Heading Back Up The Ratings
Fairview 30th January: A maiden plate over 1400m got proceedings underway on the turf in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here a nice gamble was landed when the formless NOTTING HILL (33/1 into 6’s) did the business. Unable to get within 11 lengths of a winner in his two previous starts, Dorrie Sham’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four.
Just six went to post for the conditions plate over 2400m and in what proved to be a very false paced affair victory here went to the favourite DRILL SARGEANT. On leaving the stalls it was the second favourite TIGER PLAY who elected to make the running and the 5yo Tiger Dance gelding soon had the field very strung out. Nicely positioned in second though, Drill Sargeant tracked him throughout and after striking the front 300m from home he went on to score comfortably by two and a half.
The non-black type Fairview Merchants over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw another smart performance from the Snitzel gelding UNANNOUNCED. Completing a four timer here, Tara Laing’s charge was soon positioned up with the speed. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for his fellow pacemaker LONDON PERFECT by a length and three quarters. Racing off a mark of 93 here in what in real terms was a handicap, Unannounced was earlier rated as high as 108.
Titbits
BRIDE’S DOWRY made it five wins from twenty starts when coming from the back to win the MR79 Handicap over 1800m.
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Progressive King
Greyville 30th January: The action on Friday evening took place on the poly track where the fastest of the three 1000m races was the bill topping MR86 Handicap won by the 3yo BIG KING. Off the track since breaking out of the maidens at just the third attempt in August, Greg Anthony’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the 6yo Var gelding LIBERTINE by three quarters.
There were also three races run over 1600m and surprisingly fastest against the clock here was KARELIA in the fillies & mares maiden plate (the other two 1600m races were both handicaps). A little slow into stride when the gates opened, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. Once in the straight though she quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy she got up late to beat GOLDEN ANSWER (raced midfield – led 250m) by a length.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the MR74 Handicap won by the veteran NITRO NORI. As per usual sluggish into stride, the 7yo also came from well off the pace. He ran on with all his usual zest in the straight and got up nicely late to deny the favourite LUCKY BREAK (handy – led 200m).
Titbits
The 9/10 favourite HOLD THE LINE won the opening maiden plate over 1400m with plenty in hand by three and a quarter.
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Just The Two
Turffontein 31st January: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where showing good improvement to win the opening maiden plate over 1200m was LADY THISTLE. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, the 3yo daughter of Daring Bid stumbled at the start, but despite that was soon up handy. The 3/1 second favourite PORTRAIT was the first to make a move in the straight and on striking the front 250m out she looked to have done everything right. Lady Thistle ran on best of all in the closing stages of the race though and with the rest some six lengths adrift she got up late to score by a half.
Just seven went to post for race two, a graduation plate over 1600m and in a race where rain fell heavily throughout EARL OF DERBY registered his third career victory. The rank outsider of the party RACING SOCKS set the pace whilst Alec Laird’s charge sat fourth. He put his head in front early in the short home straight and although the uneasy favourite THE CAPTAIN’S TUNE (11/10 out to 16/10) chased hard over the final 300m he won well by three and a quarter.
Torrential rain then fell for over an hour and with an electrical storm in close proximity it was decided to abandon the remainder of the meeting.
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Top Class Double
Kenilworth 31st January: After his excellent win in the Gr1 Queen’s Plate earlier in the month FUTURA was strongly fancied to win the prestigious Gr1 J&B Met over 2000m and he didn’t let down his supporters. In what proved to be a slowly run affair Brett Crawford’s charge raced closer to the pace than usual in seventh. He quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won well in the hands of the talented Bernard Fayd’Herbe by two and a quarter. Springing a surprise to fill second position in this race was the veteran GOLD ONYX. Sean Tarry’s 7yo had raced in the backend of midfield and finished well.
