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Flying Grey

Turffontein 13^th August: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1160m went to the favourite ROCK THE SYSTEM (16). Backed into 9/10 at one stage from 14/10, Paul Matchett’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on well from halfway and in what proved to be a real thriller she only got the verdict over the newcomer DEA DIA by the narrowest of margins. Keep an eye open for the runner up Dea Dia. She finished very well after being hampered 250m out.

Another odds on favourite to scrape home on this card was HIMALYAN HILL (38) when registering her third career victory in the MR70 affair over 1600m. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Alec Laird’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and having to be hard ridden all the way to the wire, she just held on by a neck from DOUBLE DATE.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR92 Handicap over 2450m and here we saw a very smart performance from the Geoff Woodruff trained FORT PETERSBURG (81). Freely available at 15/1 on the off, this grey son of Fort Wood was content to amble along in the rear during the early part of the race. Just seven had gone to post though and when asked for his effort early in the long home straight, he quickly began to make headway. He struck the front 300m from home and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win by four.

The stable of Geoff Woodruff were also on the mark in the MR90 Handicap over 1400m when the aptly named grey THE WHITE HORSE (75) ran out a very easy winner. Positioned towards the rear in what soon became a strung out field, The White Horse was easily nine lengths adrift as they turned for home. Once in the straight though, he quickened in very good style and fairly flew past the leaders CHECKLIST and MARKET DRIFT 200m out. Effective on both turf and sand, the White Horse won well and is clearly still improving

Titbits

Confidently ridden by Piere Strydom, SACRED TEMPLE ran on stoutly from the rear when winning the maiden event over 1600m and had plenty in hand.

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Champagne Exacta

Kenilworth 13^th August: The 3yo STONE PINE (15) was heavily supported to win the maiden event over 1600m in Cape Town on Saturday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Eventually sent off at even money after opening up at 5/2, Glen Kotzen’s charge was taken straight to the front by Sean Cormack and led throughout. He kept on strongly in the straight and although both WHY WORRY and WING AND A PRAYER chased hard over the final 400m, he never looked like being caught.

Race five on the card was a MR76 Handicap over 1000m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the recent maiden winner PACIFIC BREEZE (37) landed the spoils. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, the daughter of Lithuanian raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 300m and went on to score comfortably from another unfancied runner in FAST ‘N FAMOUS by two and a half. The improving Pacific Breeze has now won two from four.

There was also an upset in the Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m when MONSIEUR DUPONT (70) registered his fourth career victory. After racing in midfield early on, Mike Bass’ charge was one of six in a line going through the 200m. He finished best of all at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the much more fancied CASEY COOL by a length and three quarters.

The Gr3 Champagne Stakes over the same distance topped the bill and in a marginally faster time than that of Monsieur Dupont, STATE BLUE (83) came home smoking. Ridden for the first time by Richard Fourie, State Blue was soon prominent. She was asked to take up the running at the halfway mark and kept on strongly over the final 600m to beat her stable companion DANCE WITH AL (the favourite) by three and a quarter.

Titbits

Running on from the back in the Gr3 Champagne Stakes, the 3yo SUPER ELEGANT did very well indeed to get within four and a quarter lengths of the winner.

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Graduation Double

Clairwood 14^th August: A maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway at the garden course on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the newecomer TORRA BAY (34). Dennis Drier’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although DRUMADOON finished well from off the pace to take second, she did have that one well held at the wire.

The best bet on the card for most was SLIPSTREAM in the maiden event over 1450m, but in the lightly raced IMPERIAL MAGIC (48) he found one slightly better. Anton Marcus had barely moved a muscle on Slipstream when he took up the running passing halfway and at that stage he was looking like a very easy winner. Always in touch though, Imperial Magic threw down a determined challenge going through the 200m and after a thrilling tussle in which they left the remainder behind, he got the verdict by a half.

The easiest victory of the afternoon was recorded by the Charles Laird trained RUBY CARTEL (76) when winning the graduation event over 1200m. Backed throughout the day into even money from 22/10, Ruby Cartel was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by three and a half.

The stable of Charles Laird were also on the mark in the graduation event over 1600m when DRACONIAN (70) landed the spoils. Taken straight to the front by champion jockey Anton Marcus, the son of Falbrav led throughout. He kept on determinedly in the long home straight and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the faster finishing MAGNANIMOUS. Five lengths adrift at the back turning for home, Magnanimous ran on best of all in the straight and can be considered unlucky as he was carried out a little 200m from home.

Titbits

After racing in the rear the friendless newcomer SARATOGA MAGIC (4/1 out to 12/1) impressed when flying up late to take second in the maiden 1450m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

Turffontein 13^th August

Kenilworth 13^th August

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Clairwood 14^th August