Four From Five
Turffontein 1st October: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1800m went to the well supported EBTEHAAJ (23). Backed into 28/10 from 7/2 at the track, Mike De Kock’s charge raced towards the rear during the early part of the race and still had plenty to do as they came off the strip. She cut through the field quickly once in the short home straight though and after striking the front 150m from home, she cruised clear to score by five and a quarter. Ebtehaaj didn’ t beat the strongest of fields here in truth, but the manner of her victory would suggest that there is more to come.
Another De Kock runner to win well after attracting the money on this card was DANZILI EXPRESS (30) who did the business for favourite backers in the maiden event over 1800m. In the red at 13/20 on the off (op 14/10), the son of Dansili was taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech and led throughout. He was always in command and although the fancied CARNABY STREET chased hard in the home straight, he went on to win without any anxious moments by three.
A MR 89 Handicap over 1450m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Silvano filly SACRED FEMININE (63). Allowed to ease in the betting market out to 11/2 from 4/1, Weiho Marwing’s charge was always handy. She moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score very comfortably from the consistent SILENT WINGS by two and a quarter.
The stable of Mike De Kock were on the mark with four of their five runners on this card, the biggest priced of which was BOYLAN BLAZE (56) in the afternoon’s feature event, A MR94 Handicap over 1800m. Freely available at 15/1 on the off (op 8/1), Boylan Blaze was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly in the straight and although the well supported ROYAL ARROW (14/1 into 11/2) finished well from off the pace, he never looked like being caught.
Titbits
After losing a length at the start, BETA ran on best of all in the MR72 Handicap over 1450m and with the rest well beaten he only failed by the narrowest of margins to get to the winner CHILL FACTOR.
Only having to be pushed out to win the maiden event over 1000m, COUNTESS BACARDI cruised in by five.
.
Sheer Guts And Determination
Clairwood 2nd October: A maiden event over 1450m was first up at the garden course on Sunday and here victory went to the heavily supported favourite DAZZ AL (28). Deep in the red at 11/20 on the off (op 8/10), Alec Laird’s charge was soon up handy. The Mike De Kock trained newcomer ALJAWHARA (22/10 out to 4/1) made the running and as Dazz Al moved up to challenge 300m out it soon became clear that she was going to have a fight on her hands. Indeed, Aljawhara fought on doggedly below the distance and with the rest well beaten it was only by a neck that the favourite got the verdict.
A maiden event over 1450m was next up and here we saw a nice performance from the favourite FAIRE SILVANO (32). On leaving the stalls it was the second favourite MOET MAGIC who elected to set the pace whilst Faire Silvano was content to sit in midfield. Moet Magic kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest comfortably beaten it was only close home that the faster finishing Faire Silvano got up.
The afternoon’s feature event was an Allowance Plate over 1450m and here victory went to the Charles Laird trained ICE AXE (80). He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He took up the running going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on FIGHTING WARRIOR by three quarters. Keep an eye on the runner up Fighting Warrior. He ran on strongly after losing two lengths at the start and did well to get as close as he did.
A small but very talented field contested the progress event over 1100m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the unbeaten UNANNOUNCED (73). Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 9/10, Unannounced raced close up in second. His supported stable companion TENNESSEE STRATEGY (7/1 into 9/2) raced just behind him in third and when that one went three quarters of a length up 300m out, it looked as if he would meet his first defeat. Not for the first time though, Unannounced rallied gamely once headed and in a breathtaking finish he got back up on the nod.
Titbits
KALAMI won the maiden event over 1900m going away with some in hand.
SYLVAN VISTA ran on strongly from the back end of midfield when a runner up in the maiden event over 2000m.
.
