Topsy Turvy Times
Fairview 18th December: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when CUVEO did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 800m. Backed into favouritism at the track (4/1 into 28/10), the only filly in the race was soon prominent. She put her head in front at the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat ZEVENASTIC by a neck.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1000m and surprisingly the fastest of these was the colt’s maiden plate won by FLICKER. Allowed to ease out to even money from 15/20 at the track as money came for SPORTSTRADER, the Fort Wood gelding was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running 100m out and won by three quarters from the running on ORCADIAN FOREST (came from the rear).
The maiden plate was also surprisingly the faster of the two 1600m events. Run in a time almost a quarter of a second faster than that of the listed Memorial Mile won by the talented Cape Town raider NIGHT TRIP, the winner ROMAN SILVANUS (Night Trip’s stable companion) raced fifth for most of the journey. He was always travelling well and with the rest well beaten, he comfortably accounted for CAPTAIN QUICK by a length and a half.
Titbits
Having her first outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, BELLA SPUMANTE ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the novice 1400m by five and a quarter with a ton in hand.
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Five In A Row
Greyville 18th December: Five of the eight races on Friday evening were run over 1400m and comfortably the fastest of these was the bill topping MR94 Handicap won by the 9/20 favourite EXIT HERE. Soon at the head of affairs of what was a very tightly bunched field early on, the five-timer seeking son of Jay Peg made all. He found extra when the grey KISS ME HARDY through down the gauntlet 200m out and won well by a length.
Marginally the faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m was the girl’s affair won by the newcomer SPIRITOS. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 14’s, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced in midfield. She made her move early in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy she got up late to deny the all-out OVERLY IMPRESSED.
The remaining three races were all run over 2000m and quickest home amongst these was LITTLE CHAPEL in the graduation plate. In the rear as the nine runners turned for home, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and with the rest some four lengths adrift she got the better of JET INTOMBI by a half.
Titbits
The 3yo RIO DE LA PLATA ran on strongly late when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR74 Handicap over 2000m.
The 2/13 favourite WINTER’S HEIR only had to be pushed out when winning the maiden plate over 2000m very easily by nine and three quarters.
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Ready For Action
Turffontein 19th December: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where the faster of the two 1450m events was the pinnacle stakes won by the best weighted runner in the field TROPHY WIFE. Having her third run after a break here, Sean Tarry’s charge was content to sit seventh of the nine for most of the journey. She began to take closer order as they came off the strip and only had to be pushed out after taking up the running 200m from home to beat the running on VINO VERITAS.
The faster of the two 2000m races was the MR84 Handicap in which the top weight SAVE THE RHINO registered his third career victory. Not the quickest into stride, the son of Mogok raced in midfield early on. He put his head in front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the consistent LAVA FLOW by a length and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by ZAFIRA when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 2200m. Positioned in the backend of midfield in a race in which heavy rain fell throughout, Weiho Marwing’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and won with authority by three and a quarter.
Titbits
LUNAR APPROACH won the MR80 Handicap with some in hand.
IN THE MOMENT (midfield) and ENBHARR (rear) were both running on strongly at the finish when 2nd & 5th respectively in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Noah Repels All
Kenilworth 19th December: The Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and in a time a second slower than that of the Listed Jet Master Stakes victory here went to the Gauteng raider NOAH FROM GOA. Now a winner of five of his six career starts, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and finding extra all the way to the wire he beat the running on BRAZUKA by three quarters.
The supporting act was the 2500m Gr3 Cape Summers Stayers Handicap in which the friendless CURRENT EVENT caused an upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the eight horse party at 20/1 (op 7’s), Justin Snaith’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and won going away after striking the front 90m or so from home.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the ten race program was recorded by TAR HEEL when winning the non-black type Need For Speed Sprint over 1000m. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the son of Var led by just a half for most of the journey. He began to assert his authority going through the 300m and won going away by three and three quarters.
Titbits
DIXIE EXPRESS extended her winning sequence to four when comfortably accounting for her rivals by three and a half lengths in the MR76 Handicap over 1000m.
Thrown in at the weights in the conditions plate over 1400m, SAME JURISDICTION won accordingly.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (1) Crown Of Gold 73 (nb)
Race 3: (11) King’s Fire 16
Race 4: (1) Al Don Cumarco 83 (NAP*)
Race 5: (6) Arniston 70
Race 6: (10) Jay Belle 41
Race 7: (1) Eros’s Girl 60
Race 8: (5) Thrill Factor 41
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (5) Ferrie 18 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Tide Is Turning 21
Race 3: (2) Avail 18
Race 4: (4) David’s Dynasty 35
Race 5: (3) True Master 74
Race 6: (5) Secret Seven 54
Race 7: (2) Megamind 34
Race 8: (7) Three Blue Cranes 46
Turffontein (wed)
Race 1: (1) Might As Well 5
Race 2: (2) Seventh Symphony 69
Race 3: (1) Snowdonia 4
Race 4: (1) Gladiatore 24
Race 5: (6) Wild Ash 74
Race 6: (1) Moofeed 92 (NAP*)
Race 7: (3) Master’s Spirit 65
Race 8: (2) For The Lads 50 (EW)
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (2) Triptronic 48 (EW)
Race 2: (10) Ostentation 47
Race 3: (11) Royal Lance 41
Race 4: (6) Soldier’s Code 24
Race 5: (8) Executive Power 85
Race 6: (7) Rainier 52
Race 7: (5) Glimmer Of Silver 7
Race 8: (1) Masked Girl 11
Race 9: (16) Protea Power 20
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (4) Danza 26
Race 2: (6) Tangerine Lady 16
Race 3: (5) Topography 23 (NAP*)
Race 4: (11) Royal Master 48
Race 5: (9) Cumberland 73
Race 6: (9) Lisnoble 41
Race 7: (9) Intergalactic 54
Race 8: (4) Lavish Gal 37
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Top rated winners last week included
Bella Spumante won 7/1
Littleblacknumber won 7/2
Tar Heel won 3/1
Impala Lily won 2/1
Matron Prilli won 9/10
Roman Silvanus won 6/10
Barbosa won 3/10
Winter’s Heir won 2/13
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Notebook:-
Bella Spumante (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Enbharr (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Exit Here (C Laird, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 18th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
800m (1) Cuveo 44,81
1000m (3) Flicker 56,91
1200m (1) Slewsgate 70,52
1400m (1) Bella Spumante 85,02
1600m (2) Roman Silvanus 98,21
2000m (1) Sensuous Sally 129,46
Greyville (poly) 18th December
Going Standard
1400m (5) Exit Here 82,62
2000m (3) Little Chapel 122,26
Turffontein (inner) 19th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Matron Prilli 58,43
1200m (2) Last Battle 73,44
1450m (2) Trophy Wife 87,92
1600m (1) Lunar Approach 97,91
2000m (2) Save The Rhino 124,15
2200m (1) Zafira 141,82
Kenilworth (new) 19th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
800m (1) The Merry Widow 49,06
1000m (2) Dixie Express 58,91
1200m (2) Top Of The Rock 73,27
1400m (1) Same Jurisdiction 86,21*
1600m (3) Heartland 98,05*
2500m (1) Current Event 157,62*
