Flash Back
Arlington 5th October: First up in Port Elizabeth on Friday was a maiden event over 1400m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the former Gauteng campaigner RUM AND RAISIN. Having his first start in the province here, Yvette Bremner’s charge was skilfully guided over from a very wide draw by Karis Teetan and duly made all. He was always in command and won with authority by two and a half.
A Conditions Stakes over 2400m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the well supported second favourite INCA’S SPIRIT. Backed into 7/2 from 11/2 at the track, Mitch Wiese’s charge raced towards the rear for most of the journey. The 66/1 shot THUNDERFLASH (a former winner of both the Gr3 Champion Juvenile Stakes and PE Gold Cup) made most of the running and clear of a strung out field entering the short home straight it looked as if he had done enough to steal it. Running on best of all over the final 400m though, Inca’s Spirit steadily made headway and just as if scripted he got up late.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by D’ANGELO in the graduation plate over 1600m. Freely available at 16/1 in this his first outing since relocating from Cape Town, Grant Paddock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and easily accounted for the running on MISTER GONE by three and a quarter.
A MR73 Handicap over 1600m was next up and here we saw an eye catching performance from the Caesour mare VESTAL VIRGIN. Easy to back at 12/1 on course, Vestal Virgin was positioned towards the rear as the sixteen runners swung for home. Once in the straight though she soon began to make headway and did very well indeed to get up in the last stride after encountering traffic problems.
Titbits
THE MAGIC KINGDOM ran on strongly and was very steadily gaining at the finish when runner up in the novice event for the girls over 1200m.
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Link Restored
Turffontein 6th October: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the 3yo son of Right Approach FANTASTIC MR FOX. Sent off third in the betting market at 33/10, Paul Matchett’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by a length and three quarters with some in hand.
Another to win very well in the maiden ranks on this card was SAVAGE WIND when opening his account in the 1800m event. Having only his second career outing here, Joey Soma’s charge (66/1 into 22’s) raced toward the backend of midfield early on. He quickened best of all coming off the strip and after striking the front approaching the 200m marker, he cruised clear to score by four and a quarter.
The two Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge races over 1450m topped the bill. The girls event was first up and here victory went to the lightly raced 3yo FESTIVAL OF FIRE. Allowed to ease out to 9/2 from 7/2 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 100m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the easy to back DEMANDING LADY by a length and a quarter.
The stable of champion trainer Mike De Kock was again on the mark in the boys division of the Gr3 Joburg Challenge when LINK MAN landed the spoils. Best in at the weights the well supported favourite Link Man (7/2 into 28/10) lost two lengths at the start and raced towards the back end of midfield during the early part of the race. Once given rein though, the son of Toreador quickened with all his old zest and under a well judged ride from Anton Marcus he struck the front 120m from home.
Titbits
Racing for the first time since April, the uneasy odds on favourite BROOKS-CLUB ran on well from off the pace when runner up in the novice 1600m.
After losing two lengths at the start PIERRE JOURDAN ran on well from the rear and would have finished much closer to Link Man than the official 3,25 lengths would suggest had he not been hampered 100m out.
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Mixed Fortunes
Durbanville 6th October: Racing in Cape Town on Saturday took place at the country course where sent off deep in the red to win the opening maiden event over 1200m was SURFER GIRL. On leaving the stalls it was THEME SONG who elected to make the running whilst Mike Bass’ charge sat in midfield. Surfer Girl didn’t find the clearest of passages when asked for her effort though and although she was gaining quickly after switching out for a run, she still had a half length to find at the wire.
Race five on the card was a MR74 Handicap over 2400m and here we saw a smart performance from the 4yo Windrush gelding BRITISH BANKER. Confidently ridden by Andrew Fortune, Joey Ramsden’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. He was visibly cruising as he took closer order in the home straight and asked to do no more than was absolutely necessary at the business end of the race he won going away by three quarters of a length. Sadly for connections though, British Banker suffered an epistaxis and will now be suspended for three months.
Another to win well on this card was HILL FIFTY FOUR when landing the afternoon’s feature event a MR94 Handicap over 1600m. Soon in touch with the leaders, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat a wall of horses fair and square.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of PATERFAMILIAS in winning the MR77 Handicap over 1600m. Another to win with authority, Paterfamilias took up the running 100m from home and with some in hand won going away by a length.
