50% Front Runners
Vaal 20th December: The MR76 Handicap was by far the fastest of the three 1200m races on Thursday and here it was nice to see the 5yo SPORTING MONARCH find the winner’s enclosure. Racing off a mark some 25 points lower than that of his earlier best, the son of Rebel King raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from Piere Strydom, he got up late to deny the front running 3yo INEXHAUSTIBLE.
They also ran three races over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the former Cape Town campaigner NICKY NOO. One of five winners on the card to score from the front, Clinton Binda’s charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by a length and three quarters from the well-supported outsider SWELL TIME (33/1 into 13/1).
Three of the four remaining races were staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the 3yo SEVILLE ORANGE in the MR76 Handicap. Allowed to ease right out to 11/2 from 33/10 at the track, the daughter of Duke Of Marmalade raced fifth in a strung out field. She made her move approaching the 400m marker and won comfortably by a length and a quarter after striking the front 250m from home.
Titbits
Soon clear, the 18/10 favourite VISTULA won the second division of the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m without any anxious moments by four and a quarter.
Outstanding Beauty
Fairview 21st December: Quickest home in the two 1000m events on the poly track on Friday afternoon was CASA DE VAR in the MR60 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni, the daughter of Var led throughout. She was always in command and won well by a length and a quarter.
The two 1300m races were both maiden plates and by far the quicker of these was the girl’s affair won by BELIEVETHISBEAUTY. Deep in the red at the off, the well supported favourite was soon prominent. She put her head in front as they approached the 200m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win going away by five and a half.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these, a MR82 Handicap, was SAO PAULO. Positioned in midfield for most of the trip, the 6yo quickened nicely over the final 400m and got the verdict by a half over the running on SEA BEAN
Titbits
Runner up in the maiden plate for the boys over 1300m, PEKING TYSON ran on from the rear and gaining at the finish was only beaten by a quarter of a length.
Speedy Boy
Greyville 21st December: The opening maiden plate was surprisingly the fastest of the three 1200m races that got proceedings underway on Friday evening and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the favourite HEY BOY. Taken straight to the front by Craig Zackey, the son of Var led throughout. He was always in command and won going away by two.
The MR72 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1600m races on the card and here victory went to the top weight SALTORO RIDGE. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He struck the front at the top of the short home straight and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite THE SULTANS BAZAAR by a half. Beaten less than a length into third, the veteran EMPEROR NIARCHOS ran on very well from the rear in this race.
They also ran two races over 2000m where the faster of the two slowly run MR62Handicaps for the girls, was the second division won by the progressive RED HERRING. Content to sit in midfield for most of the journey, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge quickened best of all in the home straight and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
In the rear turning for home, DUNZIE won the MR68 Handicap over 1000m going away.
From Coast To Coast
Turffontein 22nd December: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where by far the fastest of the three 1400m events was the MR74 Handicap won by the 5yo BOLD COAST. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 15/10, the son of Bold Silvano was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on STREET FLYER by a quarter of a length.
The only other distance to stage more than one event on the nine race program was 1800m where the faster of the low grade handicaps was the MR71 affair won by DEFY GRAVITY. On leaving the stalls it was the Northern Cape raider ROYAL MASTER who elected to make the running, whilst Paul Peter’s charge was content to sit in midfield. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the running on POWERED BEAUTY by a length.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by MISS PINKERTON when making all to win the MR84 Handicap over 1160m. Soon a length and a half clear, Ormond Ferraris’ charge kept up a healthy gallop throughout. She was always in command and won well from the running on favourite REGAL GRADUATION.
Titbits
Now a winner of four from fifteen, HIGH SEAS BEAUTY ran on well from the back when winning the MR79 Handicap over 1400m going away.
7 From 25
Greyville 23rd December: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville. MELA STREGATA in the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1200m was the best bet on the card for many and the 3yo daughter of Scat Daddy didn’t let down her supporters. In the red at the off, Duncan Howells’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead early in the short home straight and although the newcomer EXTRAVARGANT (ran on well from the rear) tried her best to make a race of it, she did have that one held by a length and three quarters at the wire.
