7 Winning Pacemakers
Kenilworth 18th January:
A maiden plate for the girls over 1000m got proceedings underway in the Western Cape on Wednesday and in what proved to be a very good time on the day, the favourite SILK TRIP did the business. Always deep in the red, Andre Nel’s charge led throughout. She was just three quarters of a length clear for most of the journey, before drawing clear in good style over the final 300m to score by four and a half.
Another to win from the front in good time on this card was the recent maiden winner RED GRANITE when completing a double in the faster of the two 1400m events, a MR68 Handicap. Two lengths clear turning for home, Joey Ramsden’s charge kept on strongly in the straight and although WHISPERING LIGHT did reduce the deficit to three quarters, she did have that one held.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1600m was the boy’s affair won by WILDLIFE SAFARI. The third of seven to win from the front on this card, the son of Querari ran on strongly at the business end of the race and only having to be pushed out won very comfortably by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The only horse not to win from the front on this card was FRIENDLY TIBBS. Positioned fifth of six turning for home, this one ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint, and got up late to deny the favourite BIG ED.
Maximising Potential
Vaal 19th January:
The outside track was the chosen circuit at the Vaal on Thursday where three of the nine races were staged over 1000m. Quickest home in these was SECRET STAR when registering her second career victory from just six outings in the novice plate. On leaving the stalls it was WINTER AL who predictably set the pace and going through the 300m it looked like the 5yo mare would go on to make all. The daughter of Pathfork quickened well from there onwards though, and with the rest some nine lengths adrift, she got up late to score by a half.
They also ran three races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the 3yo MAXIMISER. Shouldering top weight of 61kg here, Paul Peter’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride. He was soon well positioned to strike despite that though, and went on to score with authority by two and a half after hitting the front 200m out.
The biggest winning margin on the card was the 2,80 lengths recorded by ANGEL OF LIGHT in the faster of the two 1200m races, a MR68 Handicap. Backed through all rates at the track into 9/2 from 9/1, Erico Verdonese’s charge was a little sluggish into stride, and as a result she raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though she quickened best of all, and drew clear easily after putting her head in front 130m or so from home.
Titbits
The strong favourite GUNSHIP was eased late when comfortably accounting for her eight rivals in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Extending The Sequence
Fairview 20th January:
Friday’s action took place on the turf where three of the afternoon’s nine races took place over 1200m. Very marginally the fastest of these was the MR85 Handicap won by NATURAL TAN. Easy to back at 7/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and went on to score comfortably by a length and a half.
The stable of Alan Greeff were also on the mark when SANCTUARY completed a hat-trick in the MR82 Handicap over 2000m. Sent off a strong favourite in what proved to be a slowly run affair, the daughter of National Emblem was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and only having to be pushed out from there onwards, she won with total authority by two and a half.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the MR68 Handicap won by the former Gauteng campaigner TRICIA DUPONT. Now a winner of two from two since relocating to the province, Gavin Smith’s charge raced fifth for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead 150m from home and comfortably accounted for the running on QUEEN JUSTINE by two.
Titbits
CHINA EXPRESS made up many lengths from midfield when getting up late to open his account in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Baulked for a run 350m out, ANOTHER NIGHT was finishing best of all when third beaten 2,85 lengths in the MR63 affair over 1600m.
Generous Circus
Greyville 20th January:
They raced on the poly track on Friday evening where the fastest of the three 1600m races was the MR82 Handicap won by Sporting Post’s best bet NIGHT CIRCUS. Freely available at 7/2 on the off (R5,20 on the tote), Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly in the straight and after getting the better of his stable companion TANJIRO, he won comfortably by a length and three quarters.
They also ran three races over 1400m and quickest home in these was the friendless veteran SOUNDS POSITIVE (8/1 out to 22/1). Winning for the seventh time in 31 starts here, the 7yo Miesque’s Approval mare was always well positioned to strike. She did so going through the 200m and won well by two from the running on favourite RED MOON AT NIGHT (reported as coughing and something amiss).
