Two From Two
Flamingo Park 30th March: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in the Northern Cape on Monday when WOLVERINA did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1000m. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, Corne Spies’ charge raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 200m and won well by two and a quarter. Interestingly, this race was run in a time half a second faster than that of the only other race over 1000m, a MR78 Handicap.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock amongst these was the Janse Van Vuuren trained THE CLEVELAND ARMS when registering his second career victory in the MR66 Handicap. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and forced to give his all in the closing stages of the race he only got the verdict by three quarters from the steadily gaining ASTRO BOY.
Trainer Van Vuuren was also successful with his only other runner on the card OVER ACHIEVER. Sent off a strong favourite at even money to win the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m, the daughter of A P Arrow also raced close to the speed. She put her head in front at the 100m pole and drew clear nicely late to score by a length and three quarters.
A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a nice performance from the 4yo son of Tiger Ridge, JAGUAR. On leaving the stalls it was SOLDIERSAILOR who elected to make the running whilst Corrie Lensley’s charge raced close up in second. He took up the running early in the straight and kept on strongly over the final 500m to beat the odds on favourite ALL THE BIDS by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
As per usual found detached at the rear early on, the 5yo SAN VICENZO ran on stoutly in the straight and won the MR72 Handicap over 1800m going away by four and a half.
Making her first appearance in the Northern Cape here, THE QUEEN ran on stoutly from midfield when winning the MR78 Handicap over 1000m going away.
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Another Maximum for Dean
Scottsville 1st April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the newcomer RED HOT POKER. Ridden by replacement rider Anton Marcus (his only ride on the card as he was en-route to Turffontein) the deposed favourite raced close up in second for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear in good style late to score by five and a quarter.
Another to win well in the maiden juvenile ranks on this card was the newcomer WHISKEY JOE when winning the boy’s division over 1400m. Confidently ridden by Stuart Randolph, the son of Captain Al raced at the back of the six. He was visibly cruising at the top of the straight and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race won going away after striking the front 120m from home.
An allowance plate over 1950m topped the bill and as is often the case victory here went to the best weighted runner in the field CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER. Solid in the betting market at 2/1, the deposed favourite enjoyed a two length advantage at the head of affairs for most of the journey. The newly installed market leader PATCHIT UP BABY ran on stoutly over the final 400m, but answering every call the daughter of Captain Al kept on determinedly and held on to win by a neck.
Five of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the graduation plate in which the heavily supported REAL PRINCESS did the business. Backed into 2/1 second favourite from 5’s at the track, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and after quickly going clear, she won well by two and three quarters. As with the meeting at Greyville on Friday trainer Dean Kannemeyer found the winners enclosure with both of his runners.
Titbits
Always handy, ENTRÉE won the maiden 1400m going away by two and three quarters.
FIRE ROCKET (midfield – switched 250) and RISKY ROSCO (rear) both ran on well when 1st & 3rd respectively in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m.
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Always In Command
Turffontein 1st April: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where the fastest of the three 1160m races was the MR80 Handicap won by KAPITAN. Taken straight to the front by Raymond Danielson the Captain Al gelding led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1000m maiden plates was the boy’s division won by the supported second favourite FORMAL REQUEST. Nicely positioned in fifth in what was always a very tightly bunched field, St John Gray’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 400m and won well from the easy to back BLAZING BRAVE by a length and three quarters.
Fastest against the clock in the two 2000m races was the 3yo ROCKIN THE DAISIES when registering her second career victory in the MR68 Handicap. Backed into 13/10 from 28/10 at the track the daughter of Silvano was always in touch with the leaders. She made her move early in the straight and won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 100m from home. Third placed NOOR DUBAI ran on well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here, VARUMBA impressed when winning the fillies maiden juvenile plate over 1160m going away by five.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth (mon)
Race 1: (14) Septima 8
Race 2: (2) Black Tractor 24
Race 3: (2) Lord Marshal 2
Race 4: (1) Amarillo Rose 13
Race 5: (1) Eternal Love 13
Race 6: (4) Twentymanjones 66
Race 7: (3) Lift Off 49
Race 8: (8) Valde Velox 36
Scottsville (tues)
Race 1: (1) Roy’s Guardian 16
Race 2: (3) The Arabian 17
Race 3: (7) Burra Boy 57
Race 4: (10) Jamaicanminaloushe 12
Race 5: (9) Emblem Royale 51
Race 6: (13) Try Your Luck 60
Race 7: (10) Salander 53
Race 8: (9) Birkins Best 18
Fairview (wed)
Race 1: (2) Count Zafonic 11
Race 2: (3) Champagne Showers 6
Race 3: (1) Seven Roses 13
Race 4: (14) Sissy Gray 47
Race 5: (5) Zoo Biscuit 62
Race 6: (8) Kono 78
Race 7: (2) Laurie’s Dancer 56
Race 8: (7) Ado Annie 47
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (3) Global Myth 24
Race 2: (5) Wendish 3
Race 3: (2) Silver Goddess 15
Race 4: (3) Red Scimitar 10
Race 5: (7) Manx Park 58
Race 6: (1) Kwinta 56 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) Scotsnog 67
Race 8: (14) Victorinox 64
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Top rated winners last week included
San Vicenzo won 10/1
Kapitan won 8/1
Moi Power won 28/10
Siren’s Call won 5/2
Captain’s Daughter won 2/1
Carry On Alice won 17/10
Miss Varlicious won 16/10
Over Achiever won 1/1
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Notebook:-
Red Hot Poker (C Laird, KZN)
Varumba (V Marshal, Gauteng)
Wolverina (C Spies, N-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Flamingo Park 30th March
Going Standard
1000m (2) Wolverina 57,44
1200m (1) Chantecler 72,77
1400m (1) Jaguar 85,11
1600m (4) The Cleveland Arms 99,75
1800m (1) San Vicenzo 113,51
Scottsville (inside) 31st March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (2) Fire The Rocket 58,00
1400m (5) Real Princess 85,19
1950m (1) Captain’s Daughter 124,40
Turffontein (stand side) 31st March
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (2) Formal Request 57,75
1160m (3) Kapitan 67,14
1400m (1) Seventh Heart 85,20
2000m (2) Rockin The Daisies 125,41
2450m (1) Ganesh 156,88
