A Merry Dance
Fairview 19th November: Four of the eight races on Monday’s poly track card were staged over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was DON’T STOP DANCING when winning the MR70 Handicap. Soon up handy, the 7/1 shot raced prominent throughout, She ran on stoutly in the short home straight, and in what proved to be a real thriller, she got the verdict by a short head in a four way finish.
The only distance to stage more than one race was 2000m. Freely available at 18/1, the former Gauteng campaigner PIN UP FOLD won the first of these. Another to race handy, Pin Up Fold took up the running early in the straight and comfortably accounted for the running on LATERAL’S FLASH by a length and a half.
A MR83 Handicap over 2000m topped the bill and in a time 0,54 seconds faster than that of Pin Up Fold, the well-supported outsider SEA BEAN registered her sixth career victory. Given a confident ride by Lyle Hewitson, Sea Bean raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once given rein though she ran on best of all, and won well by a length and three quarters from ROCKSETTE.
Titbits
Positioned seventh of the nine turning for home, the hat-trick seeking LANDELA ran on stoutly over the final 400m of the second division of the girls’ MR70 Handicap over 1200m, and in what proved to be another thrilling finish, she got up in the dying strides.
Still Going Strong
Vaal 20th November: off a penetrometer reading of 24 the going was posted as good to soft on Tuesday. They ran nine races in total, five of which were staged over 1400m. The bill topping MR104 Handicap was the fastest of these and here victory went to the joint second favourite CATKIN. Generously priced at 6/1 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s 7yo was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead approaching the 400m marker and although the 9/10 favourite DOOSRA chased hard in the closing stages of the race, he did have that one held by a length at the wire.
The MR72 Handicap was the faster of the two 1200m races and here the 4yo BULLSADE scored a very comfortable victory. Content to sit at the back early on, the 4yo daughter of Crusade ran on best of all at the business end of the race and won going away by a length and three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was that of OLD MAN TYME in the opening maiden plate over 1200m. Soon positioned close to the speed by Gavin Lerena, St John Gray’s charge took up the running 230m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five. One to look out for next time from this race is the runner up ZILLZAAL. In the rear after being a little slow into stride, Sean Tarry’s charge caught the eye running on very strongly over the final 200m.
Titbits
AGAINST THE GRAIN only had to be pushed out, and had a ton in hand when winning the maiden plate over 1400m.
Full Speed Ahead
Kenilworth 21st November: There were some smart performances in Cape Town on Wednesday, but none more so than that of the Brett Crawford trained FRONT AND CENTRE in the fastest of the four 1400m events, a MR82 Handicap. Now unbeaten in three starts, the daughter of Dynasty was soon positioned close up in second. She only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 300m from home and with a ton in hand she went on to score very easily by three and a half.
Another to win with authority on this card was ALSFLAMINGBEAUTY in the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1000m. Another to race handy, Justin Snaith’s charge was ridden to lead shorty after passing the 200m pole and won going away by two.
Run in a time 0,96 seconds quicker than that of Alsflamingbeauty was the MR80 Handicap in which VICE VERSA gained her second victory from just five starts. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the daughter of Var led throughout. She only had to be pushed out in order to keep VODKA LIME at bay in the closing stages and clearly won much more easily than the official winning margin of just half a length would suggest.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing in the maiden plate over 1400m, NEXUS caught the eye running on strongly from off the pace when finishing fourth beaten a length and three quarters.
Both SNAPSCAN and HELENIKA ran on well from off the pace when 3rd & 4th respectively in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.
Taking Advantage
Vaal 22nd November: The going was good when they returned to the Vaal on Thursday where the fastest of the four 1200m events was the middle stakes won by the best weighted runner in the field REGAL GRADUATION. Always handy in a field of just seven, the daughter of Oratorio ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish she got the better of CARBON ATOM by a half.
The MR87 affair was the faster of the two 1400m handicaps and here victory went to the more fancied of Alec Laird’s two runners DANZA. Nicely positioned in fifth for most of the journey, the Mambo In Seattle gelding was ridden to lead 300m out by Raymond Danielson and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat his running on stable companion CHEPARDO.
The two 1700m events on the card were both maiden plates and quickest home in these was PRETTY BORDER in the girls’ affair. Positioned at the back of the thirteen at the halfway mark, David Nieuwenhuizen’s charge had plenty to do. Once given rein though she quickened well and under a well-judged ride from Ryan Munger she got up late to deny the well-supported favourite SEA VENTURE.
