Ready For Take Off
Kenilworth 24th December: The easiest victory in Cape Town on Christmas Eve was the three and a half lengths recorded by SPACE LAUNCH in the maiden plate over 1200m. On leaving the stalls it was DOWNTON ABBEY who elected to make the running, and that one was very quickly six lengths clear. Nicely positioned in fourth though, Space Launch took up the running as the 25/1 shot began to fade 300m out and went on to score very comfortably from the well supported 13/10 favourite MUSIC APP.
Another to win comfortably on this card was MILTON in the MR72 Handicap over 1400m. Soon up handy, the 3yo son of Lateral took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on DO BE SNAPPY by two and a half.
A maiden plate over 1000m had gotten proceedings underway and in what proved to be a real thriller the 14/10 favourite FAT BOTTOM GIRL got the verdict. The easy to back HILARIA (5/1 out to 10/1) made the first move and on striking the front 200m out she looked to have done everything right. The daughter of Captain Al steadily wore her down below the distance though, and got up in the very last stride.
The MR68 Handicap over 1400m was a dead heat between BABY BE MINE and HOPEITSAPRIZE. The latter made the early running and rallied gamely to lead again 150m out after being headed for a 100m or so by MY PRECIOUS. Baby Be Mine meanwhile had been running on stoutly from midfield and got up to share on the line.
Titbits
EQUITY KICKER ran on well from midfield when just getting the better of the heavily supported SILVER SALVER in the MR88 Handicap over 1000m.
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Easy To Back
Fairview 26th December: An 800m scurry for 2yo’s was first up at Port Elizabeth’s turf meeting on Boxing Day and here victory went to the Gavin Smith trained first timer CHESTEVIN. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. She was ridden to lead passing the 100m marker and got the verdict by a half over the speedy BOOTY ISLAND.
A pinnacle stakes topped the bill and in what not surprisingly turned out to be the faster of the two 1200m races on the card victory here went to the easy to back STORMY RIDGE. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Tiger Ridge was always handy. He ran on stoutly from halfway and after a thrilling tussle with MONEY FOR LOVE over the final 100m he only got the verdict by a neck.
The faster of the two 1800m events was the MR64 Handicap won by the top weight DUKE OF DESTINY. On leaving the stalls it was the confirmed front runner HOLD ON TIGER who elected to make the running whilst the son of Windrush was content to amble along in the rear. Once in the straight though he quickened nicely, and won well after striking the front 200m out from another finisher from off the pace WESTERN WONDER.
Titbits
LORD TRAFALGAR ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden plate over 1800m.
Never the quickest into stride, BRIDE’S DOWRY came from the rear when winning the MR68 Handicap over 2000m.
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Horses For Courses
Greyville 26th December: They raced on both surfaces on Friday night where the highlight was the Gr3 Christmas Handicap over 1600m (turf). CANDY MOON was sent off as the bookmaker’s favourite at 9/2, but it was the course specialist FOURTH ESTATE who was to land first prize. Winning for the sixth time in eighteen outings at the track the 7yo son of Dynasty was positioned in midfield turning for home. He quickened with his usual zest at the top of the straight and won well by two and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home. The market leader Candy Moon caught the eye running on stoutly from the rear to finish fourth.
The faster of the two 1800m races on turf was the MR70 Handicap won by JAMBOREE. Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 10’s, Duncan Howells’ charge could be sighted guarding the rear as the fourteen runners turned for home. She ran on best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Stuart Randolph she got up late to beat PROVERB by a length.
The easiest victory on the nine race program was recorded by LEOPARD LILY in the lucky last, a maiden plate over 1800m. Always top of the boards, the 18/10 favourite raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well at the top of the straight and cruised clear over the final 250m to score by five.
Titbits
LEGEND FIGHTER didn’t find the clearest of passages when coming from the rear to win the maiden plate over 1200m with authority by a length and three quarters.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park
Race 1: (2) Dixie Rebel 14
Race 2: (1) Supreme Leader 26
Race 3: (3) Liquification 15
Race 4: (1) Deckie Boy 37
Race 5: (7) Lucky Hand 65
Race 6: (2) King Olaf 35
Race 7: (2) Kiss Me Hardy 61
Race 8: (9) Pegged For Glory 40
Race 9: (6) Hermanus 44
Vaal
Race 1: (7) Cedar Wood 22 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Count Du Armagnac 12
Race 3: (8) Lumya 18 (nb)
Race 4: (5) Ntombe 63
Race 5: (3) Prince Jazeem 78
Race 6: (15) Shaipur 56
Race 7: (13) Romantic Balladeer 68
Race 8: (16) Perfect Winter 45
Race 9: (2) Wild Dancer 20
Race 10: (3) Muskogee 14
Kenilworth
Race 1: (1) Dance In The Woods 18
Race 2: (5) Supreme Sunset 95
Race 3: (1) Ovar 20
Race 4: (6) Sail For Gold 24
Race 5: (5) Carmen Silver 12
Race 6: (7) Lorenzo Marques 66
Race 7: (2) Ze Kaiser 62
Race 8: (9) Belcourt Castle 43
Race 9: (10) Fairy Maker 56
Vaal
Race 1: (3) Amber Jet 21
Race 2: (8) Moonlit Venice 70
Race 3: (4) Jimmijagga 19
Race 4: (10) Awesome Adam 27
Race 5: (7) Facebook 69
Race 6: (8) Limbo 45
Race 7: (3) Tiger Territory 78
Race 8: (9) Antonia Major 40
Race 9: (8) Rodeo Dandy 29
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Top rated winners last week included
Land Of Meadows won 8/1
Captain’s Delight won 15/2
Captain’s Diva d/h 7/1
Not Sulking won 28/10
Grand Lodge won 2/1
Sunday Seventh won 13/10
Corleoni won 11/10
General Misty won 15/20
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Notebook:-
Legend Fighter (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 24th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Fat Bottom Girl 58,52
1200m (1) Space Launch 72,86
1400m (4) Secret Society 88,95
1600m (1) Golden Peg 103,51
Fairview 26th December
Penetrometer
800m (1) Chestevin 45,84
1000m (1) Al Lunam 57,45
1200m (2) Stormy Ridge 68,19
1600m (1) Dover Beach 98,61
1800m (2) Duke Of Destiny 111,83
2000m (1) Bride’s Dowry 125,690
2700m (1) Crown Of Gold 175,62
Greyville 26th December
Poly Good – Turf Good
1200m (3) Harry Peppa 70,37P
1400m (1)Nitri Nori 83,29P
1600m (1) Sophistry 98,24T
1600m (2) Fourth Estate 95,82T
1800m (2) Jamboree 111
