Progressing Nicely
Kenilworth 13th November: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Cape Town on Tuesday when the favourite VILLA DEL LAGO did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Positioned close to the speed throughout, the son of Jallad quickened well when asked for his effort and won going away after striking the front 200m from home.
Race four on the card was a competitive looking novice event over 1200m and in a time surprisingly slower than that of Villa Del Lago, his stable companion CAPTAINOFMYSOUL landed the spoils. Just five went to post and that is probably one of the reasons as to why the pace wasn’t a hot one. Positioned in third for most of the journey, Captainofmysoul quickened well at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the recent maiden winner LA TIGRESSE by two and a quarter.
A progress plate over 1400m was next up and here we saw another smart performance from the up and coming CAPETOWN NOIR. Allowed to ease out to 15/10 from 9/10 at the track as money came for last season’s J&B Met fourth placed runner RUN FOR IT, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and although Run For It ran on stoutly in the closing stages of the race, he did look to have that one held by a length and a quarter at the wire.
Titbits
RAZZLE DAZZLE ROSE looked back to best when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR99 Handicap over 1800m, with authority.
Although never close enough to mount a challenge, the Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner BAMBINA STRIPES caught the eye running on stoutly from the rear when only beaten 2,35 lengths in the race won by Capetown Noir.
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Class Tells
Turffontein 13th November: The easiest victory on the old stand side track on Tuesday night was undoubtedly that of ZUCCARELLI when opening his account in the boys division of the maiden 1000m. Taken straight to the front by Sherman Brown, the son of Modern Day led throughout. He was always in command and extended his 1,5 lengths advantage to five after being given rein 300m out.
Race four on the card was a Conditions Plate over 1160m and here we saw an impressive performance from last season’s Durban July winner POMODORO. Backed all the way in to 9/2 from 10/1 despite racing over trip thought well short of his best, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. The friendless LEGAL ACTION (16/1 out to 33/1) was the first to make a move looked to have the race won 100m out. Pomodoro cut through the field like a knife below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides.
The stable of Sean Tarry were also on the mark in the graduation event over 1400m when last season’s Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner THE HANGMAN did the business. Backed into 1/3 from 5/10 at the track, The Hangman was always positioned close to the speed. He took up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the easy to back CAPTAIN HADDOCK by two.
Titbits
After losing three lengths at the start, COVENTRY ROAD was running on at the finish when fourth to It’sgottobeme in the girls maiden 1000m.
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Following Form
Scottsville 14th November: The fastest of the three maiden events in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday was that in which JOYFUL SPIRIT opened her account. Freely available at 17/2 on the off (op 5/1), Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and won in good style going away from the well supported 15/10 favourite (op 22/10) BLONDE PRINCESS by four.
The form of SAN VICENZO’S third placing to the subsequent Guineas Trial third placed runner WILD ONE had been working out well and so it was no surprise to see Paul Lafferty’s charge open his account in the maiden 1600m. Confidently ridden by champion jockey Anton Marcus, San Vicenzo sat sixth during the early part of the race. He quickened well when asked for his effort at the top of the short new course straight and won well by two and a half after striking the front 200m from home.
The fastest of the four 1600m races on the card was the girls’ novice event in which San Vicenzo’s stable companion PILGRIM’S INN registered her second win in just five starts. On leaving the stalls it was RESERVED EMBLEM who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Greys Inn raced close up in second. She was ridden to lead going through the 500m and just had enough in hand to hold off SIBYL, who found extra late.
Titbits
Despite being a little uneasy in the betting market, the 5/2 favourite VIENNA WOOD (op 2/1) won the third division of the maiden 1200m going away.
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Cool As Ice
Vaal 15th November: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where we saw a very easy victory in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1450m events for the newcomer INVIERNO. Sent off favourite at 22/10 (op 28/10), the son of Western Winter led throughout. He was four lengths clear going through the 400m and only had to be pushed out with hands and heels whilst extending that advantage to thirteen in the closing stages.
Another to win well from the front on this card was SOLARIUM in the MR92 Handicap over 1000m. In command of just a narrow advantage for most of the journey, Michael Azzie’s charge kept finding at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the easy to back CLUB CAPTAIN by two and a half.
A MR68 Handicap over 1450m was next up and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the well supported favourite DISCO BOY. Backed into 22/10 from 7/2 in this his first start on the surface, Spike Lerena’s charge was yet another to make all. He was always clear and went on to score without any anxious moments by four and a half.
Titbits
EAGLE HIGH won well when trying the sand for the first time in the graduation event over 1450m.
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A Deserved Dozen
Fairview 15th November: Six of the nine races in Port Elizabeth on Friday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR90 Handicap in which the Victory Moon mare LUNAR LEE registered her seventh career victory. Positioned in midfield when the race began earnest, Lunar Lee was produced with her usual strong late run and under a well judged ride from Wayne Agrella, she got up late.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by NUNAVIK in the maiden event over 1200m. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, Yvette Bremner’s charge struck the front 100m from home and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and three quarters.
