Five From Sixteen
Scottsville 4th December
Four of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were staged over 1600m. The fastest of these was the conditions plate won by LITTLE CHAPEL. Sent off as the rank outsider of the eight horse party at 22/1, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the home straight though, she quickened best of all and in what proved to be a thrilling finish, she got up in the very last stride to beat WAITY KATIE.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1200m where the faster of the two was the MR93 Handicap in which SEA FEVER registered his fifth career victory. Soon into stride, the Argonaut gelding raced up with the pace throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just held on by the narrowest of margins from SPANISH CAPTAIN. The runner up came from the rear and had to switch 300m out.
Much easier a winner from the front was CAPTAIN AT SEA when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m. Always a couple clear, Gareth Van Zyl’s charge won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
Beaten just a neck the runner up MISS VARLICIOUS hit a bird in the closing stages of the allowance plate over 1000m.
Outside Support
Kenilworth 6th December
A MR88 Handicap topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m races, we saw a smart performance from the 3yo WILLIAM LONGSWORD. Always top of the boards, Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced second for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running at the 400m marker and after quickly going clear he comfortably accounted for the running on LINEKER by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 1400m events on the card was the MR70 Handicap in which SHALL BE FREE registered his second career victory. Supported throughout the afternoon into 6/1 from 14’s, the son of Elusive Fort raced in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from apprentice Balloo, he got up late to deny the more fancied COPPER FORCE (raced handy – led 180m).
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was that of BEAU when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1400m. Another to find good outside support, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 300m and although the best bet on the card for most BORDER CONTROL (1/3) chased hard, he went on to score with authority by three and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced KAPTEINSPANDISEILE ran on well from the backend of midfield and despite shifting right across the track, only went down by a neck in the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
Sealed With A Kiss
Turffontein 6th December
Due to an electrical storm they were only able to run the first five races on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening. Three of these were staged over 1400m and quickest against the clock in these was the 3yo daughter of New Approach, AL HAWRAA n the MR88 Handicap. Allowed to drift right out to 13/1 from 7’s at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge raced in midfield early on. She ran on strongly down the long home straight and won with some in hand after striking the front 100m out.
A maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 800m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very easy victory for the well-supported joint second favourite KISSABLE. Taken straight to the front by Randal Simons, the daughter of Antonius Pius led throughout. She held just a slender lead passing the 400m pole, but once given rein she quickly went clear, and won easing down by almost six and a half.
FURIOSA in the maiden plate over 1400m was the best bet on the card for most and he did indeed do the business. Deep in the red at 4/10 at the off, Sean Tarry’s charge was always handy. There were anxious moments going through the 400m, but the penny did eventually drop and once getting into top gear he went on to score comfortably by just over a length.
Titbits
Adopting a change of tactics here, the 66/1 shot IRRIDIUM SILVER was always clear when causing an upset in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
In Full Swing
Greyville 7th December
The action took place on both surfaces on Wednesday afternoon. Two maiden plates over 2000m were first up and quickest home in these was NIGHT CIRCUS in the boy’s affair. Sent off a clear favourite at 2/1, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced handy in what soon became a strung out field. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the always handy BOLD REIGN by a length and a quarter.
A MR80 Handicap over 1000m on the turf topped the bill, and here favourite backers were again on the mark when SWAKOPMUND did the business. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the top weighted son of Imperial Stride led throughout. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and went on to score comfortably from the running on PANZA by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1400m maiden races on the turf was the boy’s division won by the well-supported BLING SWING. Backed into even money from 18/10 at the track, Paul Lafferty’s charge was always handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat his stable companion CUPKING by five.
Titbits
SAN JULIAN BAY and THE MONEY MAN both ran on well from off the pace when 3rd & 4th respectively in the MR64 Handicap over 1600m.
Master Stroke
Vaal 8th December
Three of the nine races on the outside track on Thursday were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was COUNTERSTROKE in the MR72 Apprentice Handicap. Positioned at the back for most of the journey, the 5yo Count Dubois gelding cut through the field like a knife at the business end of the race and won going away by a length and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1600m and quickest home here was MAN’S INN in the MR80 Handicap. He led throughout in what was always a very tightly bunched field and just got the verdict by a neck over the more fancied CHEROKEE GREY.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR68 Apprentice Handicap won by the 3yo Noordhoek Flyer filly CAPTAIN’S GIRL. Soon up with the speed, Louis Goosen’s charge was four lengths clear going through the 200m and it looked as if she would go on to score as she liked. She did start to shift around in the latter stages of the race though, and that allowed the pack to close in to a length and three quarters before the wire.
