KZN Breeders Day
Greyville 25th June:
They raced on both surfaces on Sunday with the lion’s share of the action taking place on the poly track. Four of the seven races on the poly were staged over 1200m and the quickest home in these was AMAZON KING. Backed into favouritism at the track, the 3yo son of Kahal raced ninth of the twelve early on. He ran on best of all in the short home straight and in an event where less than a length covered the first five home he got up late.
The boys were also faster in the two 1600m races where in a time 2,7 seconds quicker than that of the girls, CUTTING EDGE registered his fourth career victory. Running on from a similar position to that of Amazon King, Dennis Bosch’s charge struck the front 100m out and went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
The non-black type KZN Breeders Million Mile topped the bill and in what comparatively was the faster of the two races on the turf, we saw a smart performance from MATADOR MAN. Ridden by replacement rider Eric Ngwane, the Toreador gelding was yet another to win from the backend of midfield. He cut through the field quickly early in the straight and won going away by a length and three quarters after striking the front 120m or so from home.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing here, BIG BEAR ran on well from midfield when winning the boy’s division of the KZN Juvenile Plate over 1200m.
Shining Brightly
Vaal 27th June:
Tuesday’s action took place on the outside track where by far the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR88 Handicap won by the progressive SECRET STAR. Now a winner of five from eleven, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She quickened well from halfway and won in good style by three and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1400m and quickest home in these was BLUE DIAMOND ROAD in the MR66 affair. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, the 15/10 favourite had the remainder some five and a half lengths adrift when getting up in the very last stride to deny CHILI LIME (raced in the rear – led 250m).
A MR96 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events, the former Zimbabwe campaigner TANDAVA caused an upset. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the 4yo son Century Stand sat fourth of the six for most of the journey. Just four lengths covered all going through the 400m though, and with the benefit of a 15kg pull with the useful CHAMPAGNE HAZE, he got the verdict by three quarters.
Titbits
The 7/10 favourite SURCHARGE quickened very nicely late when getting off the mark in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
Four For Brett
Kenilworth 28th June:
Times showed that the going was clearly soft in Cape Town on Saturday. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BLACKMORE when winning the MR80 Handicap. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on well from midfield and comfortably accounted for JAY’S ROCK by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden events on the card was the boy’s division won by the full brother to Captain America, REDEEMER. Sent off a strong favourite at 2/1, Brett Crawford’s charge was always handy. He took a while to get going, but once realising what was expected of him he ran on well, and got up nicely late to beat the second favourite TRIPPLE EXPLOSION by a length and a quarter.
The stable of Brett Crawford (4 winners on the afternoon) were also on the mark in the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR86 Handicap, when the lesser fancied of his two runners SAILS SET landed the spoils. Allowed to ease out to 10/1 at the track, Sails Set raced in midfield. She began to take closer order going through the 400m and finishing best of all she got up late to beat MIRANDA FROST by a length.
Titbits
Heavily supported WHITE RIVER won the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m with authority. Beaten three and three quarter lengths in this race, third placed COT CAMPBELL was continually baulked for a run between the 400m and 100m poles, and was fairly flying at the finish.
NEW CALEDONIA and SILVER MASTER both ran on well from off the pace when 2nd & 3rd respectively in the MR80 Handicap over 1400m.
Finding Extra
Vaal 29th June:
A maiden juvenile plate got proceedings underway on the inside track on Thursday and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1200m events victory went to the favourite MOHALLELA. Up with the speed throughout, Mike De Kock’s charge was headed by CARMALITA 100m out, but fought back gamely below the distance to score by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were maiden events over 1700m and quickest home amongst these was AMERICAN INDIAN. Sent off a strong favourite in an event that was priced up as a boat race, the son of Traffic Guard was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for the staying on pacemaker LLANDUDNO (the second favourite) by four and a half.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the MR74 Handicap in which TRADING PROFIT registered his fourth career victory. Without a win in 16 starts coming into the race, Michael Azzie’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from Piere Strydom he got up late to deny the front running VULCAN.
Titbits
TUNDRA TAITA had a ton in hand when beating the all-out SUMMER SUN by just three quarters.