Titbits
The newcomer ASHTON PARK caught the eye running on nicely from the back end of midfield when only beaten 2,9 lengths in the maiden event over 1000m.
Even money favourite CAPE ROYAL was finishing best of all when only beaten three quarters of a length in the MR88 affair over 1000m.
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Heading For The Cape
Clairwood 7th October: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway at the garden course on Sunday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the heavily supported BARBOSA. Backed all the way in to 33/10 from 12/1, Dennis Drier’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and easily accounted for the running on KINGSTON BOY by a length and a quarter.
The stable of Dennis Drier were also on the mark in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m when the very promising looking CHAVE DE OURA made it two wins from three outings. Taking straight to the front by Sean Cormack, the top weighted son of Jet Master made all. He led by just a length for most of the journey, but quickened clear with some in hand when given rein 250m from home.
The afternoon’s feature event was a Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m and here we saw a smart performance from last season’s July hopeful WHITELINE FEVER. Allowed to ease right out to 7/1 from 4/1 at the track as money in the main came for the favourite ICE MACHINE (11/10 into 7/10), Sean Tarry’s charge raced sixth of the seven for most of the trip. Ice Machine meanwhile was positioned in fourth and on striking the front 300m out he looked to have done everything right. Running on stoutly down the middle of the track though, Whiteline Fever finished best of all and got up late to win going away by a length and a half.
The not so lucky last was a maiden event over 1450m and here victory went to the nibbled at PILGRIM’S INN (10/1 into 8/1). She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. As they approached the 400m marker though, the heavily supported OCTAVIA took up the running and as the pair quickly began to draw clear from the remainder, she did look to have the upper hand. Pilgrim’s Inn dug deep below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got her nostrils in front in the very last stride.
Titbits
For the second outing in a row CATALECTRIC ran on well from off the pace and he did have the rest some three lengths in arrears when finishing runner up to the talented Chave De Oura.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (8) Nomenclature 17 Race 2: (7) Varuna 15 Race 3: (16) Vail 33 (EW) Race 4: (11) Spring Orchid 82 Race 5: (12) Ozzie Dude 68 Race 6: (15) Imvume 57 Race 7: (2) Celtic Fire 80 Race 8: (5) Secret Quest 44 (EW) Race 9: (1) Royal Treasure 40 Turffontein Race 1: (1) Winged Captain 5 Race 2: (1) Flying Finish 19 Race 3: (1) Colours Of Love 18 (NAP*) Race 4: (2) Sakkie Sakkie 15 Race 5: (6) Cannon 51 Race 6: (8) Virgil Cane 49 Race 7: (3) Fire Wheel 40 Race 8: (10) Torch Singer 82 Race 9: (13) The Who 56 Durbanville Race 1: (1) Testing The Wind 20 Race 2: (3) Rainbow Dash 12 Race 3: (2) Lake Benjamin 11 Race 4: (6) Grey Thunder 24 Race 5: (8) Here I Am 60 Race 6: (10) Mission House 73 Race 7: (16) Whale Cove 48 Race 8: (1) Depardieu 85 Race 9: (6) Princessjacqueline 45 Race 10: (3) Dizzy Feet 17 .
Top Rated Winners Last Week included:-
Beowulf won 22/1 Eye For Emeralds won 9/2 Formation won 7/2 Inca’s Spirit won 7/2 Breathless won 33/10 Fantastic Mr Fox won 33/10 Matilda’s Love won 16/10 Tight Ship won 9/10 .Notebook
Chave De Oura (D Drier, KZN) Vestal Virgin (Steenkamp/Sham, E-Cape) Whiteline Fever (S Tarry, KZN) .FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Arlington 5th October Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Lunar Landing Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) D’Angelo Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Inca’s Spirit . Turffontein 6th October Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) Fantastic Mr Fox Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (8)Festival Of Fire Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers . Durbanville 6th October Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Casual Var Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Hill Fifty Four Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) British Banker . Clairwood 7th October Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Barbosa Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4)Whiteline Fever Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Very Attractive
