Changing Gear
Greyville 13th November
The presence of a 35km/h tailwind on Sunday had the track running fast. The quickest of the three 1200m events on the eight race program was the MR76 Handicap won by the St Petersburg mare VICTORY TAKEOVER. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Brandon Lerena, Robbie Hill’s charge was soon in her favourite position at the head of affairs. She gave her all in the straight and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the always handy LUNAR RUSH. Running on from the back in this race, SCHOOL RUN was finishing best of all and was only beaten a neck.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the faster of the two was the pinnacle stakes won by DOUBLE CLUTCH. Nicely positioned in third as the eleven runners turned for home, the 6yo son of Stronghold ran on stroutly in the straight, and just held on by the narrowest of margins after striking the front 200m from home.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 2000m and here the locals were sent home happy when BLACK FOREST did the business. Always in touch with the leaders, the 16/10 favourite put his head in front 250m out and won going away from SHINE UP by a length and a half.
Titbits
Soon up handy, the newcomer VARSONIC was eased late when winning the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m very comfortably by two and a half.
Four From Seven
Vaal 15th November
Trainer Sean Tarry was in devastating form at the Vaal on Tuesday winning four of the seven races that he contested. The second of their winners came in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1400m races, a MR82 Handicap, when COPPER POT showed good improvement. Just five went to post and although the son of Visionaire sat at the back he was always close enough to pounce. He did so going through the 300m and although his front running stable companion kept on determinedly once headed, he won going away by two and a half.
Stable companions also fought out the finish in the faster of the two 1800m events, a MR68 Handicap, where SUPER STRATUM kept his unbeaten record in-tact. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 8’s, Geoff Woodruff’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and as a result he raced towards the rear early on. His marginally more fancied stable companion ELEVENSES raced with him and in what proved to be a real thriller only a neck separated them at the wire.
They also ran two races over 2400m and by far the quicker of these was the MR71 affair won by the 8yo COMMODORE AL. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (12/1 out to 22/1), the veteran raced third in what soon became a very strung out field. He put his head in front 100m out and just had enough in hand to beat the 33/10 second favourite TALBEC by a neck. The runner up came from the backend of midfield and was gaining quickly at the finish.
Titbits
After losing two lengths at the start Mike De Kock’s newcomer ALAADEL ran on strongly from the rear, and with the rest well beaten he only went down by a neck to the always handy even money favourite TILBURY FORT.
Flying The Flag
Kenilworth 16th November
Three of the eight races in Cape Town on Wednesday were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR90 Handicap won by the improving UNION JACK. Adopting a change of tactics here, Brett Crawford’s charge was taken straight to the front by Greig Cheyne and led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the always handy STAR CHESTNUT did his best to get on terms he couldn’t get within three quarters of a length at the wire.
The faster of the two 1400m races on the card was the MR68 Handicap won by the highly regarded LADY OF THE HOUSE. Sent off in the red to win the lucky last, the daughter of Dynasty was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on SUNSHINE LADY by a length and a quarter.
They also ran two races over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was TRIBAL FUSION in the MR80 affair. Another to race close to the speed, the son of Trippi struck the front shortly after passing halfway and kept on strongly to beat the running on LARIMAR by a half. Running on strongly from midfield, Larimar shifted right across to the outside rail over the final 300m and did well to get as close as he did.
Titbits
Positioned sixth of the eight early on, the 3yo EPONA only had to be pushed out when winning the MR76 Handicap over 2000m with some in hand.
Just Prepping
Vaal 17th November
Albeit marginally, the faster of the two 1200m events at the Vaal’s outside track on Thursday was the opening workrider’s maiden plate won by PLUM BRITISH. Allowed to drift right out to 3/1 from 16/10 as money in the main came for FLYING RUSSIAN, the original favourite led throughout. He was challenged strongly by the newly installed favourite over the final 200m, and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the verdict by a half
As might have been expected the graduation plate won by the classy BRAZUCA was the fastest of the three 1400m races, but interestingly it was only run three one hundredth’s of a second faster than the MR64 Handicap won by the unbeaten ALL OVER THE WORLD. Returning from a seven month break here, and racing over a trip short of his best, the exceptionally well weighted son of Teofilo was soon up handy. The second favourite DANZA challenged strongly over the final 200m and it was only by 0,4 of a length that Brazuca got the verdict.
