Sprint To The Line
Scottsville 21st June: Quickest home in the three 1400m events in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was PEACE AGAIN when registering her second career victory in the MR75 Handicap. Drawn wide and slow into stride to boot, the 3yo daughter of Ashaawes raced in the rear early on. Once into stride though, she quickened best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to deny the nibbled at OSTERIA.
The ultra-consistent 7yo NITRO NORI recorded the fastest time amongst the three 1600m races when raising his tally of wins to eight in the MR77 Handicap. Another poorly drawn runner to finish strongly from off the pace, the National Emblem gelding struck the front 150m from home and comfortably accounted for the running on ROY’S WINTER PATCH.
The other three races on the card all took place over 2400m and fastest against the clock here was DISCO AL when landing the Gr2 Derby. There was no pace on early and as a result the event effectively developed into a 500m sprint. Running on from towards the rear, Joey Ramsden’s charge quickened best of all and in a race where a neck separated the first five home, he got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
In the rear after being a little slow into stride, CAPE SPEED was continually baulked for a run in the straight before running on late to fill second position in the maiden juvenile plate over 1600m. The winner in this race CELTIC CAPTAIN went clear 400m out and was eased late.
HIGH GAME drew clear easily after making all to win the maiden plate over 1400m by seven.
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Exciting Title Chase
Fairview 22nd June: They raced on the poly track on Monday where the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR64 Handicap, was won by the well-supported LOVE FROM AL. Backed into 33/10 second favourite from 6/1 at the track, Yvette Bremner’s charge was always handy. She ran on stoutly over the final 400m and only managed to collar the Gavin Lerena ridden MAINSTREAM in the very last stride.
A MR80 Handicap over 1300m topped the bill and here the title chasing Lerena was on the mark when WEEKEND TEMPER registered his second career victory. Eventually sent off a strong favourite (15/10) after opening up at 9/2, Justin Snaith’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and won going away by two and a half from the friendless THE CAPTAIN’S CAT (5/1 out to 12/1).
Another to win with authority on this card was MASTERLY in the MR64 Handicap over 2000m. Ridden by the current champion jockey S’manga Khumalo, the son of Jet Master also ran on strongly from midfield. He struck the front shortly after passing the 200m marker and won going away by three and a half.
Titbits
REBEL ROAD (midfield) and FONTENOY (rear) both ran on strongly in the closing stages when 2nd & 4th respectively in the maiden plate over 1200m.
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Scenic Drive
Kenilworth 23rd June: Four of the eight races in Cape Town on Tuesday were run over 1600m and in the fastest of these we saw a very smart performance from the once highly regarded son of Equal Stripes BOYES DRIVE. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (10/1 out to 20/1), Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in the backend of midfield early on. He quickened in good style at the top of the short old course home straight and won going away by two and a quarter with some in hand.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m had been first up and in a time faster than that of the maiden plate over the same distance victory here went to the 9/1 shot PURPLE MOUNTAINS. Glen Puller’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned up with the speed. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won well by two and a half.
Another to win well on this card was the 3yo TOPLESS when landing the MR68 Handicap over 1600m. Always top of the boards in what looked to be a very open affair, the daughter of Exceed and Excel was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won going away by three.
Titbits
FRENNI ran on well from off the pace when getting up late to open her account in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
OVIDIO came from the rear when winning the MR72 Handicap over 2000m going away.
HURRICANE ATTACK drew clear easily to score by three and a half when opening his account in the maiden 1600m.
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Easy Victories
Greyville 24th June: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m was first up at Greyville’s poly track meeting on Wednesday afternoon and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer TOP FORM. Always positioned second in the betting market, the son of Kahal made all. He was always in command and won decisively by four and a half.
There were five races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR80 Handicap won by PRINCE OF MAGIC. Freely available at 10/1 on the off the poorly drawn son of Latino Magic was a little slow into stride and as a result he raced towards the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened well and won very easily by three after striking the front 200m from home. The runner up OCTOBER ELEVENTH was baulked 350m out when running on strongly from the rear.
Somewhat unusually there were a number of very easy victories and none more so than that of PATTY CAKE in the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. There was no pace on in the early part of the race and Patty Cake, initially, was clearly a reluctant leader. Having accepted her role coming off the bend though, she then quickened in good style and went on to score very easily by six.