Titbits
The Mike De Kock trained newcomer MRS SIMPSON ran on well from midfield when beating the well supported favourite HARTLEYFIVE going away in the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
Shining Bright
Fairview 23rd November: The only distance to stage more than one race on Friday’s poly track card was 1400m. There were four races over the trip in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping non-black type November Stakes won by STREAK OF SILVER. Easy to back at 6/1 on the off, the former Cape Town campaigner raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. He quickened well in the short home straight and with the benefit of first run, he got the better of the running on BREAKFAST CLUB (came from the rear) by a length and a quarter.
Cape Town trainer Vaughan Marshall rarely frequents Port Elizabeth without good cause and he was on the mark in the opening maiden plate for the girls over 1200m with SEKUSHI GIRL. Up with the pace throughout, the daughter of Pathfork ran on strongly in the short home straight and held on by a neck from the faster finishing ARIKARA (came from midfield).
Race five on the card was a MR76 Handicap over 1000m and here we saw another smart performance from the Sail From Seattle mare Seattle Oak. Soon in her favourite position at the head of affairs, Alan Greeff’s charge led throughout. She was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
DATA LINK (one of three winners on the card for Louis Mxothwa) and TUBULAR BELL both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the MR64 Handicap over 2200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) In The Navy 16
Race 2: (6) Destiny’s Child 5
Race 3: (4) Kazuri 21
Race 4: (7) Sheet Weaver 62
Race 5: (11) Wemibono 36
Race 6: (4) Double Black 50 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) Starflash 73
Race 8: (9) Steffi’s Graft 36
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Palace Rose 14
Race 2: (2) Final Assembly 19
Race 3: (8) Canadian Bolt 23
Race 4: (2) Fleek 9
Race 5: (8) Path To Glory 66
Race 6: (12) Real Vision 44
Race 7: (11) Waiting For Change 43
Race 8: (9) Moon In June 5
Race 9: (14) Noble Duke 28
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (6) Comaneci 22
Race 2: (2) Gimme The Fire 10
Race 3: (7) Battle Creek 50
Race 4: (4) Gimme A Wave 60
Race 5: (3) Kissable 79
Race 6: (8) Rivarine 97
Race 7: (13) Tilbury Fort 106
Race 8: (3) Al Danza 83
Race 9: (4) Epic Dream 37
Race 10: (10) Mighty And Magic 72
Race 11: (10) Skiminac 58
Race 12: (8) Malinga 66
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (5) Grand Silvano 57
Race 3: (4) Secret Path 11
Race 4: (4) Vikram 28 (NAP*)
Race 5: (5) In The Jungle 38
Race 6: (2) Rock On Wood 48
Race 7: (13) Tilbury Fort 106
Race 8: (7) Hopeful 44
Race 9: (10) Metorite 70
Race 10: (10) Royal Chian 38
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (1) Alfonsa Spagoni 16 (EW)
Race 3: (14) Song Of The Forest 16
Race 4: (17) Bridal Veil 41
Race 5: (2) Three Ships 7
Race 6: (12) Tommy Grand 72
Race 7: (12) High Altar 64
Race 8: (4) Buffalo Soldier 73
Race 9: (2) Chantyman 51 (NAP*)
Top rated winners last week included
I Like It won 9/1
Palo Alto won 6/1
Danza won 41/10
Jameson Girl won 41/10
Alsflamingbeauty won 16/10
Vontreo won 16/10
Regal Graduation won 13/10
Piazza Del Campo won 3/4
Notebook:-
Front And Centre (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Mrs Simpson (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Zillzaal (S Tarry, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 19th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,58s slow
1000m (1) Barbarella Nights 58,43
1200m (4) Don’t Stop Dancing 70,98
1900m (1) Ruby Joy 119,59
2000m (2) Sea Bean 124,79
Vaal 20th November
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 1,46s slow
1000m (1) Singaswewin 58,34
1200m (2) Bullsade 70,94
1400m (5) Catkin 83,14
1600m (1) Lone Survivor 98,39
Kenilworth (old) 21st November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,54s slow
1000m (2) Vice Versa 59,90
1200m (1) Hooves Of Thunder 73,60
1400m (4) Front And Centre 87,05
1800m (1) Palo Alto 111,60
Vaal 22nd November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,58s slow
1200m (4) Regal Graduation 68,58
1400m (2) Danza 81,05
1700m (2) Pretty Border 103,62
2400m (1) Purdey 150,27
Fairview (poly) 23rd November
Going Standard
Course Variant:
1000m (1) Seattle Oak 57,49
1200m (1) Sekushi Girl 72,23
1400m (4) Streak Of Silver 183,20
1600m (1) Beautiful Beat 99,80
2200m (1) Data Link 137,32
