Focal Point
Kenilworth 7th December: Saturday’s action took place on the new course. The maiden plate was surprisingly the quickest of the three 1800m events and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo IT’S COMPLEX. Ridden for the first time by Anton Marcus, the 13/2 shot was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and easily accounted for the always handy THE SECOND WAVE by four and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1400m and in the fastest of these, a MR104 Handicap, the progressive NEXUS again showed a nice turn of foot. Positioned eighth of the eleven turning for home, this talented son of Dynasty battled to find a clear passage when the race began in earnest. Once seeing daylight though he quickened with all his usual zest, and won well, going away by a length.
A maiden plate for the girls over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very easy victory for the 1/3 favourite SING OUT LOUD. Nicely positioned in second early on, Brett Crawford’s charge put her head in front going through the 300m and only having to be pushed out from there onwards, she won going away by seven and a half.
Titbits
Running on from the back, FIRST STREET quickened well after switching for a run 400m out, and did well to get up late in the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
Opening Doors
Scottsville 8th December: As is often the case in Pietermaritzburg, the distance of 1200m took the lion’s share of the races. The non-black type KZN Summer Challenge 1200m Final was not surprisingly the fastest of the three and here the friendless CELEBRATION ROC caused an upset. Freely available at 16/1 at the off, Paul Lafferty’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict on the nod from the running on MARSANNE.
The non-black type River Indigo Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1400m events on the card and here victory went to the progressive MASTER KEYS. Now a winner of five of her ten career starts to date, the Master Of My Fate filly raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened nicely in the home straight and won well by a half from SHE’S A DREAM.
Race two on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1200m and here we saw an impressive debut performance from the 3yo Greys Inn filly INN A MINUTE. Priced up as the rank outsider of the sixteen horse party at 66/1, Garth Puller’s charge was a little slow into stride and raced at the back. Once given rein though she quickened well, and in eye catching fashion got up late to score by three quarters.
Titbits
Positioned fourteenth of the fifteen coming off the bend, poorly drawn SLIEVANORRA quickened best of all in the straight when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1400m with some in hand.
Running on from the rear in the KZN Summer Challenge 1600m Final, GIMME PEACE was continually baulked for a run in the straight before flying up late to finish runner up, beaten just 0,3 lengths.
Just The Four
Flamingo Park 9th December: The MR62 Handicap was the faster of the two 1000m races that were first up in Kimberley on Monday and here victory went to the 4yo gelding GALLAGHER. Now a winner of three from twenty, the son of Var was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly below the distance to beat MUSAYTARA by a length and a quarter.
The other two races that were run before the meeting was abandoned due to an electrical storm, were both staged over 1600m and in the quicker of these JOLLY JOSEPHINE registered her fourth career victory. Backed into favouritism following positive comments from her trainer, the daughter of Philanthropist led throughout. She was always in command and extended her one length advantage to three and a quarter over the final 400m.
Race 3 on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1600m and in a time 1,67 seconds slower than that of Jolly Josephine, ROXY’S RISING STAR got off the mark. Three and a half lengths clear coming off the bend, the daughter of Byword was all out over the final 150m and just held on by a neck from the always handy CRIMSON CASTLE.
Titbits
Having only his second outing since relocating from KZN, SUGAR MAN won the opening maiden plate over 1000m going away.
Weighted To Score
Fairview 13th December: Five of the eight races on the turf track on Friday were staged over 1200m. The MR79 Handicap was the fastest of these and here the column’s top rated selection PARA HANDY caused a bit of an upset. Easy to back at 10/1 on the off, the Rock Of Rochelle gelding adopted a change of tactics and raced handy. He put his head in front going through the 300m and won well by a length and a half from the well-supported favourite VERBARIUM.
JUST MY STYLE was exceptionally well weighted in the pinnacle stakes over 2400m and so it was no surprise to see the Irish Flame mare come home smoking. The best bet on the card for most, Sharon Kotzen’s charge confidently sat in the rear early on. She cut through the field with ease in the long home straight and only having to be pushed out, she cruised in by three and a quarter.
Another to win with authority on this card was EVERMORE when getting off the mark in the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m. Always handy, the 2/1 favourite took up the running 400m out and won going away by seven and a quarter.
Titbits
VOICES OF LIGHT came from the rear when comfortably accounting for his seven rivals in the MR96 Handicap over 1200m.