Titbits
TO LIFE ran on strongly from towards the rear when getting off the mark at just the third time of asking in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Racing in the rear after losing two lengths at the start, MILITARY LEADER was gaining quickly at the finish when only beaten a neck in the MR72 Handicap over 1400m.
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Tactical Success
Vaal 25th June: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where victory in the fastest of the five races run over 1200m went to the well-supported 12/10 favourite KWINTA (op 22/10). Adopting a change of tactics here, the daughter of Kahal led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by four and a half.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile events over 1100m was the boy’s affair won by AL AZRAQ. Another to lead from pillar to post, the son of Toreador led by two for most of the trip. He asserted his authority going through halfway and came home lonely by eight and a quarter.
The faster of the two MR64 Handicaps over 1400m was the first division in which the favourite ARTIC ROUTE did the business. Soon up handy, Dominic Zaki’s charge put her head in front shortly after passing halfway. The recent maiden winner WENDISH challenged strongly over the final 250m and in what proved to be a real thriller the pair could only be separated by the camera.
Titbits
CAPE MARIGOLD ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the second division of the MR64 Handicap.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Misnomer 13
Race 2: (1) Gauteng 12 (nb)
Race 3: (8) Foam Party 60
Race 4: (2) Captain Broadhurst 20
Race 5: (1) The Captain’s Cat 32
Race 6: (4) Antonia’s Fortress 77
Race 7: (2) Red Barrel 75 (NAP*)
Race 8: (16) Rashaad 53
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (13) Samogan 71
Race 2: (10) Boarding Call 56
Race 3: (6) It Is Written 94
Race 4: (8) Wild Ash 75
Race 5: (11) Princess Royal 45
Race 6: (14) Seventh Plain 50
Race 7: (10) Legal Eagle 127
Race 8: (16) Diamond King 94 (EW)
Race 9: (1) Hammie’s Hooker 97
Race 10: (8) Rock Me Var 85
Race 11: (10) Fire Horse 89
Race 12: (13) Royal Pleasure 47
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Prospect Strike 34 (NAP**)
Race 2: (5) She’s A Dragon 12
Race 3: (1) Paris Princess 15
Race 4: (3) Calico Quiver 13
Race 5: (16) Shamal 62
Race 6: (5) Antarctic Call 51
Race 7: (10) Legal Eagle 127
Race 8: (8) Folyle 78
Race 9: (5) Barbel Run 62
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (6) Great Brother 6
Race 2: (2) Catwalk Tease 11
Race 3: (3) Kahal Legal 22
Race 4: (1) Fair Colour 14
Race 5: (1) Fortune Fella 17
Race 6: (2) Pivotal Pursuit 38 (NAP*)
Race 7: (7) Celtic Heroine 53
Race 8: (8) It’sgottobeme 40
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Top rated winners last week included
Light The Way won 6/1
Glamour Gal won 33/10
Vauclair won 33/10
Deo Juvente won 2/1
Gift Of Rain won 15/10
Al Azraq won 13/10
Lightning Bolt won 1/1
Gain Ground won 5/10
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Notebook:-
Boyes Drive (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape)
Top Form (C Laird, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 21st June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1400m (3) Peace Again 83,34
1600m (3) Nitro Nori 96,38
2400m (3) Disco Al 151,06
Fairview (poly) 22nd June
Going Standard
1000m (2) Love From Al 56,96
1200m (1) Lightning Bolt 69,59
1300m (1) Weekend Temper 74,10
1600m (1) Cherry Bomb 96,92
1900m (1) J P’s Prince 116,04
2000m (2) Masterly 120,75
Kenilworth (old) 23rd June
Penetrometer 26 – going Soft
1200m (2) Purple Mountains 72,52
1400m (1) Frenni 88,92
1600m (4) Boyes Drive 100,54
2000m (1) Ovidio 127,73
Greyville (poly) 24th June
Going Standard
1200m (5) Prince Of Magic 70,10
1400m (1) Vavasour 83,12
1600m (1) Noriki 97,28
1900m (1) Deputy Ryder 115,10
Vaal (outside) 25th June
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1100m (2) Al Azraq 64,13
1200m (5) Kwinta 70,03
1400m (2) Artic Route 83,67
