Running Wild

7 Out Of 8 Favs

Scottsville 19^th June: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and here we saw a nice debut performance from the Dennis Drier trained ETERNAL JET. He was a little slow into stride when the gates opened, but despite that was soon up handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the 6/10 favourite TRIBUTE TO KYLIE by a length. Amazingly, Tribute To Kylie was the only favourite on the eight race program to be beaten.

There were a number of easy victories on the card and none more so than that of MENSOORA in the girls’ juvenile plate over 1400m. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 2/11, the daughter of Jet Master led throughout. She held just a slender lead for most of the journey before asserting her authority 300m out. Mensoora won by three and quarter and clearly had more in the tank.

There were three races over 1400m in total and by far the fastest of these was the novice event won by Mensoora’s stable companion MERCURIAL BRAVE. Allowed to ease in the betting market at the track (11/20 out to 19/20), Mercurial Brave also made all. He was two lengths clear coming off the bend and although the improving KING JACE ran on well from off the pace, he went on to score very comfortably by three and a quarter.

A conditions plate over 1600m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the recent seven lengths winner EUROPE TO AFRICA. On leaving the stalls it was WITHOUT MALICE who somewhat predictably elected to make the running whilst Vaughan Marshall’s charge raced close up in second. She was ridden to lead early in the straight and just held on from the very steadily gaining second favourite BERRY BLAZE by a short head.

Titbits

Having only her second career outing here, CATALINA BLUES ran on well from midfield when runner up in the maiden 1000m.

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Smart On Sand

Vaal 20^th June: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening maiden plate over 1600m went to the 3yo son of Ashaawes KING’S JOY. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Wallace Tolmay’s charge was nicely positioned in fifth for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by six.

Another to win easily in the maiden ranks on this card was the 2yo GOLD PROSPECTOR when beating older rivals in the maiden 1000m. Backed into favouritism in the ante-post betting market, Paul Matchett’s charge, racing green, was caught for early toe and had to be rushed along in the first half of the race, just to keep in touch. Once realising what was expected of him though he picked the leaders off with ease and cruised clear to win by three and a half after striking the front 200m out.

Race four on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1000m and here we saw another smart performance from the recent five length maiden winner GABRONZA. Sent off a well supported favourite at 18/10, Michael Azzie’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with some in hand he comfortably accounted for the all out MAJI MOTO by a length and three quarters.

The most impressive performance on the afternoon though was undoubtedly that of SHADOW LINE in winning the MR78 Handicap over 1600m. Pitched in against some very useful sand performers the 3yo son of Toreador sat third for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 400m marker and looking to be class above his eight rivals he won easing down with plenty in hand by seven and a half. One to follow.

Titbits

Racing in open company, the 2yo SUGAREE was many lengths adrift of the leaders in the rear early on and was only beaten two and a quarter lengths when fourth in the maiden 1200m.

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Gold Crown

Fairview 21^st June: The faster of the two 1400m events in Port Elizabeth on Friday was the opening juvenile plate in which GOTOBEGREAT registered her second career victory. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Gotobegreat was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the nibbled at DUCK DODGER by a length and a quarter.

A Juvenile Plate over 1400m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the uneasy favourite ZOBENS. Allowed to ease right out to 18/10 from 8/10 at the track, the son of Horse Chestnut raced close to the pace and was visibly cruising as he moved through to take up the running 400m out. The all out PURE ELEGANCE chased hard from there onwards, but despite her efforts Zobens went on to score with some in hand by two and three quarters.

There were three races run over 1400m on the card in total and the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by CELTIC FIRE. Winning for the fifteenth time in 46 starts here, Yvette Bremner’s charge was always handy. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a thrilling three way finish he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins over SKIPPYJON JONES.

South Africa’s longest race the non-black type PE Gold Cup over 3600m topped the bill and here victory went to the Cape Town raider CROWN OF GOLD (22/10 out to 28/10). Deposed at the top of the boards and as money came for a number of the locals, Joey Ramsden’s charge was content to sit in the back end of midfield for the vast majority of the trip. The 9yo KEY CASTLE was the first to make a move and kept on strongly to finish second after striking the front 400m out. Crown Of Gold had been picking the leaders off all the way down the long home straight though and under a well judged ride from Glen Hatt he got up late to win by a length.

Titbits

Backed into 5/10 after opening up at 22/10 at one stage during the morning, the newcomer NAUTICAL GEM (racing in open company) raced green and although she was within striking distance going through the 400m, she only really got going very late when second in the maiden 1000m.

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Powerful Storm

Turffontein 22^nd June: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by STORM INCOMING when opening his account in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. He broke well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena led throughout. He was always in command and although one of the rank outsiders of the party CLUB FLAG tried his best to make a race of it over the final 400m, he won without any anxious moments by three and a quarter.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was GOLDEN ORB who got off the mark in the 1800m event. Freely available at 5/1 on the off, Robbie Sage’s charge came from midfield. He struck the front shortly after passing the 300m pole and won going away from the lightly raced MOVE LIKE JAGGER by two and a half.

A MR90 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the three 1800m events victory here went to the 4yo DESERT RAPTOR. Sent off favourite at 5/2, Alec Laird’s charge raced fifth of the seven for most of the journey. He quickened best of all in the short home straight and although SERISSA threw down a determined challenge in the closing stages of the race, he won well by three quarters.

Titbits

BLAZE OF RESPECT came from the rear when getting up late to win the MR86 Handicap over 1600m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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