Out On Her Own

Horses For Courses

Vaal 22^nd November: Tuesday’s action took place on the sand where followers of the money got off to a good start in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1200m when PRECIOUS RUBY did the business. Backed into 2/1 from 7/2 at the track, the well tried daughter of Spectrum was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and easily accounted for the staying on PEARL RUSH by eight.

Another to win very easily in the maiden ranks on this card was GREYLAAMI who opened her account in the 1800m event. Nicely positioned in fifth as the nine runners turned for home, Greylaami was always well within striking distance. She was asked to take up the running going through the 400m and although the pacemaker IMANI never gave up the fight when headed, she went on to score very easily by four and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was a Conditions Plate over 1000m and here victory went to one of the two joint favourites FURIOUS DANCER. Prominent throughout in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Furious Dancer quickened well over the final 400m and won well. Furious Dancer is now unbeaten in three starts over 1000m at the Vaal’s sand track.

The biggest outsider to arrive was BLUE CONCORDE in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap over 1600m. Freely available at 45/1 on the off, the 4yo BLUE CONCORDE was always in touch with the leaders. The race looked wide open when he made his move going through the 400m, but after striking the front 200m later, he easily drew clear.

Titbits

Easily five lengths adrift of the leaders going through the 400m, NATIONAL DANZIG ran on strongly in the closing stages of the MR84 affair over 1600m and was only beaten by a half length.

Although never able to get in a blow, ZEBULON ran on well from the rear when finishing runner up to Blue Concorde.

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Gutsy Stayer

Kenilworth 23^rd November: All the rage to win the maiden event over 1400m in Cape Town on Wednesday was THE BALLADEER and the son of Casey Tibbs duly obliged. Backed throughout the day into 12/10 from 3/1, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced close to the pace in fifth for most of the journey. He quickened well coming off the bend and after striking the front 300m from home, he comfortably accounted for the easy to back WING AND A PRAYER.

Not surprisingly topping the boards in the novice 1600m was the talented Daylami filly SUPER ELEGANT and she too did the business. Confidently ridden by Fareed Anthony, Super Elegant was positioned in fourth turning for home. She was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the running on CASEY’S MOMENT. Keep an eye on the runner up Casey’s Moment. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on well in this her first start out of the maiden ranks and is sure to find much easier pickings.

The listed Durbanville Cup over 3200m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the very gutsy HOSPITALITY register his eighth career victory. One of three co-favourites at 4/1 when the betting opened, Mike Stewart’s charge found good support at the track and eventually left the stalls at 5/2. After being allowed to dictate, Hospitality was headed by ANOTHER GIANT as they approached the 200m marker though and at that stage of the race he was looking destined for the runners up berth. Never one to throw in the towel though, Hospitality gave his all on the run to the line and got back up late to win by a half.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by CAP ALRIGHT in the MR90 Handicap over 1200m. Another accustomed to racing from the front, Justin Snaith’s charge usually finds one better, but that certainly never looked like being the case here. Soon three lengths clear, Cap Alright kept up a healthy gallop throughout and ran out a very easy winner by four and a quarter.

Titbits

Nibbled at PLATINUM WOOD ran on nicely from the rear in the race won by The Balladeer.

With the remainder some seven lengths adrift, IMPERIAL STATE won well when beating the well supported favourite STARLIGHT BEAUTY by a length and a quarter in the maiden event over 1600m.

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Super Eight

Vaal 24^th November: They raced on the turf on Thursday where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 2000m went to the easy to back USHKADEL (29). Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Stephen Moffatt’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on JAVA JUNKIE by a length.

The most impressive performance of the afternoon was undoubtedly that of JACKODORE (58) in the novice 1200m. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, Sean Tarry’s charge was taken straight to the front by Robbie Fradd and led throughout. The runner up SHEER COURAGE (14/1 into 11/2) was within two lengths going through the 400m, but once given rein Jackodore cruised clear to win by eight and a half.

Race seven on the card was a MR82 Handicap over 1400m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 3yo GO INDIGO (44). She was positioned towards the rear going through the 400m, but with just four lengths covering all at that stage the race looked wide open. As well as Go Indigo, SMART GIRL also quickened very well at that point and with the rest some four lengths in arrears it was only by the narrowest of margins that Go Indigo got the verdict.

A MR69 Handicap for the girls over 1400m was next up and here victory went to the St John Gray trained COME WITH ME (47). Eventually sent off at 7/1 after opening up at 10’s, Come With Me was always handy. The friendless PRIVE DU BOIS was the first to make a move and struck the front 400m out. Come With Me steadily began to reel her in from that point though and with the rest well beaten she got up nicely in the latter stages to score by a length.

Titbits

Running on from the rear after losing two lengths at the start, newcomer ALLESSANDRIA finished well and was only beaten by one length in the maiden event 1400m.

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Jet Propelled

Fairview 25^th November:  A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway in the Eastern Cape on Friday and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the Lecture gelding WHAT A LEGACY. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon up handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and just got the better of the well supported even money favourite ROYAL TREASURE by a neck.

Race three on the card was a conditions event over 2400m and here we saw a smart performance from the Mitch Wiese trained INCA’S SPIRIT. Confidently ridden by Donavan Mansour, the 4yo daughter of Silvano raced towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though she quickened best of all and after striking the front 400m out, she went on to score very comfortably from the nibbled at JERVIS.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of WATER JET who came home smoking in the first of the afternoon’s two non-black type feature events, the November Stakes over 1400m. Allowed to ease right out to 20/1 from 12/1 at the track, Sean Miller’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. The former Gauteng campaigner OZYMANDIAS raced alongside him as they came off the bend and both at that stage began to go through the gears. Whereas Ozymandias steadily worked his way through the field into second position though, Water Jet cut through the field like a knife and after quickly going clear, he cruised in by four and a quarter. Always very well thought of by the late Peter Miller (Sean’s father), Water Jet won very well here despite being out at the weights with the second and third placed runners.

The Guineas Plate was next up and here victory went to the Cape Town raider SOWETO SLEW. Allowed to ease out to 28/10 from 18/10 at the track as money came for the locally trained ACT OF SUPREMACY (22/10 into 17/10 favourite), Soweto Slew got away well when the gates opened and was always handy. Third in the prestigious Ready To Run Cup last time out, BLAZE OF FIRE set the pace and never let up the gallop. Indeed, he kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and it was only on the nod that the recent listed Sophomore Sprint winner got the verdict.

Titbits

Previously unbeaten RUSSIAN MIG was running on nicely at the finish when only beaten 1,65 lengths in the Guineas Plate.

Well supported JUBILANTE (8/1 into 11/2) ran on strongly after switching out to obtain a run in the MR64 Handicap over 1400m and was only beaten a length and a quarter.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Arlington

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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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