Flying Gamble
Flamingo Park 3rd October: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in the Northern Cape on Monday when the well supported outsider FLYING WENDY did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Backed into 10/1 from 25’s at the track, the former Cape Town campaigner raced up with the speed throughout. The well tried favourite ROCKABILLY raced with her and going through the 200m it looked as if it could go either way. Flying Wendy quickened nicely below the distance though and asserting her authority late, she went on to score by three quarters.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and in a race where just six runners went to post, the rank outsider of the party WESTERN KING registered his fifth career victory. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, Cliffie Miller’s charge raced second for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running coming off the bend and after quickly stealing two lengths, he kept on strongly on the run to the line to beat the running on duo of SOLOMONS TEMPLE and AFRICAN VISION.
The only favourite on the card to oblige was PAX BRITANNICA when opening his account in the maiden event over 2200m. Allowed to ease out to 22/10 from 17/10 at the track, Sean Miller’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early in the home straight and although VEILED EMBLEM chased hard over the final 400m, he went on to win very comfortably by three and a quarter.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by the costly to follow TRIFOLIUM who rescued his supporters from bankruptcy when landing the MR72 Handicap over 1400m. Positioned in the rear as they came off the bend, the top weight Trifolium was looking unlikely to place let alone win. Once in the straight though, he cut through the field like a knife and after striking the front 200m from home, he easily drew clear.
Titbits
Racing for only the second time since relocating from the Eastern Cape, the What A Prospect mare PICK A POCKET ran on strongly from the rear and with the rest well beaten, she did well to get within three quarters of a length of the winner ED’S ANGEL.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington
Race 1: (1) Brazado 11
Race 2: (1) Asiatic Moon 10
Race 3: (1) Chekeche 56
Race 4: (9) De La Danza 62 (NAP*)
Race 5: (7) Moonshine Lake 51
Race 6: (8) Western Star 65
Race 7: (13) Princess Magic 49
Race 8: (3) High Repute 41
Vaal (Tues)
Race 1: (6) Resounding Success 11
Race 2: (12) The Duke 10
Race 3: (1) Super Boy 23
Race 4: (11) Beloved Jean 13
Race 5: (8) Castanelli 63
Race 6: (6) Howhighcanufly 54
Race 7: (1) Phunyuka 68
Race 8: (4) Ubuhle 46
Race 9: (6) Moon Dragon 49
Greyville
Race 1: (3) Indian Connection 8 (NAP*)
Race 2: (6) Sporty Thong 28
Race 3: (1) Yet Again 20
Race 4: (2) Coffee Sheik 53
Race 5: (4) Aurum 45
Race 6: (5) Gold Onyx 86
Race 7: (12) Trail O’Gold 80
Race 8: (1) Casey Da Lady 68
Race 9: (12) Americas Cup 48
Durbanville
Race 1: (13) Trade Name 1
Race 2: (5) Winter Heart 18
Race 3: (2) Wing And Prayer 13
Race 4: (1) Golden Dane 44
Race 5: (2) Enrani 39 (NAP*)
Race 6: (4) Tiger’s Joy 51
Race 7: (6) Light The Moon 71
Race 8: (3) In Position 42
Race 9: (1) Pale Night 22
Vaal (Thur)
Race 1: (3) St John Bosco 20 (NAP**)
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (5) Star Brite 6
Race 4: (13) Burj Dubai 37
Race 5: (14) Mandulo 44
Race 6: (10) Satish 41
Race 7: (2) Ask Me 34
Race 8: (7) Swing Away 30.
Top rated winners last week included
Boylan Blaze won 15/1
Hidden Rave won 75/20
Ice Axe won 28/10Lord Badger won 22/10
Thembi won 19/10
Sheisapromqueen won 15/10
Dazz Al won 11/20
Largesse won 9/20.
Notebook:-
Beta (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Dansili Express (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Tennessee Strategy (C Laird, Gauteng)
Unannounced (C Laird, Gauteng).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Turffontein 1st October
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) Countess Bacardi
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (8) Chill Factor
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers.
Clairwood 2nd October
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Unannounced
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Ice Axe
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (3) Punk Royale.
Flamingo Park 3rd October
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Flying Wendy
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Trifolium
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Dancing Away