Rank Outsider
Fairview 3rd February
There was a 28km/h tail wind in Port Elizabeth on Friday and as a result the times were very fast. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1000m and quickest home on my clock was the lightly weighted ORIENTAL TIGER in the MR80 Handicap. Freely available at 8/1 on the off the son of Lecture raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on best of all over the final 300m, and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up in the very last stride to deny the recent recruit from Cape Town NEVADA.
The faster of the two 1400m events on the card was the non-black type Sophomore Plate for 3yo’s and here STORY OF MY LIFE registered his third career victory. Soon positioned close to the speed, Gavin Smith’s charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead 100m out and kept on strongly late to beat the running on favourite THE MERRY WIDOW by a half.
The non-black type Fairview Mile topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m races, the former Cape Town campaigner MISTER MATCHETT caused an upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the ten horse party at 28/1, the lightly weighted Badger’s Drift gelding was always handy. He put his head in front going through the 200m and in a race where just over a length and a half covered the first seven home, he held on by a neck from the fast finishing WELSH EMPEROR.
Titbits
After making all of the running, joint favourite SURF’S UP went on to win the maiden plate over 1200m very easily by four and three quarters.
All About 9/1
Turffontein 4th February Five of the nine races staged on the inner track on Saturday took place over 1600m and quickest home in these was ARPAD in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, the Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened nicely in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the marginally more fancied WEST COAST WARRIOR by a length and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on this card was 1200m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by RACING FREE. Also available at 9/1 on the off, St John Gray’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He made his move as they came off the strip and in a race where less than a length separated the first six home, he got the verdict by a short head over DAN THE LAD.
A Conditions Plate for the girls over 1450m topped the bill and in another classic finish, the lightly weighted 4yo KILAUEA registered her third career victory. On leaving the stalls it was the rank outsider of the nine horse party BE MINE TONIGHT who elected to make the running, whilst the daughter of Trippi sat sixth. She put her head in front as they approached the 200m marker and just had enough in hand to hold off the steadily gaining SHAAMA (9/1). The runner up had been positioned at the back at the top of the straight.
Titbits
Freely available at 35/1 on the off, the lightly raced daughter of Silvano DALAAL came from third last, and had to switch 300m out, when winning the girls’ division of the maiden 1200m going away by a length and three quarters.
Really Awesome
Scottsville 5th February
A Maiden Juvenile Plate for the girls over 1000m opened up proceedings in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the aptly named AWESOMENESS. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, the daughter of Alado raced sixth of the eight for most of the trip. She made up a number of lengths when given rein by Anton Marcus, and did very well indeed to get up in the dying strides.
Two of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and quickest home in these was LALA when recording her sixth career victory from just 20 starts in the pinnacle stakes. Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 33/10, the daughter of Visionaire was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and won well by a length and a quarter from the 11/10 favourite (op 13/20) IMPALA LILY.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1400m events was the MR70 Handicap in which the 18/10 favourite THE POET did the business. Despite racing handy early on, Mark Dixon’s charge found himself baulked for a run early in the straight. Once seeing daylight though, he ran on best of all and just as if scripted he got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
The 11/2 shot BANK THE CASH was always a length and a half clear when winning the MR59 Handicap over 2400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Talk Wrench 8
Race 2: (8) Bahama Mama 23
Race 3: (10) Man From Milan 19
Race 4: (2) Colonia 6
Race 5: (5) Beyond Limits 57
Race 6: (11) Latera 42
Race 7: (13) Black Rake 44
Race 8: (14) Secret Lover 37
Race 9: (10) Zaragoza 20
Race 10: (1) Sounds Of Love 2
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (5) Ostinato 11
Race 2: (2) Telamon 7
Race 3: (1) Moonsaballoon 1
Race 4: (12) Sister Soozie 10
Race 5: (5) Prince Of Eden 55 (EW)
Race 6: (5) Saint Donan 43
Race 7: (2) Captain’s Dove 48 (EW)
Race 8: (2) Trojan Quest 9
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (3) Flying Russian 23
Race 2: (6) Connaught Hotel 38
Race 3: (1) Artificio 7
Race 4: (2) Light The Way 63
Race 5: (7) Cape Orchid 40
Race 6: (6) Percival 95 (EW)
Race 7: (9) Cataluga 41
Race 8: (10) Heywot 28
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Black Biscuit 8
Race 2: (14) Q The Music 20
Race 3: (1) Bletchley 28
Race 4: (7) Florrick 25
Race 5: (16) Academy Princess 50
Race 6: (10) Bank The Princess 50
Race 7: (3) Dante’s Legacy 51
Race 8: (11) Panza 79
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Barbarella Nights 17
Race 2: (3) Desert Rhythm 7
Race 3: (8) Open Road 29
Race 4: (1) Al Azraq 73
Race 5: (7) Pippi Shortsock 31
Race 6: (2) La Vida Banco 36
Race 7: (3) Vee Man 47
Race 8: (11) Quattro 53
Race 9: (2) Rhyme Or Reason 10
Top rated winners last week included
Arpad won 9/1
Trouble Maker won 8/1
Time To Be Great won 13/2
Constantine won 5/2
Pont Du Gard won 22/10
New Predator won 11/10
Jackman won 9/10
Sea Bean won 6/10
Notebook:-
Awesomeness (C Bass-Robinson, KZN)
Dalaal (S Tarry, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 3rd February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,82s fast
1000m (3) Oriental Tiger 54,97*
1200m (1) Surf’s Up 67,22
1400m (2) Story Of My Life 83,12
1600m (2) Mister Matchett 96,44
2000m (1) Captain’s Vista 124,49
Turffontein (inner) 4th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,02s fast
1200m (2) Racing Free 73,02
1450m (1) Kilauea 87,25
1600m (5) Arpad 97,68
2000m (1) Detonation 124,75
Scottsville (new) 5th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,63s slow
1000m (1) Awesomeness 57,81
1200m (2) Gunpowder Plot 69,93
1400m (2) The Poet 83,59
1600m (2) Lala 97,40
2400m (1) Bank The Cash 151,49
