Preparing For Summer

Splendid Day Out

Durbanville 17^th October: First up at the country course on Wednesday was a maiden plate for 3yos over 1400m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well supported second favourite NIGHT TRIP. Backed into 28/10 from 7/2 at the track, the son of Trippi was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SUMMER SANCTUARY by a length.

HENRY THE FOURTH was sent off a strong favourite to win the second division of the maiden 1400m and he didn’t let down his supporters. The best bet on the card for many. Joey Ramsden’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 300m marker and won comfortably from the lightly raced SIR ROBERT by a length.

The easiest victory amongst the six maiden plates on the card was recorded by CAPTAIN SIDERIUS in the 1400m event. On leaving the stalls it was one of the rank outsiders of the party TASK MASTER who elected to make the running whilst Mike Bass’ charge raced close up in fourth. He made his move early in the straight and cruised clear to score by two and three quarters after striking the front 400m out.

A MR89 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the easy to back SPLENDID SUN registered her fourth career victory. Freely available at 13/1 on the off, the daughter of Lundy’s Liability raced in the rear for most of the journey. The small field of eight were always tightly grouped though and once in the straight she soon began to make headway. She finished best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny the well supported favourite VICTORIAN SECRET (2/1 into 14/10).

Titbits

Lightly raced ISOBELLA ISLAND didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to take fourth position in the girls maiden event over 1400m.

After being baulked for a run 350m from home, BORDERED IN GREY ran on well in the closing stages of the race when second to Captain Siderius in maiden company over 1400m.

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Improving Nicely

Turffontein 18^th October: They raced on the inner track on Thursday where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1600m went to the second favourite CATAMAGIC. Positioned towards the backend of midfield during the early part of the race Chris Erasmus’s charge made good headway when the field began to concertina coming off the strip and in a race where only a neck separated the first five home he got the verdict on the nod.

Race four on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1450m and here we saw a smart performance from the improving son of Mullins Bay GITIANO (4/1 into 22/10). Confidently ridden by Robbie Fradd, Gitiano sat sixth early on. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the free striding ROCK OF ARTS (7/2 into 3/1) by two and a quarter.

A MR94 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the veteran DIRECTORATE registered his fourth career victory. Allowed to drift right out to 33/1 from 14’s at the track the friendless son of Jallad was taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg and led throughout. He kept on doggedly over the final 400m and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the fancied STRAW MARKET.

The final event on the card was a MR68 Handicap over 1000m and here it was nice to see the Camden Park mare Wollondilly find the winner’s enclosure. Usually seen running on from the rear after being slow into stride, Brian Wiid’s charge broke well here and was soon positioned very close to the speed. She took up the running going through the 400m and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the rank outsider of the thirteen horse party BESAME MUCHO by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

Heavily supported RIVULET (12/1 into 11/2) ran on strongly from midfield when gaining her first win on turf in the MR67 affair over 1800m. Although never near enough to mount a challenge, the recent winner DONA DATIA also finished well in this race.

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102 V 64

Turffontein 20^th October: Racing again took place at the inner track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the deposed favourite WAKA WAKA. Allowed to ease right out to 15/10 from 8/10 at the track as money came in buckets for the exposed GO FOXY (28/10 into 11/10), Sporting Post’s top bet at the meeting was soon up handy. He ran on strongly down the short home straight and after getting the better of the money horse 200m from home, he went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was ALEXANDRA PALACE in the 1800m event. Deep in the red at 1/4 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge raced prominent throughout. His only serious rival in the betting market CUFFLINKS made the first move and on crossing the line that one had the remainder some ten lengths adrift. Alexandra Palace had tracked him throughout though and he went on to score a little bit more easily than the official length and a half margin would suggest after striking the front 150m from home.

The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the novice 1200m when the favourite MERHEE duly obliged. Ridden to lead passing the 300m pole, the son of Elusive Quality kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the fancied GENERAL SHERMAN did make some headway late on, he still had a length and a half to spare at the wire.

The fastest of the four races run over 1200m though was undoubtedly the MR78 Handicap in which the lightly weighted RUBY KING registered his sixth career victory. Despite being a little troublesome at the start, Ruby King got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close up in second. He was asked to take up the running at the top of the straight and easily accounted for the running on DAWN LIGHT by three and three quarters. Interestingly, Ruby King racing off a rating of 64 (rated 102 on sand) was gaining his first win on turf here.

Titbits

More than ten lengths adrift of the runaway pacemaker and eventual winner Formation turning for home, the previously unbeaten CHERRY ON THE TOP was flying at the finish of the MR90 Handicap over 1600m and only went down by a half.

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Just Prepping

Durbanville 20^th October: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Cape Town on Saturday when the Eric Sands trained LA TIGRESSE did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back LADY CLIVIA who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Tiger Ridge raced close up in third. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the well supported WOODLAND GEM by two and a quarter.

Race four on the card was a graduation plate over 1600m and here we saw an impressive performance from the Greg Ennion trained EUROPE TO AFRICA. Third in the Natal Oaks at the backend of last season, Europe To Africa raced seventh of the nine for most of the journey. She was still two lengths adrift of the runner up ACT FAST going through the 100m, but showing a very nice turn of foot below the distance she got up very late to score by a neck.

Topping the bill was the Gr3 Diana Stakes over 1400m and here it was nice to see the once very highly regarded SUPER ELEGANT find the winner’s enclosure. Freely available at 35/1 on the off (op 25’s), Piet Steyn’s charge ran on stoutly from midfield. She came together with the much more fancied COMTESSE DUBOIS 100m from home and in what proved to be a real thriller she only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.

The lucky last was a maiden event for 3yos over 1600m and here the locals were sent home happy when the well supported NOBLE STAR opened his account. Backed into outright favouritism at the track (3/1 jnt  into 15/10), the son of Kahal was always in touch with the leaders. He moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on pair of MAN TO MAN and AUTHENTIC ALBERT who both finished well.

Titbits

The friendless newcomer EPIC TALE (18/10 out to 15/2) ran on strongly from midfield when runner up in the second division of the maiden 1200m.

Gaining at the finish, the odds on favourite CAPETOWN NOIR only got going very late in the MR89 Handicap over 1400m.

Making her seasonal debut over a trip well short of her best, last season’s Gr1 Paddock Stakes winner THUNDER DANCE ran on well from the rear (drawn 15) when fifth, beaten just 2,85 lengths, in the Gr3 Diana Stakes.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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