Ready For Santa

Four From Four

Kenilworth 8^th December: The best bet on the card for many in Cape Town on Saturday was DYNAMIC in the maiden 1600m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Taken straight to the front by Sean Cormack, the son of Dynasty led throughout. He was always in command and although GEORGE NOBLE ran on strongly at the business end of the race, he only had to be pushed out with hands and heels to score.

A graduation plate over 1400m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo ALBERT MOONEY. On leaving the stalls it was the well supported COSSACK GENERAL who elected to make the running whilst Justin Snaith’s charge raced some four lengths away in fourth. He set about reducing the deficit going through the 400m and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home.

The first of the two graded events to be run was the Gr2 Southern Cross stakes over 1000m and here we saw another very smart performance from the Var filly VIA AFRICA. A very easy winner of his three latest outings, Duncan Howells’ charge raced up with the speed throughout. She began to assert her authority as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on VICTORIAN SECRET by a length and a quarter.

The Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas topped the bill and here it was nice to see the talented RUMYA keep her unbeaten record intact. She got away well when the gates opened and in what soon became a strung out field was always well positioned to strike. She did so going through the 300m and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on HAMMIE’S HOOKER by a half. The runner up finished very well from off the pace as did the third placed runner JET AGLOW. 

Titbits

ESTIVATION ran on strongly from the rear and made up a lot of ground when only beaten three quarters of a length in the workrider’s maiden event over 1200m.

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Quick Step

Clairwood 9^th December: The Var colt MIGHTY VAR was backed as if unbeatable to win the maiden juvenile event over 800m at the garden course on Sunday and he did duly land the odds. Deep in the red at 1/3 on the off (op even money), Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was very quickly two and a half lengths clear. His pilot started to look around for the opposition shortly after passing halfway and with the remainder some eleven lengths adrift, he went on to beat the second favourite KING’S BAY much more easily than the official winning margin of a length and three quarters might suggest.

Another to win well on this card was the improving NORTHERN EMPEROR when registering his sixth career victory from just ten starts in the conditions event over 1450m. On leaving the stalls it was his stable companion INDABA MY CHILDREN who elected to make the running whilst Northern Emperor was always poised to strike in third. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and after quickly skipping a couple of lengths clear he kept on strongly late to beat the best weighted runner in the race BULSARA by two.

The fastest of the three 1200m events was not surprisingly the KZN Chapter Challenge Final and here we saw a smart performance from the topweight SIDESTEP. Confidently ridden by Kevin Shea, the 4yo son of Mogok raced in the rear for the first half of the race. Once given rein though he quickened well and under a well judged ride from his vastly experienced rider, he got up late to win going away.

Gaining just reward for his consistency in the 2000m Chapter Challenge Final was the 5yo LATIN MAGIC. Beaten by the narrowest of margins when running on best of all last time out, Latin Magic raced in midfield for most of the journey. He once again finished the fastest and in what proved to be a real thriller he won by the narrowest of margins.

Titbits

The aptly named FAST WILLIAM came from the rear when winning the 1200m maiden plate going away.

FOURTH ESTATE also came from the rear when winning the KZN Chapter Challenge 1600m Final.

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Super Six

Flamingo Park 10^th December:

The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of NIGHT FURY in the maiden event over 1400m. Sent off second in the betting market at 4/1, the former Natal campaigner raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and drew clear easily over the final 400m to beat the comparatively lightly raced LEVITATING by six and three quarters.

The former Cape Town campaigner PISCES STAR had recorded the fastest times over both 1000m and 1200m in the Northern Cape in recent months and so it was no surprise to see him extend his winning sequence to six, especially as he was best in at the weights in the pinnacle stakes over 1000m. Confidently ridden by Musi Yeni, Pisces Star put his head in front going through the 300m and with some in hand he easily accounted for his stable companion SURGING SECRET (amazingly priced up as favourite when the betting opened) by two and a quarter.

There were three 1400m events on the card and the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes in which the well supported favourite JACK DAN did the business. Backed into 17/10 from 28/10 at the track, the 7yo son of Joshua Dancer broke well and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and although his fellow topweight EYE OF THE WORLD was gaining at the finish, he still had a half length in hand at the wire.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of CLAVERHOUSE in winning the MR84 Handicap over 1800m. The fourth of five winning favourites to score on the nine race program, the 5yo son of Victory Moon also made all. He kept on determinedly in the home straight and despite the efforts of the strongly fancied DYNAMIC DYNASTY, he ran out an easy winner by three and a quarter.

Titbits

After racing detached at the rear FANCY SOME FRENCH (1^st) and VANDERCAMANDER (3^rd) both ran on well in the MR72 Handicap over 1400m.

CLEARLY KEEN ran on strongly from the rear when only failing by a neck to land the MR63 Handicap over 1200m.

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Seven From Fifteen

Vaal 11^th December: Thursday’s action at the Vaal took place on the turf (inside track) where we saw a very easy victory in the workriders’ maiden event over 1200m for MAKE MY MAJESTY. Allowed to ease out to 33/10 from 28/10 at the track as money came for the favourite DISTINCTLY (15/10 into 9/10), Romeo Francis’ charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and after his rider Siyabonga Duma cheekily looked around for challenges 100m later, he went on to score very cosily by two and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was KINGS BOUNTY in the girl’s 1200m event. The first of three winners on the card for jockey’s log leader Pierre Strydom, the daughter of King Of Kings raced towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened well and won easily going away after striking the front 150m from home.

Somewhat surprisingly for the Vaal five of the nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR91 Handicap in which MYTHICAL PALACE recorded his seventh success from just fifteen starts. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He quickened in eye catching fashion going through the 300m and after getting the better of the in form ROMEOS REWARD 100m later, he drew clear nicely late to score by three.

The Jackpot paid almost R30000 and the biggest contributor to this was the victory of STYLE SECRET in the MR70 Handicap over 2400m. Freely available at 50/1 on the off, Leon Erasmus’ charge was content to sit in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and just held on by a half length from the faster finishing NEON TIGER after hitting the front 150m out.

Titbits

After losing four lengths at the start, AL BLING ran on from the rear and was only beaten by two and a quarter lengths when third in the novice 1700m. Once rated 77 by the official handicapper, Al Bling is currently racing off a mark of just 56 and on this effort will clearly be well weighted when next racing in handicap company.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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