Shining Bright

Raging Fire

Arlington 9^th March: With plenty of money around for the newcomers CATALOJ (14/1 into 5/2) and SPECTRAL MOON (5/1 into 3/1), it was no surprise to see the favourite MOLLY R (12/10 out to 22/10) ease considerably in the opening maiden event over 2000m, but she did nonetheless get off the mark. Up with the speed throughout, Gavin Smith’s charge kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and ran out a comfortable winner over SHADOW PINK by a length and a quarter. Best of the money horses was Cataloj who ran on from midfield to take fourth.

With just the one favourite on the card obliging the bookies very quickly got their money back, as was the case in the MR104 Handicap where the heavily supported favourite WE THREE got rolled. Backed throughout the morning into 11/10 from 18/10, We Three was always in touch with the leaders. She ran on stoutly in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she only lost out, to the marginally faster finishing MAKZOOS, by the narrowest of margins.

The listed Ibhayi Stakes over 1400m topped the bill and as expected the finish was fought out by the market leaders SOWETO SLEW and BLAZE OF FIRE. Both ran on strongly in the straight and going through the 300m it looked as if it could go either way. Blaze Of Fire found the most below the distance though and went on to score quite comfortably in the end by a length and a half.

There were a number of major upsets on the card, but none more so than that of CASTLEMARTIN in the MR70 affair over 1600m. Freely available at 50/1 on the off, the son of Captain Al was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Graham Gregorowski and was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly in the straight and after finding extra when challenged by ASGARD 250m out, he went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

Not for the first time in recent outings, VICTORIALAINE was noted running on strongly from well off the pace when fourth in the MR76 Handicap over 2400m.

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Steeplechase Double

Turffontein 10^th March: Saturday’s action took place on the inner track where the best bet on the card for most JET IN THE SKY (56) duly obliged in the opening maiden event over 1450m. Backed into 1/5 from 5/10 at the track, the daughter of Jet Master was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead at the top of the short home straight and cruised clear from there onwards to score by a steeplechase margin of eight and three quarters.

The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of Jet In The Sky’s stable companion RED FORT (52) who came home smoking in the maiden event over 1800m. Another to race handy, Geoff Woodruff’s charge took up the running 400m out and bolted clear in the closing stages of the race to win by fourteen.

Completing a very smart treble for the stable of Geoff Woodruff was HOUSE OF WAX (85) when winning the afternoon’s feature event the Drum Star Handicap (L) over 1800m. Nibbled at on course into 11/1 from 14’s, the son of Count Dubois raced fifth for most of the journey. He made his move going through the 400m and after a thrilling tussle with two of Mike De Kock’s three runners, MEADOW MAGIC and EMPENOSO HENN, he got up to score fair and square by a half.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of KINGS ENTOURAGE (81) in winning the MR94 Handicap over 1600m. On leaving the stalls it was ECHOHAWK who elected to make the running whilst the top weighted son of King Of Kings raced close up in fifth. TENDER TWILIGHT was the first to make a move and on striking the front 150m from home, he looked to have done everything right. Kings Encourage was already at his heels at that point though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up by the narrowest of margins.

Titbits

S’IL VOUS PLAIT ran on well from off the pace and won the MR81 Handicap over 2600m going away.

At the back turning for home, MONSEUR ET MADAME ran on well in the race won by Kings Entourage and was only beaten two and a quarter.

After losing two lengths at the start and racing in the rear, SUPER RED (visibly cruising 400m out) won the MR62 Handicap much more easily than the official winning margin of a neck would suggest. 

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Progressing Nicely

Durbanville 11^th March: A maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway at the country course on Sunday and here victory went to the Eric Sands trained DESTINY’S TALE. Sporting blinkers for the first time, the son of Dynasty was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on stoutly in the straight and with the rest well beaten, he got up late to deny the more fancied JACK FLASH.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by BRITISH BANKER when opening his account in the maiden 2000m. Ridden to lead early in the back straight, Joey Ramsden’s charge set a fair pace and turning for home he was at least eight lengths clear of the third placed runner SLIP’N SLIDE. He kept on strongly in the home straight and with both the second and third placed runners fading over the final 400m, he went on to score by four without any anxious moments.

A MR74 Handicap over 2400m was next up and here we saw another nice performance from the improving CROWN OF GOLD. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 33/10, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey and didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest. Once seeing daylight though, he quickened well and comfortably accounted for the front running A BOY NAMED SUE by a length.

On what was a rather moderate weekend card a MR80 Handicap topped the bill and here the stable of Eric Sands were again on the mark when YODAC registered his fourth career victory. Freely available at 13/2 on the off, Yodac raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. Once given rein though, he soon began to make headway and under a well judged ride from Gerrit Schlecter he got up late to beat the in form GARETH GREY by three quarters.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear turning for home the favourite ACT OF FAITH was continually baulked for a run between the 400-100m poles in the maiden event over 1600m and only saw daylight when it was too late to mount any kind of a challenge.

Another favourite (joint) unable to find a clear passage when the race began in earnest was ICE GODDESS in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m. She was flying late and only went down by a neck.

NEW HAMPTON ran on strongly from the rear when third in the race won by Crown Of Gold.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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