Rapidly Improving

Franny Scores Again

Clairwood 6^th January: The highlight at the garden course on Sunday was the non-black type African Holly Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the four 1000m events on the card we saw a smart performance from the favourite FRANNY. The only 3yo in the race, Franny led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.

Another to win well from the front was SHEIKINA in the Open Handicap over 2500m. Allowed to ease right out to 3/1 from 2/1 at the track, although still retaining her position at the top of the boards, Sheikina led by a length and a quarter for most of the journey. The well supported outsider PIGEON POWER ran on strongly over the final 400m and did hold every chance. Giving her all though, the daughter of The Sheik kept on gamely and extended her advantage to two and a quarter.

The fastest of the three 1600m races was the girl’s novice event in which the Strike Smartly filly RED BOOK showed good improvement. Soon up handy, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced prominent throughout. She quickened nicely at the business end of the race and did well to get the better of UNIQUE MOMENT who had taken it up 100m out.

Titbits

Drawn wide and slow into stride to boot, QUICK GLANCE came from the rear when second in the maiden 1600m.

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Life Begins At Forty

Flamingo Park 7^th January: SURGING SECRET was the best bet on the card for many in the Northern Cape on Monday and she didn’t let down her supporters. In what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events on the card, the daughter of Surging River was always handy. The easy to back SMART SALLY was the first to make a move and quickly went three lengths clear after striking the front at halfway. Surging Secret quickened nicely at the business end of the race though and with the rest left trailing in their wake, she got up late and won going away.

The non-black type Flamingo Park Sprint topped the bill and here we saw an impressive performance from the 3/1 second favourite ZEZINHO BELO. Taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg Cliffie Miller’s charge led throughout. He was two lengths clear entering the straight and although PISCES STAR, looking to extend her winning sequence to seven, tried her best to make a race of it over the final 400m, Zezinho Belo more than doubled her advantage.  

There were a number of easy victories on the card, but none more so than that of the hat-trick seeking PARIS SYMPHONY in the MR69 affair over 2200m. Unable to find the winner’s enclosure in 23 starts before relocating from Port Elizabeth, Dorrie Sham’s charge also made all. She was three and a half lengths clear turning for home and with nothing running on over the final 400m she cruised clear to score by nine.

Titbits

The 3yo SPACE GIRL made all and won well when registering her fourth career victory from just seven starts in the MR77 Handicap over 1400m.

IBHOLA opened his account at the fortieth attempt when cruising in by seven and a quarter in the maiden 1600m.

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Best Of Six

Vaal 8^th January: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1400m went to BOLD FLASH. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. The front running PARTY MAGIC kept on doggedly at the business end of the race and it was only in the very last stride that the more fancied Bold Flash got her head in front.

There were six 1400m races on the card in total and the fastest run of these was the MR72 Handicap in which the former Cape Town campaigner AIM OF THE GAME registered a long overdue second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was LADY CALUMET who elected to make the running whilst Leon Eramus’ charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat ALJAWHARA by a half.

Race nine on the ten race program was a MR86 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1000m races victory here went to RODEO DANDY. Another to race handy, Dominic Zaki’s charge ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and with the rest comfortably beaten he did well to get the better of the 3yo ZUCCARELLI close home.

Titbits

SHADOW LINE had a ton in hand when winning the maiden event over 1400m very easily by five.

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On The Boil

Greyville 8^th January: Night racing returned to Greyville on Tuesday and with four favourites as well as four runners in double figures finding the winner’s enclosure it was a mixed bag.

The best bet on the card for most, STOWAWAY was the first market leader to arrive. Prominent throughout, the 4/10 favourite was produced to take up the running approaching the 200m pole and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for her stable companion FORTUNY by a length and three quarters.

The favourite also obliged in the bill topping MR87 Handicap over 1400m when the rapidly improving PUT THE KETTLE ON completed a hat-trick. Confidently ridden by Sean Cormack, Dennis Drier’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well at the top of the straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride. One to look out for next time from this race is ARTISTICALLY DONE who finished fifth. Drawn wide, the National Emblem mare lost two lengths at the start and did well to get within a length and a half at the wire.

The fastest of the three 1400m races on the card was the MR69 Handicap in which the biggest outsider on the card LITTLE PRINCESS prevailed. She wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result raced in midfield early on. Once in the straight though she quickened nicely and under a well judged ride from Warren Kennedy she got up late to beat another unfancied runner in BAHAMA BABE by a length.

Titbits

Freely available at 25/1 on the off Mike De Kock’s friendless newcomer SAMHAAN ran on well from off the pace when winning the maiden 1200m.

Beaten 2,5 lengths, SINGING RIVER came from the rear and his rider dropped the whip 200m out when third in the novice 1000m.

RADIO WAVES was running on strongly from the rear when only failing by the narrowest of margins to land the MR74 Handicap over 1900m.

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Four Steps To Heaven

Kenilworth 9^th January: The locals got off to a rough start in Cape Town on Wednesday when the friendless FLAME OF AFRICA opened his account. Allowed to drift right out to 16/1 from 7’s at the track, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was positioned towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well and won by two and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home. Third placed THE HIGHEST POINT came from the rear and also finished very well in this race.

The only favourite on the eight race program to oblige was the four timer seeking HALFWAY TO HEAVEN in the MR90 Handicap over 1600m. Always handy in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m events on the card, the Jet Master mare was ridden to lead going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to fend off a wall of horses headed by IMPERIAL STATE by a neck.

A MR94 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here an upset was to be had when the Mike Bass trained LANCELIN registered his sixth career victory. Taken straight to the front by Bernard Fayd’Herbe the 6yo son of Doowaley led throughout. He kept on determinedly down the long new course straight and although his much more fancied stable companion LAURIE’S GOLD (the favourite) was steadily gaining at the finish, he still had three quarters of a length to spare at the wire.

Titbits

Second placed WIND POWER ran on well from off the pace when only beaten a neck in the MR77 Handicap over 1400m.

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