Quick Compensation

All The Way

Vaal 29^th November: Tuesday’s action took place on the sand where victory in the opening maiden event over 1450m went to the easy to back NIGHT PEGASUS. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Bertie Van Der Merwe’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the much more fancied BELOVED JEAN by a length and a quarter.

The first of just two favourites to arrive (one of them joint) was the veteran ZEBULON in the MR67 affair over 1800m. The 7yo got away well when the gates opened and was always handily placed. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by four.

Race six on the card was a MR92 Handicap over 1000m and here we saw a strong front running performance from the once highly regarded IBROX PARK. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although the unfaniced BLINGLE BELLS, and one of the two joint favourites HIDDEN BEAUTY both chased hard, he went on to score without any anxious moments by a length.

It was a similar story in the final event on the card, a MR76 Handicap over 1450m where the Badger’s Drift gelding MARKET DRIFT registered his fourth career victory. Taken straight to the front by Francois Naude, Paul Peter’s charge led throughout. He was always clear and went on to score very easily by three.

Titbits

CALANISH won the bill topping MR94 Handicap over 1450m with some in hand.

.

Strength To Strength

Kenilworth 30^th November: MOLLY R (9/2 into 28/10 favourite) and the newcomer NIGHT JET (16/1 into 6/1) both found heavy support to win the opening maiden event over 1200m at Kenilworth on Wednesday. Molly R held every chance having raced handy, but it was the first timer that prevailed. Taken straight to the front by Grant Behr, the daughter of Jet Master led throughout. She kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and although DUMANI ran on well from off the pace, she went on to score very comfortably by a length and three quarters.

Race five on the card was a novice event over 1000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Joey Ramsden trained VIRTUOSO. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, the son of Var was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the favourite TIPO TINTO by a length and a quarter.

A MR71 Handicap over 1200m was next up and here we saw an impressive performance from the Mike Stewart trained JEAN’S PRIDE. In a race that looked wide open at halfway, the daughter of Western Winter led throughout. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m and cruised in by five and a quarter.

The Danzero filly ENRANI has been going from strength to strength since shedding her maiden tag in August and she completed a smart hat-trick in the bill topping MR86 Handicap over 1200m here when beating the easy to back KWITIZINA by a length and a quarter. Always up with the speed Enrani took command going through the 200m and went on to score comfortably.

Titbits

In the rear when the race began in earnest, SHIPS MASTER ran on well at the business end of the race and was only beaten a length and a half in the novice event won by Virtuoso.

Although held by the easy winner Jean’s Pride late on, LYDIA LOPOKOVO ran on strongly from off the pace in the MR71 Handicap over 1200m.

.

Smart Maidens

Vaal 1^st December: Thursday’s action took place on the turf where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the second favourite BRIAN’S WAGER (28). A close up third in handicap company last time out, Clinton Binda’s charge was soon up with the speed. He kept on determinedly over the final 200m and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins from the newcomer GOLDEN CREST. Keep an eye open for the runner up Golden Crest. Geoff Woodruff’s charge briefly struck the front after running on from the rear and only lost out on the nod.

In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the afternoon was recorded by TIGER FLASH (41) when opening his account at the first time of asking in the second division of the maiden 1200m. Backed throughout the morning into 28/10 from 14/1, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was always handy. He was asked to take up the running 150m from home and fairly cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to beat CAPITOLINE by five and a quarter. Tiger Flash won well and can only come on for the run.

Another to win in very good fashion in the maiden ranks here was the Sean Tarry trained SCHOONER (29) in the 1400m event. Sent off a well supported favourite at 17/10 (opened 5/2), Sean Tarry’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She quickened well when realising what was expected of her 500m out and after striking the front 200m later she easily drew clear. One for the notebook.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR80 Handicap over 1700m and here it was nice to see the ultra consistent RADIANT ROCK (64) register his fifth career victory. As honest as they come, the son of Rock Of Gibraltar was always positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 400m and after quickly grabbing a two lengths advantage, he just had enough in hand to beat the running on BEAU BOIS by a neck.

Titbits

GUY’S IMAGE broke a bloodvessel when winning the maiden event over 1700m and will now be suspended for the compulsory three months.

Lightly raced PERIGRINE beat the odds on favourite Glorious Jet with some in hand in the second division of the maiden 1700m.

3yo MALAGA-BELLE ran out a very easy winner by three and a quarter in the MR76 Handicap over 1000m despite shouldering a mass of 63kg.

.

Exercise Gallop

Arlington 2^nd December: Three fillies took on the boys in the first baby race of the season in Port Elizabeth on Friday and the most fancied of them RUSH TO GOLD prevailed. Allowed to drift right out to 14/1 on course after being claimed into 5/1 from 8’s in the ante-post market, Alan Greeff’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. She quickened nicely going through the 300m and went on to score comfortably from the 28/10 second favourite TRIBAL PARTY by two.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of INCA’S SPIRIT in the MR85 Handicap over 2400m. Confidently ridden by Wayne Agrella, the daughter of Silvano raced seventh of the eight for most of the journey. She literally glided to the front 250m from home and without her jockey having barely moved a muscle throughout, she coasted in by two and a quarter. Inca’s Spirit never really had a race here and is clearly one to follow.

The non-black type Glendore Sprint over 1000m topped the bill and here victory went to the original second favourite BOB’N WEAVE. Allowed to ease right out to 11/2 from 33/10 at the track, Barry Steenkamp’s charge raced close to the heels of the pacemaker BANDOL for the first half of the race. He kept on strongly when that one’s stride began to shorten 200m out and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the running on ICEMBERG.

A MR70 Handicap over 1000m was next up and here victory went to the unfancied ENDLESS SPIRIT. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the daughter of King Of Kings was always positioned close to the speed. She made her move passing halfway and won well after striking the front 250m from home.

Titbits

In what was a very strung out field in the novice 1800m, the recent maiden winner DETECTIVE BARNABY ran on strongly from off the pace and did well to get within a length of the winner Shujaa. The third horse ROUSED also finished well in that event.

.

Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

.

Top rated winners last week included

.

Notebook:-

.

FASTEST TIMES

.

.

.