Four For Gav
Vaal (outside) 25th June: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where the best bet on the card for many was ANGELICAT in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Pitched in against what has to be said was a very moderate looking field, Michael Azzie’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and ran out a comfortable winner by a length and a half.
Newcomer MOUNT HILLABY and the lightly raced BARBEL RUN found good support in the maiden plate over 1200m and they did indeed fight it out. Both raced handy and after battle commenced 300m out the rest were soon left trailing in their wake. Both gave their all in the closing stages of the race and it was only by a neck that the first timer got the verdict.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of PRINCE OF DARKNESS when getting off the mark in the workrider’s maiden event over 1600m. Freely available at 29/1 on the off, Chris Erasmus’ charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by six and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by AHOY CAPTAIN. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (7/2 out to 14/1), Lance Wiid’s charge sat in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though the topweight quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Gavin Lerena (four winners on the day), he got up late to win going.
Titbits
VIVA LA VIE came from the rear when winning the girl’s maiden event over 1600m going away by three and a quarter.
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Big Reputations
Scottsville (new) 26th June: CAPTAIN ON THE RUN was backed as if unbeatable to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and although he did indeed do the business it was by no means as easy as one might have expected. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 1/7, the son of Captain Al led throughout. He was always a length and a half to the good, but the chasing KING HORIZONS (racing green and reported as making a respiratory noise) did provide those buying money with some anxious moments as they approached the 200m pole.
Another with a huge reputation to leave the stalls deep in the red was MASTER OF MY FATE in the maiden 1200m. He got away well when the gates opened and nicely positioned in second was always travelling well. He quickened nicely when given rein 400m out and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the running on newcomer BREEDERS CUP by two and three quarters.
Another to win well in what was an unusually tough day for the bookmakers was A P STRIKE in the maiden 1400m. Backed into 9/20 from 9/10 at the track, Garth Puller’s charge lost a length at the start and raced in midfield for most of the journey. He made his move coming off the bend and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 300m out.
A MR80 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and as expected victory here went to the improving 3yo THE WHICH DOCTOR. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Storey, the daughter of Lake Coniston led throughout. She held just a slender lead early on, but after quickening 500m out she went on to win well by two.
Titbits
CREATIVE STRIPE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on well from midfield to take fourth position in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
TARGET FIVE and DRUM SCORE (baulked 350m) both ran on well from the backend of midfield when first and third respectively in the MR68 Handicap over 1950m.
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Explosive Dynasty
Vaal (sand) 27th June: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where we saw an impressive performance in the opening juvenile plate over 1200m from the newcomer DYNAMITE. Heavily supported in the ante post market, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was a little slow into stride and raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once into gear though the son of Dynasty quickened in good style and after making up many lengths on the leaders he won going away by three and a quarter. One to follow.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR68 Handicap in which LORD HAWKE landed a gamble. Priced up at 16/1 in the ante post betting market at one stage, Barend Botes’ charge was eventually sent off as the 16/10 favourite. In touch with the leaders in sixth as the twelve runners turned for home, the former KZN campaigner quickened nicely in the straight and with the rest well beaten he easily accounted for another supported runner in CROKE PARK by three and a quarter.
A MR85 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to the uneasy joint favourite LUCKY HAND. She got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg led throughout. The nibbled at outsider TOMORROW’S MISS chased hard over the final 400m, but despite holding every chance she couldn’t get closer than a half length at the wire. After racing in the rear the other joint favourite RIVULET fairly flew and gaining rapidly at the finish only went down by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
After holding just a one length advantage whilst making the running in the second division of the girls’ MR68 Handicap over 1200m, the favourite LOVE VIVIEN only had to be pushed out with hands and heels when drawing clear in the closing stages to score by seven and a quarter.
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Indira As You Like
Turffontein (inner) 29th June: The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1600m at the inner track on Saturday was the boy’s affair in which AS YOU LIKE caused a bit of an upset. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 10’s, the son of Tiger Ridge led throughout. UPDIKE challenged strongly over the final 300m, but he was held at the finish and went down by a half.
