Pay Pays
Scottsville 12th July: Quickest home in the three 1000m events in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was MISS VARLICIOUS in the MR84 Handicap. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, the top weighted daughter of Var was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for the favourite EASY GAME (led 400m) by a length and a half.
There was also three races run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was the aptly named SECRET LOVER in the maiden plate. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, James Goodman’s charge was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by apprentice Habib and made virtually all. He led a strung out field by four lengths turning for home and that proved to be just enough to beat the running on GUILTY AS CHARGED by a neck.
The remaining two races took place over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR86 Handicap won by WILL PAYS. Backed into 8/10 from 15/10 at the track, the best bet on the card for Sporting Post was always positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and went on to score comfortably by a length.
Titbits
Backed as if unbeatable at the track, ROCK ON BABY (even money into 9/20) never really had a race when making all to win the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m by six and a quarter.
MELLIFLORA ran on well from midfield when winning the juvenile plate over 1600m going away by six and a half.
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Two To Their One
Flamingo Park 13th July: Three of the nine races in the Northern Cape on Monday took place over 1200m and quickest home on my clock here was ON THE THAMES in the not so lucky last, a MR68 Handicap. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the 3yo daughter of Battersea Park made all. She was three lengths clear coming off the bend and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on WOLF’S GIRL by a length and three quarters.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1400m races was the pinnacle stakes won by GIANT STRIDES. Easy to back at 20/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Imperial Stride raced in the rear early on. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all and got up nicely late to beat the similarly unfancied TASO THE SAILOR by three quarters.
There was also two races run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was OVER ACHIEVER when completing a double in the MR75 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the unfancied ACTION BELLE who elected to make the running whilst the 33/10 second favourite raced a handy sixth. Over Achiever initially struck the front 300m out, and after she in turn was briefly headed by NISA’S LOVE 150m out, she fought back gamely to get the verdict on the nod.
Titbits
SHADY CAT ran on well from midfield when winning the opening maiden plate over 1200m going away by a length and a half.
The Lion Tamer filly WIMOWEH won the MR77 Handicap over 1800m going away.
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Completing The Hat-Trick
Vaal 14th July: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where completing a hat-trick in the only race over 1200m was TALKTOTHESTARS in the bill topping MR80 Handicap. Deposed at the top of the boards as money came for both CALL KELLY and FOYLE, the Overlord gelding as per usual came from off them. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from our champion jockey elect Gavin Lerena, he got up late to score by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and in the fastest of these, a maiden plate, we saw a smart performance from another Lerena ridden runner in NATION BUILDER. Having only his second career outing here, the son of Toreador also ran on stoutly from off the pace. He struck the front shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to score with some in hand by two and a half.
The faster of the two 1000m maiden events was the girls’ affair won by VANDA. Allowed to drift right out to 6/1 from 3/1 on course, Ormond Ferraris’ charge was always handy. She ran on strongly from halfway and with the rest comfortably beaten she just got the better of the pacemaker THE BERRY LADY close home.
Titbits
With the rest some seven lengths adrift, the newcomer JUXTAPOSE (12/1 out to 20/1) ran on well from midfield when beating the uneasy joint favourite Matilda’s Daughter (2/1 out to 33/10) by a half.
Beaten just a neck, ROCKY STALLONE had been baulked for a run 300m out before finishing strongly to finish runner up in the MR74 Handicap over 2400m.
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Lengths To Spare
Scottsville 15th July: Racing returned to Scottsville on Wednesday where there were a number of very easy victories. In terms of distance, the biggest winning margin was that of BUNKER BILL when opening his account at just the second time of asking in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Soon up with the speed, the son of Dupont began to assert his authority going through the 400m and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by eight.
Race two on the card was a maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m and in a very similar time to that of Bunker Bill we saw an impressive performance from the heavily supported WELL IN FLIGHT. Eventually sent off 18/10 joint favourite after opening up at 5’s, Dennis Drier’s charge sat second for most of the journey just a length or so behind her fellow joint favourite PICARDI PINK. She put her head in front going through the 400m and with the rest some eight lengths adrift she went on to score with some in hand by three.
