Ready To Improve

Quick Compensation

Fairview 1^st August: The 4yo SOUTH DAKOTA (26) was sent off a strong favourite to win the opening maiden event over 1200m in the Eastern Cape on Monday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Racing for the second time in just four days here, Yvette Bremner’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and did well to hold off a determined late challenge from GUN POINT by the narrowest of margins.

Race four on the card was a novice 2000m and here we saw a gutsy performance from the Fort Wood mare PLAISIR DE FETE (35). Nibbled at on course to go off third in the betting market at 11/2, Plaisir De Fete was taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie and led throughout. She kept on determinedly down the long home straight and found extra when challenged by the well supported second favourite EMERALD DREAM (12/1 into 5/1) close home.

Well supported to win the bill topping MR90 Handicap over 1200m was the rapidly improving VIMY RIDGE (37). Backed into 3/1 from 4/1 at the track, the favourite raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well going through halfway and under a well judged ride from Musi Yeni, he got up late to beat AL CARUSO by three quarters. Vimy Ridge has now won three of his four starts since relocating to Port Elizabeth.

Another to have done particularly well since changing centres is the winner of the MR66 Handicap over 1600m here BIG JOHN (41). At the top of his game having won two of his last four starts, Big John was always in touch with the leaders. He quickened well in the straight and with the rest well beaten, he comfortably accounted for the lightly raced DECEPTIVE by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

Running on stoutly after being slow into stride, FRESH CHESTNUT finished well in his local debut and was only beaten by a neck.

The nibbled at APOLO GREY (7/1 into 11/2) also finished well after being slow into stride and was only beaten a length and a half in the race won by Vimy Ridge.

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Four From Six

Kenilworth 2^nd August: The first meeting of the new season in Cape Town took place at Kenilworth on Tuesday where we saw a nice performance in the maiden event for 3yo’s over 1400m from VIBRANT JET (27). Sent off a well supported second favourite at 33/10, Justin Snaith’s charge went straight to the front and led throughout. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and although the outsider TOBE’S FIRST tried his best to make a race of it, he went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was BORN TO BE WILD 28) who opened his account in the 1800m event. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. Pacemaker NOORDHOEK EXPRESS kept on determinedly in the closing stages of the race, but Bill Prestage’s charge quickened nicely late and went on to win well by a length and a quarter.

Race four on the card was a novice 1000m and here we saw a nice performance from the Caesour gelding ADESTE FIDELIS (43). Backed into 28/10 from 4/1 at the track, Darryl Hodgson’s charge raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened best of all when the race began in earnest 400m out and after striking the front 150m from home, he drew clear nicely.

A MR88 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the improving BARCELONA WINTER (71). Sent off a well supported favourite at 17/10, Yogis Govender’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on RAINBOWINJUNE by a length. Completing a hat trick here, Barcelona Winter has now won four of her six career starts.

Titbits

Easily nine lengths off the pace turning for home, the favourite POLAR BOUND ran on best of all in the graduation event over 1400m and did well to get within a length and a quarter of the winner.

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In Full Bloom

Scottsville 3^rd August: A maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway in Natal on Wednesday and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the most experienced runner in the field NOMAKHANJANI (28) opened his account. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Silvano raced close to the pace throughout. He was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and just had enough in hand to beat the low flying FIRE CURTAIN by a neck. The runner up ran on well late and would have gotten up with a few more metres to travel.

REASON TO BELIEVE was all the rage to win the girls division of the maiden 1200m, but in the Alistair Gordon trained MAIGOLD (24) she found one better. Always handy, Reason To Believe held every chance, but the front running outsider (40/1 into 20/1) answered every call from Karl Zechner and slightly extended her lead in the closing stages of the race.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by BROOKS-CLUB (35) in the maiden event over 1400m. Always deep in the red, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge sat fourth for the first half of the race. He was asked to take closer order going through the 500m and after striking the front 300m out, he drew clear easily in the latter of the race to win by nine.

Topping the bill was a MR92 Handicap over 1200m and here victory went to the rapidly improving favourite COUNTRY ROSE (79). Looking to complete a smart hat trick here, Jeff Freedman’s charge was always positioned close to the pace. He was asked to take up the running 200m out and kept on strongly late to beat the running on ROXIE HEART by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

Despite racing a little green, ROXIE HEART ran on well when second to the up and coming Country Rose and could well improve next time out.

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By A Street

Vaal 4^th August: Thursday’s action took place on the turf where the only favourite to oblige was MACLAINE (42) in the girl’s novice event over 1200m. Backed into 18/10 from 5/2 at the track, Louis Goosen’s charge made virtually all. Her only serious rival in the betting market MALAGA-BELLE did manage to get her head in front going the 400m, but the moment was brief and after quickly reasserting her authority, Maclaine went on to score by a length and a half.

Another to win from the front on this card was SUPER BREAK (53) in the MR72 affair over 2000m. Three lengths clear going the 600m, the gutsy son of Kahal kept up a healthy gallop throughout. He found extra when the improving MARCHING BAND threw down the gauntlet 200m from home and forced to give his all from there onwards, he held on by the narrowest of margins.

At the other end of the scale, the easiest victory on the card was also recorded by a front runner, DREAM STREET (86) in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR86 Handicap over1700m. Three lengths to the good for most of the journey, Dream Street put the favourite QUEEN MIRA (racing in second) under pressure going through the 400m, and at that stage Musi Yeni (third in the jockey’s log last season) had already started looking around for challenges. Dream Street kept on well in the closing stages of the race and without ever having to engage the upper gears, she went on to score by four and a quarter with some in hand.

A MR69 Handicap over 1700m was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the nibbled at outsider TIGRESS (34). Eventually sent off at 10/1 after opening up at 20’s, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in midfield early on and when the race began in earnest 400m out, she didn’t get the clearest of runs. The much more fancied ROYAL WINGS also found traffic problems, but on hitting the front just 50m from home, she looked to have done everything right. Tigress fairly flew once seeing daylight though and under another good ride from the in form Musi Yeni, she got up to deny Royal Wings in the very last stride.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear many lengths off the pace on this her first racecourse appearance, CANTE LIBRE fairly flew over the final 300m of the 1000m maiden event and did very well indeed to get within three lengths of the winner at the line.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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