Running Fast
Fairview 9th September: A MR92 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill on the poly track in Port Elizabeth on Friday, and here victory went to the Tiger Ridge mare JO MALONE. Sent off second in the betting market at 33/10, Corne Spies’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the straight and went on to score with authority by two from the always handy CARDINAL.
Run in a faster time than that of Jo Malone was the only other race over 1000m a MR73 Handicap, and here we saw an impressive performance from CAPTAIN ON THE RUN. At the back of the field when the twelve runners swung for home, the son of Captain Al cut through the field like a knife over the final 400m and won going away by a length and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1300m and quickest home amongst these was RAZED IN BLACK. Registering his sixth career victory here, Justin Snaith’s charge was always handy. He got the better of the front running LAND OF MEADOWS 100m out and although the winning margin was just half a length, he won with some in hand.
Titbits
The well supported favourite PIRANGI ran on well from midfield, and found extra when challenged close home when winning the novice 1900m.
.
Fresh As A Daisy
Turffontein 10th September: Four of the nine races on the inner track on Saturday were staged over 1600m and surprisingly the quickest of these was the MR68 Handicap won by MATSURI. Rewarded for consistency here, Gary Alexander’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and although both BEZGAL and BELINSKY tried their best to make a race of it over the final 150m, she did have them both well held by a length and a half at the wire.
The faster of the two 1450m races on the card was the graduation plate in which the useful MOGOK MASTER showed his well-being. Returning from a 58 week layoff here, Joey Soma’s charge, in what developed into a false paced sprint, attempted to make all. He was headed by his fellow joint favourite AFRICA RISING 350m out, but fought back gamely to regain the lead 200m later and won going away by a length.
The biggest winning margin on the nine race program was the one and three quarter lengths recorded by TOBESURETOBESURE in the MR72 Handicap over 2000m. Another to race handy, The Tobe Or Nottobe mare put her head in front approaching the 300m pole and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on favourite LAUREL CHERRY (reported lame off hind) by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
With the rest well beaten, COPPER POT did very well indeed to collar PAJAMA PARTY in the very last stride in the work rider’s maiden plate over 1450m.
Poorly drawn PATRIC made up many lengths from the rear when a two length fourth in the maiden plate over 1800m.
Detached at the rear early on, KOMESHANS FLIGHT won the maiden plate over 1600m going away with some in hand.
.
Four For Brett And Pierre
Durbanville 10th September: There were some very smart performances at the country course on Saturday, amongst them the victory of VICTORIA COLLEGE in the second division of the maiden plate for 3yo fillies over 1200m. In what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s four events over the distance, the daughter of Captain Al led throughout. She was always in command and only having to be pushed out, won with plenty in hand by four and a half.
It was a similar story in the lucky last, a MR72 Handicap over 1000m, when the well supported favourite PURPLE TRACTOR did the business. Taken straight to the front by Pierre Orffer, Brett Crawford’s charge led throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won going away by three and a half. This was the fourth winner on the card for the combination of Brett Crawford and Pierre Orffer.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR71 Handicap won by EDICT OF NANTES. In the rear when the ten runners came off the bend, the son of Count Dubois cut through the field quickly in the straight and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 300m from home.
Titbits
The newcomer MISS EINSTEIN fairly flew over the final 200m when getting up in the very last stride to deny the odds on favourite MISS MALBEC.
Running on stoutly off a steady pace, BARONESS MARY won the maiden plate for 3yo fillies with authority going away.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (6) Promise Bay 6
Race 2: (4) Black Flower 31
Race 3: (3) Miracle Rising 37 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Giveuwings 15
Race 5: (9) Sanshia’s Rock 43
Race 6: (6) October Eleventh 42
Race 7: (2) Harmston Herald 59
Race 8: (7) Girlfriend 17
Race 9: (14) Super Club 45
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (6) Biblical Susan 15 (NAP**)
Race 2: (1) The Stone Thrower 72 (nb)
Race 3: (5) Ramaas 29
Race 4: (4) Secret Vision 20
Race 5: (8) Buster Posy 45
Race 6: (2) Angel’s Power 71
Race 7: (4) Gold Status 45
Race 8: (14) Jackie’s Joy 32
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Newyorkstateofmind 24
Race 2: (1) Queen’s Crest 19
Race 3: (9) Iced Up 23
Race 4: (8) La Vida Banco 53
Race 5: (10) Sword Storm 31
Race 6: (5) Stolen Destiny 84
Race 7: (3) Panza 55
Race 8: (4) Roman Society 39
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (3) Reminiscence 13
Race 2: (4) Myfunnyvalentine 65 (nb)
Race 3: (7) Ektifaa 32
Race 4: (1) Prada Princess 2
Race 5: (1) Querari Viking 28 (NAP**)
Race 6: (9) Lokshina 48
Race 7: (6) Play Date 31
Race 8: (13) Daytona Charger 43
.
Top rated winners last week included
Streetwear won 14/1
Out My Way won 12/1
Captain On The Run won 11/2
Magical Bet won 5/1
Pirangi won 22/10
Copper Pot won 2/1
Sweet Lady Jade won 15/10
Komeshans Flight won 9/10
.
Notebook:-
Captain On The Run (T Laing, E-Cape)
Mogok Master (J Soma, Gauteng)
Victoria College (J Snaith, W-Cape)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 9th September
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,25 slow
1000m (2) Captain on the Run 57,77
1200m (3) Story Of My Life 70,28
1300m (2) Razed In Black 76,10
1900m (1) Pirangi 118,09
Turffontein (inner) 10th September
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 0,95 slow
1450m (2) Mogok Master 90,02
1600m (4) Matsuri 99,69
1800m (1) Bubbly Reply 113,87
2000m (1) Tobesuretobesure 125,65
2600m (1) Dynamite Jim 169,65
Durbanville 10th September
Penetrometer 22 – Good
Course Variant: 0,65 slow
1000m (1) Purple Tractor 59,60
1200m (4) Victoria College 73,22
1400m (1) Boldly Respectable 85,44
1600m (2) Edict Of Nantes 98,57
2000m (1) Cuduiari 122,66