A MR78 Handicap over 1950m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the uneasy favourite JET AVENGER (2/1 out to 28/10). Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, Jet Avenger led at a very steady pace throughout. He kept on determinedly in the home straight and although PIONEER SPIRIT ran on strongly from off the pace, he won comfortably by a length and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer SINGH IS KING ran on well from midfield when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m going away.
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Some Real Shockers
Vaal 16th July: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where there were a number of upsets. The biggest in terms of betting odds was the victory of BLACK BELVEDERE (66/1) in the MR68 Handicap over 1400m. Beaten 38 lengths when last of 14 at Flamingo Park earlier in the week, Barend Botes’ charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by a length and three quarters.
A workrider’s maiden plate over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and here victory went to the 50/1 shot PREMIER QUEEN. The first winner for rider Phelisile Mongqawa, Premier Queen made all. She answered every call over the final 300m and held on from the 25/1 HAZELNUT by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was DOUBLE BIND when registering his sixth career victory in the MR68 affair. Content to sit in the backend of midfield during the early part of the event, Paul Matchett’s charge ran on best of all when the race began in earnest and won well from the 15/10 favourite HEPTAGON (op 8/10) by two and a half.
Titbits
Positioned in midfield early on, the newcomer BRIDEGROOM BERTIE ran on strongly late when only beaten a neck in the maiden plate over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Hidden Dragon 17
Race 2: (1) Seventh Feather 15
Race 3: (2) San Diego 14
Race 4: (4) Ars Poetica 6
Race 5: (16) One Track Mind 45
Race 6: (15) After The Carnival 50
Race 7: (1) Supreme Sunset 71
Race 8: (15) Take Off 41
Race 9: (2) Netsuke 36
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (13) Delicious Damowin 55
Race 2: (2) Grey Light 49
Race 3: (2) Grey’s A Rockin 8
Race 4: (10) All The Bids 75
Race 5: (2) Chestnuts N Pearls 37
Race 6: (3) Cutting Edge 47
Race 7: (11) Storm Warning 101
Race 8: (8) Punta Arenas 7
Race 9: (2) Jet Belle 90 (NAP*)
Race 10: (11) Mountain Master 92
Race 11: (6) Rocket Lady 50
Race 12: (9) Viva La Var 97
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) Lovar 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (18) Solar Night 8
Race 3: (8) Kwando 15
Race 4: (3) Royal Flying Corps 27
Race 5: (2) Olympian 71
Race 6: (3) Lanner Falcon 85
Race 7: (5) Evoke Emotion 69
Race 8: (11) Storm Warning 101
Race 9: (9) Petty Officer 85
Race 10: (10) Harlem Shake 39
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (14) Yours And Mine 8
Race 2: (10) Rock Of Laudium 12
Race 3: (10) Topography 8
Race 4: (2) Bubba’s Doll 14
Race 5: (9) Sisters Of Mercy 74
Race 6: (2) Lady Thistle 35
Race 7: (7) Max The Man 61
Race 8: (13) Gentleman Only 29
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Top rated winners last week included
Secret Lover won 16/1
Bunker Bill won 9/2
Heywot won 33/10
Penstock won 5/2
Melliflora won 22/10
Captain Of All won 2/1
Ledbury won 18/10
Rock On Baby won 9/20
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Notebook:-
Juxtapose (S Ferreira, Gauteng)
Well In Flight (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 12th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (3) Miss Varlicious 57,52
1400m (2) Will Pays 84,49*
1600m (3) Secret Lover 97,49
Flamingo Park 13th July
Going Standard
1000m (1) Olympic Owen 57,60
1200m (3) On The Thames 74,14*
1400m (2) Giant Strides 85,76
1600m (2) Only Achiever 100,89
1800m (1) Wimoweh 114,22
Vaal (inside) 14th July
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) Vanda 59,99
1200m (1) Talktothestars 71,78
1400m (3) Nation Builder 85,63
2400m (2) The Elmo Effect 151,77
Scottsville (inside) 15th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) All True Man 57,93
1200m (5) Wukkin’ Up 70,24*
1400m (1) Ghurka Chief 84,38
1950m (2) Jet Avenger 121,04
Vaal (outside) 16th July
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) Flag Of France 57,65
1200m (2) Analyse This 72,91
1400m (2) Irish Grace 83,69
1600m (3) Double Bind 98,75
