Raiders Win Seven
Fairview 25th November: The 2000m Gr3 Algoa Cup topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here we saw another smart performance from the improving HILL FIFTY FOUR. One of seven winners on the nine race program to have made the journey from Cape Town, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat another Cape Town raider PUNTA ARENAS by two.
Interestingly though, the fastest of the two 2000m events on the card was the MR90 Handicap won by PUTNEY FLYER. On leaving the stalls it was the locally trained HAVASHA who elected to make the running whilst the son of Miesque’s Approval raced sixth. He made up the deficit quickly once in the long home straight and won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 300m from home.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by MAGENTA ROSE when opening her account in the girls division of the maiden 1200m. Confidently ridden by Grant Van Niekerk, Magenta Rose raced in midfield for the first half of the race. Once given rein though she quickly worked her way through the field and after taking up the running 200m out, she drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from the rear, POPPINS finished best of all in the MR90 Handicap over 1600m and was only beaten by a neck.
.
Paris At Last
Flamingo Park 26th November: The Eastern Cape raider PARIS SYMPHONY was not surprisingly sent off favourite to win the maiden event over 2200m on Monday and she didn’t let down her supporters. Allowed to ease out to 15/10 from 11/10 at the track as money in the main came for GLORIOUS LEADER (5/2 into 18/10), Paris Symphony was always handy. She made her move rounding the home turn and after taking up the running 700m out, she drew clear easily down the straight to score by five.
There were a number of easy victories on the card, but none more so than that of DYNAMIC DYNASTY in the lucky last, a MR66 Handicap over 1800m. Backed into favouritism at the track (7/2 into 2/1), Jaap Visser’s charge made all. He led by just a length turning for home and despite the efforts of the chasing FAST FORWARD he extended his advantage to five and three quarters over the final 400m.
Race six on the card was a MR84 Handicap over 1000m and here it was nice to see SURGING SECRET gain just reward for her consistency. As per usual quick into stride, the daughter of Surging River was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running going through the 200m and with some in hand she easily accounted for the running on SAINT PIERRE by three.
Titbits
BHUNDU SPARK ran on well from midfield when winning the MR78 affair over 1400m by two and a half going away.
.
Impressive Pylon
Vaal 27th November: Favourite backers got off to a good start at the Vaal’s sand meeting on Tuesday when the strongly fancied RA did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Soon nicely positioned in second the well tried son of King Of Kings was always poised to strike. He did so shortly after passing the 300m marker and although the pacemaker KEAGAN’S JET kept on determinedly after being headed, he went on to score very comfortably by a length.
The most impressive performance of the afternoon was undoubtedly that of PYLON when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR98 Handicap over 1600m. Taken straight to the front by Robbie Fradd, the 7/20 favourite led throughout. He was always doing it easily and won easing down by six and a half with a ton in hand.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of SHERI BABY in winning the maiden event for the girls over 1000m. Another to lead from pillar to post, Kom Naidoo’s charge was always in command and ran out a very easy winner by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Sugar Ray (arg) came from the back end of midfield when winning the maiden event over 1800m very easily by three.
.
Brett’s Flyer
Kenilworth 28th November: A maiden plate for the girls over 1200m was first up in Cape Town on Saturday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well supported favourite LIFES DESIGN. Backed into 16/10 from 2/1 at the track, Eric Sands’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the friendless SILVERTHORNE (25/1 out to 50/1) by three and a quarter.
The fastest of the three 1200m events on the card was the MR94 Handicap in which the 7yo EXPLORATION registered his sixth career victory. Always handy in a race where just a length and three quarters separated six of the seven runners at the wire, Exploration ran on best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny another 7yo in SHADES OF INDIGO.
There were also three 1600m events on the card and not surprisingly the fastest of these was the conditions plate won by FREQUENT FLYER. Making her seasonal debut here, Brett Crawford’s charge raced in the rear, and looked to have more than enough to do as the eleven runners entered the short old course straight. The daughter of Silvano fairly flew over the final 400m though and in eye catching fashion she got up late to beat CASH REGISTER by a half.
Titbits
Pacemaker HEAVENLY FLIGHT found extra when challenged and won well when landing the maiden 1400m
The very talented EBONY FLYER broke a bloodvessel when unplaced in the conditions event won by Frequent Flyer.
