Bang On Target
Turffontein 1st May:
They raced on the inner track on Monday where three of the nine races were staged over 1600m. The fastest of these was the bill topping MR88 Handicap in which the A P Arrow gelding TOP SHOT registered his sixth career victory. Shouldering top weight of 60kg, Gary Alexander’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and won by just over a half from the 3yo RAYDAVERIC.
Very unusually they ran two events over 1500m also. The faster of these was the MR84 Handicap won by the lightly raced SIMPLY ROYAL. Making just her third racecourse appearance here, Sean Tarry’s charge adopted a change of tactics and raced from the front. Just three quarters of a length clear for most of the journey, she quickened well as they came off the strip, and despite the efforts of the running on SAMARRA, she won going away by three and a quarter.
They also ran two races over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the veteran TELL MY STAR. Drawn in pole position St John Gray’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the running on TIMEOFTHEVIKINGS by a length and a half. The runner up came from the rear and finished well.
Titbits
A little slow into stride when the gates opened, the 3yo JO MAMBO ran on well from midfield and won the MR68 Handicap over 1500m going away.
Out Of Favour
Vaal 2nd May:
Three maiden plates over 1200m got proceedings underway at Tuesday’s outside track meeting and quickest home in these was the well-tried MIRAFLORES in the girls’ division. Making her seventeenth racecourse appearance here, the daughter of Miesque’s Approval was always handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish she got up late to deny the front running CLAREMORRIS.
They also ran three races over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was AQUABUOY in the first division of the MR66 Handicap. Allowed to ease right out to 17/2 from 9/2 at the track, Romeo Francis’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and in another classic finish he fended off a determined challenge from the 7/2 favourite EL BOMBERO by a neck.
A MR89 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m races, we saw a smart performance from the 5yo ISPHAN. Another to ease somewhat in the betting market (9/2 out to 7/1), the son of Tiger Ridge was soon up handy. He took up the running as they approached the 400m pole and after quickly going clear he went on to score very cosily by four and a quarter.
Titbits
After having to steady for a few strides at the start, the well supported newcomer LET IT FLOW ran on well from midfield and gaining at the finish was only beaten half a length by the improving Best Kept Secret.
Beaten just a neck, the 3yo STARK was baulked for a run between the 400m-200m poles when running on stoutly from midfield in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
Very Promising Debut
Scottsville 3rd May:
The course was running fast in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, where, by far the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR70 Handicap won by the 3yo ROCK OF AFRICA. He raced in midfield early on, but in a field which was always very tightly bunched, he was always poised to strike. He did so shortly after passing the 300m marker and after a thrilling tussle with the Western Cape Visitor CUVARA, he got the verdict by a neck.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on this card was 1400m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by SEA KING. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back Coral Lights who elected to make the running whilst the son of Judpot raced close up in fourth. He was quickly challenged by the well-supported favourite RIVER GARDEN shortly after putting his head in front 250m out and after a titanic battle on the run to the line, he only got the verdict on the nod.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of the newcomer SAND AND SEA in winning a very competitive looking juvenile plate over 1200m. Backed into favouritism at the track, Dennis Drier’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride when the gates opened and raced in midfield early on. Given a patient ride by Anton Marcus, he quickened well when given rein, and did very well indeed to reel in AL MARIACHI (raced 2nd – led 270m). One to follow.
Titbits
Detached at the rear after being slow into stride, and then cramped at the 110m, the supported favourite DARK MOON RISING was then baulked for a run 300m out before finishing third beaten just 2,75 lengths in the MR70 Handicap over 1200m.
Easy Does It
Vaal 4th May: In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the inside track on Thursday was that of MEMPHIS BELLE when getting off the mark in the faster of the two maiden plates over 1000m. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by three and a quarter.
Another to win with authority on this card was ISOLDE in the fastest of the three 1400m events, a MR64 Handicap. Content to amble along in midfield for the first half of the race, Sean Tarry’s charge ran on best of all when given rein and after striking the front 250m from home, won going away.
They also ran three races over 2000m. The MR68 Handicap was the fastest of these and here BONDIBLU registered her third career victory. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, the Sporting Post’s Roving Banker was a little slow into stride after being troublesome at the start and raced at the back. Confidently ridden by Craig Zackey though, she quickly began to make headway when asked for her effort. She ran on best of all in the closing stages of the race and just as if scripted she got up late to deny PEG O’ MY HEART.
Titbits
The uneasy favourite MISSOURI ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1400m.
