Thrilling Tussles
Greyville 25th February: They raced on the poly track on Sunday where four of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1200m. The MR72 Handicap was marginally the fastest of these and here victory went to the Dean Kannemeyer trained GADGET MAN. Backed into favouritism at the track, the son of Silvano was soon up handy. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and got the better of a three way tussle by a neck.
The MR77 Handicap was the fastest of the three 1600m events and here the well weighted 3yo RYKER registered his third career victory. Adopting a change of tactics here, Garth Puller’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
The one remaining race was a maiden plate for the girls over 2000m and in what proved to be a real thriller the favourite LIVE IN LOVE got off the mark. Always handy, Live In Love was challenged strongly by the well exposed PALACE MYSTERY (21st career start) over the final 150m and only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
Ridden to lead 300m out, VICTORY TRIP won the MR60 Handicap over 1200m going away by three and three quarters.
Clockwatcher’s Big Five
Kenilworth 27th February: The column was in great form in Cape Town last Tuesday, producing five top rated winners from just seven races.
1200m took the lion’s share of the races and quickest home amongst these was HITHIMAGAINCHUCK when winning the MR80 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Grant Van Niekerk, the 3yo son of Var raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all at the business end of the race and got up in the very last stride to deny the easy to back DAYONAUT.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR80 Handicap and here we saw a smart performance from Brett Crawford’s SPENDING SPREE. Returning from a 30 week break here, the Jay Peg filly raced at the back for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened best of all, and went on to win going away after striking the front 200m from home.
They also ran two races over 1600m and marginally the faster of these was the MR67 Handicap won by RUBYANA. All the rage on course, the 100/30 favourite raced close up in sixth early on. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score in good style going away.
Titbits
The newcomers FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT and SEATTLE KID both ran on well from off the pace when 2nd & 3rd respectively in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Freely available at 113/20 on the off, the Candice Bass-Robinson newcomer NOUS VOILA only had to be pushed out when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Smart Double
Scottsville 28th February: The non-black-type Fever Tree Handicap topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, and in what proved to be by far the fastest of the five 1400m races we saw a smart performance from the 3yo SNIPER SHOT. Nicely positioned in fourth for most of the journey, the 4/1 joint second favourite took up the running 180m out, and won going away from the favourite BLACK CAT BACK.
The only other distance on the card to stage more than one race was 1000m where the faster of the two was the MR72 Handicap won by Sniper Shot’s stable companion MAJESTIC GLORY. Sent off a strong favourite at 2/1, the lightly raced son of Equiano was a little slow into stride and raced seventh of the ten early on. She quickened well from halfway and under a well-judged ride from Anthony Delpech she got the better of the second favourite ISHNANA by a neck.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by ETERNAL WORDS when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1400m. Well-supported into 13/10 at the track, the daughter of Byword was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
Titbits
Pitched in against winners on this her first racecourse appearance, the newcomer MASTER KEYS won the juvenile plate over 1200m going away by a length and three quarters.
With the rest some six lengths adrift, the newcomer LITTLE WINTER was never really asked to race when a short head second in the barrier trial over 800m.
Trusty Favourite
Vaal 1st March: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1400m. The MR62 Handicap was very marginally the fastest of these and here we saw a comfortable victory for the easy to back QUEBEC QUEEN. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Paul Peter’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all at the business end of the race and won well by a length and a half from FLOWING GOWN.
Three of the five remaining races took place over1200m where by far the quickest home was ELENI in the MR66 Handicap. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, Eleni ran on well over the final 400m and got the better of WHITE WINTER and MOSS GAS in a thrilling three way finish.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BELIEVE ME when opening her account in the maiden plate over 1400m. She quickened well from halfway and despite not finding the clearest of passages she went on to score with authority after striking the front 200m from home.
Titbits
The Lateral filly TEENAGE DREAM was winning for the fifth time in her last seven outings when landing the MR73 Handicap over 1600m.
