On The Beach
Flamingo Park 29th October: A maiden event over 1200m was first up in the Northern Cape on Monday and here it was nice to see the well tried daughter of Lizard Island KIWI ISLAND finally get it right. Taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni, Kiwi Island led throughout. She was always two lengths clear and won without any anxious moments.
Race three on the card was a MR62 Handicap over 1400m and here we saw a nice performance from the former Cape Town campaigner ATLANTIC BEACH. Nibbled at on course into 28/10 from 33/10, the daughter of Right Approach was always in touch with the leaders. She moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and won going away by three and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by HANDSOME HUDSON in the MR64 affair over 1800m. Always handy, Bill Human’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat MUSCLE MAN by four and a quarter.
A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the 5yo CLAVERHOUSE. Having only his fourth outing since returning from a break of a year here, the son of Victory Moon raced up with the speed throughout. The hat-trick seeking JACK DAN raced with him and with the rest left trailing in their wake when the race began in earnest they fought out a thrilling finish in which Claverhouse only got the verdict by a neck.
Titbits
PISCES STAR completed a four timer when beating Surging Secret by a length and a quarter in the MR80 Handicap over 1000m.
Seven lengths off the speed early on, PRIDEOFTHENATION ran on well from the back when third, beaten just a length and a quarter by Pisces Star.
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Just Toying
Vaal 30th October: Tuesday’s action took place on the sand where there was a major upset in the second race on the card, a maiden event over 1800m when the favourite INN ON THE SQUARE got rolled. Always in the red, Paul Matchett’s charge got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and did well 150m out to fend off the nibbled at FLO JO (33/1 into 18/1). Finishing best of all though was 50/1 shot HARD TO RESIST and in what proved to be a real thriller that one got up in the dying strides.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 1600m and here we saw a nice performance from the Mike De Kock trained PEMBA. Racing on sand for the first time here, Pemba broke well and was soon up with the speed. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and although ZEERUST ran on well from midfield he did have that one well held by three and a quarter at the wire.
The best bet on the card for many was FOLLOW THE PIPER in the conditions event over 1200m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Given a typically cheeky ride by Pierre Strydom (three winners on the card), Follow The Piper was clearly full of running when VARIETY SHOW threw down the gauntlet 300m out. She quickened well when given rein and won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
The lucky last was a MR73 Handicap over 1450m and here the locals were sent home happy when the well supported favourite FALL OF TROY did the business. Backed into 22/10 from 33/10 at the track, Sean Tarry’s charge was always travelling well and sat close to the pace in fifth. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and far from fully extended as he crossed the line he went on to score very comfortably by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Runner up to Fall Of Troy, BERRYMILLER had been positioned at the back of the twelve turning for home and he did have the rest well beaten.
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Cracking finishes
Kenilworth 31st October: Racing in Cape Town on Wednesday took place at Kenilworth where in what proved to be a very exciting first event, a maiden plate over 1200m, the easy to back GLOBAL EXPRESS got off the mark. Allowed to ease right out to 10/1 from 6’s at the track, the son of Jet Master was always in touch with the leaders. The favourite VILLA DEL LARGO was the first to make a move and soon three lengths clear after striking the front 450m from home he looked to have the race in the bag. Mike Bass’ charge steadily wore him down below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the dying strides.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 1400m and here a nice gamble was landed when the heavily supported RUSHINTOTHEWIND did the business. Allowed to ease out to 16/1 from 12’s before flying through all rates into 5/1 on course, Glen Puller’s charge was always well positioned to strike. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the strongly fancied favourite LUCKY CAT (5/2 into 2/1) by a length. Rushintothewind was fourth to COUNT TO TEN in her previous start and interestingly, both the second and third placed runners have already won from that race and the fifth placed horse was second in her only start since.