A pinnacle Stakes over 2600m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the favourite S’IL VOUS PLAIT. The sand specialist PYLON was the first to make a move and after taking up the running 700m out the son of Fort Wood kept on determinedly. S’il Vous Plait meanwhile ran on from midfield and when putting his head in front 250m from home it looked as if he would win going away. Pylon found extra when headed though and rallying gamely late on he only went down by the narrowest of margins.
Race eight on the card was a MR78 Handicap over 1000m and here we saw an impressive performance from the 3yo INDIRA. On leaving the stalls it was STRONGMIND who elected to make the running whilst Mike De Kock’s charge sat at least eight lengths adrift at the back. Once in the short home straight though he cut through the field like a knife and won going away by a length and a half after striking the front 60m or so from the finish.
Also worthy of note was the performance of Mystic Tigress in winning the final event on the card, a MR68 Handicap over 1800m. The fourth winner at the meeting for evergreen jockey Robbie Fradd, the costly to follow daughter of Tiger Ridge raced sixth for most of the journey. She quickened in good style coming off the strip and cruised clear from the 200m pole to score by six and a quarter.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here BLUEBELL GLADE showed good improvement when only losing out on the nod in the maiden juvenile plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (5) Duck Dodger 15 Race 2: (14) One Track Mind 22 Race 3: (15) Mystic Falls 17 Race 4: (3) Victorialaine 52 Race 5: (6) Hazel Jay 70 Race 6: (8) African Alliance 78 Race 7: (3) Sue For Peace 78 (EW) Race 8: (4) Dancinginthedesert 50 Race 9: (12) Diamond Emblem 38 Turffontein (sat) Race 1: (5) Santa Clarita 29 Race 2: (2) Mount Hillaby 31 Race 3: (1) Dragon Fay 26 Race 4: (8) Come With Me 68 Race 5: (9) Fall Of Troy 59 Race 6: (4) Reign Victorious 39 Race 7: (16) Punta Arenas 109 Race 8: (1) Sharp Design 83 (NAP**) Race 9: (8) Barbel Run 31 (nb) Greyville Race 1: (13) Stolen Destiny 59 Race 2: (14) Magroora 40 Race 3: (9) Silent Partner 105 Race 4: (3) Masai Warrior 90 Race 5: (16) Winter Star 57 Race 6: (15) Willow Magic 74 Race 7: (16) Punta Arenas 109 Race 8: (17) Put The Kettle On 98 Race 9: (1) Beach Beauty 91 Race 10: (8) Torra Bay 85 Race 11: (1) Desert Sheik 79 (NAP*) Race 12: (16) Virgo’s Babe 65 Turffontein (sun) Race 1: (11) Tamayim 23 Race 2: (1) No Prisoners 29 Race 3: (6) Our Boy Blake 17 (NAP*) Race 4: (1) Eva Tibbs 15 Race 5: (1) Pavor Nocturnus 26 Race 6: (12) Fun City 32 Race 7: (13) Diezel 53 Race 8: (5) Adams Rock 71 Race 9: (7) Venture 52 .
Top rated winners last week included Pegwell Bay won 25/2 Schism won 9/1 Friend Of Freedom won 6/1 King’s Bay won 3/1 S’il Vous Plait won 22/10 Shiver ‘n Shake won 18/10 Viva La Vie won 15/10 Master Of My Fate won 4/10 .
Notebook:-
Dynamite (G Woodruff, Gauteng) Master Of My Fate (D Drier, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherVaal (outside) 25th June Penetrometer 19 – Going Good 1000m (1) Angelicat 57,78 1200m (4) Mount Hillaby 69,57* 1600m (3) Ahoy Captain 95,48 .
Scottsville (new) 26th June Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Captain On The Run 58,02 1200m (4) Master Of My Fate 69,51 1400m (2) Racketerr Blues 84,32 1950m (2) Target Five 120,92 .
Vaal (sand) 27th June Gong Standard 1000m (1) Shiver ‘n Shake 61,05 1200m (4) Lord Hawke 72,53 1450m (1) Opening Salvo 92,45 1600m (2) Miss K 102,97 1800m (1) Action Belle 118,01 .
Turffontein (inner) 29th June Penetrometer 19 – Going Good 1000m (1) Indira 57,36 1450m (3) Rock The Country 86,92 1600m (2) As You Like 98,22 1800m (2) Mystic Tigress 109,39 2600m (1) S’il Vous Plait 165,23