Proud Father
Kenilworth 19th May: This was the last meeting of the season to be run on the new course. Three maiden juvenile events over 1200m got proceedings underway and in by far the fastest of these the favourite RUSSET AIR did the business. Always deep in the red, the What A Winter gelding was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and with the remainder some eight lengths adrift, he beat his stable companion MORE MAGIC quite a bit more easily than the official 0,4 lengths would suggest.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m. The MR76 Handicap was the faster of the two events and here victory went to the ultra-consistent MISS SMARTY PANTS. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the daughter of Horse Chestnut led throughout. She held a two lengths advantage turning for home and that proved to be just enough to get the better of a wall of horses headed by the running on EXPEDITE.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by the very nicely named WATCH ME DAD when getting off the mark at just the second time of asking in the second division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Prominent throughout, Ronnie Sheehan’s charge put his head in front 60m from home and drew clear easily below the distance to score by a length and a half.
Titbits
Always handy, the odds on favourite MIXED SIGNALS only had to be pushed out when comfortably accounting for her twelve rivals in the first division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Let It Snow
Vaal 22nd May: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where five of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1400m. The MR72 Handicap was by far the fastest of these and here the 5yo DANZA registered a well-overdue second career victory. Prominent throughout, Alec Laird’s charge commenced battle with TOKYO DRIFT (dropped whip 300m) 200m out and after a thrilling tussle he only got the verdict on the nod.
Three of the four remaining races took place over 1200m and stopping the clock in marginally the fastest time here was SNOW IN SEATTLE in the MR68 Handicap. Now a winner of three from eight over the trip, Barend Botes’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well over the final 400m and just got the verdict by a neck over the running on veteran LAST BATTLE (came from the rear).
The bill topping MR80 Handicap over 1000m made up the afternoon’s fare and here victory went to the fancied ALPINE GLACIER. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, the Var gelding got up late to deny the always handy GREAT SHAKA.
Titbits
Prominent throughout, the 16/10 second favourite RAILTRIP won the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1400m going away by four and a half.
Racing in open company, the 2yo SALLY CALLED was always in command when making all to win the maiden plate over 1200m by three and a half.
Continuing The Trend
Greyville 23rd May: Run in a time exactly 2 seconds faster than the barrier trial, the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m was won well by the easy to back NOEMI. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the daughter of Crusade wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that she was soon up handy. She got the better of the heavily supported odds on favourite 80m out and won going away by a half.
The faster of the two 1200m events was a MR68 Handicap and here ZADORA narrowly registered her fourth career victory. Always handy, Zadora took up the running 150m from home and in what proved to be a real thriller, she only got the verdict on the nod over the running on TRAVEL GUIDE.
The two 1400m races were both maiden plates and stopping the clock in by far the faster time here was RAM TRIP in the boy’s affair. The lessor fancied of Mark Dixon’s two runners, Ram Trip raced prominent throughout. He took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Titbits
SUNNY BILL DU-TOY completed a smart hat-trick when winning the bill topping MR80 Handicap over 2000m going away.
Tis The Season
Vaal 24th May: Thursday’s action was staged on the inside track where the first four races on the card were all run over 1400m. The MR66 Handicap was the fastest of these and here the well supported 3yo CHANGING SEASONS did the business for favourite backers. Soon up handy, the top weighted son of Toreador got the better of the front running BUBBLY REPLY 150m out and won going away by three quarters.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1700m where the quicker of the two was the MR84 Handicap won by another 3yo in LITTLEWOOD. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was always handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and just got the verdict on the nod from the running on TIGERLACE.
The biggest winning margin on the nine race program occurred in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1400m where NORLAND got off the mark. Allowed to drift right out to 13/1 at the track, Chris Erasmus’ charge raced in the rear of a strung out field early on. He ran on best of all when the field began to concertina 400m out and won going away by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The best bet on the card for many, POORMANSLADY won the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1400m going away by three.