Race five on the card was a MR84 Handicap over 2000m and here it was nice to see the once highly regarded PERSIAN RUG find the winner’s enclosure. Third in the prestigious Gr1 Thekwini Stakes back in August 2015, Mike De Kock’s charge was racing off a mark some 14 points below that of her former best here. In a race where there was no real pace throughout, Persian Rug ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint, and she comfortably accounted for KILLER WOMAN by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced HEIR LINE ran on well from midfield when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Silken Summer 11
Race 2: (5) Rake’s Chestnut 77
Race 3: (2) Messageinabottle 8
Race 4: (4) Lady Away 16
Race 5: (4) Bella’s Empire 64
Race 6: (12) Placido 59
Race 7: (5) Kingvoldt 86
Race 8: (9) Auto Pilot 44
Race 9: (17) The Night Away 45
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Momo 18
Race 2: (11) Astroman 44 (EW)
Race 3: (10) Authorice 35
Race 4: (11) Avast 28
Race 5: (9) Patroclus 42
Race 6: (10) Jamal 47
Race 7: (12) Make My Own Luck 60
Race 8: (1) Florrick 25
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (7) Fire Master 77
Race 2: (2) Bank On It 19
Race 3: (3) Puget Sound 19
Race 4: (3) Attenborough 70
Race 5: (11) Just Sensual 86
Race 6: (2) Red Ray 107
Race 7: (1) Real Princess 85
Race 8: (1) Table Bay 74
Race 9: (1) Legal Eagle 101
Race 10: (4) Helderberg Blue 90 (EW)
Race 11: (8) Spirit Of Hamilton 73
Race 12: (4) Adorada 73
Race 13: (13) Amarillo Rose 60
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (4) Imagination 13
Race 2: (3) Brave Knight 15 (NAP*)
Race 3: (4) Helderberg Blue 90
Race 4: (4) Phoebus 30
Race 5: (1) Legal Eagle 101
Race 6: (4) Princess Analia 38
Race 7: (11) Roy’s Zaire 31
Race 8: (11) Trendy Guy 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Riparian 14
Race 2: (6) Belle Rose 51
Race 3: (1) Aspen Shadow 8
Race 4: (6) Fantasy View 8
Race 5: (9) Silken 49
Race 6: (1) Finchatton 76
Race 7: (5) Winter Al 45
Race 8: (4) Zaakhira 51
Race 9: (1) Legal Eagle 101
Race 10: (1) Light The Way 61
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (7) Easy Peasy 14
Race 2: (1) Indian Tractor 16
Race 3: (1) Constantine 13
Race 4: (3) Queen Diva 17
Race 5: (13) New Golden Age 6 (EW)
Race 6: (6) Argyle Bay 51
Race 7: (9) Pirogue 76
Race 8: (2) Barbosa 95
Race 9: (17) Speedjet 37
Top rated winners last week included
Our Miracle won 22/1
Light Chaser won 9/1
Professor Brian won 9/1
Space Tornado won 7/2
Talbec won 5/2
August Duke won 2/1
Sleepinseattle won 18/10
Gunship won 12/10
Notebook:-
Silk Trip (A Nel, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 18th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,82s fast
1000m (1) Silk Trip 58,13
1400m (2) Red Granite 87,00
1600m (2) Wildlife Safari 102,71
1800m (2) Friendly Tibbs 113,75
2000m (1) Field Of Light 131,50
Vaal (outside) 19th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,51s fast
1000m (3) Secret Star 57,03
1200m (2) Angel Of Light 69,17
1400m (3) Maximizer 81,79
1600m (1) Space Tornado 96,13
Fairview (turf) 20th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,13s slow
1000m (1) Via Seattle 58,67
1200m (3) Natural Tan 70,00
1400m (1) China Express 86,38
1600m (2) Tricia Dupont 98,32
2000m (1) Sanctuary 128,64
2400m (1) Eastern Pearl 153,21
Greyville (poly) 20th January
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,18s slow
1200m (1) Galtero 71,15
1400m (3) Sounds Positive 82,40
1600m (3) Night Circus 96,45
2000m (1) Persian Rug 123,68
