Swift Flight
Vaal 24th January: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m went to the newcomer JIMMY CHOO. The lesser fancied of Leon Erasmus’ two runners, and that despite having stable jockey Sherman Brown on board, Jimmy Choo was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the remainder some five lengths adrift he comfortably accounted for the heavily supported newcomer TOMMY GUN (10/1 into 33/10) by a length.
LOCKHEED JETSTAR in the MR87 Handicap over 1700m was the best bet on the card for most and he didn’t let down his supporters. Always deep in the red, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was content to amble along at the back of the seven for most of the journey. Once given rein though he soon began to make headway and won well after striking the front 200m from home.
The fastest of the four 1200m races on the card was the novice event won by the aptly named SWIFT AND STRONG. On leaving the stalls it was the uneasy favourite NATIONAL KEY who elected to make the running whilst Sean Tarry’s charge raced close up in sixth. The 20/1 shot POWER JET was the first to make a move and running on strongly after striking the front 500m out it looked as if he would go on to cause an upset. Swift And Strong finished best of all below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
KINGSTON showed big improvement when winning the maiden event over 1200m going away by five.
The former Eastern Cape campaigner JETSCREEN ran on well from off the pace when getting up late to win the MR72 Handicap over 1700m.
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Growing Forest
Fairview 25th January: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when VERLAINE did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and did well to fend off a determined challenge from the nibbled at newcomer NEW SPRING (7/1 into 11/2).
Five of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the novice event in which BLACKMALKIN was successful. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge also made all. He was always in command and won very easily by three from the 20/1 shot LONDON PERFECT.
Another to win well on this card was the up and coming BURLAINE FOREST who made it three wins from just four starts when landing the graduation plate over 1600m. Confidently ridden by Karis Teetan, the son of Tamburlaine raced seventh of the nine for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though he quickened best of all and won well by two and a quarter after striking the front 300m from home. One to look out for next time from this race is VICTOR SILVESTER won finished second. Gavin Smith’s charge raced behind Burlaine Forest and he too finished very well.
Titbits
Lightly raced CAVALAR won the maiden 1200m going away by four and a quarter.
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Daylight Robbery
Turffontein 26th January: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where first prize in the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 2200m was stolen by DEMANDING LADY. Adopting a change of tactics here Lucky Houdalakis’ charge soon had the field well strung out. Indeed, other than HIMALAYAN HILL racing three lengths away in second, she had the remainder at least eight lengths adrift going through the strip. DO YOU REMEMBER ran on from the back end of midfield over the final 400m and was gaining quickly at the finish. The early advantage gained by Demanding Lady was to prove decisive though as she still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.
There were four 1600m events on the ten race program and the fastest of these was the conditions plate won by STRAW MARKET. Another event where the field was well strung out turning for home, Straw Market raced in the box seat in second. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten he got up late to deny the free striding pacemaker WITHOUT MALICE.
The fastest of the three 1450m races was the progress plate for 3yo’s in which GITIANO registered his third career victory. The best in at the weights, Alec Laird’s charge raced seventh of the eight for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he ran on best of all and after a thrilling tussle with FANTASTIC MR FOX he only got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
After making the running the lightly raced VULCAN asserted his authority late when winning the MR74 Handicap over 1200m with some in hand.
Beaten just two and a quarter lengths by the recent Fillies Mile winner Cherry On The Top in the MR89 Handicap over 1600m, third placed DESTINY’S LADY ran on well from the rear after losing three lengths at the start.
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Pure Power
Kenilworth 27th January: The highlight at Kenilworth on Saturday was the Gr1 Cape Flying Championships and in what not surprisingly was the fastest of the four 1200m events victory here went to the favourite WHAT A WINTER. He moved up to dispute matters going through the 200m and after a thrilling tussle with the 3yo filly VIA AFRICA it was only very late that he was able to assert his authority.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m had opened up procedures and here we saw a smart performance from the aptly named newcomer PURE POWER. Allowed to ease right out to 11/2 from 5/2 favourite at the track, Mike Bass’ charge was soon up handy. 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 comfortably accounted for PEGWELL BAY by two.