Beating Strong
Turffontein 27th May: The going was posted as good on the old stand side track on Sunday. Four of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was REDBERRY LANE in the bill topping Syringa Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Lyle Hewitson, this daughter of Western Winter was a minimum of three lengths clear for most of the journey. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and despite a blinker cup breaking she won very cosily by a length and three quarters.
The pinnacle stakes was the fastest of the three 1160m races and here victory went to the Paul Peter trained ARABIAN BEAT. Now a winner of six from twenty two in total, the Black Minnaloushe gelding was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with both the pacemaker JUST AS I SAID and AMAZING STRIKE, he only got the verdict by a neck.
The three remaining races were all false paced 2000m events, the quickest of which was the MR60 affair won by EXCLUSIVITY. Freely available at 8/1 on the off the daughter of Oracy raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m pole, and after quickly going clear she won well by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The Mike De Kock trained newcomer SOQRAT was impressive when running on strongly from midfield to win the opening juvenile plate over 1160m going away by three and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Lateral’s Flash 12
Race 2: (3) Born A Bully 27
Race 3: (4) Zalika 7
Race 4: (9) Everdene 5
Race 5: (3) Arabian Dynasty 48
Race 6: (5) Scribo 24
Race 7: (1) Star Burst Galaxy 69
Race 8: (8) Floating On Water 43
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (4) Bravo Zulu 18
Race 2: (2) Prince Ardent 15
Race 3: (7) O’reilly 27
Race 4: (6) Wealthy 70
Race 5: (5) Shenanigans 76
Race 6: (1) Oh Susanna 73
Race 7: (1) Do It Again 74 (NAP*)
Race 8: (9) Amazon King 62
Race 9: (8) Got Your Back 41
Race 10: (10) Sitia 37
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) More Magic 14 (NAP**)
Race 2: (13) Valderrama 8
Race 3: (3) Believethisbeauty 11
Race 4: (8) Seattle Kid 18
Race 5: (4) Twilight Trip 52
Race 6: (6) Jay Rock 27
Race 7: (5) Western Storm 42
Race 8: (9) Elegancia 27
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (8) Over Sharing 7
Race 2: (5) Favourite Model 2
Race 3: (1) Imperial Quest 10
Race 4: (2) Regal Girl 12
Race 5: (3) Girl On The Run 76
Race 6: (2) Bush Pilot 49
Race 7: (2) Kissable 64
Race 8: (5) Sporting Monarch 60
Top rated winners last week included
Mitra Music won 9/1
Fantasy Art won 6/1
Tirzan won 4/1
Snow In Seattle won 71/20
Railtrip won 16/10
Sunny Bill Du-Toy won 1/1
Russet Air won 6/10
Mixed Signals won 5/10
Notebook:-
Sally Called (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Soqrat (M De Kock, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 19th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,55s slow
1000m (1) Metorite 58,49
1200m (3) Russet Air 71,96
1400m (2) Miss Smarty Pants 88,77
1600m (1) Chatuchak 104,37
1800m (1) Jailhouse Rock 116,30
Vaal (outside) 22nd May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,24s fast
1000m (1) Alpine Glacier 57,15
1200m (3) Snow In Seattle 69,90
1400m (5) Danza 81,17
Greyville (poly) 23rd May
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,84s slow
1000m (2) Noemi 58,90
1200m (2) Zadora 70,60
1400m (2) Ram Trip 83,63
1600m (1) Fantasy Art 96,20
1800m (1) Expresso Martini 109,30
2000m (1) Sunny Bill Du-Toy 120,90
Vaal (inside) 24th May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,04s slow
1200m (1) Swell Time 61,38
1400m (4) Changing Seasons 81,64
1700m (2) Littlewood 101,68
1800m (1) Albacore 108,23
2000m (1) Tirzan 121,80
Turffontein (stand side) 27th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1160m (3) Arabian Beat 67,38
1600m (4) Redberry Lane 97,85
2000m (3) Exclusivity 125,89
