Shopping For Success
Greyville 24th November: By far the fastest of the three 1200m races on Sunday’s turf card was the MR88 Handicap in which the 3yo PEARL OF ASIA kept his unbeaten record in-tact. Easy to back at 13/2 on the off the son of Pathfork raced in midfield early on. He ran on best of all in the short home
They also ran three races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was LADY LEGEND when winning the MR76 Handicap. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Gareth Wright, the Captain Of All filly raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the always handy MITRA MUSIC.
The bill topping MR100 Handicap over 1000m was comparatively the fastest race on the card and here it was nice to see the speedy CALVARY bounce back to form. Taking full advantage of Jabu Jocobs’ 4kg allowance Glen Kotzen’s charge led throughout. He kept on determinedly in the straight and won well from the 19/10 favourite SOCRATES.
Titbits
Always top of the boards, the Duncan Howells trained newcomer TRIP TO AFRICA won the maiden plate over 1200m with authority by three and a quarter.
Not By Chance
Vaal 26th November: A MR96 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill on Tuesday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three races over the distance, the top weighted WINTER STORM registered his fifth career victory. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, Paul Peter’s charge raced in the rear early on. He quickened well over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from the national jockey’s log leader Warren Kennedy, he got up close home.
1600m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in the quicker of the two, the MR72 Handicap, the 4yo Skitt Sklzzle gelding ICE LORD kept his unbeaten record in-tact. A facile winner of his maiden in his only previous racecourse appearance, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead 200m out by Raymond Danielson and comfortably accounted for the running on IN THE GAME.
A maiden plate for the girls over 2000m brought proceedings to a close and here we saw an impressive performance from the Robbie Sage trained BY CHANCE. Well supported on course to go off second favourite at 57/20, the lightly raced daughter of Byword raced sixth for most of the journey. She put her head in front going through the 400m and with a ton in hand she cruised clear to score by seven.
Titbits
Easily ten lengths adrift of the leaders early on, the 3yo VALETORIO was flying at the business end of the race when a three and a quarter length third in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Finding Earlier Form
Kenilworth 27th November: Four of the eight races in Cape Town on Wednesday were staged over 1400m. The conditions plate for the girls was the fastest of these and here victory went to the Justin Snaith trained SILVANO’S PRIDE. Making her first appearance of the season here, the daughter of Silvano led throughout. She was always in command and won well by a half from the always handy GOLDEN CHANCE.
The MR86 affair was the faster of the two handicaps over 2000m and here it was nice to see the Ideal world filly CORAL BAY find her earlier form. Freely available at 22/1 on the off, Glen Kotzen’s charge raced handy early on before taking up the running at the halfway mark. She kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied ELUSIVE FORTUNE by three quarters.
A maiden plate over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite WARRIOR TIGER. A close up second in a MR78 Handicap last time out, it was no surprise to see Piet Botha’s charge priced up in the red at the off. He was soon up handy and after taking up the running 200m from home, he went on to score with authority by a length and a half.
Titbits
Now a winner of two from six, the 3yo GIMME GIMME GIMME won the MR78 Handicap over 1400m going away.
Green For Go
Vaal 28th November: Racing returned to the Vaal on Thursday where just 0,59 seconds separated the winners of the four 1200m races. The maiden plate for the girls was surprisingly the quickest of these and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer LADY OF STEEL. Well supported to go off second in the betting market, the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight wasn’t the quickest into stride and raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She was ridden to lead 120m from home and eased late, won very cosily by two.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m and in marginally the faster of these, a graduation plate, another of the progeny of Gimmethegreenlight, GREEN TOP found the winner’s enclosure. Well overdue for her second win, Alec Laird’s charge was taking a big drop in class here. She raced prominent throughout, and won with authority after taking up the running 400m from home.
In terms of prize money the graduation plate over 1000m topped the bill and here the 3yo son of Pathfork LOOK TO THE SKY bounced back to form. Nibbled at into 13/1 from 22’s, Clinton Binda’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and in a thrilling finish he only held on by a short head from the always handy SULLENBERGER (55/1).
Titbits
The improving 4yo FITZWILLIAM ran on well from midfield when winning the MR86 Handicap going away.