Detached at the rear after losing two lengths at the start, SEVEN SOVEREIGNS was finishing best of all when a 1,3 lengths sixth in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Flying The Flag
Kenilworth 6th May:
The course was running fast in Cape Town on Saturday. Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by AL WAHED. One of four in a line going through the 200m, the always handy Elusive Fort gelding got the verdict by a half over the 3yo CORTADA.
The faster of the two 1200m feature events for the juveniles was the listed Somerset 1200 for the boys won by DUTCH PHILIP. Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 14/10, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced fourth of six for most of the journey. Only a length and a quarter off the leader though, the son of What A Winter quickly struck the front when asked for his effort and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race, won going away from the favourite KASIMER.
The faster of the two 1600m races on the card was the MR76 Handicap won by PLATINUM PRINCE. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the son of Silvano raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all in the new course home straight, and won going away by two and a half from the more fancied FIRE IN THE BELLY.
Titbits
Baulked for a run 400m out, MAGICAL WONDERLAND quickened nicely when seeing daylight and went on to win the listed Perfect Promise Sprint comfortably by a length.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Nacre 14
Race 2: (7) Brinkley 18
Race 3: (4) Warren Place 3
Race 4: (11) Lotus Elan 54
Race 5: (4) Stormy Eclipse 70
Race 6: (9) Nevada 61
Race 7: (13) Talca 39
Race 8: (1) Silvan Jazz 54
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Toby Coates 11
Race 2: (1) Bono 11
Race 3: (2) Playing Games 19
Race 4: (4) Little Tokoyo 7
Race 5: (3) Ali Bon Dubai 10
Race 6: (2) Swing Vote 4
Race 7: (2) Santa Monica 5
Race 8: (3) Kitty Coo 1
Fairview (sat)
Race 1: (1) Battersea Bridge 6
Race 2: (2) Precious Pansy 26
Race 3: (11) Silver Blade 9
Race 4: (1) Alexis 75
Race 5: (2) Captain Alfredo 79 (EW)
Race 6: (10) Coyote Creek 33
Race 7: (9) Another Night 42
Race 8: (10) Treize 64
Race 9: (13) Trees Of Green 66
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (10) Blackball 26
Race 2: (7) Last Summer 5
Race 3: (9) Trip To Rio 60
Race 4: (1) Team Guys 48
Race 5: (1) Natal 65
Race 6: (1) Royalsecuritypower 61
Race 7: (10) Waltzed Home 92
Race 8: (12) Napoli 60
Kenilworth (sun)
Race 1: (2) Forest Prince 8
Race 2: (8) Miss Katalin 6
Race 3: (5) Strikeitlikeamatch 23
Race 4: (4) Quarllo 11
Race 5: (1) Tevez 95
Race 6: (6) Silvan Star 87
Race 7: (6) Elusive Wave 65
Race 8: (7) My Emblem 62
Race 9: (14) Samsara 14
Top rated winners last week included
Tell My Star won 12/1
Rock Of Africa won 61/10
Memphis Belle won 4/1
Enticer won 32/10
Best Kept Secret won 29/20
Flying Free won 12/10
Walker won 1/3
Wondrous Climber won 1/4
Notebook:-
Let It Flow (M Houdalakis, Gauteng)
Sand And Sea (D Drier, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (inner) 1st May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,20s slow
1200m (2) Tell My Star 71,65
1450m (1) Walker 89,37
1500m (2) Simply Royal 91,05
1600m (3) Top Shot 97,18
2200m (1) Eversilver 141,95
Vaal (outside) 2nd May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,01s fast
1000m (2) Isphan 56,42
1200m (3) Miraflores 70,62
1400m (1) Golden Man 82,23
1600m (3) Aquabuoy 95,10
Scottsville (inside) 3rd May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,63s fast
1000m (1) Timeous 56,37
1200m (3) Rock Of Africa 68,19*
1400m (2) Sea King 83,57
1750m (1) Liquid Rainbow 106,20
2400m (1) Silent Obsession 151,39
Vaal (inside) 4th May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,16s slow
1000m (2) Memphis Belle 57,43
1400m (3) Isolde 83,66
1700m (1) Trellis 105,67
2000m (3) Bondiblu 123,16
Kenilworth (new) 6th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,00s fast
1000m (3) Al Wahed 57,74
1200m (2) Dutch Philip 70,50
1600m (2) Platinum Prince 100,02
2000m (1) Aunt Polly 128,02