A MR92 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the afternoons’ five 1200m events victory here went to the nibbled at CARAVAGGIO. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1 (op 5’s) Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in the rear, but with the field always being closely grouped he was only four and a half lengths off the speed when the race began in earnest. He quickened nicely over the final 400m and in what proved to be another very tight finish he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins over LAKE GENEVA.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of the 55/1 shot SOVEREIGN SOUND in winning the MR76 Handicap over 1200m. Positioned in the rear of the nineteen strong field going through halfway, Joey Ramsden’s charge showed a nice turn of foot and got up in the dying strides to deny his stable companion RED BANNER (40/1). Once rated 86 by the official handicapper, Sovereign Sound was racing off a mark of just 73 here and should still be well handicapped next time.
Titbits
First and second respectively in the MR71 Handicap over 1200m, VARIKATE and CHANCANE both ran on well from the rear.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (1) Grande Alado 14 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (13) Katsamba 38 Race 4: (15) Elegant Model 38 Race 5: (3) Cannonball 58 Race 6: (4) Nautica 39 Race 7: (4) She’s Got Gears 35 Race 8: (2) Saint Pierre 43 Race 9: (4) Ruby Queen 27 Vaal (Tues) Race 1: (2) Eight Forty Four 7 Race 2: (8) Danish Blue 14 Race 3: (5) Antigua 17 Race 4: (5) Cat’s Mistress 12 Race 5: (1) Made Of Magic 56 Race 6: (11) Red Sox 54 Race 7: (15) Al Felon 51 Race 8: (7) La Volta 53 Race 9: (13) Walking On the Moon 30 Scottsville Race 1: (17) Coy Boy 31 Race 2: (1) Aegis-Fang 19 Race 3: (2) Blonde Princess 20 Race 4: (2) Cape Vesta 19 Race 5: (7) Skweleti 43 Race 6: (4) Always Al 85 Race 7: (10) Creative Stripe 62 Race 8: (15) Dasiy Cutter 60 Race 9: (6) Balse 33 (EW) Race 10: (6) Campanologist 16 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Arguto 22 Race 2: (5) Flame Of Africa 28 Race 3: (14) Seven Suns 15 (NAP*) Race 4: (1) Disco Al 34 Race 5: (1) Rivatorio 60 Race 6: (5) Tipo Tinto 72 Race 7: (4) Yodac 46 Race 8: (1) Knock ‘em Out 45 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (13) Sheri Baby 27 Race 2: (4) Selbourne Supremacy 86 Race 3: (2) Hazelwood 20 Race 4: (7) Wings Of An Angel 47 Race 5: (11) Do Or Dye 46 Race 6: (5) Waltzing Duel 46 Race 7: (10) Captured Time 36 Race 8: (4) Hang Fire 79 (NAP*) Race 9: (6) Twilight Elva 44 (EW) .
Top rated winners last week included
Mega Mel won 75/20 Shadow Mode won 3/1 Where’s My Chop won 5/2 Bint Owee won 17/10 Cochineal won 16/10 Aljawhara won 19/20 Terminator won 5/10 What A Winter won 7/20 .
Notebook:-
Atlantic Beach (W Miller, N-Cape) Global Express (M Bass, W-Cape) Sovereign Sound (J Ramsden, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
(Brackets show the number of races over each distance) Flamingo Park 29th October Going Standard 1000m (1) Pisces Star 58,29 1200m (2) Wind At Your Back 73,33 1400m (4) Claver House 85,88 1600m (1) Arabian Sands 100,66 1800m (1) Handsome Hudson 113,60 .Vaal Sand 30th October Going Standard 1200m (3) Across The Ice 71,80 1450m (2) Speed Keeper 89,54 1600m (1) Pemba 101,72 1800m (2) New York 113,47 .
Kenilworth (old) 31st October Penetrometer 23 Going Good 1000m (1) Our Way 60,84 1200m (5) Caravaggio 72,73 1400m (1) Rushintothewind 91,06 1600m (1) Queen’s Club 101,86
