In Wonderland
Vaal 10th October: Four of the eight races at the sand track on Thursday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these somewhat surprisingly was the MR68 Handicap won by CHESHIRE CAT. Sent off a clear favourite at 5/2, Kom Naidoo’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for the fancied ANGEL GABRIEL by two and a quarter.
A MR90 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the veteran BOY OH BOY land the spoils. Finding the winner’s enclosure for the first time since Feb ’10 here, the 7yo son of Kahal was positioned in the rear turning for home. The field was always tightly bunched though and once given rein he quickly began to make headway. He ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and with the rest well beaten he got up late to deny the more fancied INDIAN STRIKER.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by BRAD’S SURGE in the opening maiden event over 1450m. Sent off a well supported second favourite at 28/10, Bradley Maroun’s charge was taken straight to the front by Piere Strydom and led throughout. He was always well clear and cruised in by seven and a half.
Titbits
DYING THUNDER ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
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On Parade
Arlington 11th October: A maiden plate over 2000m got proceedings underway in the Eastern Cape on Friday and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the imported WHITE FLIGHT. Unable to find the winner’s enclosure in ten starts in the UK, Yvette Bremner’s charge was always handy. She took up the running early in the home straight and beat the well tried GLAD I AM with authority by two and a quarter.
The fastest of the three 1200m events on the card was the bill topping non-black type Cradock Place Stakes and here victory went to White Flight’s stable companion COPPER PARADE. On leaving the stalls it was CAP ALRIGHT who elected to make the running whilst the 6yo son of Lecture raced close up in fifth. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and although the pacemaker kept on strongly after being headed he won comfortably by a length and three quarters. Copper Parade’s stable companion CELTIC FIRE ran on well from the rear in this race and was only beaten by two and a quarter.
Race six on the card was a MR87 Handicap over 1000m and here the 4yo INTIMATE TOUCH did well to land the spoils. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
DAFFODIL DAY ran on well from midfield when fourth in the conditions plate over 1400m.
Runner up MISS DIANA came from the rear when only beaten a length and three quarters in the MR70 affair over 1800m.
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Impressive Start
Turffontein 12th October: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where we saw a very impressive performance in the opening maiden event over 1200m from the newcomer SHADOW OFHIS SMILE. In the red at 7/10 on the off, the 3yo son of Western Winter broke well and was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running early in the short home straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by nine and a quarter.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was RAINY DAY in the 1450m event. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by S’manga Khumalo, Sean Tarry’s charge raced second. She moved through to take up the running at the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for the running on newcomer IKIMASU by two and three quarters. Ikimasu had also been drawn wide and finished well from midfield.
Five of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap for apprentice riders won by LONDON IRISH. Taken straight to the front by Jose Barnes, the nibbled at son of London News led throughout. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on JUDICIAL by three quarters. Judicial lost two lengths at the start and was gaining rapidly at the finish.
Titbits
Lightly raced JET FEVER won the MR78 Handicap over 2200m going away.
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Sailing Trip
Durbanville 12th October: The easiest victory at the country course on Saturday was undoubtedly that of WAVIN’ FLAG in the MR80 Handicap over 2400m. Backed into favouritism at the track (3/1 into 19/10), Brett Crawford’s charge raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened well early in the home straight and after striking the front 350m out, he won very easily by five and a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR98 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a very smart performance from the 4yo NIGHT TRIP. Racing over a distance clearly short of his best in this his first outing of the season, the son of Trippi was not surprisingly positioned in the rear early on. Once in the straight though he fairly flew and did very well indeed to collar MARCHANT close home.
Another to catch the eye on this card was the friendless SAIL SOUTH when winning the MR75 Handicap over 1600m. Allowed to drift right out to 21/2 from 7/1, Stephen Page’s charge also raced in the rear. He quickened smartly after switching out for a run 400m from home and won going away by a length
Titbits
SUPERFLY ran on well from the rear when only beaten a length and a half in the maiden 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (3) Nile Symphony 20 Race 2: (7) Koenigsegg 14 Race 3: (1) Augusta National 54 (NAP*) Race 4: (5) It’s Exciting 52 Race 5: (6) Bonnard 76 Race 6: (7) Dancinginthedesert 64 Race 7: (8) Swift Wonder 72 Race 8: (1) Ebro 54 Turffontein Race 1: (17) Zelinaa 9 Race 2: (4) Jumpstart 25 Race 3: (1) Strong Scent 1 Race 4: (11) Ilha Bela 88 (NAP*) Race 5: (5) Genuine Leather 77 Race 6: (9) Menacing 87 Race 7: (10) Mystic Tigress 75 Race 8: (6) Wensleydale 23 Scottsville Race 1: (8) Captain’s Daughter 26 (NAP*) Race 2: (7) Tatiana 22 Race 3: (5) Acapulco 31 Race 4: (5) Apple Pie 28 Race 5: (4) Breeders Cup 55 Race 6: (9) Vanilla Twilight 43 Race 7: (11) Wundabar 47 Race 8: (1) Time Of Song 62 (nb) Race 9: (1) Can-Can Inn 20 Durbanville Race 1: (1) Woodland Gem 33 Race 2: (4) Savannah Song 47 Race 3: (1) Call Of The Hunt 20 Race 4: (1) Diplomatic 31 Race 5: (2) Roman Manner 60 (NAP*) Race 6: (8) Brilliant Cut 82 Race 7: (11) Master Barry 54 Race 8: (15) Delta Dancer 52 Vaal Race 1: (1) Asiatic Pearl 22 Race 2: (1) Kerry Rose 14 Race 3: (2) Global Talk 17 Race 4: (1) Rodeo Dandy 38 Race 5: (13) Countess Bacardi 40 Race 6: (1) Sole Mio 37 (NAP*) Race 7: (6) Judge The Stride 44 Race 8: (7) Rose Bay Moon 35 (EW) .
Top rated winners last week included
Last Eclipse won 9/1 Restraint Of Trade won 5/1 Emerald Crown won 4/1 My Precious won 4/1 Cante Libre won 17/4 Lady Cozzene won 19/10 Pure Power won 19/10 Manievic won 16/10 .
Notebook:-
Judicial (T Zackey, Gauteng) Night Trip (M Bass, W-Cape) Sail South (Stephen Page, W-Cape) Shadow Ofhis Smile (G Woodruff, Gauteng) .FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherVaal (sand) 10th October Going Standard 1000m (1) Salute The Sun 61,18* 1200m (4) Cheshire Cat 73,43 1450m (1) Brad’s Surge 90,42 1600m (2) Summer Sari 101,84 .
Arlington 11th October Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Intimate Touch 58,31 1200m (3) Copper Parade 72,52 1400m (1) Mission House 85,85 1600m (1) Greystone 98,18 1800m (1) La Salle 112,82 2000m (1) White Flight 125,17 2400m (1) Castle Rock 154,36 .
Turffontein 12th October Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (1) Planet Queen 59,26 1200m (1) Shadow Ofhis Smile 72,81 1450m (1) Rainy Day 89,33 1600m (5) London Irish 98,03 2200m (1) Jet Fever 138,42 .
Durbanville 12th October Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (1) Sheer Dynamite 61,02 1200m (2) Gulf Storm 72,97 1400m (2) Torotino 86,51 1600m (1) Sail South 99,89 2000m (1) Lily Lafitte 126,95 2400m (1) Wavin’ Flag 154,99