Run in a time over 2 seconds faster than the race won by Mela Stregata was the bill topping MR88 Handicap in which the veteran SEA URCHIN registered his seventh career victory. In touch throughout, Garth Puller’s charge ran on stoutly in the straight and in a thrilling three way finish he got the verdict by a quarter. Sea Urchin has gained his 7 victories from just 25 outings.
The two 1600m events were both low grade fillies’ handicaps and in the faster of these the 4yo FULLFILLYOURDREAM completed a quick double. A winner over 1400m when making all on the poly track just nine days earlier, the daughter of Indigo Magic also led from pillar to post here. She was five lengths clear coming off the bend and although SHEZA ROCKSTAR did make some headway from midfield, she still had almost two lengths to spare at the wire.
Titbits
A little slow into stride and cramped 800m out to boot, TOMBOLA ran on well from the rear when a 0,6 length runner up in the slower of the two MR60 Handicaps over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth (fri)
Race 1: (4) Shinnecock 12
Race 2: (4) Cabo Da Cruz 25
Race 3: (3) Destin 30
Race 4: (1) Bella Summer 23
Race 5: (7) Hotel Cipriani 61
Race 6: (9) Coral Bay 77
Race 7: (1) Rose In Bloom 82
Race 8: (9) Ikebana 40
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (8) What A Red 15
Race 2: (2) Miss Honey 5
Race 3: (3) River Thames 19
Race 4: (2) Bunker Hunt 59
Race 5: (4) Platinum Prince 84
Race 6: (1) Cascapedia 82
Race 7: (1) Legal Eagle 94
Race 8: (5) Sheet Weaver 75
Race 9: (14) Meliora 44
Race 10: (9) Metorite 67 (EW)
Scottsville (sat)
Race 1: (2) Hey Delilah 5
Race 2: (13) Pollard 17
Race 3: (2) Genereight 20
Race 4: (5) Archilles 59
Race 5: (10) Bonnie Dawn 58
Race 6: (1) Captain’s Girl 81
Race 7: (5) The Bayou 63
Race 8: (11) Cosima 39
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (10) Sea Air 21
Race 2: (11) Azeeza 3
Race 3: (11) Emily Jay 93
Race 4: (9) Protea Paradise 49
Race 5: (2) Ronnie’s Candy 73
Race 6: (1) Hawwaam 61 (NAP**)
Race 7: (12) Al Danza 93
Race 8: (5) Sabbatical 47
Race 9: (14) Emily Hobhouse 47
Top rated winners last week included
Come The Day won 113/20
Shadow Queen won 10/3
Atyaab won 26/10
Vistula won 18/10
Wonderous Climber won 17/10
Rebel Wilson won 11/10
Mela Stregata won 9/10
Believethisbeauty won 11/20
Notebook:-
High Seas Beauty (D Stenger, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal 20th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,27s fast
1000m (3) Nicky Noo 56,65
1200m (3) Sporting Monarch 69,26
1600m (3) Seville Orange 95,54
2000m (1) Come The Day 123,83
Fairview (poly) 21st December
Going Standard
1000m (2) Casa De Var 57,97*
1100m (1) The Carpenter 64,60
1300m (2) Believethisbeauty 77,19
1600m (4) Sao Paulo 96,93
Greyville (poly) 21st December
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,67s slow
1000m (1) Dunzie 59,45
1200m (3) Hey Boy 71,55
1600m (2) Saltoro Ridge 96,08
2000m (2) Red Herring 123,02
Turffontein (old) 22nd December
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,15s slow
1000m (1) Mr Whatson 57,59*
1160m (1) Miss Pinkerton 68,15
1400m (3) Bold Coast 84,21
1800m (2) Defy Gravity 111,20
2000m (1) Atyaab 125,50
2400m (1) Wonderous Climber 152,96
Greyville (turf) 23rd December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,58s slow
1200m (2) Sea Urchin 71,96
1400m (1) Generous Lady 85,90
1600m (2) Fullfillyourdream 99,17
1800m (2) Tommy Grand 112,76
2000m (1) Chatty Cathy 127,34
