Out Come The Big Guns

Ready, Steady, Go

Kenilworth 1^st April: The easiest victory on April Fool’s Day was that of READYTOGORIGHTNOW in the novice 1200m. Sent off a clear favourite despite being allowed to ease a little in the betting market (8/10 out to 11/10), Justin Snaith’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and only having to be ridden with hands and heels he won with plenty in hand. Interestingly, this was the fastest of the four 1400m races on the card.

An apprentice MR73 Handicap over 1400m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the top weight LADY KELPIE. Ridden by the in form Girish Goomany, the daughter of Greys Inn was positioned in the backend of midfield as the twelve runners swung for home. Once in the straight though she quickened best of all and under a well judged ride she got up late to deny the fancied RUSHINTOTHEWIND.

The lucky last was a MR72 Handicap over 1800m and here the locals were sent home happy when the favourite COLTRANE did the business. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and just had enough in hand at the wire to beat the running on GLOBAL EXPRESS by a neck.

Titbits

Headed after making the early running, the lightly raced KREMLIN CAPTAIN found extra and won going away by two after regaining the lead 250m out.

Fifth beaten 1,9 lengths in the race won by Coltrane, FOLLOW THE WIND ran on well from midfield and might have been a threat had he not been hampered 150m from home.

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Improving 3yo’s

Scottsville 2^nd April: The locals got off to a rough start in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday when the friendless newcomer UMOYANA won the opening maiden event over 1200. Allowed to drift right out to 33/1 from 12’s at the track, Tony Rivalland’s charge was a little slow into stride. Despite that though she was soon up handy and with the rest well beaten she went on to score comfortably from the running on RAMP DIVA by a length and a quarter. Also a newcomer, Ramp Diva finished well from midfield and her rider did drop the off side rein 150m out.

The faster of the two 1200m events on the card was the MR84 Handicap in which the progressive 3yo JOYFUL SPIRIT put in a smart performance. An easy winner in novice company over the course and distance last time out, Dennis Drier’s charge raced fifth of the seven for most of the journey. Both she and CAVIAR (also running on from midfield) struck the front going through the 200m and at that stage it looked as if we would be in for a classic finish. Joyful Spirit quickly began to assert her authority from there onwards though and went on to win well by a length and a quarter. Joyful Spirit has now won three of her seven outings.

Three of the events on the nine race program were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the girl’s graduation plate in which the very uneasy joint favourite PATH TO TRAVEL gained her second win from just three outings. Allowed to start at double her original opening price of 11/10, as money in the main came for DANSEUSE (33/1 into 22/10), the daughter of Western Winter was content to race in the rear. Just seven had gone to post though and with the field being closely grouped she was always near enough to mount a serious challenge. She did so early in the straight and showing a nice turn of foot over the final 200m she got up late to score by three quarters.

Titbits

Best weighted in the boys’ division of the graduation 1400m ACT FAST showed his well being in no uncertain terms when cruising clear in the straight to score by four.

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Going Away

Turffontein 2^nd April: They raced on the old stand side track at Turffontein on Friday evening where five of the eight races were run over 1400m. The fastest of these was the bill topping MR91 Handicap in which the 3yo son of National Assembly NATIONAL KEY registered his second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was one of the rank outsiders of the party TWISTER’S PATH who elected to make the running whilst Brian Wiid’s charge was content to sit in midfield. He quickened well from halfway and with the remainder some six lengths adrift, he drew clear late to beat FLAG OF FRANCE by a length and a quarter.

Catching the eye in the maiden ranks was SICILIA in the girls’ 1160m event. Detached at the rear after losing three lengths at the start, the unfancied newcomer (6/1 out to 25/1) looked unlikely to place let alone win. Once realising what was expected of her though, she ran on stoutly, and did very well indeed to get up late.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was JUDICIAL in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m. Tyrone Zackey’s charge quickened well from midfield and after striking the front 100m out, he won in good style going away.

Titbits

GENTLEMAN JACK looked to win the MR77 Handicap over 2000m with a little in hand.

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Hat-trick For Jazelle

Durbanville 3^rd April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1400m got proceedings underway at the country course on Wednesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the odds on favourite ANTONIUS DU BOIS. Clearly the form horse, Glen Kotzen’s charge broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. He led throughout and won without any anxious moments by three and a quarter.

Race five on the card was a MR70 Handicap over 2000m and here the 4yo daughter of Greys Inn JAZELLE completed a smart hat-trick. Surprisingly available at 6/1 on the off, Paddy Kruyer’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running as they approached the 400m pole and eased down late she won a lot more easily than the official 0,3 lengths would suggest.

A MR79 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m races on the card victory here went to the 3yo TRADE EMBLEM. Marginally sent off favourite at 33/10, the son of National Emblem was taken straight to the front by Karl Neisius and made all. He was two lengths clear going through halfway and despite the efforts of the chasing CASA BRAVO and market rival TIGER TIGER, he didn’t surrender an inch of his advantage over the final 600m.

Titbits

POLLY PORCH didn’t find the clearest of passages before running on late to take third position in the girl’s maiden 1200m.

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No Luck Needed

Vaal 4^th April: There were a number of very easy victories at the sand track on Thursday, but none more so than that of LUCKY HAND who never really had a race when winning the MR68 Handicap over 1450m. Visibly cruising in second for most of the journey, the well supported joint favourite (33/10 into 22/10) took up the running 600m out and effortlessly glided clear to score by twelve. Lucky Hand was racing on sand for the first time here.

Another to win by a steeplechase margin on this card was PYLON in the conditions plate over 1600m. Very well weighted with most Pylon raced second for the first half of the race just a length or so behind his stable companion MAGIC SMOKE. He struck the front at halfway and after quickly going clear he went on to score very easily by nine and a quarter.

The fastest of the four 1450m races on the card was not as some would have us believe the race won by Lucky Hand, but rather the MR77 Handicap in which KEAGAN’S JET and FUNNY GLORY dead-heated. Funny Glory was the first to make a move and quickly going three lengths clear after taking up the running 500m out, the 5yo looked to have done everything right. The 3yo gradually reeled him in over the final 300m though and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up to share in the very last stride.

Titbits

A fast finishing runner up in her only previous outing, MELLI MOU again ran on strongly when getting up late to win the maiden 1000m going away.

One of two horses detached at the rear early on, AMPTHILL PARK was running on strongly at the finish when fourth in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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