Recently Gelded

Rambo Fastest

Turffontein 28^th July: They raced on the inner track on Sunday where five of the afternoon’s nine events were run over 1450m. The fastest of these was the MR68 Handicap won by RAMBO. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win by five and a quarter.

Three of the remaining four races took place over 1800m and the fastest of these was the MR72 Handicap won by WILLIAM CONQUEST. Initially priced up favourite, Sean Tarry’s charge was allowed to drift right out to 4/1 (op 22/10) at the track. He was always in touch with the leaders and won well by a length and a half after striking the front 150m from home.

A MR90 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and in a time slower than that of William Conquest victory here went to the well supported favourite INDIAN RIVER. Usually one to be found running on stoutly from well off the pace, Alec Laird’s charge broke well here and was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for ANTARCTIC CALL by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

The 3yo PRINCESS LINE won the MR66 affair over 2600m with authority by two and a half.

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Horses For Courses

Flamingo Park 29^th July: A maiden plate over 1000m was first up in the Northern Cape on Monday and here it was nice to see ORIENTAL WAY get her head in front. Making her fifteenth racecourse appearance here, the Way West mare raced in midfield early on. She quickened nicely from halfway and did well to get the better of the recent recruit from Port Elizabeth NOMENCLATURE close home.

Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR66 Handicap won by the former KZN campaigner TURKESTAN. Now a winner of all three starts since relocating to Kimberley, the Not For Sale gelding attempted to make all. He was headed by another former Natalian THE LIVING IS EASY going through the 300m, but fought back gamely in the closing stages of the race to get the verdict by a neck.

At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was registered by HAWKSWORTH when winning the afternoon’s feature event, the non-black type Kimberley Nursery over 1400m. Soon two clear, Corne Spies’ charge was always in command and went on to score very easily by seven.

Titbits

Backed into 6/1 from 25’s, IMPERANI had the rest some ten lengths adrift when running on from off the pace to take second position in the maiden 1600m. 

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Easy For Parisa

Kenilworth 30^th July: The going was heavy on the old course on Tuesday, but that clearly didn’t bother the strongly fancied PARISA when getting off the mark in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Sent off an uneasy joint favourite at 3/1, Darryl Hodgson’s charge raced close up in fifth during the early part of the race. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race she easily accounted for LIFT OFF by two and three quarters.

A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the well supported TERMINATOR. He got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and no doubt aided by his more fancied stable companion M’LORDS THROAT being hampered 100m from home, when running on strongly, he held on to score by a half.

Four of the nine races on the card were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR70 affair won by BONIFACE. Easy to back at 14/1 on the off, Stan Elley’s charge could be found in the backend of midfield early on. She quickened well when given rein at the top of the short old course straight though, and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny FOAM PARTY.

Titbits

SIDECAR finished best of all when running on from the backend of midfield to take third position (beaten just a half length) in the maiden 1600m.

WANDA didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on strongly from the rear to finish second in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.

MAN FROM JAPAN came from the rear when getting up late to deny his stable companion REPERTOIRE in MR84 Handicap over 1800m.

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Fresh As A Daisy

Scottsville 31^st July: Despite returning from a six month break, the Mike De Kock trained AFNAAN always looked to be the right one in the maiden 1400m and so it proved to be. Confidently ridden by Anthony Delpech, the Red Ransom filly was always positioned close to the pace. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won by a length and a quarter with some in hand.

A MR78 Handicap topped what was a rather moderate bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events on the card victory here went to the recent maiden winner WITCH VAR. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, the 3yo son of Var raced sixth for most of the journey. He didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest 400m out and did well to get the better of the front running RACHEL LEIGH close home.

The fastest of the three 1950m races on the card was that in which the Solskjaer filly DAME VICTORIA registered her third career victory. Drawn widest of the twelve, Kom Naidoo’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well rounding the home turn and won very comfortably by two and three quarters after striking the front 220m from home.

Titbits

After losing two lengths at the start, the newcomer STEELWING ran on well from the rear and was only beaten by the narrowest of margins by the strongly fancied odds on favourite Three Wishes in maiden juvenile company over 1200m.

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Winning Gold

Vaal 1^st August: They raced on the sand on the first day of the new season where the opening event, a maiden plate over 1000m, was won by the uneasy joint favourite MR ALFONSO. He got away well when the gates opened and raced up with the speed throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won very easily by three and a quarter.

Race four on the card was a MR67 Handicap over 1000m and in a time slower than that of Mr Alfonso, we saw a very smart performance from the 3yo GOLD PROSPECTOR. Sent off a well supported favourite at 18/10, Paul Matchett’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and despite being eased down late, won very easily by five.

Another to win very comfortably on this card was SPECTROSCOPE in the bill topping MR78 Handicap over 1800m. At the head of affairs before reaching halfway, Stephen Moffatt’s charge galloped strongly down the long home straight and won unchallenged by four and a half.

Titbits

GLOBAL TALK ran on well from the rear when third to Mr Alfonso in the maiden 1000m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES