Shining Brightly
Kenilworth 12th December: SUNSHINE ROCK in the graduation event over 1200m was the best bet on the card for most in Cape Town on Wednesday and the daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar didn’t let down her supporters. Always deep in the red, Dennis Drier’s charge led throughout. She was always in command and despite the efforts of the chasing GINOCLOCK she won very easily by three and a half with some in hand.
The visiting stable of Dennis Drier was also on the mark in the MR82 Handicap over 1200m when TIPO TINTO registered his second career victory. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10, the son of Hussonet was soon positioned close to the speed. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the easy to back KIRTLING TOWERS (7/1 out to 12/1) by two and a quarter.
Another to win well in handicap company on this card was the recent maiden winner VILLA DEL LARGO in the MR70 affair over 1200m. Heavily supported into 19/10 favourite from 4/1, Justin Snaith’s charge was content to sit in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickly began to work her way through the field and under a well judged ride from Bernard Fayd’Herbe she got up late to win well by a length and a half.
Race seven on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo Stronghold colt PATRIOTIC REBEL. Another having his first run out of the maidens, Brett Crawford’s charge raced towards the back end of midfield and had plenty to do as they came off the bend. Once in the straight though he soon began to make headway and showing a fair turn of foot over the final 400m he comfortably accounted for EVITA’S DARLING by a length and a quarter. One to follow.
Titbits
FINNIGAN ran on well from midfield when only beaten by a neck in the maiden event over 1400m.
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Official Times Not Always Correct
Vaal 13th December: Thursday’s action took place on the turf where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1400m went to the well supported IMPERCEPTIBLE. Backed into 5/1 from 8’s at the track, Chris Erasmus’ charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened well from halfway and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for ROYAL TRIBUTE by a length.
Another to win comfortably in the maiden ranks was VULCAN in the 1000m event. Soon up handy, the son of Kahal was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 200m and won well by a length and a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR94 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest run of the five 1400m races victory here went to the heavily supported APPROACHABLE. Backed into 11/10 favourite from 28/10 at the track, Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced in the rear early on. The second favourite TIGER ATTACK was the first to make a move and he did have the rest well beaten after striking the front 400m out. Approachable ran on best of all at the business end of the race though and after a thrilling tussle over the final 200m he got the verdict by three quarters of a length.
The fastest of the three 1000m events on the card was the MR86 Handicap in which the lightly raced MISS CANTONA registered her second career victory. Taken straight to the front by Pierre Strydom, the daughter of Var led throughout. She was always in command and despite the efforts of the chasing KINEMATIC COUNTESS she ran out a very comfortable winner by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
RIGHT TO TANGO ran on well from midfield when winning the MR77 Handicap over 1400m. The time of this race was shown as being faster than that of Approachable in some quarters but it was in fact three quarters of a second slower.
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Back On Fire
Fairview 14th December: A maiden plate over 1400m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here it was nice to see the gutsy, but not so talented PARISIAN BOLT register his first win. Racing for just the second time in the Eastern Cape after failing to win on seventeen occasions in Cape Town, the son of Albert Hall broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller he just held on by a short head from another costly to follow performer in FATHERANDSONS (34th start).
There were also a number of easy victories on the card and none more so than that of BOUCHERS INN in the maiden event over 1800m. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the son of Greys Inn raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well when asked for his effort early in the long home straight and easily accounted for the 7/2 favourite SEA OF FORTUNE by three and three quarters after striking the front 150m from home.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Memorial Mile and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1600m races on the card victory here went to the 6yo Bezrin gelding CELTIC FIRE. Nicely drawn in gate one, Yvette Bremner’s charge broke well and was always handy. He moved through to take up the running 200m from home and won going away by three and a quarter.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of VARUNA in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m. Nibbled at on course into 13/2 from 8’s, Gavin Smith’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 200m and won well from the running on TORY.
Titbits
Having only her second start since relocating to the Eastern Cape, DREAMWALKER ran out a very comfortable winner of the maiden 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Vaal (Mon) Race 1: (1) Taptap Makhatini 33 (NAP*) Race 2: (5) Romeo’s Fan Club 17 Race 3: (7) Amur Affair 91 Race 4: (6) Kruger Gold 50 Race 5: (7) Masai Warrior 95 Race 6: (6) Savannah Montana 51 Race 7: (7) Roll Call 66 Race 8: (8) Funny Glory 48 Clairwood Race 1: (2) Regal Breeze 27 Race 2: (6) Ivory Pearl 7 Race 3: (3) Winds Of Noordhoek 28 Race 4: (13) Captain Charlie 49 Race 5: (3) She’s A Stunner 79 Race 6: (5) Contador 82 (NAP*) Race 7: (2) Live Controversy 59 Race 8: (6) Always Al 93 Race 9: (7) Chief Pigeon 53 Race 10: (4) High Arrow 16 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (1) Cornish Duchess 5 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (2) Flight Of Eagles 25 Race 4: (16) Memeza 45 Race 5: (5) Joanie Gee 67 Race 6: (8) Sweet Charity 44 Race 7: (4) Wollondilly 41 Race 8: (2) Aconcagua 50 Race 9: (16) Vivid 53 .
Top rated winners last week included
Captain’s Lullaby won 28/10 Celebration won 28/10 Prayer Of Praise won 28/10 French Filly won 22/10 Mozart Memorial won 17/10 Ashton Park won 13/10 Tipo Tinto won 12/10 Sunshine Rock won 1/4 .
Notebook:-
Patriotic Rebel (B Crawford, W-Cape) Sunshine Rock (D Drier, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherKenilworth (new) 12th December Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1200m (4) Sunshine Rock 72,06 1400m (1) Ashton Park 86,37 1600m (3) Luna De Victoria 100,61 .
Vaal (outside) 13th December Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (3) Miss Cantona 56,39 1400m (5) Approachable 81,27 1600m (1) Udumo 97,28 .
Fairview 14th December Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (1) Varuna 55,91 1200m (1) Var Light 68,53 1400m (1) Parisian Bolt 85,06 1600m (4) Celtic Fire 96,65 1800m (1) Bouchers Inn 111,40