New Kid In Town
Greyville 2nd March: The course has been running slow since the action returned to the poly track and with a 20km/h head wind to boot on Friday evening the times were once again well below standard. Four of the nine races were run over 1000m and in the fastest of these it was nice to see the veteran EDDIE SWEAT find the winner’s enclosure. Easy to back at 5/1 on the off, Frank Robinson’s charge raced sixth of the seven early on. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and got the verdict by a neck over the favourite THE KING OF RANDOM.
Marginally the faster of the two 1200m races on my clock was the MR80 Handicap won by the fancied HARD TO PLAY. After racing tightly bunched early on, the field resembled a cavalry charge going through the 300m. Hard To Play came from the back and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home.
They also ran two races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was HARLAN COUNTY in the MR79 Handicap. Racing on the surface for the first time, this lightly raced son of Pathfork was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After being hampered 600m out, ROY’S NOVICE was finishing best of all when a 0,85 length third in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (10) Tune The Scope 17 (NAP*)
Race 2: (4) Limerick Ridge 7
Race 3: (11) Winter Trade 51
Race 4: (3) Peg Of Zeus 5 (nb)
Race 5: (12) Chisanyama 48
Race 6: (8) Caballo Blanco 55
Race 7: (1) Queen Forever 53
Race 8: (7) Captain Marooned 69 (EW)
Race 9: (4) Bullion Babe 45
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (16) Peppermint Tea 20
Race 2: (1) Ensemble 25
Race 3: (1) Trip To Heaven 90 (NAP*)
Race 4: (4) Emerald Bay 66
Race 5: (10) Helios 47
Race 6: (5) William The Silent 35
Race 7: (7) Frankly 31
Race 8: (10) Daring Diva 64
Race 9: (8) Barrack Street 63
Race 10: (3) Imperial Ounce 13 (nb)
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (3) Temp The Tiger 17
Race 2: (1) Carioca 19 (NAP*)
Race 3: (4) Flower Of Carmel 20
Race 4: (2) Sun At Midnight 47
Race 5: (3) Purple Mountains 45
Race 6: (7) Silver Willow 71
Race 7: (3) Bridal Party 40 (EW)
Race 8: (2) Fashion Force 10
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Stream Ahead 10 (NAP*)
Race 2: (6) Esstoora 8
Race 3: (5) Antony Hotspur 22
Race 4: (2) Doing It For Dan 86
Race 5: (1) It’s My Way 13
Race 6: (11) The Poet 50
Race 7: (3) Isingamoya 66
Race 8: (15) Eternal Ice 29
Top rated winners last week included
Sailor Sam won 27/4
Spending Spree won 5/1
Streak Of Silver won 67/20
Great Dictator won 61/20
Hithimagainchuck won 61/20
Cloud Break won 57/20
Ryker won 57/20
Gadget Man won 2/1
Notebook:-
Nous Voila (C Bass-Robinson, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 25th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,04s slow
1200m (4) Gadget Man 69,89
1600m (3) Savuti 95,40
2000m (1) Live In Love 124,95
Kenilworth (new) 27th March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,91s slow
1000m (2) Spending Spree 59,09
1200m (3) Hithimagainchuck 72,73
1400m (1) Streak Of Silver 86,37
1600m (2) Rubyana 99,38
Scottsvillle (inside) 28th March
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,04s fast
800m (1) Petra 46,75
1000m (2) Majestic Glory 56,32
1200m (1) Master Keys 70,01
1400m (5) Sniper Shot 82,02
2400m (1) Root Beer 153,57
Vaal (outside) 1st March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,32s slow
1000m (1) Lawdy Miss Clawdy 57,05
1200m (3) Eleni 70,11
1400m (4) Quebec Queen 83,18
1600m (1) Teenage Dream 96,53
Greyville (poly) 2nd March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 2,54s slow
1000m (4) Eddie Sweat 59,64
1200m (2) Hard To Play 71,76
1400m (2) Harlan County 84,18
1600m (1) Vilette 97,80
