Winning Sequences
Greyville 30th December: They raced on both surfaces on Wednesday afternoon. Two of the three races on the poly were run over 1400m and quickest home in these was ROYAL ARMOUR in the opening MR78 Handicap. Now a winner of three from seven, the son of Jay Peg was always handy. He put his head in front at the top of the straight and comfortably accounted for the well-supported favourite FERDNAND THE BULL by three.
The fastest of the three 1400m maiden races on the turf was the second division for the girls in which ART ATTACK got off the mark. Eventually sent off at 6/1 after opening up at 14’s, Ivan Moore’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She was initially ridden to lead going through the 200m and rallied gamely after being headed 100m later to score by a neck.
The faster of two 1200m races on the turf was the bill topping MR95 Handicap in which the top weight LONDON CALL registered his fourth career victory from just seven starts. On leaving the stalls it was AL CIBERANO who elected to set the pace and a brisk one it was too. Reported as lame on the off hind though, Tony Rivalland’s charge slowed quickly in the straight and finished last. London Call meanwhile had raced third and won well by a length after taking up the running 120m or so from home.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, I AM A ROCK ran on well from the rear when winning the maiden plate over 1800m (turf) going away.
Poorly drawn JACK THE KNIFE didn’t find the clearest of passages en-route from the rear when getting up in the very last stride in the boy’s division of the maiden 1400m.
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Comfortable Victories
Turffontein 31st December: Racing on New Year’s Eve took place on the inner track where four of the eight races were run over 1600m. The afternoon’s feature event, a MR92 Handicap was the quickest of these, and successful here was SHEA DEVON. Initially priced up as a joint favourite at 7/2 (sent off 5/1), Geoff Woodruff’s charge was soon positioned close up in second. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and won well from the staying on pacemaker STONEHENGE by a length and three quarters.
Quickest home in the two 1450m maiden events was BAY OF THUNDER in the girl’s affair. She got away well when the gates opened and was always handy. She put her head in front going through the 400m and easily accounted for the luckless MONARCH AIR by two and three quarters. The runner up clipped heels 400m out and was running on very well in the closing stages.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by DANZA when getting off the mark in the boy’s division of the maiden 1450m. Soon prominent, the 8/10 favourite made his move shortly after passing the 400m pole and with a ton in hand he drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four.
Titbits
Poorly drawn PEG O’ MY HEART ran on well from the rear when easily accounting for her thirteen rivals in the maiden plate over 2000m.
Easily ten lengths off the pace at the top of the straight, poorly drawn INTERGALACTIC was flying at the finish (had to switch 200m) when only failing by the narrowest of margins to land the MR81 Handicap over 1600m.
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One Horse Race
Fairview 1st January: The action on New Year’s Day took place on the turf when the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1200m was won by MISNOMER. Always handy, the daughter of Elusive Fort took up the running 150m out and won well by a length and a quarter from the easy to back FOURTEEN. Five of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the Cape Town raider SEA CAT in the bill topping Lady’s bracelet (L). The locally trained KUMIKO set the pace and with Topless chasing she quickly had the third horse some seven lengths adrift. Sea Cat ran on best of all when the early effort took its toll on the leaders in the straight though, and went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
The second fastest of the 1600m events was the novice plate in which we saw an impressive performance from WELSH EMPEROR. Sent off second in the betting market at 28/10, the 3yo son of Go Deputy raced in midfield for most of the journey. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and with an absolute ton in hand went on to score by three and a half.
Titbits
Sixth placed ORCADIAN FOREST was running on well from the rear when beaten 2,85 lengths in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Run Of The Race
Greyville 1st January: Both surfaces were again used on Friday evening where the faster of the two MR70 Handicaps over 1200m on the poly was the first division won by GOOGLE ME. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, Michael Roberts’ charge raced seventh of the ten early on. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten she had DARK ROSE held by three quarters.
The Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes for fillies and mares on turf topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m events on the surface victory here went to the 16/10 favourite OLMA. Confidently ridden by Ian Sturgeon, the daughter of Dynasty was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on LALA by two. The runner up finished well from the rear and did have the rest well beaten.
The faster of the two 1800m races on turf was the graduation plate in which the progressive KILLER WOMAN gained her third win from just six starts. On leaving the stalls it was the uneasy favourite RUN RHINO RUN who elected to make the running whilst Tony Rivalland’s charge sat close up in second. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The 11/10 favourite DURBAN BLUES comfortably accounted for her eleven rivals when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m (turf).
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (7) Zevenastic 4
Race 2: (10) Eviction 15
Race 3: (2) Copper Parade 81
Race 4: (6) Air Belle 14
Race 5: (2) Readytogorightnow 75
Race 6: (8) Simmering 62
Race 7: (10) Fort Kalimenta 38
Race 8: (6) Sail Intotheclouds 47
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (2) Youcanrockme 19
Race 2: (1) Crimson Magic 20
Race 3: (3) Keep On Flying 12
Race 4: (2) Angel Of Mercy 17
Race 5: (14) Ruby Ruby 48 (EW)
Race 6: (9) Machismo 71
Race 7: (11) Eurozone 48
Race 8: (3) African Ruler 63
Race 9: (14) Seven Stars 34
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (2) Extradite 5
Race 2: (1) All Magic 14
Race 3: (6) Star Academy 43
Race 4: (2) Sun Power 13
Race 5: (11) Dance In The Woods 44
Race 6: (1) The Tripster 54
Race 7: (12) Silver Salver 85
Race 8: (1) Honest Ally 16 (NAP*)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (9) Oblivion 15
Race 2: (3) Olive Leaf 64
Race 3: (8) Forever A Lady 5
Race 4: (8) Runalong 25
Race 5: (3) Duke Nukem 67
Race 6: (12) Smartifact 9 (NAP*)
Race 7: (11) Lisnoble 51
Race 8: (7) Silver Matador 54
Race 9: (5) Penteliko 29
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Top rated winners last week included
Kept Secret won 7/1
Misnomer won 6/1
Briar King won 15/4
Sea Cat won 3/1
Brilliant Idea won 18/10
Olma won 16/10
Durban Blues won 11/10
Danza won 8/10
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Notebook:-
Lala (D Campbell, KZN)
Royal Armour (L Forbes, KZN)
Welsh Emperor (A Greeff, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (mixed) 30th December
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1200m (2) London Call 70,79T
1400m (3) Art Attack 85,78T
1400m (2) Royal Armour 83,09P
1600m (1) The Gobi 97,22P
1800m (1) I Am A Rock 112,70T
Turffontein (inner) 31st December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1450m (2) Bay Of Thunder 88,63
1600m (4) Shea Devon 97,53
1800m (1) Rumbling Lion 111,59
2000m (1) Peg O’ My Heart 126,71
Fairview (turf) 1st January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Fort Ozark 56,46
1200m (1) Misnomer 70,03*
1400m (1) Briar King 83,79
1600m (5) Sea Cat 96,94
Greyville (mixed) 1st January
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1000m (1) Kept Secret 58,96P
1200m (2) Google Me 70,62P
1600m (3) Olma 94,68T
1800m (2) Killer Woman 111,22T
