Pays Well
Turffontein 16th July:
Four of the eight races on the old stand side track on Sunday were staged over 1400m and comfortably the fastest of these was the bill topping pinnacle stakes won by WILL PAYS. Sent off as one of the outsiders of the ten horse party at 30/1, the 5yo son of Imperial Stride wasn’t the quickest into stride when the gates opened, but despite that was soon up handy. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and did well to reel in the free striding pacemaker CAPTAIN ALDO close home.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1800m where the faster of the two, surprisingly, was the MR72 Handicap in which the well-supported TENDRE registered his second career victory. Backed into 5/1 from 12’s during the afternoon, Joey Soma’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front 100m out and comfortably accounted for the easy to back JACKMAN by a length.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by ALFOLK in the Juvenile Plate over 1160m. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, the uneasy favourite led throughout. He raced two lengths clear during the early part of the race and doubled his advantage over the final 400m.
Titbits
The poorly drawn veteran RAMBO ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up late to win the MR72 Handicap over 1400m.
Easy For Dalley
Vaal 18th July:
They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where once again a half of the races were run over the same distance. This time it was 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was LAST GIRL STANDING in the MR69 Handicap. Always one to run on stoutly from off the pace, St John Gray’s charge raced a bit closer to the leaders here in sixth. She ran on well under a typically strong ride from S’manga Khumalo and got the verdict by a neck over the marginally faster finishing QUATTRO.
The faster of the two 1000m events was the MR68 Handicap in which CLAREMORRIS followed up on her recent maiden win. Allowed to drift in the betting market as if a win was out of the question (14/1 out to 25/1), Roy Magner’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. The field was always tightly bunched though and when the race began in earnest she was only five lengths off them. She ran on best of all over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the front running CATALUGA by a length and a quarter.
The 4yo DALLEY was the best bet on the card for most and she didn’t let down her supporters. Backed into the red during the morning, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was content to race 7th of the nine for most of the journey. She took a bump 500m out, and didn’t find the clearest of passages when starting her run. Once seeing daylight though she cut through the field like a knife, and went on to score by two and a quarter with plenty in handy.
Titbits
Sent off a well-supported favourite at even money, the newcomer VICOMTE ran on well from midfield when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate going away.
Roy’s Everywhere
Greyville 19th July:
Favourite backers got off to a nice start on the poly at Greyville on Wednesday afternoon when NORTHERN REBEL did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1000m. Racing in open company in what proved to be the fastest race on the card comparatively, the 2yo son of Rebel King was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and won going away by three and a quarter. Also worthy of note in this race was the newcomer RIVER OF JANUARY who finished third. Not the quickest into stride, Dennis Drier’s charge ran on well from the backend of midfield and didn’t find the clearest of passages.
Another 2yo to win with authority on this card was ROY’S REGIS in the MR62 Handicap over 1400m. In what proved to be the fastest of the three events over the distance, the son of Choisir was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they came off the bend and drew clear easily over the final 400m to score by four and three quarters. Roy’s Regis was the fourth of five winners on the card for owner Roy Moodley.
The faster of the two maiden events over 1600m was the boy’s affair in which the well exposed WINTER MARCHEN got off the mark. Drawn widest of the eleven, Andre Nel’s charge raced in the rear early on. Once in the straight though he ran on best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny another well tried individual in TURF CONQUEROR.
Titbits
Backed into favouritism, ROY’S HOLLYHOCK ran on well from midfield when winning the girl’s maiden plate over 1600m going away.
The Secret’s Out
Vaal 20th July:
Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where surprisingly the fastest of the five 1400m events was the MR69 Handicap won by PACHUCO. Sent off the lessor fancied of Sean Tarry’s two runners at 8/1, Pachuco raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on best of all over the final 400m, and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the 17/20 favourite BOLD COAST by a length and a half.
By far the faster of the two 1000m races was the MR77 Handicap in which SURF’S UP caused a bit of an upset. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the top weighted son of Kahal was always handy. He ran on strongly from halfway and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the front running favourite PILLAROFTHEEARTH.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of the newcomer NOBLE SECRET in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Soon up handy. Mike De Kock’s charge took up the running 400m out and never really asked to race throughout, won as he liked by nine and a quarter.
Titbits
The 4yo LAST GIRL STANDING made it two wins in three days under determined rides from S’manga Khumalo (replacement rider here), when winning the MR62 Handicap over 1400m on the nod.