Run over the same distance as the Met was the Gr1 Cape Derby for 3yo’s and in a time over 1,5 seconds quicker than that of Futura victory here went to the unbeaten ERTIJAAL. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1 Mike De Kock’s charge was taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena and led throughout. The 1/3 favourite ACT OF WAR was just a length and a half away in second turning for home and held every chance. He failed to make any impression when Ertijaal stepped on the gas 500m out though and only held on to the runner’s up berth by the narrowest of margins. Now a winner of four from four Ertijaal went on to win with authority by four and three quarters and is clearly an exciting prospect for the future.
Three of the afternoon’s twelve races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by Futura’s stable companion CAPTAIN AMERICA. Well supported on course into 18/10 from 3/1, the heavily burdened top weight (64,5kg) was soon at the head of affairs. He was two lengths clear coming off the bend and despite the efforts of the chasing BIG CAT he extended his advantage to three on the run to the line.
Titbits
CRYSTAL CAVERN came from the rear when a length and a quarter third in the MR79 Handicap over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (9) Ideal Countess 21 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Heartfelt 13 (nb)
Race 3: (3) Munaaseb 10
Race 4: (6) Deepo 38
Race 5: (6) Vice Admiral 50
Race 6: (4) Dream To Reality 50
Race 7: (3) Pemba 48
Race 8: (7) Howami 25
Greyville (tues)
Race 1: (5) Destined For Dawn 23
Race 2: (1) Royal Zulu Warrior 65
Race 3: (11) Syringa 2
Race 4: (1) Aldric 45
Race 5: (3) Echuka 55
Race 6: (7) Stirling Leaves 37
Race 7: (3) Your Worship 23
Race 8: (1) Colchis 4
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (9) Shivering Sea 8
Race 2: (1) Mogok Master 11
Race 3: (10) Off The Mark 15 (nb)
Race 4: (10) One Cool Cat 109
Race 5: (7) Gasoline 46
Race 6: (11) Siren’s Call 74 (NAP*)
Race 7: (9) Eddie Sweat 88
Race 8: (3) Erin 69
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (2) Carmina 6
Race 2: (2) Ovar 23 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Ashram 25
Race 4: (1) Queens Music 38
Race 5: (5) Stratocruiser 74
Race 6: (7) Pigeon Flyer 48
Race 7: (5) Capel Top 49
Race 8: (10) Set Your Sights 43 (EW)
Race 9: (10) Funky Munky 13
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (4) Buddy’s Falcon 3
Race 2: (1) Cedar Wood 16 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) Captain’s Delight 74
Race 4: (1) See You 15
Race 5: (1) Tommy Gun 78
Race 6: (11) Facebook 39
Race 7: (10) Conne Mara Black 41
Race 8: (4) Flag Of France 38
Race 9: (8) Dawn Day 33
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Top rated winners last week included
Dancinginthedesert won 22/1
Salander won 16/1
Earl Of Derby won 6/1
Wooden Star won 4/1
Fragrant Beauty won 22/10
Tapaway won 1/1
Hold The Line won 9/10
Heavenly Express won 15/20
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Notebook:-
Ertijaal (M De Kock, W-Cape)
Futura (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Unannounced (T Laing, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 30th January
Penetrometer 25 – G/Soft
1000m (1) The Beat 57,88
1200m (2) Unannounced 66,91
1400m (3) Murmuring Sky 82,97*
1600m (1) Dancinginthedesert 97,64
1800m (1) Bride’s Dowry 111,11
2400m (1) Drill Sargeant 151,97
Greyville (poly) 30th January
Going Standard
1000m (3) Big King 58,46
1400m (2) Nitro Nori 84,67
1600m (3) Karelia 98,06
Turffontein (inner) 31st January
Penetrometer G/Soft
1200m (1) Lady Thistle 75,32
1600m (1) Earl Of Derby 104,43
Kenilworth (new) 31st January
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Buckinghampshire 59,14
1200m (2) Triptique 71,57
1400m (1) Swannee Rose 86,42
1600m (3) Captain America 98,59
1800m (1) Ma Choix 112,35
2000m (2) Ertijaal 123,82
2800m (1) Kingston Mines 188,02
