SHE’S A DREAM.
They also ran two races over 1950m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was SIBERIAN HUSKY in the MR72 Handicap. Brett Crawford’s charge got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front 150m out and comfortably accounted for the 3yo WHITE LIGHTNING by a length and a half.
Titbits
HASHTAGGTHEMOST and SHEIK’S STORM both ran on well from the rear when 1st & 2nd respectively in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
Out In Front
Vaal 7th February: Interestingly, the only two previous winners to contest the juvenile plate on Thursday had both won in Kimberley and it was one of those, LEAGUE OF HER OWN who won here. Taken straight to the front by Sherman Brown, Stephanus Botha’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest over five lengths adrift she beat the heavily supported R3,5M newcomer DIVE CAPTAIN by two and a half.
They ran three races over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the assessment plate won by the progressive SUMMER AFTERNOON. Now a winner of two from three, Sean Tarry’s charge also raced from the front. She kept on determinedly below the distance and in what proved to be a real thriller she held on by the narrowest of margins from the always handy TOPMAST.
They also ran three races over 1200m. The MR72 Handicap was the fastest of these and here victory went to the top weight BASILIUS. Always handy, Toby Spies’ charge hung badly when first challenged by CERTIFIABLE 250m out, and in another classic finish he only got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
The lightly raced 3yo ROCK A ROLL DANCER came from the rear when beating some very useful rivals going away in the assessment plate over 1200m.
The heavily supported favourite FIRE AND RESCUE easily accounted for his thirteen rivals when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m.
July Target
Turffontein 9th February: The Durban July hopeful HERO’S HONOUR in the 1600m assessment plate was the best bet for most on Saturday’s inner track card and he duly landed the odds. Soon up handy, the Await The Dawn gelding was always poised to strike. He did so 250m out and with the rest some 4,4 lengths adrift he beat the staying on pacemaker RETURN FLIGHT by a length and a quarter.
There were four races run over 1600m in total and in a time 1,34 seconds faster than that of Hero’s Honour, D’ Arrivee won the MR86 Handicap. Always handy, Candice Dawson’s charge took up the running 200m out and won well by a length and three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1450m where the faster of the two was the MR74 Handicap won by the rejuvenated JUBILEE LINE. Nicely positioned in third when the race began in earnest, the 6yo son of Dynasty was also poised to strike. He did so going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the always chasing WILDLIFE SAFARI by a length and a half.
Titbits
Dame Kelly ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the girl’s division of the assessment plate over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (3) Desert Wanderer 13
Race 2: (5) Valentinik 48
Race 3: (2) Eternal Night 2
Race 4: (9) Limestone Mass 38
Race 5: (9) Hither Green 15
Race 6: (12) Let It Flow 60
Race 7: (7) Border Control 71
Race 8: (3) Espressivo 40
Race 9: (1) Tsessebe 38
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (13) See My Vision 5
Race 2: (2) Condor Gulch 56
Race 3: (1) Hartleyfive 14
Race 4: (2) Talktothestars 61
Race 5: (5) Infamous Fox 83
Race 6: (9) Mar Del Sur 62
Race 7: (3) Rivarine 92
Race 8: (3) Protea Paradise 41
Race 9: (2) Dry Your Eyes 5
Race 10: (7) Take My Word 13
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (9) The Last Supper 8
Race 2: (2) Inertia 10 (EW)
Race 3: (1) Louisa May 22
Race 4: (1) Saint West 13
Race 5: (1) Johnny Black 46
Race 6: (7) Favola 42
Race 7: (5) Hotel Cipriani 59
Race 8: (10) Hammie’s Fan 44
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Ring Of Fire 12
Race 2: (3) Compass Fire 1
Race 3: (3) Valeriana 14
Race 4: (1) Canadian Bolt 15
Race 5: (10) Everlasting Love 50
Race 6: (3) Buffalo Soldier 63
Race 7: (2) Flichity By Farr 68 (NAP*)
Race 8: (10) Such A Rush 29
Top rated winners last week included
Ex’s ‘N Oh’s won 71/10
Ulla won 113/20
Siberian Husky won 9/2
Only To Win won 41/10
Sir Bernadini won 3/1
Maa Nonu won 22/10
Captain’s Girl won 18/10
Wordbuster won 16/10
Notebook:-
Hero’s Honour (G Alexander, Gauteng)
Rock A Roll Dancer (S Pettigrew, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 3rd February
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,33s slow
1000m (2) Bravo Zulu 57,88
1200m (2) Putchini 71,67
1400m (1) Bel Canto Chorus 85,38
1600m (3) Sir Bernadini 95,58
Vaal (classic) 5th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (3) Ulla 57,40
1450m (1) Warrior’s Rest 86,75
1600m (2) Only To Win 97,73
2000m (1) Spring Poetry 124,88
2400m (1) Festive Linngari 153,19
Scottsville (inside) 6th February
Penetrometer 26 – Going Good to Soft
Course Variant: 0,48s slow
1000m (2) Captain’s Girl 56,17
1200m (2) Hashtaggthemost 69,50
1400m (2) Diamante 83,31
1950m (2) Siberian Husky 122,54
Vaal 7th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,09s slow
1000m (3) Summer Afternoon 57,09
1100m (1) Old Man Tyme 62,58
1200m (3) Basilius 69,51
1600m (2) Samarra 97,26
Turffontein (inside) 9th February
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,21s slow
1200m (1) Starlighttemptress 72,43
1450m (2) Jubilee Line 88,69
1600m (4) D’Arrivee 97,76
1800m (1) Nimcha 113,30
2000m (1) Fort Ember 127,20
2600m (1) Emily Hobhouse 168,87
