Eleven Golds
Fairview 6th May: They raced on the turf on Friday where surprisingly the faster of the two 1600m events was the maiden plate won by the recent recruit from Gauteng ROAD TO INDY. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10, the 3yo son of Distorted Humor led from pillar to post. He raced just three quarters of a length clear for most of the journey and extended his advantage to two and a quarter over the final 400m.
Quickest home in the two 1400m races was WOW HOLIDAY when winning the MR63 Handicap. Content to race in midfield during the early part of the race Grant Paddock’s charge made his move at the top of the long home straight and went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.
The listed Glenlair Trophy over 3200m topped the bill and here victory went to the top weight CROWN OF GOLD. Winning for the eleventh time in 44 starts, Tara Laing’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running going through the 100m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win with authority by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo Var colt JUAN TWO THREE was always clear when making all to win the pinnacle stakes over 1200m with some in hand.
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Classy Guineas Double
Greyville 6th May: The first of the three Gr2 events to be run on the turf on Friday evening was the Drill Hall stakes in which the 3yo NEW PREDATOR registered his third career victory. Taken straight to the front by Weichong Marwing, the son of New Approach led throughout. He raced two lengths clear for most of the trip, and although the pack headed by TRIPTIQUE were gaining at the finish, he still had a half-length to spare at the wire. After being a little slow into stride, ICE MACHINE ran on well from the rear to fill third position in this race.
The faster of the two Gr2 Guineas races over 1600m was the boy’s affair won by the highly regarded BLACK ARTHUR. A little slow into stride Justin Snaith’s charge raced in the rear early on. He ran on stoutly in the short straight and despite not finding the clearest of passages he got up late to deny the always handy RABADA. As a result of this performance Black Arthur has been installed as favourite to win the July.
The stable of Justin Snaith were also on the mark in the Fillies Guineas where we saw a smart performance from the daughter of Dynasty BELA-BELA. Positioned in the backend of midfield as the fourteen runners turned for home, Bela-Bela was baulked for a run twice in the straight and did very well indeed to get up late.
Titbits
The newcomer PALLADIUM ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win by far the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1400m.
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Progressive Tahini
Turffontein 7th May: A maiden plate over 2200m got proceedings underway on the inner track on Saturday afternoon and here we saw a very easy victory for the lightly raced SILVER STRIPE. Sent off second in the betting market at 18/10, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and with a ton in hand won easing down by a length from the 8/10 favourite AVENTURINE.
The faster of the two 1450m events on the nine race program was the MR88 affair won by the improving 3yo TAHINI. Now a winner of three from seven, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon positioned close up in second. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for SILVER CLASS by a length and three quarters.
A MR96 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here victory went to the 6yo son of Mullins Bay VIKING HERO. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and with the rest some three lengths adrift he beat the running on DREAMUPONADREAM by three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo SEVEN SINGLE only had to be pushed out when making all to win the MR79 Handicap over 1800m.
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Still Rocking
Borrowdale Park 7th May: The highlight across the Limpopo on Saturday was the Gr1 Castle Tankard over 2000m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the former South African campaigner ROCK THE COUNTRY. Sent off as one of the outsiders of the twelve horse party at 50/1, the 7yo son of Western Winter raced towards the rear for most of the journey. Once in the home straight though, he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Hennie Greyling he got up late to deny the improving MATHEMMATICIAN.
The only distance to stage more than one event on the seven race program was 1000m and surprisingly the fastest of these three was the maiden plate won by SUPA WONDER. Having only his second career outing here, the 6/10 favourite was soon up handy. He had to give his all in order to get past the front running newcomer SULAWESI close home and with the rest well beaten he got the better of that one, by three quarters.
Race two on the card was the TBA Sales Stakes for 2yo’s and here we saw a smart performance from the daughter of West Man WYLDE STYLE. Another to race handy, the 17/10 favourite asserted her authority going through the 200m and with some in hand won cosily by two.
Titbits
The 3yo STANDPOINT made up many lengths in the straight when opening his account in the maiden 1700m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (9) Jewel Quest 1
Race 2: (1) Solid As A Rock 8
Race 3: (7) Exploracy 35
Race 4: (1) Flying Peg 11
Race 5: (10) Fiery Goddess 58
Race 6: (1) Tour De Var 37
Race 7: (3) Sarve 48 (NAP**)
Race 8: (1) Cristal Arrow 27
Race 9: (7) Maximo 36
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (11) See You Jimmy 10
Race 2: (12) Seattle Singer 36 (NAP*)
Race 3: (9) Nice Stride 63
Race 4: (6) The Elmo Effect 67
Race 5: (8) Aqua Blue 42
Race 6: (12) Luala 55
Race 7: (8) Master’s Spirit 80
Race 8: (11) Awesome Adam 57
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (4) Gregorian Chant 14
Race 2: (11) Zadora 8
Race 3: (3) Golden Fort 18
Race 4: (12) Fashion Secret 60
Race 5: (11) For Show Me Angel 41
Race 6: (5) Ho’oponopono 61
Race 7: (1) Sabadell 83
Race 8: (15) Bare All 41
Race 9: (3) Streets Of Gold 11
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (8) Side Show 5
Race 2: (3) Kings Creek 4
Race 3: (1) Pachuco 12
Race 4: (1) Rose Water 10
Race 5: (5) Man From Milan 44
Race 6: (6) Boy Boy 53
Race 7: (15) Tobesuretobesure 43
Race 8: (10) Luca Delago 43
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Top rated winners last week included
Riverine Forest won 10/1
Cosmic Burst won 13/2
Kumiko won 11/2
Starflash won 5/2
Al Wahed won 22/10
Wylde Style won 17/10
Road To Indy won 12/10
Supa Wonder won 11/20
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Notebook:-
Bela-Bela (J Snaith, KZN)
Black Arthur (J Snaith, KZN)
Wylde Style (A Bronkhorst, Zim)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 6th May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Sorbonne 57,34*
1200m (1) Juan Two Three 68,07
1400m (2) Wow Holiday 84,32
1600m (2) Road To Indy 99,53
2000m (1) Jam Tart 126,24
2400m (1) Three Trees 154,75
3200m (1) Crown Of Gold 210,71
Greyville (mixed) 6th May
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1000m (1) Great Expectations 58,15P
1200m (1) Cosmic Burst 70,44P
1200m (2) Palladium 73,88T
1400m (1) New Predator 85,35T
1600m (1) In the Moment 97,52P
1600m (2) Black Arthur 98,63T
Turffontein (inner) 6th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Viking Hero 57,60
1200m (2) Spider Flower 71,85
1450m (2) Tahini 87,38
1600m (1) Jewel Of Gibraltar 100,57
1800m (1) Seven Single 112,46
2000m (1) A P Chanel 125,22
2200m (1) Silver Stripe 142,49
Borrowdale Park 7th May
Penetrometer 19 – Going Good
1000m (3) Supa Wonder 58,53*
1200m (1) Newton Power 70,22*
1700m (1) Standpoint 103,03*
1800m (1) Perfect Grace 108,38*
2000m (1) Rock The Country 119,91*