Titbits
The always handy TEENAGE DREAM comfortably accounted for her stable companion SEPTEMBER BLOOM (the favourite) when getting off the mark in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Heart And Soul 1
Race 2: (1) Rand Hedge 33 (NAP*)
Race 3: (3) Cat And The Moon 74
Race 4: (1) Aunty Carol 15
Race 5: (10) Stir It Up 53
Race 6: (1) Crown Of Gold 69
Race 7: (2) Jet Explorer 88
Race 8: (8) Trees Of Green 43
Race 9: (3) Storm Ridge 49
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) Courageous King 15
Race 2: (2) Raw Courage 19
Race 3: (4) Momo 18 (NAP**)
Race 4: (3) Savannah Cat 2
Race 5: (10) Destined For Dawn 51
Race 6: (5) Astroman 41
Race 7: (8) Chennai Babe 73
Race 8: (2) Just Vogue 52 (EW)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Inn A Million 21
Race 2: (8) Comtessa Antonia 44
Race 3: (11) Hallucination 4
Race 4: (1) Sha-Boom Sha-Boom 23 (NAP*)
Race 5: (3) Odd Rob 58
Race 6: (8) Rambo 58
Race 7: (2) Inyanga 49(EW)
Race 8: (13) Racing Socks 48
Race 9: (5) Pennington Sands 72
Race 10: (16) Like A Master 41
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (7) Cardinal Call 42
Race 3: (2) Seven Wood 56
Race 4: (2) Bela-Bela 84
Race 5: (6) Fifty Cents 98
Race 6: (8) Bold Rex 97
Race 7: (1) Table Bay 74
Race 8: (2) Nightingale 79
Race 9: (11) Smart Mart 84
Race 10: (3) Icon King 27
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Up And Under 19
Race 2: (13) Tropical Blow 23 (NAP*)
Race 3: (5) Piano Man 90
Race 4: (5) Queen Diva 12
Race 5: (8) Son Of Orimandes 51
Race 6: (8) Trinity Hall 40
Race 7: (8) Charisma 36
Race 8: (16) Academy Princess 50
Race 9: (7) Son Of Silver 54
Top rated winners last week included
Comtessa Antonia won 9/1
Indigo Storm won 9/2
Respect At Bay won 7/2
Captain At Sea won 12/10
Racethegreenlight won 1/1
Step Out won 8/10
Joan Ranger won 7/10
Furiosa won 4/10
Notebook:-
Bling Swing (P Lafferty, KZN)
Kissable (P Matchett, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 4th December
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,06s fast
1000m (1) Just Vogue 56,46
1200m (2) Sea Fever 68,32
1500m (1) Budapest 89,03
1600m (4) Little Chapel 94,82
Kenilworth (new) 6th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant 0,63s slow
1000m (1) Indigo Storm 59,52
1200m (1) Chosen Path 73,71
1400m (2) Shall Be Free 85,94
1600m (2) William Longsword 100,27
1800m (1) The High Life 112,58
2000m (1) Major Jay 125,76
Turffontein (old) 6th December
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 0,31s slow
800m (1) Kissable 45,25
1400m (3) Al Hawraa 84,73
1600m (1) Iridium Silver 101,10
Greyville (mixed) 7th December
Turf Good/Poly Standard
Course Variant: 0,14f (poly) – 0,23s fast (turf)
1000m (1) Swakopmund 58,11T
1200m (1) Lunar Rush 70,96T
1400m (2) Bling Swing 84,33T
1600m (1) Ice Ridge 95,13P
2000m (2) Night Circus 123,08P
3000m (1) Dunham 191,94T
Vaal (outside) 8th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,59s slow
1000m (2) Captain’s Girl 57,39
1200m (1) My Friend Lee 70,93
1400m (3) Counterstroke 82,68
1600m (3) Man’s Inn 95,03
