Negating The Draw
Scottsville 1st March: Just 32/100th of a second separated the winners of the three 1400m races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and in the fastest of these, the MR78 Handicap, the 4yo son of Crusade ANTIGONUS registered his third career victory. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Calvin Habib, Antigonus raced second in what soon became a very strung out field. He put his head in front going through the 200m and although QUICK STAR was gaining at the finish, he won comfortably by a length.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the heavily supported newcomer COOL RUNNINGS. In the red at the off Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly from halfway and won well by two from another running on newcomer in GREEN PHANTOM.
In terms of prizemoney a pinnacle stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here another odds on favourite did the business in the form of CHANTYMAN. Now a winner of seven from nineteen, Dennis Bosch’s charge also raced in midfield. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride he got up close home to beat the well weighted (on earlier form) CAPTAIN’S GIRL.
Titbits
The 6yo WYNKELDER ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up late to land the non-black type Fever Tree Stakes over 1500m.
Diamond Sparkles
Fairview 2nd March: They raced on the poly track on Monday where four of the eight races were staged over 1300m. The bill topping MR92 Handicap was the fastest of these and here the former Gauteng campaigner PURPLE DIAMOND registered his fifth career victory. Now with Alan Greeff, this 5yo Var gelding was soon up handy. He moved up to tackle the front running THE HIGHWAY MAN 200m out, and with the rest left trailing in their wake as they battled all the way to the wire, he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
1200m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in the faster of the two, a MR82 Handicap, victory went to the joint top weight DI ME. Always handy, Tara Laing’s charge took up the running 150m out and with the rest well beaten he held on by a half from the running on CAPTAIN’S PRINCESS.
There were also a number of very easy victories on the card and none more so than that of LEPRECHAUN when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1200m. At the head of affairs throughout, the 3yo Silvano gelding held just a slender lead for most of the journey. Once given rein though, he quickly sped clear and came home lonely by six.
Titbits
Making her first appearance since relocating from the Western Cape, FORGET O’ GIRLS showed a nice turn of foot below the distance when winning the maiden plate over 1300m going away.
Many A True Word
Vaal 3rd March: The easiest victory in the soft going at the classic track on Tuesday was that of TRUE WORDS when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1450m. Taken straight to the front in what proved to be the fastest of the three events over the distance, Corne Spies’ charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by three and three quarters from the running on favourite SHORTSTOP (drawn widest of the thirteen).
The MR91 Handicap was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1800m events and here victory went to the St John Gray trained JIVE EXPRESS. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the daughter of Modus Vivendi raced fifth during the early part of the race. She ran on well down the long home straight and comfortably accounted for the front running JAMRA after striking the front 100m from home.
A MR92 Handicap was the only race to take place down the 1000m straight and here the Var filly ALL OF ME gained her seventh career victory. A winner of three of her last five coming into the race, All Of Me was soon in touch with the leaders. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a three way finish she got the verdict by a half.
Titbits
Having only her third career start here the 3yo ABDUL (15/2 into 5/1) ran on well from the rear when a length and a quarter runner up in the maiden plate over 1800m.
Time Bomb
Greyville 4th March: A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m was first up on Wednesday’s poly track card and here we saw a smart debut performance from the Oratorio filly LOVE BOMB. Easy to back at 18/1 on the off, Frank Robinson’s charge was a little slow into stride and raced in the rear early on. She cut through the field like a knife in the short home straight and won going away by four and a quarter after striking the front 250m from home.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1200m and in by far the fastest of these, a MR97 Handicap, the sparingly raced 4yo MR FITZ registered his third career victory. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 18/10, Shane Humby’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the running on DRUNKEN SAILOR by a half.
Much the quicker of the two 1400m events was the MR69 Handicap won by FINAL ASSEMBLY. Sent off third in the betting market at 11/2, this 5yo son of Pathfork raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all when the race developed into a sprint at the top of the short home straight, and got up late to beat the lightly weighted VIKING RED by three quarters.
