Booking His Place
Scottsville 18th June:
Mr Winsome booked his place in the Durban July this coming weekend when getting up late to win the Gr3 Track And Ball Derby. Content to race in the rear in what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three 2400m races, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge made his move at the top of the home straight. He ran on best of all over the final 400m, and with the rest some four lengths adrift, he got the better of the easy to back SUN ON AFRICA by a half.
The pinnacle stakes over 1400m was the faster of the two 1400m events and here we saw an impressive performance from the Cape Classic winner TABLE BAY. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 5/2 (op 18/10), Joey Ramsden’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by two and three quarters.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1600m was the boy’s division in which ANCESTRY ran out an easy winner. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the son of Oratorio led throughout. He raced just three quarters of a length clear for most of the journey before asserting his authority over the final 300m to score by three and a half.
Titbits
The lightly raced 5yo DUNDRUM was always in command when easily accounting for her eleven rivals in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Plenty More Of That
Fairview 19th June:
Three of the eight races on the poly track on Monday were staged over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was VARSITY CUP in the MR80 Handicap. Soon at the head of affairs, Alan Greeff’s charge was three lengths clear at the top of the short home straight. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and just had enough in hand to beat the gaining SWEETCHILD O MINE by a neck.
The MR62 Handicap was the faster of the two 1900m events and here we saw an impressive performance from the More Than Ready filly MORETHANTHAT. Confidently ridden by JP Van Der Merwe, Gavin Smith’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She cut through the field like a knife early in the straight and won going away by four and three quarters after striking the front 200m from home.
Race six on the card was a MR66 Handicap and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m races HEARTS ‘R PUMPING caused a major upset. Freely available at 25/1 on the off Tara Laing’s charge raced eighth of the thirteen during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the bend and in a thrilling three way finish he narrowly got the better of APOLLO’S GIFT and PHOENIX RISING.
Titbits
The 5yo CONSONANCE ran on strongly late when registering his second career victory in the novice 1600m.
Blowing Her Trumpet
Kenilworth 20th June:
The going was good to soft in Cape Town on Tuesday where the only distance to stage more than one race was 1200m. The fastest of these was the MR87 Handicap in which the friendless ANNELINE scored a comfortable victory. Easy to back at 14/1 on the off (op 6’s), Glen Kotzen’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 100m and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the front running SCANDOLA by two.
A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and in what proved to be a very false paced affair victory here went to the nibbled at BLACK CAT BACK. On leaving the stalls it was HANABI who elected to make the running whilst Brett Crawford’s charge raced close up in second. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the benefit of first run, he comfortably accounted for the running on favourite SILICONE VALLEY by a length and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by ANGEL’S TRUMPET when getting off the mark in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Sent off a strong favourite at 2/1, the daughter of Querari took up the running 400m out. She quickly drew clear and eased late won as she liked by five.
Titbits
In the rear early on, READY SET GO fairly flew after switching out for a run 300m from home, when getting up late to win the MR71 Handicap over 1200m.
Smart Legacy
Scottsville 21st June:
The most impressive performance in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday was undoubtedly that of LLOYD’S LEGACY when registering his second career victory from just five starts in the MR82 Handicap. Always handy, Dennis Drier’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by four. The fastest of the three 1000m events, this race was run in a time less than half a second outside the course record.
They also ran three races over 2000m and quickest home amongst these was CHROME BLUE in the MR78 affair. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 8’s, the son of Caesour could be sighted at the back for most of the trip. Once given rein though, he quickened best of all and did well to get the better of LIQUID RAINBOW in the dying strides.
Two of the three remaining races were run over 1600m, the faster of which was the middle stakes won by MAGIC MEMORY. Soon nicely positioned in second, the Bold Silvano filly took up the running 300m out and went on to score with authority by three.
Titbits
Headed 450m out after making the early running, RED ENCHANTMENT rallied gamely at the business end of the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1000m and won going away after regaining the lead 100m out.
Twice As Fast
Vaal 22nd June:
They raced on the outside track at the Vaal on Thursday where the fastest of the three 1200m events was the MR66 apprentice handicap won by SNOW IN SEATTLE. Always handy, Barend Botes’ charge ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a race where both the second and third placed runners suffered interference, he won comfortably by a length.