A conditions event over 2700m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the veteran OCTOBER CLUB register his twelfth career victory. More often than not seen running on from off the pace, the 8yo son of Doowaley adopted a change of tactics here and raced from the front. He found extra when the 4yo DRILL SARGEANT threw down the gauntlet 300m out and went on to score with authority by three and a quarter.
Titbits
Top weight MAGNUM POWER won well when running on from midfield to land the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (Fri) Race 1: (6) Haili 18 Race 2: (3) Blushing Peter 29 (NAP*) Race 3: (5) Upwards Onwards 8 Race 4: (5) Mile High 48 Race 5: (17) Davie Bowy 66 Race 6: (1) Celtic Fire 74 Race 7: (6) Way Clear 79 Race 8: (14) Londontown 47 Scottsville Race 1: (7) Badger Friendly 22 Race 2: (1) Indigo Child 33 Race 3: (7) Dance Trick 18 Race 4: (2) Turkestan 25 Race 5: (7) Captain Charlie 41 Race 6: (3) Balladry 38 (NAP*) Race 7: (10) Dancing Arrow 38 Race 8: (16) Irish Blessing 48 Kenilworth Race 1: (3) Flame Of Africa 26 (EW) Race 2: (1) Dizzy Feet 11 Race 3: (5) Kuja 52 Race 4: (17) Singana 57 Race 5: (10) Alpha Lady 66 Race 6: (13) Blushing Grey 43 Race 7: (6) Badger Lake 88 Race 8: (2) Variety Club 99 Race 9: (5) Solomons Wall 7 Vaal Race 1: (3) Impresa 21 Race 2: (4) Kimura Cat 21 Race 3: (6) Brave Princess 27 (NAP*) Race 4: (1) Horse Of Josiah 47 Race 5: (5) Eastern Cobbler 67 Race 6: (6) Anka Man 54 Race 7: (8) Roman Numeral 55 Race 8: (5) Cyclone Michelle 73 Race 9: (7) Ibhola 13 Race 10: (1) Go Foxy 34 Clairwood Race 1: (3) Our Dizzy Emblem 20 Race 2: (6) Irrebuttable 26 Race 3: (1) Blaze Of Glory 23 Race 4: (9) One The Muscle 61 Race 5: (6) Lizard’s Passion 87 Race 6: (10) Drift Along 53 Race 7: (1) Regal Joy 48 Race 8: (4) Drumadoon 44 Race 9: (10) Varsity Queen 42 Fairview (Sun) Race 1: (4) Prodigal Son 12 Race 2: (4) Magenta Rose 20 Race 3: (20) Mr Vindaloo 56 Race 4: (5) Ruby Sunset 28 (NAP*) Race 5: (1) South Ranger 49 Race 6: (9) Miss Sunshine 73 Race 7: (16) Why Worry 97 Race 8: (6) Dark Wind 72 Race 9: (11) Diva Taahirah 58 .
Top rated winners last week included
La Volta won 33/10 Cat’s Mistress won 3/1 Nautica won 5/2 Disco Al won 19/10 Rivatorio won 15/10 Tribal Dance won 11/10 Walking Onthe Moon won 9/10 All Is Secret won 9/20 .
Notebook:-
Bambina Stripes (D Drier, W-Cape) Capetown Noir (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape) Invierno (S Tarry, Gauteng) Pomodoro (S Tarry, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (old) 13th November Penetrometer 22 Going Good 1000m (2) Cat’s Paw 59,22 1200m (2) Villa Del Largo 72,32 1400m (2) Capetown Noir 84,70 1600m (1) Gentle Brook 100,11 1800m (1) Razzle Dazzle Rose 109,87 .
Turffontein (stand side) 13th November Penetrometer 23 Going G/Soft 1000m (2) Zuccarelli 57,73 1160m (1) Pomodoro 67,40 1400m (1) The Hangman 86,20 1600m (3) Up Front 97,98 2000m (1) Afterburner 125,79 .
Scottsville (new) 14th November Penetrometer 26 Going G/Soft 1200m (3) Joyful Spirit 72,61 1400m (1) Silk Master 90,11 1600m (4) Pilgrim’s Inn 101,13 1950m (2) Look After Me 123,71 .
Vaal (sand) 15th November Going Rain Affected 1000m (1) Solarium 58,53* 1200m (1) Memghar 72,75* 1450m (3) Invierno 89,08* 1600m (3) Empenoso Henn 98,52* .
Fairview 16th November Penetrometer 22 Going Good 1200m (6) Lunar Lee 70,23 1400m (1) Hail The Hearty 85,35 2400m (1) Murphy’s Magic 156,51 2700m (1) October Club 173,84