Titbits
LEARNING TO FLY and TRANSONIC both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 2nd respectfully in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Rapid Surprise
Vaal 5th March: A half of the races at the Vaal on Thursday were staged over 1600m. A Graduation Plate was the fastest of the four and here victory went to the Sean Tarry trained FLASH BURN. Up with the speed throughout, the son of Byword kept on strongly at the business end of the race, and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at outsider, WAR JEWEL by two and three quarters.
Three of the four remaining races took place over 1000m and in the fastest of these, also a graduation plate, the 3yo BEFORE THE DAWN registered her third career victory. Soon up handy, Ashley Fortune’s charge was ridden to lead 250m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the always handy EMERALD TIARA by four and a half.
A maiden plate over 1200m made up the day’s fare and here it was nice to see DOUBLETHINK gain a well-overdue first success. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front going through the 200m and with the rest some six lengths adrift, he fended off a determined challenge from the 19/10 favourite DUCHESS OF WINDSOR by three quarters.
Titbits
After racing handy the friendless newcomer RAPID FIRE won the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1000m very comfortably by two and a quarter.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Bold Linngari 13 (nb)
Race 2: (1) Princess Rebel 84
Race 3: (2) Hollywood Thunder 10
Race 4: (4) Ultra Boost 41
Race 5: (5) Microbe 37
Race 6: (1) Sir Frenchie 76 (NAP**)
Race 7: (1) Evening Song 25
Race 8: (10) Close To My Heart 46
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Karnallie 26
Race 2: (4) Rabbedoe 24
Race 3: (1) Rock You 30
Race 4: (2) Look To The Sky 66
Race 5: (7) Master Supreme 57 (NAP**)
Race 6: (1) Pomander 51
Race 7: (6) Romi’s Boy 93
Race 8: (3) Green Plains 83
Race 9: (2) Sunshine Silk 65
Race 10: (5) Dogliotti 19
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (14) Unbroken Promises 5
Race 2: (5) Lady Catherine 12
Race 3: (2) Meet At The George 21 (NAP*)
Race 4: (4) Savea 62
Race 5: (5) Secret Depths 61
Race 6: (3) Hammie’s Fan 49
Race 7: (3) Path Of Choice 50
Race 8: (9) Jj The Wolf 24
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Cassius Colt 16
Race 2: (14) Ruby Cove 20
Race 3: (11) Janice’s Secret 38
Race 4: (1) Just One More 34
Race 5: (5) Gentleman’s Wager 56
Race 6: (8) Yaas 36
Race 7: (1) Mount Anderson 67 (NAP*)
Race 8: (13) Roy’s Magic 54
Top rated winners last week included
Arizona Sunset won 8/1
Doublethink won 43/20
Elusive Woman won 43/20
Cozy Dot Com won 21/10
Winter Sun won 21/10
Bella Rosa won 2/1
Retail Therapy won 14/10
Forget O’ Girls won 11/10
Notebook:-
Cool Runnings (D Kannemeyer, KZN)
Love Bomb (F Robinson, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 1st March
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,90s slow
1000m (1) Chantyman 56,56
1200m (1) Cool Runnings 71,10
1400m (3) Antigonus 84,03
1500m (1) Wynkelder 89,14
1750m (1) Masters Beauty 108,98
1950m (1) Arizona Sunset 121,05
Fairview (poly) 2nd March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,20s fast
1000m (1) Miss Orange 57,93
1200m (2) Di Me 69,52
1300m (4) Purple Diamond 74,52
1900m (1) Phantom Rolls 117,46
Vaal (classic) 3rd March
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 1,68s slow
1000m (1) All Of Me 58,02
1200m (1) Belle View 72,50*
1450m (3) True Words 88,54
1600m (1) Tartan Dancer 99,10
1800m (2) Jive Express 112,39
Greyville (poly) 4 March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,67s slow
1000m (1) Love Bomb 58,50
1200m (4) Mr Fitz 70,33
1400m (2) Final Assembly 84,10
1600m (1) Diamondsandpearls 94,96*
Vaal 5th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,03s slow
1000m (3) Before The Dawn 56,76
1200m (1) Doublethink 69,74
1600m (4) Flash Burn 95,08
