One For Anton

Final Blow

Greyville 1^st November: The easiest victory in Natal on Tuesday evening was recorded by BAY ROUTE (68) in the MR86 Handicap over 1600m. Taken straight to the front by Felix Coetzee, the 11/2 shot led throughout. He was always clear and without any anxious moments went on to score by three.

Race three on the card was a maiden event over 1400m and here it was nice to see the 3yo Mellifont gelding SPACEBEAM (21) gain just reward for his consistency. A little unlucky on more than one occasion previously, Spacebeam was always in touch with the leaders. Mike Miller’s charge quickened best of all in the straight and in a classic finish he got up close home.

Plate races topped the bill and in an event where just four runners went to post victory in the Allowance event over 1400m went to the 15/20 favourite ICE AXE (80). On leaving the stalls it was his stable companion SCOTWOOD who elected to make the running whilst Ice Axe raced a length and a quarter away in second. Scotwood kept on determinedly in the straight and having to give his all it was only in the very last stride that the market leader got up.

There was a similar conclusion to the Conditions Plate over 1400m where LADY MAGPIE (73) registered her sixth career victory. Not the quickest into stride, Alistair Gordon’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. The favourite RUBY CARTEL meanwhile had raced handy and as she moved up to tackle GRAMMATICA 200m out, she looked to have done everything right. Lady Magpie was running on stoutly at that point though and under a well judged ride from Anthony Delpech, she got up late to score by a half.

Titbits

After being squeezed out at the start and racing towards the rear, the friendless favourite INNER TEMPLE (16/10 out to 9/2) was running on nicely at the finish when third in the maiden event over 1800m.

Beaten just 2,55 lengths into seventh in the same race as Inner Temple, KIRIYA was also running on strongly at the finish and is clearly better than her poor form would suggest.

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Authoritative Hat-trick

Kenilworth 2^nd November: The first of four favourites (including one jt fav) to arrive in Cape Town on Wednesday was ICY JET in the maiden event over 1000m. Deep in the red at 7/20 on the off, Paddy Kruyer’s charge was taken straight to the front by Felix Coetzee and was always at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and despite shifting across the track, he comfortably accounted for BASHIR by two and a quarter.

Another odds on favourite to win well here was the highly regarded LIANCOURT ROCK who did the business in the MR78 affair over 1600m. Soon up handy, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was always poised to strike. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and with some in hand, he comfortably accounted for the second favourite LAURIE’S GOLD by two and a quarter. Liancourt Rock has won all three starts with authority and is clearly one to follow.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a nice performance from the Darryl Hodgson trained UNCLE TOMMY. Freely available at 5/1 on the off, the son of Kahal raced sixth during the early part of the race. He was asked to take closer order going through the 400m and under a well judged ride from Gerrit Schlechter, he got up nicely late to score by a length and a half.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of RAIN GAL when winning the final event on the card, a MR78 Handicap over 1200m. Positioned towards the backend of midfield early on, Rain Gal had plenty to do going through halfway. Once given rein though, she quickened well and after striking the front 150m from home, she easily drew clear. Rain Gal won well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.

Titbits

Having only her second career outing here, STARLIGHT BEAUTY was running on strongly in the latter stages of the maiden 1600m and was only beaten half a length by the supported favourite Savannah Leigh.

THE PROFESSOR ran on strongly from midfield when fifth beaten just 2,2 lengths in the maiden event over 1400m.

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Follow The Badger

Vaal 3^rd November: Thursday’s action took place on the turf where followers of the money were on the mark in the maiden 1200m when the lightly raced TIGER ATTACK (0) did the business. Nibbled at throughout the day into 5/1 from 14’s, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was always handy. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and with the pacemaker VIRGIL CANE not throwing in the towel after being headed, he went on to score by just three quarters.

Another to do the business after finding good outside support was SILVER DICE (58) in the MR73 Handicap over 2000m. Sent off at 5/1 after opening up at double those odds, Weiho Marwing’s charge raced third for most of the journey. He hit the front going through the 300m and went on to score very easily by four and a half.

The most impressive performance of the afternoon was undoubtedly that of the former Cape Town campaigner BADGER LAKE (72). A winner of four of his nine starts prior to leaving the Western Cape, Badger Lake had been disappointing in his six starts in Gauteng. Clearly back to best here though, Mike De Kock’s charge fairly cruised clear after striking the front 400m out and had he not been eased down late he would have won by quite a bit more than the official margin of three lengths will reflect.

The Lance Wiid trained EDICT (56) was all the rage to win the MR77 Handicap over 1200m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Sent off second favourite at 28/10 (op 4/1), Edict as per usual came from off the pace. He ran on best of all at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the easy to back COMISION DUE by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

Racing very green when running on from the rear, newcomer SEVENHILLSOFROME did well to get within 2,5 lengths of the winner in the maiden event over 1200m.

Racing for the first time since April, the Sean Tarry trained POWER PARK ran on strongly under top weight in the MR94 Handicap over 1200m and gaining at the finish was only beaten a neck.

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Treasure Hunt

Greyville 4^th November: The smartest performance in the maiden ranks on Friday evening was undoubtedly that of TUSCAN TREASURE (31) in the 1600m event. Allowed to ease out to 7/1 from 11/2 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she raced in midfield early on. Once in the straight though, she soon began to make headway and after striking the front 70m from home, she quickly went clear. Tuscan Treasure only needed to be ridden hands and heels over the final 400m and won well.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was VARSITY QUEEN (33) who did the business for favourite backers in the 1000m event. Fairly drawn in barrier seven, Bart Rice’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was always in touch with the leaders. She was asked to take up the running going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at outsider PLATINUM FOX (33/1 into 16/1) by two.

In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SIX BLUE NOTES (50) in the novice event for the girls over 1600m. Soon up handy, the daughter of Qui Danzig raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead at the 300m marker and after quickly going clear, she easily accounted for DANCING ARROW by three and three quarters.

Just six runners went to post for the pinnacle event over 1900m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the 4yo CODE ROCK (73). Sent off a joint favourite at 5/2, Alyson Wright’s charge was soon nicely positioned in second despite being a little slow into stride. The veteran BUY AND SELL set the pace and kept on strongly in the straight. Code Rock responded well when given rein 400m out though and after striking the front 150m from home, he went on to score very comfortably by two and three quarters.

Titbits

A little slow into stride newcomer INFINITE WISDOM raced in midfield and caught the eye running on nicely late when only beaten 2,1 lengths in the maiden event over 1000m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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