Jet Finish
Turffontein 14th December: The going was Good on the old stand side track on Saturday where the faster of the two 1400m events was the progress plate won by the 9/4 second favourite CHIJMES. Soon up handy, the son Ato took up the running 400m out. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the fancied APPROACH CONTROL by a length.
The MR92 Handicap was by far the quicker of the two 1600m events and here a bit of an upset was to be had when EMILY JAY registered her ninth career victory. The small field of seven were always tightly bunched and as they approached the 500m pole the race developed into a sprint. Chris Erasmus’ charge kept on determinedly from that point and never looked like being overhauled.
They also ran two races over 1800m the faster being the pinnacle stakes won by the Pathfork mare JET START. GREENWOOD DRIVE set the pace and although Jet Start was always in touch she still had five lengths to find going through the 400m. She ran on stoutly from there onwards and showing a nice turn of foot late she got up close home.
Titbits
Not the quickest into stride, lightly raced CURVATION ran on well from the rear when a 0,9 length fifth in the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (4) Givemeththumbsup 8
Race 3: (4) World Squared 15
Race 4: (1) Sunday Falls 38
Race 5: (1) King Capone 15
Race 6: (7) Tundra 37
Race 7: (3) Aldo 59
Race 8: (14) Lalena 32
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Macallan 11
Race 2: (13) Dark Moon Down 15
Race 3: (12) Slew City 24
Race 4: (8) In Jest 43
Race 5: (11) Je Ne Sais Quoi 50
Race 6: (17) Path To Glory 38
Race 7: (1) Yaas 30
Race 8: (7) Bravo Zulu 44
Race 9: (9) Mashari 51
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Captain Hindsight 29 (NAP*)
Race 2: (6) Urban Oasis 25
Race 3: (1) Wild Thoughts 21
Race 4: (2) Snow Palace 48
Race 5: (7) Keep Smiling 65
Race 6: (6) Spiritofthegroove 65
Race 7: (4) Al Borak 64
Race 8: (8) Lily Starlette 51
Race 9: (3) Eppagilia 15
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Favorita 4
Race 2: (6) Freedom Seeker 22 (nb*)
Race 3: (1) Evening Song 25
Race 4: (2) Morse 24
Race 5: (3) Platinum Class 80
Race 6: (1) Hawwaam 101 (NAP*)
Race 7: (4) King Of Gems 68
Race 8: (8) Hurricane Harry 47
Race 9: (8) Fire Walker 57
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Hardwired 2
Race 2: (13) Captain Of Colour 22
Race 3: (8) Proud Warrior 3
Race 4: (4) Tom Bombadil 19
Race 5: (9) Jalapeno 33
Race 6: (3) Path To Glory 38
Race 7: (7) Calvary 66
Race 8: (9) Wynkelder 82
Race 9: (4) Paper Ballerina 12
Top rated winners last week included
Para Handy won 10/1
Alfred’s Girl won 13/2
Kursk won 9/2
Miss La Dee Da won 9/2
Rille won 4/1
Just My Style won 11/4
Evermore won 2/1
Twice Golden won 17/10
Notebook:-
Gimme Peace (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
Nexus (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Slievanorra (Gareth Van Zyl, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 7th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,05s slow
1200m (1) Sing Out Loud 73,07
1400m (3) Tango With Tigers 88,06
1600m (1) First Street 101,85
1800m (3) It’s Complex 111,50
Scottsville (inside) 8th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,00s slow
800m (1) Harlington Express 46,04
1200m (3) Celebration Roc 69,12
1400m (2) Master Keys 83,60
1600m (1) News Stream 96,67
1750m (1) Twice Golden 110,21
1950m (1) Merlin From Berlin 122,06
Flamingo Park 9th December
Going Standard
1000m (2) Gallagher 56,64
1600m (2) Jolly Josephine 98,61
Fairview (turf) 13th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,96s fast
1200m (5) Para Handy 66,95
1600m (1) Philos 96,47
2000m (1) Double Shuffle 129,33
2400m (1) Just My Style 154,31
Turffontein 14th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,23s slow
1000m (1) Donderweer 57,99
1160m (1) Mythical Bolt 68,16
1400m (1) Chijmes 86,02
1600m (2) Emily Jay 98,68
1800m (2) Jet Start 110,39
2400m (1) Crystal Stream 156,39
2850m (1) The Bosbok 187,38*
