Lucky Seven
Fairview 30th December: A maiden event for the girls over 1200m was first up in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here victory went to the deposed favourite CLASSIC VICTORY. Sent off second favourite after her stable companion JOSE GOLD found heavy on course support (4/1 into 17/10), Alan Greeff’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on QUINOA by two and a quarter.
A maiden event over 1600m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Sean Miller trained DOUBLEDANE. On leaving the stalls it was ABYDOS who elected to make the running whilst Doubledane was content to sit in midfield. He quickened well at the top of the long home straight and under a well judged ride from Musi Yeni, he got up late to beat LOVE IS MAGIC by a length and a quarter.
Another to win well from off the pace was ICEMBERG who did the business for favourite backers in the afternoon’s feature event, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m. Easily four lengths off the speedy BANDOL going through halfway, the 5yo son of Hennessy quickened best of all over the final 600m and after striking the front 150m from home, he easily drew clear.
A progress event over 1600m was next up and here the stable of Alan Greeff were again on the mark when the favourite DE LA DANZA did the business. Confidently ridden by Felix Coetzee, the much travelled De La Danza was positioned towards the rear for most of the journey. Once in the home straight though, he soon began to make headway and after striking the front 150m from home, he easily drew clear.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear turning for home, fourth placed LONDON TOWN was running on strongly at the finish in the maiden event won by Doubledane.
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House On Fire
Turffontein 31st December: The action on New Year’s Eve took place on the inner track where the best bet on the card for many LUSIKISIKI (24) duly landed the odds in the maiden event over 1450m. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running as they came off the strip and ran on strongly over the final 400m to beat the well tried BOUJIS by two and a quarter.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by RECONCILE (69) in the pinnacle event over 3000m. Freely available at 11/1 in this her first start since joining the stable of Sean Tarry, Reconcile was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and easily accounted for DREAMY TIMES by three and a quarter.
Race seven on the card was a MR94 Handicap over 1800m and here followers of the money were on the mark when the Royal Academy gelding ROYAL ARROW landed a gamble. Backed into 75/20 from 7/1 at the track, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and after striking the front 250m from home, he comfortably accounted for the nibbled at outsider D J DETZKY by a length and three quarters.
The final event on the card was a MR74 Handicap over 1800m and here the stable of Geoff Woodruff were again on the mark when the former Cape Town campaigner FORT LODGE registered his third career victory. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, the poorly drawn son of Fort Wood raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all and won well after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
After not getting the clearest of passages early in the straight, HOUSE OF WAX was gaining rapidly in the closing stages of the MR100 Handicap over 1450m.
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Five Favs
Greyville 1st January: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Natal on Sunday afternoon when MAJIKAT (21) did the business in the opening maiden event over 1400m. Backed throughout the morning into even money from 5/2, Colin Scott’s charge was positioned in the rear early on. Once given rein though she quickened best of all, and under a well judged ride from Musi Yeni she got up late to score by a half.
Another to win with authority in the maiden ranks was ICE TRIGGER (33) when opening his account over 2000m. Soon up handy, the son of Western Winter raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead early in the home straight and went on to score very easily by four.
The best bet on the card for most was SAGE THRONE (79) in the Allowance Plate over 2200m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Deep in the red at 1/5 on the off, Sage Throne was always in touch with the leaders. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and with some in hand he easily accounted for WICKET MAIDEN by three.
The fourth of five favourites to arrive on the eight race program was DAUNTLESS DELANCE (54) in the MR78 Handicap over 1000m. Positioned towards the rear in what was comparatively the fastest race on the afternoon, Michael Roberts’ charge still had a few lengths to find as they came off the bend. Once in the straight though the 7yo ran on best of all, and in a race where less than half a length separated the first five home, he got up in the dying strides.
Titbits
After being drawn wide and a little slow into stride to boot, SALSABEEL ran on strongly from the rear in the bill topping Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m and only failed by a neck to get to the winner Queen’s Command.
YOU ARE THE ONE was also drawn wide and slow into stride, she too ran on well from the rear when fourth in the maiden event over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (11) No Money No Honey 23 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (15) Goldstream 53 (EW) Race 4: (6) Quickalookee 9 Race 5: (3) Opening Night 42 Race 6: (7) Campo De Santana 57 Race 7: (1) Linda My Love 15 Race 8: (5) Parliament 36 Race 9: (6) Fourth Vintage 50 Vaal (Tues) Race 1: (3) Soul Sister 16 Race 2: (15) Nautical Adventure 27 (EW) Race 3: (4) Howya 23 Race 4: (5) Moongazer 47 Race 5: (2) Elegant Stride 28 Race 6: (4) Al Felon 40 Race 7: (11) Joe Hope 35 Race 8: (15) Ask Me 34 Greyville Race 1: (1) Shark Attack 20 Race 2: (1) Summer Loving 8 Race 3: (3) Sporty Thong 24 Race 4: (10) The Edge 24 Race 5: (5) Live Controversy 56 Race 6: (1) Varsity Belle 47 (NAP*) Race 7: (3) Scotwood 72 Race 8: (10) Mighty Oak 45 Kenilworth Race 1: (3) Dynasty’s Secret 25 (NAP*) Race 2: (2) M’Lords Throat 66 Race 3: (1) Crystal Glitter 6 Race 4: (7) Vicky Violet 51 Race 5: (2) Margaret Court 69 Race 6: (3) Flowing Stars 56 Race 7: (7) Born To Be Wild 78 Race 8: (4) Quite Something 21 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (2) Waltzing Duel 3 Race 2: (1) La Volta 15 Race 3: (2) Candy Cotton 71 Race 4: (1) Furious Dancer 78 (NAP*) Race 5: (10) Crown Heights 52 Race 6: (5) Glamazon 58 Race 7: (12) Rare Distinction 59 (EW) Race 8: (2) Black Aces 21
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Top rated winners last week included
Jolly Poppins won 16/1 Ace Of Hearts won 15/2 Mighty Oak won 15/2 Marvellous Captain won 5/1 Sparkling Sapir won 5/1 Doubledane won 9/2 De La Danza won 28/10 Golden Crest won 18/10.
Notebook:-
De La Danza (A Greeff, E-Cape) House Of Wax (G Woodruff, Gauteng) Sage Throne (C Scott, Gauteng).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category) Fairview 30th December Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Icemberg Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) De La Danza Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Cape Trafalgar.
Turffontein 31st December Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (0) No Qualifiers Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (7) Empenoso Henn Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Reconcile.
Greyville 1st January Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Dauntless Delance Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Mighty Oak Fastest Long 1900-3600 (3) Sage Throne
