Earning His Corn
Fairview 10th October: Three of the nine races on the poly track in Port Elizabeth on Friday were run over 1300m and the fastest of these was the conditions plate won by CRUZWITHMECAPTAIN. Freely available at 25/1 on the off the poorly drawn daughter of Captain Al raced in the backend of midfield early on. Once in the short home straight though she quickened best of all, and comfortably accounted for SAINT ANGELIQUE (ran on strongly from midfield) by a length and a quarter, after striking the front close home.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1600m races was the MR90 Handicap in which the former Gauteng campaigner PRINCIPLED registered his first success since relocating to the Province. On leaving the stalls it was his equally fancied (both 7/2 at the off) stable companion SIR DUKE who elected to make the running whilst the son of National Emblem raced close up in second. Both ran on stoutly over the final 400m, and in a race where less than half a length separated the first four home Principled got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
The non-black type Cradock Place Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a nice performance from the ultra-consistent OATS. Soon positioned close to the speed, Grant Paddock’s charge took up the running 100m out and won fair and square by a length.
Titbits
PRETTY FLAMINGO had to switch en-route from the rear when running on stoutly to take second position in the maiden 1300m.
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Excellent Value
Greyville 10th October: The first three races at Friday evening’s poly track meeting were all run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR77 Handicap won by the 5yo ALDRIC. Surprisingly always in double figures on the bookmaker’s boards, the top weight raced second for most of the journey. He took up the running early in the straight and won comfortably by a length from the much more fancied 7yo LIVE CONTROVERSY.
There were also three races run over 2000m and the fastest against the clock in these was the bill topping MR87 Handicap in which the grey KENTUCKY GUEST registered his fourth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 12’s, the bottom weight raced fifth of the seven early on. He ran on best of all in the straight and won well by a length and a quarter after taking up the running 150m out. The winner was reported in the stipes report as distressed and coughing post-race.
Race five on the card was a maiden plate over 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when CAPRIVI STRIP opened his account. Freely available at 16/1 (op 20’s) on the off, Paul Lafferty’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the second favourite MILITARY LEADER by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
The newcomer TIME MARCHES ON ran on well from the back when getting up late to win the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1400m.
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Three Very Good Ones
Turffontein 11th October: There were some smart performances on the inner track on Saturday and none more so than that of the Trippi colt TRIP TO HEAVEN when winning the maiden plate over 1200m. Backed in to 6/10 from even money Sean Tarry’s charge was taken straight to the front and led throughout. He was always clear and won with plenty in hand by seven and three quarters. This was by far the fastest of the afternoon’s five 1200m races.
Another to win with authority was BELONG TO ME in the boy’s division of the progress 1200m. On leaving the stalls it was the 33/1 shot FRONT RANK who elected to make the running whilst the son of Antonius Pius sat close up in second. He moved through to take up the running at the top of the short home straight and easily accounted for AMAZING STRIKE (a 3/1 joint favourite) by four and a quarter.
Four of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was the very promising looking SIREN’S CALL. An impressive winner of her only previous racecourse appearance, the daughter of Elusive Fort raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten she did well to get the better of SMART CALL (a 6,75 length maiden winner last time out) close home.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing here, AMERICAN MAGIC ran on well from the rear and was gaining on the first two at the finish when only beaten a length in the maiden plate over 1600m.
GASOLINE looked to win the maiden plate over 1200m quite a bit more easily than the official winning margin of half a length would suggest.
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Smart Idea
Durbanville 11th October: Four of the eight races at the country course on Saturday were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR91 Handicap won by ANZAC. Always handy the Daylami gelding took up the running 200m from home and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the staying on BIG CAT by a neck. Gaining at the finish, third placed DISCO AL (beaten just three quarters of a length) ran on best of all in this race.
The novice plate was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m races on the card and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Justin Snaith trained ANOTHER IDEA. Nicely positioned in fourth as they came off the bend, the son of Toreador was asked to take up the running 150m out and comfortably accounted for the front running VINCENTE by three quarters.
The R4,5M purchase BRUTAL FORCE was sent off in the red to win the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1300m, but despite finishing almost eight lengths clear of the remainder he couldn’t get the better of the second favourite VARLO. Close up in second turning for home, the son of Western Winter only had Varlo to get past. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge kept on determinedly over the final 400m though and still had 0,40 lengths to spare at the wire.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here, the lightly raced CUVEE BRUT ran on well from the rear to win the opening maiden plate over 1000m by a length and a quarter, and that despite being hampered 300m out.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (9) Fuhgedaboudit 18
Race 2: (3) J P’s Prince 10
Race 3: (13) Can-Can (Inn 47
Race 4: (9) Bride’s Dowry 64
Race 5: (8) Captain Rei 49
Race 6: (4) Sir Duke 64
Race 7: (9) Asgard 62
Race 8: (5) Fort Ozark 36
Vaal (tue)
Race 1: (8) Pachatanta 15
Race 2: (1) Panjo 56
Race 3: (10) Seattle Fairy 36
Race 4: (8) Wild Thing 31
Race 5: (1) Societi 31
Race 6: (5) Breathless 45
Race 7: (2) Park Ridge 31
Race 8: (8) Excalivar 25
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (4) Caseys Raine 17
Race 2: (1) Brave Leader 36
Race 3: (4) Q School 8
Race 4: (10) Sovereign Sound 50
Race 5: (6) Dogmatism 61
Race 6: (8) Saint Sophia 61
Race 7: (6) Wanda 40
Race 8: (6) Waiting For Rain 16
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Crown Bearer 19
Race 2: (4) Orchestrated 11 (NAP**)
Race 3: (1) African Goshawk 9 (nb)
Race 4: (2) Manzai 13
Race 5: (3) Penitent Pirate 13
Race 6: (4) Taiwan Treasure 24
Race 7: (2) Weaponology 11
Race 8: (1) Chadderton 6
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Top rated winners last week included
Kentucky Guest won 8/1
Pegwell Bay won 7/1
Another Idea won 11/2
Divine Wind won 7/2
Varlo won 28/10
Waiting For Rain won 28/10
Sharp Design won 22/10
Flame Cat won 18/10
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Notebook:-
Belong To Me (JJ V Vuuren, Gauteng)
Siren’s Call (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Time Marches On (D Bosch, KZN)
Trip To Heaven (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 10th October
Going Standard
1000m (1) Pegwell Bay 56,94
1200m (1) Oats 69,84
1300m (3) Cruzwithmecaptain 74,71
1600m (2) Principled 95,04
1900m (1) Song Of Victory 117,05
2200m (1) Drill Sargeant 138,29
Greyville (poly) 10th October
Going Standard
1200m (3) Aldric 71,04
1400m (1) Time Marches On 84,58
1600m (1) Caprivi Strip 97,30
2000m (3) Kentucky Guest 120,78
Turffontein (inner) 11th October
Going 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Sharp Design 57,75
1200m (5) Trip To Heaven 72,11
1600m (4) Siren’s Call 97,25
Durbanville 11th October
Penetrometer 24 – Going Good
1000m (2) Another Idea 60,53
1300m (1) Varlo 80,73
1400m (1) Colour Magic 87,62
1600m (4) Anzac 99,50