Course And Distance
Fairview 22nd November: Two non-black type events topped the bill on Friday’s turf card and in the first of these to be run, the Glendore Sprint over 1000m, the former Cape Town campaigner LORD BALMORAL caused an upset. Easy to back at 20/1 on the off Duncan McKenzie’s charge raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all from halfway and got up late to deny the costly to follow DUTCH PHILIP.
There was also a major upset in the non-black type November Stakes when BOLD VIKING registered his seventh career victory. Positioned in the backend of midfield in what proved to be by far the fastest of the three events over the distance, the Black Minnaloushe gelding didn’t find the clearest of passages down the long home straight. Once into stride though he ran on best of all and got up very late to win in a three way photo. More often than not seen out over further, Bold Viking is now unbeaten in two starts over this course and distance.
Very marginally the faster of the two 1000m races was the novice plate won by the 5yo Dawn Approach mare SUNSHINE MINT. Heavily supported in this her first outing since relocating to the province, Alan Greeff’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 300m and won well by a length and a quarter from the running on AFLEET FLYER.
Titbits
The recent maiden winner BEYOND TEMPTATION ran on well from the backend of midfield when third beaten just a neck in the MR64 Handicap over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (8) World Squared 15
Race 3: (2) King Capone 19
Race 4: (3) Desert Chief 54
Race 5: (2) Silvery Heights 46
Race 6: (10) Strawberry Wine 56
Race 7: (1) Outlandos D’amour 61
Race 8: (2) Lord Marshal 49 (EW)
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (5) Quant Master 26
Race 2: (9) Pafuri 21
Race 3: (4) Mount Anderson 24
Race 4: (6) Tom Bombadil 19
Race 5: (3) Excessive Grace 18
Race 6: (8) Railtrip 58
Race 7: (7) High Green 52
Race 8: (6) Dancing Feather 45
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (1) Captain Hindsight 29 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Blue Spark 27
Race 3: (11) Dual At Dawn 24
Race 4: (3) Martha 8
Race 5: (2) My Dream Chaser 66
Race 6: (7) Fly Away 77 (nb)
Race 7: (12) D’Arrivee 74
Race 8: (9) Rockin Russian 73
Race 9: (11) Itsmydarlin 42
Race 10: (12) Passion Peach 30
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (9) Sing Out Loud 22
Race 2: (6) Alfred’s Girl 35
Race 3: (2) Themadirishsheriff 15
Race 4: (4) Possibility 22
Race 5: (8) Morse 28
Race 6: (7) Black Belt 40
Race 7: (1) Rille 32
Race 8: (1) Priceless Ruler 68
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (15) Single Red Rose 19
Race 3: (10) Heroic Deed 28
Race 4: (12) At Your Request 16
Race 5: (8) Twice As Smart 70
Race 6: (8) Gimme Peace 66
Race 7: (6) White Lightning 71
Race 8: (12) Graduate 73
Race 9: (11) Twice Golden 23
Top rated winners last week included
Calvary won 9/1
Duchess Of Prussia won 9/1
Cordillera won 27/10
Touch Of Fate won 5/2
Green Top won 19/20
Warrior Tiger won 19/20
Baby Shooz won 8/10
Doppio Oro won 8/10
Notebook:-
By Chance (R Sage, Gauteng)
Valetorio (C Spies, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 24th November
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,36s fast
1000m (1) Calvary 57,20
1200m (3) Pearl Of Asia 70,30
1400m (3) Lady Legend 83,70
1600m (1) Clouds Of Witness 123,64
2000m (1) Baby Shooz 97,85
Vaal 26th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,30s slow
1000m (3) Winter Storm 56,22*
1400m (1) Dan The Lad 83,31*
1500m (1) Cordillera 88,42*
1600m (2) Ice Lord 95,30*
2000m (1) By Chance 123,35*
Kenilworth (old) 27th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,64s slow
1000m (1) Warrior Tiger 59,00*
1400m (4) Silvano’s Pride 85,40
1600m (1) Count Jack 98,06
2000m (2) Coral Bay 124,64
Vaal 28th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,09s fast
1000m (1) Look To The Sky 56,69
1200m (4) Lady Of Steel 69,25
1400m (2) Green Top 83,57
2000m (1) Fife 121,47
Fairview 29th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,17s slow
1000m (2) Lord Balmoral 57,66
1200m (2) Sunshine Mint 70,68
1400m (3) Bold Viking 85,55
1600m (1) Sunday Falls 99,88
