Poetry In Motion

Powerful Jets

Turffontein 29^th December: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday where the fastest of the two 1160m events was the conditions plate won by SNOWDON. Just six went to post and in a tightly bunched field Ormond Ferraris’ charge sat third. He ran on stoutly from halfway and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict over the 5/10 favourite JACKODORE by the narrowest of margins.

The fastest of the three 1800m events on the card was the MR100 Handicap in which the St John Gray trained GLORIOUS JET registered his fourth career victory. A son of Jet Master, Glorious Jet was content to sit in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though he quickened well and under a well judged ride from Gavin Lerena he got up late to deny the Summer Cup runner up SHOGUNNAR.

Although six runners went to post for the graduation plate over 1600m it always looked to be a boat race between E-JET and the costly to follow BROOKS-CLUB, and so it proved to be. With Pierre Strydom in the saddle it was not surprising to see E-Jet make the running and with Brooks-Club watching his every move just three lengths away in second the race was poised for a classic confrontation. As they approached the 400m marker though E-Jet kicked on strongly and although Brooks-Club didn’t lose any ground on the run to the line he didn’t make up any either.

Titbits

Nibbled at MAGIC APPROACH was running on strongly at the finish when runner up in the girl’s maiden event over 1400m.

.

Doug’s Quartet

Clairwood 30^th December: Those looking to buy money got off to a good start at Clairwood on Sunday when the form horse KING’S BAY did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Deep in the red at 3/10 on the off, Doug Campbell’s charge was taken straight to the front by Ian Sturgeon and led throughout. In a race where just seven went to post Doug Campbell trained four of them and interestingly they filled all of the places in the Quartet.

Favourite backers were also on the mark in the novice 1600m when the 3yo WIND TRIP landed the spoils. Another to set off in the red (7/10) the son of Trippi was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at second favourite ROYAL ZULU GUARD by two and a quarter.

The faster of the two 1450m races on the card was the MR78 Handicap in which the Fort Wood gelding ERFAAN registered his fourth career victory. Racing in Natal for the first time since winning over 1200m at Scottsville on debut way back in 2010, the much travelled Erfaan was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with both CAPTAIN FIRTH and AFRICA he got the verdict by a length.

Titbits

Detached at the rear early on after being a little slow into stride, the lightly raced BLUE BERRY ran on strongly, and did well to get within 2,75 lengths of the winner when runner up in the workrider’s maiden 1200m.

CAMPANOLOGIST also ran on well from the rear after being slow into stride when runner up in the maiden 2000m.

.

Next Stop Cape Town

Clairwood 1^st January: They also raced at Clairwood on New Year’s Day where the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of SHOES ‘N COMPANY in the maiden event over 1450m. The most experienced runner in the thirteen strong field, Yogis Govender’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 400m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by seven.

Another to win very easily on this card was FIRE CURTAIN in the fastest of the three 1200m events a MR68 Handicap. Backed into 9/2 from 10/1 at the track, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once given rein though he quickened best of all and after striking the front 250m from home he drew clear easily late to beat SADHU by four.

The afternoon’s feature event was the Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1600m events victory here went to the best weighted runner in the race VIVA MARIA. At her best from the front Mike De Kock’s charge made all and won comfortably by two and a quarter. Viva Maria now goes for the Gr1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth on 12^th January. It will be interesting to see how she goes. Third placed CHOSEN GODDESS ran on well from the rear in this race.

Titbits

After not finding the clearest of passages the lightly raced 3yo MORE CHING CHING finished well when opening her account in the maiden 1200m.

FOURTH ESTATE won the MR84 Handicap over 1600m with some in hand.

.

Rested Warrior Impresses

Turffontein 1^st January: The action at the “Big T” on New Year’s Day took place on the old stand side track where the most impressive performance on the evening’s eight race card was that of ROYAL ZULU WARRIOR in the Gr3 Lebelo Sprint. Returning from an 89 week layoff here, the lightly raced son of Mossman sat fifth of the eight during the early part of the race. Once give rein though he quickened well and drew clear in good style to score by three and a half after striking the front 300m from home.

Another to win well on this card was DANISH BLUE in the faster of the two 1160m progress events. Taken straight to the front by the master of pace Pierre Strydom, the improving daughter of Atso led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the 4/10 favourite FERRARI DAWN chased hard over the final 400m she won comfortably by two.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of TEQUILA SUNRISE in winning the maiden plate over 2000m. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, Mike De Kock’s charge raced in the rear form most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though he cut through the field like a knife and won well by two and a half. The runner up SOUTHERN TASTE also finished well from the rear in this race and he didn’t find the clearest of passages.

Titbits

18/1 shot S’IL VOUS PLAIT caused a major upset when beating the likes of Ilsanpietro and Seal fair and square in the Pinnacle Stakes over 2450m.

.

Flying Late

Kenilworth 2^nd January: A maiden plate over 1100m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Wednesday and here we saw a nice performance from the 3yo SOVEREIGNS CAPTAIN. Nibbled at into 5/1 from 8’s at the track, Justin Snaith’s charge raced fifth in the early part of the race just a length off the pace set by the rank outsider of the fourteen horse party BECKETTS PARK. He moved through to take up the running as they approached the 300m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the running on CHESAPEAKE by a length.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by LADY KELPIE in the girl’s maiden event over 1400m. Sent off a heavily supported second favourite at 22/10 (op 9/2), the daughter of Greys Inn was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead 120m out by Karl Neisius and cruised clear late to score by three. In truth Lady Kelpie didn’t beat the strongest of fields here, but the manner of her victory would suggest that there is certainly more to come.

A MR87 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and a little unlucky not to land the spoils here was the runner up NIGHT TRIP. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the course (33/10 out to 15/2), the son of Trippi raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. The winner STONE PINE meanwhile sat close up in third and quickened well when the race began in earnest 300m out. Night Trip had to switch out for a clear run approaching the 200m marker and fairly flying at the finish only failed to get to Stone Pine by a neck.

Titbits

Running on stoutly from the rear, GEORGE NOBLE only failed to open his account by the narrowest of margins in the maiden 1400m.

After being headed 200m out by Lola Bud in the MR82 Handicap over 1200m, the front running odds on favourite CAPTAINOFMYSOUL rallied gamely to get back up in the very last stride.

Sporting blinkers for the first time FOLLOW THE WIND ran on strongly from midfield when opening his account in the maiden 2000m.

.

Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

FASTEST TIMES