New Course Record
Scottsville 28th February: Somewhat surprisingly, as the going was posted as Good to Soft, MUSCATT broke the course record over 1000m at Scottsville on Sunday when winning the pinnacle stakes. On leaving the stalls it was TONTO (reported lame near fore) who elected to make the running whilst Michael Roberts’ charge raced close up in second. He put his head in front approaching the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was SEYMOUR when registering his second career victory in the MR72 Handicap. Not the quickest into stride, the son of Count Dubois was positioned in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened best of all in the straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny HOLD THE LINE (raced in rear – led 100m).
The non-black type Unsinzi Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to one of the three co-second favourites MAMASITA. She got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, led throughout. She was always a length and a quarter clear and won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
The strongly fancied newcomer BOLD REX (even money favourite) won going away after making all in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
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Always In Fashion
Fairview 1st March: A maiden plate over 1600m got proceedings underway at Tuesday’s poly track meeting and here victory went to the second favourite BUENOS AIRES. On leaving the stalls it was the limited MESSAGEINABOTTLE who somewhat predictably set the pace, whilst Tara Laing’s charge raced close up in third. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and got up nicely late to score by three quarters.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1300m and quickest home amongst these was FASHION SCOUT in the MR72 Handicap. Sent off joint second favourite at 11/2, Yvette Bremner’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all in the straight and got up late to deny the well supported ON MY WITS ALONE.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR70 Handicap won by SILVAN JAZZ. Always handy, the top weight got the verdict by a half in a blanket finish.
Titbits
Although never a threat to the winner, FACEBOOK was flying at the finish when third in the MR66 Handicap over 1900m.
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Weather Claims Five
Turffontein 1st March: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where because of a severe electrical storm the meeting had to be abandoned after just three races. A maiden juvenile plate over 1160m was first up and here victory went to the favourite RIBOVAR. Fourth beaten six lengths in what looks to have been a very useful field in his only previous start, Sean Tarry’s charge raced second. He moved up to tackle the front running second favourite as they approached the 100m marker and with the rest some five and a half lengths adrift he went on to score easing down by a half.
A maiden plate over 1000m was next up and here the 8/1 shot LEROY got off the mark. Soon up handy despite taking a bump at the start, the Rebel King gelding raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead passing the halfway mark and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on HEVER CASTLE by a neck.
What proved to be the lucky last was a maiden plate over 1400m and here the well supported COPTIC CROSS did the business. Backed all the way in to 15/10 from 33/10, Alec Laird’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He answered every call over the final 400m and beat the deposed favourite ODD ROB fair and square by a length and a half.
Titbits
Prior to the abandonment WINTER SOLDIER had been scratched from the fourth race lame near fore, and MOMBELA the seventh with urticaria.
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A Merry Tune
Greyville 2nd March: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday afternoon where five of the nine races were run over 1600m. The fastest of these was the MR70 Handicap won by BLUE BEACH. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Craig Eudey’s charge was positioned in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all in the straight and despite not finding the clearest of passages, she got up in the dying strides.
Quickest home in the three 1200m events was PETER PIPER when completing a double in the MR82 Handicap. Always handy, the son of Jet Master ran on strongly over the final 400m and only got the better of the front running BENGAL BOY close home.
The one remaining race was the opening maiden plate over 1400m in which DIAMOND LEAGUE got off the mark. Pitched in against what has to be said was a very moderate bunch, the 1/3 favourite sat on the heels of the pacemaker during the early part of the race. She put her head in front early in the straight and went on to score very easily by two.
Titbits
GUN SLINGER was always a length and a quarter clear when winning the maiden plate over 1600m.
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From Russia With Love
Vaal 3rd March: The best bet on the card for most at Thursday’s outside track meeting was NOTHER RUSSIA, and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m maiden events, the well-bred daughter of Tiger Ridge didn’t let down her supporters. On leaving the stalls it was TRICIA DUPONT who elected to make the running whilst Mike De Kock’s charge was content to amble along in midfield. She quickened well when given rein and won going away by five and a half after striking the front 150m from home.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was FAREEQ in the second division of the MR72 Handicap. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Nother Russia’s stable companion also came from midfield. He struck the front going through the 200m, and did have the running on HAWAIIAN SUN (came from the rear) held by a length and a quarter at the wire.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (9) Madiba Dance 6
Race 2: (4) Istas 8
Race 3: (7) Night Fall 63
Race 4: (4) Minnakuta 8
Race 5: (3) Copper Parade 85
Race 6: (5) Agterskot 47
Race 7: (6) Apoc 54
Race 8: (14) Stone Town 57
Race 9: (10) Mambo Italiano 47
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (4) Protea Power 32
Race 2: (6) Royalsecuritypower 87
Race 3: (1) Honeysuckle Rose 6
Race 4: (6) Sensible Lover 81
Race 5: (7) Strategic’s Pride 42
Race 6: (10) Marchant 96 (EW)
Race 7: (2) Koncealed 16
Race 8: (12) Bermuda 48
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Approval Mode 23
Race 2: (2) Cyber Magic 8
Race 3: (7) Mamdooha 20
Race 4: (7) Aldiara 67
Race 5: (1) Captain America 91 (NAP*)
Race 6: (8) First Sign 44
Race 7: (10) Stavinsky 91
Race 8: (2) Chinawhite 11
Race 9: (12) Elen Luyddog 55
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) Moulina 7
Race 2: (2) Dancer 14
Race 3: (1) Honest Ally 20
Race 4: (1) Arctic Blast 23
Race 5: (4) Ntombi 57
Race 6: (1) Eastern Front 44
Race 7: (1) Daring Dave 90 (NAP*)
Race 8: (1) Variance 17
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Ocean Drive South 10
Race 2: (6) She Done Good 5
Race 3: (4) Royalsecuritypower 73
Race 4: (1) Augustina 5
Race 5: (1) Imbali 12
Race 6: (7) Likeness 45
Race 7: (5) French Lass 43
Race 8: (3) Majix 15
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Top rated winners last week included
Leroy won 8/1
All Magic won 7/1
Sunshine Lady won 28/10
The Money Man won 1/1
Alldressedup won 7/10
Prospectus won 7/10
Diamond League won 1/3
Nother Russia won 3/10
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Notebook:-
Fashion Scout (Y Bremner, E-Cape)
Nother Russia (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Seymour (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (stand side) 28th Feburary
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (2) Muscatt 55,81
1400m (4) Seymour 85,39
1800m (1) Mamasita 114,10
2400m (1) Rio De La Plata 154,84
Fairview (poly) 1st March
Going Standard
1200m (2) Silvan Jazz 70,66
1300m (4) Fashion Scout 75,56
1600m (1) Buenos Aires 97,48
1900m (1) King Of The Castle 116,12
Turffontein (old) 1st March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Leroy 57,19
1160m (1) Ribovar 67,92
1400m (1) Coptic Cross 87,74
Greyville (poly) 2nd March
Going Standard
1200m (3) Peter Piper 69,85
1400m (1) Diamond League 84,51
1600m (5) Blue Beach 96,13
Vaal (outside) 3rd March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Led Zeppelin 57,14
1200m (3) Hidden Agenda 70,49
1400m (3) Fareeq 81,97
1600m (2) Nother Russia 95,39
