Two By Two
Fairview 16th September: They raced on the poly track on Friday where quickest home in the two 1300m events was PEONIE ROCK. Easy to back at 22/1 to win this novice plate on the off, Gavin Smith’s charge raced in midfield early on. Once in the straight though, she soon began to make headway, and under a well-judged ride from JP v’d Merwe, she got up late to deny the favourite Jets-A-Blazing. Beaten just 1,9 lengths, fifth placed ONE LOVE ran on well from the rear in this race.
The faster of the two races over 1900m was the MR60 Handicap won by WONDER WORKER. Soon in touch with the leaders, Justin Snaith’s charge was always poised to strike. She did so as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for equally fancied CONQUERING QUEEN by a length and a quarter.
They also ran two races over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the well-supported favourite OKLAHOMA SKY. Prominent throughout, Alan Greeff’s charge assumed command going through the 200m and won well from the running on SWEETCHILD O MINE by two and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer EN GEE OH ran on well from the backend of midfield when third in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.
Making his debut in the province, the striking grey BAH was gaining quickly at the finish when fourth beaten 1,8 lengths in the MR62 Handicap over 1200m.
.
Another Howler?
Turffontein 17th September: Three of the nine races on the inner track on Saturday were run over 1200m and quickest home in these was the heavily supported MODJADJI when winning the MR70 Handicap. Backed into favouritism at the track (8/1 into 7/2), Sean Tarry’s charge went straight to the front and led throughout. She was two and a half lengths clear coming off the strip and although the always second placed runner SAVE THE DAY did cut that advantage in half in the straight, Modjadji won without any anxious moments.
The stable of Sean Tarry were also on the mark in the fastest of the three races over 1450m, a pinnacle stakes, when BULLETING HOME registered his fifth career victory. Nicely drawn in gate six the son of Western Winter was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running 400m out and shifting across the track at that point caused interference to the eventual runner up ARCTICA who was just under a length behind him on the rail at that point. Bulleting Home ran on strongly in the closing stages and held on by a 0,3 of a length from the gaining Arctica. There was an objection, but the stewards in their wisdom (wrongly in my book) decided not to change the result.
The remaining three races were all staged over 1600m and fastest here was TOP SHOT in the MR80 affair. Freely available at 28/1 on the off Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner in the race could be sighted in the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened best of all, and won well by a length and a quarter from the four-timer seeking AWESOME ADAM (also came from the rear).
Titbits
The newcomer WRITTEN ran on well from midfield when third beaten three quarters of a length in the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
The SA Oaks winner JUXTAPOSE ran on well from the rear when third following a five month layoff in the conditions plate over 1450m.
.
Soft! Really!
Durbanville 17th September: The penetrometer reading was given as 30 and the going soft at the country course on Saturday, but my adjusted speed ratings said otherwise. Indeed, the times compared very favourably with the meeting of the tenth where the pen was 30, and the going good. There was a headwind on both days and it was stronger at this meeting.
Five of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1200m and in what proved to be a real thriller the fastest of these was the graduation plate won by the 3yo BISHOP’S BOUNTY. Sent off a joint second favourite at 5/1, the son of Western Winter raced in the rear along with the 11/20 favourite RODNEY. Battle commenced shortly after Justin Snaith’s charge struck the front 200m out and together all the way to the wire, he got the better of the favourite by a neck.
Four of the five remaining races were staged over 1400m and quickest home here was NEW CALEDONIA in the MR70 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Aldo Domeyer, the 4yo son of Right Approach raced towards the back of midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the straight and with the rest some five lengths adrift, he got the better of MR JAY (also ran on well from the backend of midfield) by a length and three quarters.
A MR76 Handicap over 1000m completed the day’s fare and here we saw a comfortable victory for the uneasy favourite LIVE LIFE. On leaving the stalls it was ROYAL CHIAN who elected to make the running whilst Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced close up third. She ran on strongly over the final 300m and won well by a length from the fancied HARAKIRI.
Titbits
The newcomer PARTY CRASHER ran on well from midfield when winning the slowly run maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
After racing handy, the newcomer PETE’S GIRL won the second division of the girl’s maiden plate over 1200m going away.
BEACH GODDESS was twice baulked for a run en-route from the rear when runner up in the allowance plate over 1400m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (2) Edgbaston 11
Race 2: (4) Groovy News 29
Race 3: (5) Dragon’s Den 5
Race 4: (1) Sharp Peg 6
Race 5: (1) Topography 14
Race 6: (7) Tell The Tale 28
Race 7: (11) Dukes Idol 12
Race 8: (8) Dr Finlay 38
Race 9: (4) Sanshia’s Rock 27
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (7) Mexican Sun 25
Race 2: (1) Negroamaro 67
Race 3: (5) Tambalang 20
Race 4: (7) Dromedaris 54
Race 5: (5) Apple Crumble 58
Race 6: (3) Crystal Glamour 58 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Gaisce Gold 35
Race 8: (11) Wanted Man 18 (NAP*)
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (10) Over Drive 12
Race 2: (2) Fire Master 66
Race 3: (2) Varational 18
Race 4: (1) Cavalleria 13
Race 5: (6) Miss Hyde 25
Race 6: (6) Hammie’s Game 57
Race 7: (2) Elevated 43
Race 8: (1) Whispering Light 14
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Spanish Blade 8
Race 2: (6) Shivering Sea 58
Race 3: (1) Fearless Fred 13
Race 4: (7) Burundi Bush 6
Race 5: (3) Rafa 64
Race 6: (2) Be Mine Tonight 67
Race 7: (6) Might As Well 35
Race 8: (2) Rose Water 14
.
Top rated winners last week included
Carbon Offset won 11/2
Banking April won 9/2
Cock-A-Hoop won 3/4
Intergalactic won 5/2
Promise Bay won 16/10
Anna Pavlova won 15/10
Bold Coast won 1/1
My Friend Lee won 4/10
.
Notebook:-
Bishop’s Bounty (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Juxtapose (S Ferreira, Gauteng)
New Caledonia (G Woodruff, W-Cape)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 16th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,78 slow
1000m (2) Oklahoma Sky 57,82
1200m (1) Soviet Cosmonaut 70,03
1300m (2) Peonie Rock 75,98
1600m (1) Road To Indy 95,73
1900m (2) Wonder Worker 116,14
Turffontein (inner) 17th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,72 slow
1200m (3) Modjadji 72,44
1450m (3) Bulleting Home 88,11
1600m (3) Top Shot 97,63
Durbanville 17th September
Penetrometer 30 – Soft
Course Variant: 0,78 slow
1000m (1) Live Life 60,80
1200m (5) Bishop’s Bounty 72,97
1400m (4) New Caledonia 85,56