.
Progressing Nicely
Scottsville 28th November: The easiest victory in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday came in the girl’s maiden event over 1400m where the favourite FRENCH FILLY opened her account. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead at the top of the straight and comfortably accounted for the well supported MISS TIGER EYES by three.
The apprentice MR68 Handicap proved to be the fastest of the three 1200m events on the card and here we saw a comfortable victory for the 5yo National Emblem gelding NITRO NORI. Sent off a rather uneasy second favourite at 9/2, the topweighted Nitro Nori made all. He kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and won comfortably by two and a quarter.
Another to win well in handicap company was CHILLI PEPPER in the MR67 affair over 1600m. Backed into 33/10 from 4/1 at the track, the daughter of Solskjaer raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened well and went on to score very comfortably by two and a quarter from the running on PAXMAK.
Titbits
CHESTNUT MODEL made all when comfortably accounting for Red Book in the MR78 Handicap over 1600m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (8) Tamarack 14 Race 2: (5) Hey Toro 10 Race 3: (3) Parisian Bolt 7 Race 4: (10) Sacred Call 19 Race 5: (5) Faustina 47 Race 6: (9) Strike A Light 47 (EW) Race 7: (7) Mile High 46 Race 8: (2) Three Captains 86 Race 9: (2) Comedy Caravan 50 Turffontein Race 1: (4) Flying Finish 19 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (1) Adella 26 Race 4: (2) Sebastian Bolt 28 (NAP*) Race 5: (4) Go Gold 6 Race 6: (7) Dreamy Times 52 Race 7: (12) Victory Call 50 Race 8: (1) Magic Potion 42 Race 9: (2) Silent Angel 42 Kenilworth Race 1: (9) Haili 21 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (4) Ambassador Rex 28 Race 4: (7) Half Moon Hotel 63 Race 5: (10) Texas Flood 68 Race 6: (10) Happy Forever 89 Race 7: (1) Welwitschia 99 Race 8: (1) Festival Of Fire 75 Race 9: (12) Spring Beauty 71 Race 10: (14) Kiss And Tell 45 Clairwood Race 1: (1) Lunar Lady 24 Race 2: No qualifiers Race 3: (3) Black Lord 19 Race 4: (3) Skweleti 42 Race 5: (13) King Neptune 68 Race 6: (4) Bulsara 102 Race 7: (12) Radio Waves 76 Race 8: (10) Latin Magic 80 Race 9: (6) Olivian 20 (NAP*) .
Top rated winners last week included
French Filly won 22/10 Ganesh won 2/1 Lifes Design won 16/10 Heavenly Flight won 15/10 Paris Symphony won 15/10 Ra won 15/10 Hamba Kahle won 1/1 Irrebuttable won 7/20 .Notebook:-
Frequent Flyer (B Crawford, W-Cape) Pylon (M Azzie, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 25th November Penetrometer 22 Going – Good 1000m (1) November Rain 58,59 1200m (3) Skip West 70,87 1600m (2) Figure Eight Knot 98,96 1800m (1) Augusta National 111,40 2000m (2) Putney Flyer 123,63 .
Flamingo Park 26th November Going – Standard 1000m (1) Surging Secret 58,80 1200m (2) Wild Count 72,17 1400m (1) Bhundu Spark 85,68 1600m (2) Jack Dan 99,60 1800m (2) Dynamic Dynasty 113,90 2200m (1) Paris Symphony 150,42 .
Vaal (sand) 27th November Going – Standard 1000m (2) Polar Moon 58,22 1200m (2) Ra 71,48 1450m (1) To Remember 90,21 1800m (3) Pylon 111,90 .
Kenilworth (old) 28th November Penetrometer 20 Going – Good 1200m (3) Exploration 72,89 1400m (1) Heavenly Flight 88,14 1600m (3) Frequent Flyer 97,94 2000m (1) Hamba Kahla 127,78 .
Scottsville (new) 28th November Penetrometer 25 G/Soft 1200m (3) Nitro Nori 70,26 1400m (1) French Filly 87,12 1600m (4) Chili Pepper 98,37