The stable of Mike Bass were again on the mark when HAMMIE’S FLYER opened his account in the maiden 1600m. Run in a time faster than that of the girl’s MR70 Handicap over the same distance, the son of Captain Al was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and with the rest some four and a half lengths adrift he just had enough in hand to thwart the faster finishing DUKE OF DESTINY by a neck.
Titbits
COUNT EMMANUALE ran on strongly from the rear and didn’t find the clearest of passages when runner up to Just Harry in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (3) Tamarack 14 Race 2: (4) Lietenant Dan 2 Race 3: No Qualifiers Race 4: (7) Heyouneverknow 51 Race 5: (6) Revolutionary Road 27 Race 6: (5) Zaafiel 85 Race 7: (7) Ballydehob 53 Race 8: (5) Flying Cloud 9 Race 9: (4) Sudden Surprise 38 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (1) Run Girl Wild 13 (NAP*) Race 2: (1) Radiant Rock 52 Race 3: (1) Stimulant 18 Race 4: (2) Romeo’s Fan Club 13 Race 5: (8) Breathless 38 Race 6: (5) Black And White 45 Race 7: (6) Strongmind 44 Race 8: (3) Ohiki Bay 43 Greyville Race 1: (1) Sebueng 19 Race 2: (2) Icefire 26 Race 3: (1) Tornado Man 17 Race 4: (1) Dr Livingstone 19 Race 5: (3) Fire Curtain 51 (EW) Race 6: (3) Felix The Cat 78 Race 7: (9) Distinguished 81 (EW) Race 8: (12) Mighty Oak 59 Kenilworth Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (1) Golconda 14 Race 3: (1) Alpine Cat 16 Race 4: (8) London Theatre 19 Race 5: (14) Amanzi 47 Race 6: (2) Lifes Design 38 Race 7: (12) Princessjacqueline 45 Race 8: (7) Crystal Glitter 14 Race 9: (1) Coltrane 26 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (1) Hello Polly 17 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (2) Mary’s Pride 68 Race 4: (15) Nautical Adventure 11 Race 5: (2) Bull Ring 59 Race 6: (3) Elodie 54 Race 7: (4) Selbourne Supremacy 82 Race 8: (13) Rockingandrolling 63 Race 9: (5) Rebel Heart 23 .
Top rated winners last week included
Daring Duchess won 8/1 Lucky Cat won 22/10 Straw Market won 22/10 Burlaine Forest won 2/1 Roy’s Jet won 16/10 What A Winter won 16/10 Wylie Hall won 11/10 Lockheed Jetstar won 1/3 .
Notebook:-
Burlaine Forest (Y Bremner, E-Cape) Cherry On The Top (O Ferraris, Gauteng) Jetscreen (S Pettigrew, Gauteng) Via Africa (D Howells, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherVaal (inside) 24th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Jimmy Choo 56,57 1200m (4) Swift And Strong 68,26 1700m (3) Lockheed Jetstar 100,17 2000m (1) Gentleman Jack 120,66 .
Fairview 25th January Penetrometer 19 – Going Good 1000m (1) Verlaine 58,54 1200m (5) Blackmalkin 69,33 1600m (1) Burlaine Forest 97,62 2450m (1) Drill Sargeant 154,18 .
Turffontein (inner) 26th January Penetrometer 21 – Good 1200m (2) Vulcan 72,45 1450m (3) Gitiano 87,30 1600m (4) Straw Market 95,81 2200m (1) Demanding Lady 137,43 .
Kenilworth 26th January Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (4) What A Winter 58,65 1400m (2) Hammie’s Flyer 101,50 1600m (2) Lord Jonathan 88,06 2500m (1) Barossa Valley 158,74
