Pillar To Post
Scottsville 2nd September: First up on Sunday was a maiden event for 3yo’s over 1000m and here we saw a smart debut performance from the Silvano filly VOLANT. Taken straight to the front by 4kg claimer Julius Mariba, Volant led throughout. She was always in command and ran out a very comfortable winner by two and three quarters.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was SILK MASTER when opening his account in the 1200m event. Soon up handy, Yogis Govender’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on COY BOY by three quarters.
A MR70 Handicap over 1000m was next up and here we saw another smart performance from the lightly raced 3yo CHERRY TRIPPER. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 2/1, Dennis Bosch’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although both LAMORNA and QUINTELLA chased hard, she went on to score without any anxious moments by two.
The best weighted runners are usually to the fore in non-handicaps and so it proved to be in the afternoon’s feature event, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m, where KOLKATA did the business. Always in the red, Sean Tarry’s charge was yet another on this card to make all. He stayed on strongly in the home straight and albeit by just three quarters of a length, he always had the runner up LOOK AFTER ME well held.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, the newcomer CRUMLIN ran on well from off the pace when finishing runner up in the maiden event over 1200m won by Cools Style.
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Money Justified
Clairwood 4th September: Tuesday’s action took place at the garden course where favourite backers got off to a good start when the Anton Marcus ridden WIND TRIP did the business. Backed into 12/10 from 15/10 at the track, the son of Trippi led throughout. The Alyson Wright trained BID FOR SPEED challenged strongly over the final 200m and hard ridden Wind Trip only held on by a half.
Also worthy of note in the maiden ranks on this card was the performance of ROYAL ZULU GUARD in winning the 1450m event. Allowed to ease right out to 15/10 from even money at the course, Tony Rivalland’s charge raced five lengths off them in seventh for most of the journey. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar made up the ground quickly when given rein though and went on to score comfortably from the newcomer CANDY MOON. Keep an eye on the runner up CANDY MOON, he ran on well from the rear and can only improve next time.
The Pat Lunn trained IMPARTIAL JUSTICE was heavily supported to win the MR86 affair over 1000m and the son of Greys Inn didn’t let down his followers. Backed into 7/2 from 6/1 on course, Impartial Justice found the pace a bit hot early on and raced at the back. Running on best of all from halfway though, he quickly worked his way through the field and after a thrilling tussle with REGAL JOY below the distance he got the verdict by a neck.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 2000m and as expected victory here went to the 6/10 favourite TAKADUM. Confidently ridden by Anthony Delpech, Takadum raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to keep a determined challenge from BALSE at bay.
Titbits
SYDNEY’S GIRL won with authority when completing a quick double in the MR87 Handicap over 1800m.
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A Little Firmer
Kenilworth 5th September: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Durbanville.
With a penetrometer reading of 34 the going was still heavy in Cape Town on Wednesday, but that in no way was a disadvantage to the favourite FREE AS A BIRD in the opening maiden event over 1400m. Backed into 15/10 from 22/10 at the track, Brett Crawford’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the pacemaker CAPRISA by a length and three quarters.
The Joey Ramsden trained GENERAL JUBILATION was sent off a strong favourite (15/10 into 11/10) to win the afternoon’s feature event, a MR90 Handicap over 1600m and he didn’t let down his supporters. The son of General Nadiym got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was asked to take up the running early in the short home straight and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to fend off a determined challenge from JET EXPLORER.
A MR77 Handicap over the same distance was next up and in a time faster than that of General Jubilation the Eyeofthetiger colt BAROSSA VALLEY gained just reward for his consistency. Allowed to drift right out to 75/20 from 16/10 on course as money came for several of the nine runners, Barossa Valley was always positioned close to the speed. He moved through to take up the running going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the running on JUST ASK by a length and a quarter with some in hand.
Race seven on the card was a MR86 Handicap over 1400m and here victory went to the improving daughter of National Emblem LA PATINEUSE. As with all of the other winners on the eight race program, Paddy Kruyer’s charge was always handy. She ran on strongly in the straight and won well from the running on SHE’S A DIME after striking the front 250m from home.
Titbits
THE HELSMAN made all when opening his account in the maiden 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (3) Syndicator 15 Race 2: (9) Paris Symphony 26 Race 3: (6) Phemba 54 Race 4: (1) Sunny Spain 46 Race 5: (8) Run Rorkus Run 73 Race 6: (5) Bishop’s Choice 58 Race 7: (6) Blazing Moon 46 Race 8: (6) Oh So Easy 50 (EW) Vaal (Tues) Race 1: (1) Great White 27 (NAP*) Race 2: (1) Don’t Be Silly 12 Race 3: (1) Go Foxy 34 Race 4: (6) Princess Rue 46 Race 5: (8) Blazing Sunset 39 Race 6: (9) Jumbo 52 Race 7: (10) Celtic King 75 Race 8: (9) Memeza 45 Race 9: (8) Elegant Bay 18 (EW) Scottsville Race 1: (1) Big City Angel 34 Race 2: (1) Service Of Silence 21 Race 3: (7) Rasheed 57 (NAP*) Race 4: (1) London Fever 20 Race 5: (6) Blushing Peter 33 Race 6: (9) Day Of The Duke 44 Race 7: (4) Showmetheway 75 (EW) Race 8: (10) Irresistible You 40 Race 9: (11) Bonnet Piece 42 Race 10: (4) Kaizar 49 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (6) Cookie Monster 25 Race 2: (1) Cool Crystal 26 Race 3: (2) Magic Smoke 82 (NAP*) Race 4: (11) Immediately 19 Race 5: (8) Ikati 55 Race 6: (3) King’s Destiny 53 Race 7: (1) Mr Tobin 86 Race 8: (11) Kentucky Sheik 73 Race 9: (6) Tigers Eye 40 Race 10: (1) Variety 47 (nb) .
Top rated winners last week included
Blue Nile won 9/1 Levanto won 13/2 Pirate Queen won 13/2 Senorita Casey won 22/10 Gallic Bay won 2/1 Sugar And Shake won 18/10 Flashing Star won 15/10 Meissa won 15/20 .Notebook:-
Crumlin (C Erasmus, KZN) Impartial Justice (P Lunn, KZN) .FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Scottsville 2nd September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Cherry Tripper Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4)Pessoa Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Kolkata . Clairwood 4th September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Impartial Justice Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4)London Olympics Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Pilot Mike . Kenilworth 5th September Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) Jamie Lee Jet Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6)The Helsman Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Magic Emblem