You And Var
Fairview 30th June:
Impressive in the fastest of the five 1200m races on the turf track on Friday was VOUS ET VAR when taking his tally of wins to three in the MR87 Handicap. Nibbled at on course into 37/10 from 9/2, Alan Greeff’s charge raced a little detached at the back early on. The field was always tightly bunched though and he was only four lengths off the pace when the race began in earnest. He cut through the field quickly when given rein and won going away by two and a half after striking the front 160m from home.
The listed East Cape Breeders Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and in a time 0,7 seconds slower than that of Vous Et Var, the best handicapped runner in the race CLEAR SAILING duly landed first prize. Freely available at 4/1 on the off the Argonaut mare sat in midfield during the early part of the race. She was always travelling well and ridden to lead 250m from home she kept on strongly late to beat the five-timer seeking EASY STREET by a half.
The easiest victory in terms of distance was that of CLOUD ATLAS when getting off the mark in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Prominent throughout, this daughter of Royal Air Force put her head in front 300m from home and cruised clear in a good time on the day to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Having his first outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the 3yo grey BAFFERT ran out a very easy winner of the maiden plate over 1200m.
The newcomer JUNGLE FAIRY ran on well from midfield when comfortably accounting for her nine rivals in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Kiftsgate 13
Race 2: (1) Colonel Bluff 13
Race 3: (4) Sanctuary 64
Race 4: (2) Our Icon 65
Race 5: (7) Trees Of Green 50
Race 6: (10) Precious Pansy 39
Race 7: (5) Black Jade 42
Race 8: (1) Leopard Orchid 39
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (10) Wheel Of Time 3
Race 2: (14) Zerodarkthirty 11
Race 3: (12) Flying Fable 25 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Lobo’s Legend 8 (nb)
Race 5: (1) Matthew Lips 25
Race 6: (2) Wrecking Ball 82
Race 7: (4) Jameson Girl 53
Race 8: (8) Yer-Maan 69
Race 9: (12) Juba 36
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (2) Bendy Bullet 19
Race 2: (2) Varumba 60
Race 3: (16) Wine Festival 8
Race 4: (1) Cossack Guard 20 (NAP*)
Race 5: (11) Juddering Angel 47
Race 6: (5) Flying Ryan 38
Race 7: (10) Lovely Rita 52
Race 8: (1) Eternal Night 13
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (5) Innocently Naughty 9
Race 2: (1) Beaufort 14 (NAP*)
Race 3: (7) Sea King 24
Race 4: (8) First Mate 13
Race 5: (1) River Garden 37
Race 6: (11) Highway Eightyfive 56
Race 7: (12) Burra Boy 57
Race 8: (9) Russian Girl 37
Race 9: (9) Coral Queen 19
Top rated winners last week included
Clear Sailing won 4/1
Vous Et Var won 37/10
Miss Aphrodite won 5/2
Celestina won 22/10
Baffert won 16/10
American Indian won 1/1
Surcharge won 7/10
Mohallela won 6/10
Notebook:-
Big Bear (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Matador Man (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Vous Et Var (A Greeff, E-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (mixed) 25th June
Turf Good/Poly Standard
Course Variant: 0,9s slow (turf)/0,51s slow (poly)
1200m (4) Amazon King 70,40*P
1400m (1) Mark My Card 84,10T
1600m (1) Matador Man 95,11*T
1600m (2) Cutting Edge 95,45*P
1900m (1) Hyaku 114,94P
Vaal (outside) 27th June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,94s slow
1000m (2) Tandava 58,35
1200m (3) Secret Star 70,07
1400m (3) Blue Diamond Road 82,87
1600m (1) Barbie Doll 98,25
Kenilworth (old) 28th June
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,13s slow
1000m (2) Sails Set 60,69
1200m (3) Blackmore 73,99
1400m (1) Nasty Harry 88,93
1600m (2) Redeemer 101,96
Vaal (inside) 29th June
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 0,88s slow
1200m (2) Mohallela 70,43
1400m (2) Trading Profit 82,66
1700m (3) American Indian 103,95
2000m (1) Amsterdam 124,41
Fairview (turf) 30th June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,00s slow
1000m (1) Cloud Atlas 58,02
1200m (5) Vous Et Var 69,10
1400m (1) Jungle Fairy 84,84
1600m (1) Fantasy Quest 97,58
2000m (1) Nine West 125,83
