Switched To The Poly
Fairview 29th July: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place on the turf. Races 3 & 4 were changed to 1300m from 1400m.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR90 Handicap in which the 6yo MESMERIZE caused an upset. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge was always handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the front running JO MALONE by a length and three quarters.
The stable of Justin Snaith were also on the mark in the feature event, the non-black type Friendly City Stakes over 1800m when the top weight JET EXPLORER registered his seventh career victory. Confidently ridden by Grant Van Niekerk, the 7yo son of Jet Master raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well, and after striking the front 200m out, he kept on well to beat the always held KING OF CHAOS by a neck.
The faster of the two 1000m races on the program was the MR76 Handicap won by SEVENTH CIRCLE. Sent off a joint favourite at 4/1, Duncan McKenzie’s charge broke well from her pole position draw and led throughout. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest comfortably beaten she held on from the steadily gaining MYSTIC EXPRESS by a half.
Titbits
ORACLE (rear) and GIMME THE STARS (midfield) both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 2nd respectively in the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1400m.
After switching out for a run 300m from home, ONE LOVE ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race when runner up in the girls’ division of the maiden plate over 1400m.
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Awesome Hat-tricks
Turffontein 30th July: Four of the nine races on the inner track on Saturday were run over 1450m and quickest home in these was AWESOME ADAM when completing a hat-trick in the MR91 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Lyle Hewitson, who himself was completing a hat-trick on the afternoon here, the Flying Spur gelding sat fourth for most of the journey. He quickened well coming off the strip and comfortably accounted for the top weight PRINCE OF ORANGE by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the MR65 Handicap in which the Hewitson ridden LISNOBLE did the business. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 10’s, the Sporting Post’s each way value bet raced in midfield early on. He made his move at the top of the short home straight and beat the uneasy 3/1 favourite PACIFIC G fair and square by three quarters.
As might easily have been predicted, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the well exposed JUST A GIGOLO when getting off the mark in the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1450m. Pitched in against what has to be said was a rather moderate looking bunch, the odds on favourite was always in touch with the leaders. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
Titbits
Lightly raced KOMESHANS FLIGHT was gaining quickly at the finish when a neck runner up to her stable companion in the girls’ division of the maiden 1450m.
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Timed To Perfection
Kenilworth 30th July: The aptly named WAITING FOR RAIN won the fastest of the three 1600m races (a pinnacle stakes) in the soft going at Kenilworth on Saturday. Backed into 4/1 from 7’s at the track, Piet Steyn’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all, and although CAN COPE also ran on strongly from off the pace, he went on to score with authority by a length and three quarters.
The Gr3 Champagne Stakes topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1200m events, the easy to back BEACH GODDESS landed first prize. Freely available at 11/1 on the off, the daughter of Kildonan raced sixth of the ten early on. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and kept on strongly below the distance to beat the faster finishing COME FLY WITH ME by a neck.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the nine race program was the two and a quarter lengths recorded by AUDITORIUM when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1000m. Taken straight to the front by apprentice v’d Hoven, the Sail From Seattle gelding led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments.
Another to win well on this card was SCANDOLA in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. The best bet on the card for many, Mike Bass’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on KATNISS.
Titbits
PURE LOGIC had to switch en-route from the rear, and didn’t find the clearest of passages thereafter when third in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (4) Way Past Midnight 9
Race 2: (10) Emblem Honour 51
Race 3: (7) Forest Lawn 22 (nb)
Race 4: (1) Roman Calamity 43 (NAP**)
Race 5: (9) Conquering Queen 57
Race 6: (7) Auto Pilot 41
Race 7: (7) Just Lucky 36
Race 8: (13) After The Carnival 37
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (4) Reminiscence 13
Race 2: (3) Sail For Joy 16
Race 3: (2) Rose Water 15
Race 4: (2) Cinema Scope 56
Race 5: (9) Babbling Brooke 40
Race 6: (6) Ciao-Ciao 39 (NAP*)
Race 7: (7) Arabian Bay 46
Race 8: (7) Main Sunday 42
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (11) At Variance 23
Race 2: (9) Gio Ponti’s Legacy 21
Race 3: (1) Avast 13
Race 4: (12) Tesla 13 (NAP*)
Race 5: (8) Kiss Me Hardy 83
Race 6: (9) Millrace 51
Race 7: (8) Juddering Angel 76
Race 8: (12) Bermuda 46
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Tandana 9
Race 2: (6) Sail For Joy 24
Race 3: (1) Elevenses 23
Race 4: (5) Roving Jet 54
Race 5: (8) Woody Cape 30
Race 6: (3) Chief Sioux 37
Race 7: (2) Raring To Go 26
Race 8: (16) Sleepinseattle 48
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Top rated winners last week included
Conquering Queen won 12/1
Lisnoble won 7/1
Story Of My Life won 22/10
Gina Ballerina won 15/10
Auditorium won 13/10
Just A Gigolo won 13/20
Crowd Pleaser won 11/20
Scandola won 4/10
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Notebook:-
Komeshans Flight (G Van Zyl, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 29th July
Going Standard
Course Variant 1,21 seconds slow
1000m (2) Seventh Circle 57,96
1200m (3) Mesmerize 70,13
1300m (2) Oracle 76,70
1600m (1) Unconditional 97,52
1800m (1) Jet Explorer 108,56
Turffontein (inner) 30th July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant 0,66 seconds slow
1000m (1) Gina Ballerina 58,96
1450m (4) Awesome Adam 88,67
1600m (2) Lisnoble 99,68
1800m (1) Work Ethic 113,93
2000m (1) Like A Master 129,67
Kenilworth (old) 30th July
Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 2,38 seconds slow
1000m (1) Auditorium 62,02
1200m (2) Beach Goddess 74,77
1400m (1) Illrinktothat 92,96
1600m (3) Waiting For Rain 102,26
2000m (1) Mr Lover Boy 127,21