They also ran three races over 1000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the top weight GREASEPAINT when registering his seventh career victory in the MR92 Handicap. Sent off favourite at 4/1, the 6yo Kahal gelding raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on strongly over the final 300m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the 3yo filly SEATTLE SINGER.
Titbits
A 75/1 winner of her twentieth start in the maiden ranks last time out, the 4yo filly PIPKIN again caused an upset when getting up late to win the MR68 Handicap over 1000m at 50/1.
Deep in the red at 7/20 on the off, ELUSIVE STRIKE was eased late when winning the maiden plate over 1600m by two and a half.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Aunty Carol 19
Race 2: (3) Night In Tahiti 43 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Aspen Fire 10
Race 4: (9) Netherby Hall 53
Race 5: (8) Vitoria 47
Race 6: (2) Shadow Ofhis Smile 80
Race 7: (6) Angelus Bell 47
Race 8: (9) Dancingwithjackson 34
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (4) Cabinda 38
Race 2: (4) Angel Landing 17
Race 3: (7) Jay Jay’s Girl 19
Race 4: (10) Kilmokea 29
Race 5: (9) Fantasy Art 67
Race 6: (11) Mogokity 34
Race 7: (11) Lily Gray 37
Race 8: (1) Night Trip 92
Race 9: (5) Captain Ellio 47
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (5) Furiosa 27
Race 2: (6) Drum Fire 19
Race 3: (14) Green Pepper 79
Race 4: (3) Kangaroo Jack 104 (NAP*)
Race 5: (8) Comme-Ci-Comme Ca 41
Race 6: (1) Bold Rex 65
Race 7: (10) Liege 112
Race 8: (8) Tahini 78
Race 9: (8) The Elmo Effect 87
Race 10: (7) Hidden Agenda 79
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Elusive Singer 20
Race 2: (6) Icy Fire 70
Race 3: (7) Verdier 3
Race 4: (4) Big Bang Theory 20 (NAP*)
Race 5: (6) Miss Marker 70
Race 6: (4) My Emblem 52
Race 7: (9) In The Jungle 57
Race 8: (11) Friendly Tibbs 87
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Sonic A P 12
Race 2: (3) Prince Myshkin 24
Race 3: (5) Napoli 46 (EW)
Race 4: (10) Firewood 58
Race 5: (7) Stockade 51
Race 6: (15) Academy Princess 46
Race 7: (6) Silence Descends 47
Race 8: (1) Miss Minver 36
Race 9: (9) Pure Logic 22
Race 10: (6) Expresso Martini 24
Top rated winners last week included
Rouge Allure won 22/10
Secret Star won 18/10
Black Forest won 16/10
Tilbury Fort won 1/1
Brazuca won 9/10
L’Attitude won 9/10
Lady Of The House won 3/4
Elusive Strike won 3/10
Notebook:-
Epona (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 13th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,77s fast
1200m (3) Victory Takeover 68,90
1400m (1) Elysian Park 82,40
1600m (1) Well In Flight 98,87
1800m (1) Open Heir 108,75
2000m (2) Double Clutch 122,65
Vaal (inside) 15th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,73s slow
1400m (3) Copper Pot 83,83
1700m (1) Tambalang 103,91
1800m (2) Super Stratum 109,77
2400m (2) Commodore Al 149,47
Kenilworth (old) 16th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,25s slow
1200m (2) Tribal Fusion 72,00
1400m (2) Lady Of The House 86,16
1600m (3) Union Jack 97,91
2000m (1) Epona 124,68
Vaal (outside) 17th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,49s fast
1000m (3) Greasepaint 56,21
1200m (2) Plum British 69,90*
1400m (3) Brazuca 81,86
1600m (1) Elusive Strike 97,26