The faster of the two 1400m races on the card was the MR68 Handicap in which BRIGTNUMBERSIX registered her second career victory from just four starts. Allowed to ease out to 12/1 from 7’s before the off, the daughter of Visionaire wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result she raced in the rear early on. She quickened well over the final 400m and in a race where less than a length separated the first four home, she got up late to deny the always handy NITROGEN.
They also ran two races over 1600m and quickest home here was VAR’S YOUR DADDY in the MR68 Apprentice Handicap. Soon up handy, St John Gray’s charge hung badly in the closing stages of the race and in my book was lucky to keep the race after very narrowly beating PATRIC.
Titbits
Always handy, the newcomer HYPERACTIVE won the maiden plate over 1200m with some in hand.
Despite being baulked for a run 300m out, TWICE A DANCER won the maiden plate over 1600m going away by a length and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (11) Widow’s Lamp 18
Race 2: (7) Pepper Dust 4
Race 3: (1) Baffert 6
Race 4: (14) Miss Aphrodite 16
Race 5: (1) Sabina’s Dynasty 17
Race 6: (2) Red Hot Lady 26
Race 7: (2) Clear Sailing 82
Race 8: (4) Vous Et Var 67
Race 9: (7) Ante Omnia 43
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (7) Cosmic Burst 60
Race 2: (1) Spanish Captain 54
Race 3: (5) Royal Badge 88 (NAP*)
Race 4: (10) Kinaan 88
Race 5: (9) Neptune’s Rain 44
Race 6: (11) Varallo 65
Race 7: (10) Nightingale 106
Race 8: (8) Isca 95
Race 9: (1) Al Mariachi 64 (nb)
Race 10: (10) Just Sensual 88
Race 11: (4) Purple Tractor 75
Race 12: (13) Secret Captain 92
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Warrior’s Rest 38
Race 2: (3) Twelve Oaks 26
Race 3: (4) Noceur 2
Race 4: (9) Illegal 16 (NAP*)
Race 5: (5) Fortissima 77
Race 6: (9) Shogun 67
Race 7: (10) Nightingale 106
Race 8: (13) Bay Style 38
Race 9: (4) Teenage Dream 40
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Quarllo 15
Race 2: (1) Villa Del Largo 86
Race 3: (1) Quine 62
Race 4: (9) King Of Aces 42
Race 5: (10) Wicked Kiss 38
Race 6: (10) Nightingale 106
Race 7: (6) Waning Crescent 30
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (8) Outside Edge 8
Race 2: (6) No More Words 13
Race 3: (1) So Var 37
Race 4: (7) Artax 15
Race 5: (2) Kings Creek 7
Race 6: (5) Hunting Owl 34
Race 7: (10) Musical Man 51
Race 8: (3) Never Give In 28
Top rated winners last week included
Dundrum won 72/10
Can Cope won 61/10
Love To Fly won 37/10
Filippo won 26/10
Twice A Dancer won 5/2
Hero Quest won 18/10
Red Enchantment won 8/10
Ancestry won 1/5
Notebook:-
Angel’s Trumpet (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Lloyd’s Legacy (D Drier, KZN)
Morethanthat (G Smith, E-Cape)
Ready Set Go (A Nel, W-Cape)
Table Bay (J Ramsden, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (stand side) 18th June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,30s slow
1200m (2) If Only 69,24
1400m (2) Table Bay 81,68
1600m (2) Ancestry 97,35
2400m (3) Mr Winsome 149,59
Fairview (poly) 19th June
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,34s slow
1000m (3) Varsity Cup 57,24
1300m (1) Larnie 75,90
1600m (2) Hearts ‘r Pumping 95,83
1900m (2) Morethanthat 115,46
Kenilworth (old) 20th June
Penetrometer 24 – G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,10s slow
1000m (1) Love To Fly 61,31
1200m (3) Anneline 73,78
1400m (1) Black Cat Back 86,90
1600m (1) Ben-Hur 101,96
1800m (1) Can Cope 113,57
2400m (1) Hero Quest 153,76
Scottsville (stand side) 21st June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,13s fast
1000m (3) Lloyd’s Legacy 56,14
1400m (1) Cool At Heart 83,14
1600m (2) Magic Memory 95,26
2000m (3) Chrome Blue 119,15
Vaal (outside) 22nd June
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,69s slow
1000m (1) All Night Flight 56,28
1200m (3) Snow In Seattle 69,28
1400m (2) Brigtnumbersix 82,95
1600m (2) Var’s Your Daddy 95,22
