Smart Performances
Scottsville 6th March: The races around the turn at this meeting were switched to the outside track with the distance of race five being changed to 2000m.
A juvenile plate for fillies over 1000m got proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer MYGIRLDOWNUNDER. Backed into joint favouritism at 9/10 during the morning, the daughter of Myboycharlie was taken straight to the front. She was always travelling well and drew clear easily when given rein over the final 300m to score by four and three quarters.
Another to win with authority on this card was NATAL in the faster of the two 1200m graduation plates. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 12/10, Michael Roberts’ charge also made all. He raced a length and a half clear for most of the journey and only had to be pushed out over the final 400m to extend his advantage to four.
The girl’s division of the graduation 1200m was won by the visiting JOAN RANGER. Always top of the boards, Lucky Houdalakis’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running 400m out and won well by two and a quarter from ELUSIVENCHANTMENT.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the MR66 Handicap won by ROY’S TWILIGHT. Freely available at 30/1 on the off, the daughter of Al Miqdaam took a bump at the start and as a result she raced in the rear early on. Once in the straight though, she quickly made headway and under a well-judged ride from Matthew Thackeray she got up late to score by a length.
Titbits
The 12/1 shot HANJI ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1400m.
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Sudden Shock
Turffontein 8th March: They raced on the inner track on Tuesday afternoon where the best bet on the card for many was the well weighted TROPHY WIFE in the allowance plate over 1800m. Always deep in the red, Sean Tarry’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she raced fifth of the six early on. Her stable companion INANINSTANT (in season) made the running and going through the 400m she was two lengths clear. The favourite looked to be full of running when she moved up to challenge 200m later, but try as she might she couldn’t get closer than three quarters at the wire.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 2000m and comfortably the quickest against the clock in these was HIGH DRAMA when doing the business in the MR67 Handicap. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 13/10, Joey Soma’s charge lost two lengths at the start and raced in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the short home straight though, he made up the deficit quickly and won going away by three and a quarter after striking the front 250m from home.
The faster of the two 1450m races was the MR76 Handicap in which HYAKU registered his second career victory. Ridden to lead going through the 600m, Sean Tarry’s charge was marginally headed by the favourite DANZA 250m out and after a thrilling tussle all the way to the wire, he only got the verdict on the nod.
Race five on the card was a maiden plate over 1450m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the easy to back DIVAR. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 14’s, Ormond Ferraris’ charge was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Musi Yeni and made virtually all. He was three lengths clear coming off the strip and barely relinquished an inch of his advantage over the final 400m.
Titbits
Beaten just 0,6 lengths in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 2000m, the lightly raced DETONATION was baulked for a run twice enroute from midfield.
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Very Small Fields
Greyville 9th March: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville. Trainer Dennis Drier saddled four winners on Wednesday afternoon, amongst them SEA FEVER in the fastest of the four 1200m events, a MR97 Handicap. Just six went to post and nicely positioned in third, he was always poised to strike. He did so as they approached the 100m marker and after a thrilling tussle with BEAT THE RETREAT below the distance, he only got the verdict by a neck.
By far the fastest of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1200m was the boy’s affair in which the nibbled at newcomer OVER SURE opened his account. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, the son of Mogok led throughout. He was always in command and although the form horse GINGERBREAD MAN chased hard, he went on to score very comfortably by two.
Quickest home in the two 1400m events was EXECUTIVE POWER in the novice plate. Another to make all the 9/10 favourite kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the other two well beaten, he had MONTE CHRISTO held by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1000m maiden plates was the boy’s division won by MR MCSTEAMY. Returning from a nine month layoff here, Garth Puller’s charge was yet another to make all in a small field. He raced just a length and a quarter clear for most of the journey before quickening clear over the final 300m to score by five and a half.
Titbits
The easy to back OH BOY flew over the final 200m when registering his third career victory in the MR80 Handicap over 1400m.
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Consistency Reward
Vaal 10th March: They raced on the outside track on Thursday where the faster of the two 1600m events was the MR85 Handicap won by FORT MEYERS. Attempting to make all, the uneasy favourite was headed by STREET FLYER 500m out, but after regaining the lead 300m later, he won going away by a length and a half.
The other 1600m event was a maiden plate and here we saw a very easy victory for the 3yo CASHIN. Sent off a strong favourite at 13/10, Ormond Ferraris’ charge was taken straight to the front and led throughout. He was always in command and with jockey Brandon Lerena looking around for challengers over the final 150m, he won with plenty in hand by two and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was POLLY WOLLY DOODLE in the second division of the MR68 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was YAWAYLA AWAYLA who elected to make the early running. RARING TO GO took over 600m out, but when the daughter of Judpot threw down the gauntlet 300m later she could find no extra. Michael Azzie’s charge ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and ran out a very comfortable winner by two and a quarter from OVER IT.
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Top rated winners last week included
Beckedorf won 5/1
Tide Is Turning won 18/10
Zavaroni won 18/10
Joan Ranger won 16/10
Thornbird won 16/10
William Nicol won 16/10
Natal won 12/10
Executive Power won 9/10
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Notebook:-
Inaninstant (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Mygirldownunder (G Van Zyl, KZN)
Natal (M Roberts, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (old) 6th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (2) Dreya’s Gold 56,87
1200m (2) Natal 68,19
1400m (2) Roy’s Twilight 85,23
1600m (1) Missmasala 98,14
2000m (1) Canigao 121,55
Turffontein (inner) 8th March
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Gun Fighter 58,34
1200m (1) William Nicol 73,58
1450m (2) Hyaku 89,10
1800m (1) Inaninstant 113,04
2000m (4) High Drama 123,53
Greyville (poly) 9th March
Going – Rain Affected
1000m (2) Mr Mcsteamy 58,49
1200m (4) Sea Fever 69,86
1400m (2) Executive Power 83,28
Vaal (outside) 10th March
Penetrometer 26 – G/Soft
1000m (2) Defining Looks
1200m (2) Counterstroke/Dennis The Menace 69,93
1400m (3) Polly Wolly Doodle 83,15
1600m (2) Fort Meyers 96,76