Nobeatingaboutthebush
Fairview 21st July:
The listed East Cape Paddock Stakes topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Friday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the afternoon’s two 1600m events, we saw a smart performance from the uneasy favourite BEATABOUTTHEBUSH. Soon up handy, Alan Greeff’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and won well by a length and a half from the former Gauteng campaigner SPAN DIE SEILE.
The faster of the two 1000m events on the card was the pinnacle stakes in which EASY STREET registered her eighth career victory. Nibbled at on course into 4/1 from 5’s, the Brave Tin
Soldier mare raced in midfield early on. She ran on strongly from halfway and won well by a length and a quarter from the easy to back ZEVENASTIC.
They also ran two races over 1400m and quickest home here was CLASSIFY in the MR92 Handicap. Sent off a strong favourite at 21/20 (op 2/1), the improving Sail From Seattle gelding was always handy. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and won with authority from the running on grey, KISS ME HARDY.
Titbits
The newcomer ASTISIA was always handy when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m quite comfortably.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) An Air Of Success 14
Race 2: (7) Mr Fire Eyes 7
Race 3: (14) Vanilla Rose 4
Race 4: (11) Gitango Tonight 23
Race 5: (3) Reef Of Fortune 44
Race 6: (2) Kingston Mines 63
Race 7: (14) Bold Aspen 36
Race 8: (10) Invisible Juice 33 (EW)
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (2) Colour Your Dreams 4
Race 2: (5) First Crusade 11
Race 3: (9) Online 36
Race 4: (5) Varbration 65
Race 5: (6) Isca 94
Race 6: (5) Night Trip 84
Race 7: (11) Table Bay 104
Race 8: (1) Nightingale 86 (NAP*)
Race 9: (10 ) Roy’s Kaitrina 22
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (10) Herodus 25
Race 2: (10) Ostinato 14
Race 3: (4) Bendy Bullet 19 (NAP*)
Race 4: (4) Supreme Orator 25
Race 5: (4) Merysagos 21
Race 6: (7) Friendly Tibbs 72
Race 7: (8) South Side 68
Race 8: (4) Sylvanite 69
Race 9: (15) Rocket Countdown 17
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Diamonds Forever 16
Race 2: (9) Roy Is Second 49
Race 3: (2) Gat Henshaw 21
Race 4: (2) Neptune’s Rain 40
Race 5: (3) Folk Dance 37
Race 6: (12) Purple Diamond 47
Race 7: (18) Cape Speed 88
Race 8: (3) Al Mariachi 55
Race 9: (7) Fellow Traveller 81
Race 10: (14) Gasoline 64
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (11) Riding Shotgun 22 (NAP**)
Race 2: (8) Effortless 16
Race 3: (1) Singaswewin 15
Race 4: (9) Hello 12
Race 5: (7) Speed Monitor 44
Race 6: (7) Bold Coast 51
Race 7: (3) Hunting Owl 42 (EW)
Race 8: (1) Queen’s Jet 31
Race 9: (18) Cape Speed 88
Top rated winners last week included
Surf’s Up won 16/1
Tendre won 5/1
Just An Affair won 4/1
Roy Royale won 26/10
Alfolk won 5/2
Roy’s Zara won 22/10
Roy’s Hollyhock won 2/1
Northern Rebel won 19/10
Notebook:-
Beataboutthebush (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Noble Secret (M De Kock, Gauteng)
River Of January (D Drier, KZN)
Roy’s Regis (D Howells, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (old) 16th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,37s slow
1160m (1) Alfolk 68,07
1400m (4) Will Pays 84,97
1800m (2) Tendre 111.09
2000m (1) Polar Vortex 128,75
Vaal (inside) 18th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,33 slow
1000m (2) Claremorris 58,15
1200m (4) Last Girl Standing 70,21
1700m (1) Tiger Jet 106,86
2400m (1) Dalley 150,21
Greyville (poly) 19th July
Going Standard
1000m (2) Northern Rebel 58,63
1400m (3) Roy’s Regis 83,72
1600m (2) Winter Marchen 96,60
2000m (1) Roy’s Zara 124,40
Vaal (outside) 20th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,00s slow
1000m (2) Surf’s Up 57,94
1200m (1) Noble Secret 70,40
1400m (5) Pachuco 82,46
1600m (1) Chapati 98,16
Fairview (turf) 21st July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,14s slow
1000m (2) Easy Street 58,75
1200m (2) Let Her Fly 72,22
1400m (2) Classify 85,21
1600m (2) Beataboutthebush 99,05
