In Our Own Hands
Greyville 8th March: They raced on the turf on Sunday where the faster of the two 1000m races that got proceedings underway was the MR78 Handicap won by WE LIGHT THE FIRE. Freely available at 15/2 at the off, the poorly drawn son of Gimmethegreenlight raced in the backend of midfield early on. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and won well by a length and a quarter from the luckless CONSTANTINE.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where both of the events were maiden plates. The first division was the quicker and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well supported BRIGADE. Backed into 9/2 from 10’s, Paul Gadsby’s charge raced sixth for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for SONJADOR by two.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by MASTER OF DESTINY when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1600m. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 13/10, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from midfield, WALLS OF DUBROVNIK only had to be pushed out when winning the opening Juvenile Plate going away by a length and a half.
No Dodging Roger
Vaal 10th March: The two 1000m events on the Vaal’s classic card on Tuesday were both maiden plates and in the faster of these, the boy’s division we saw a smart performance from the newcomer ROGER THE DODGER. Freely available at 30/1 on the off Corne Spies’ charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened best of all when given rein, and won going away by a length and a half after striking the front 120m from home.
The MR80 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 2000m events on the card and here victory went to the 2/1 favourite NIMCHA. In touch throughout, Gary Alexander’s charge was ridden to lead approaching the 300m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to fend off a determined challenge from GENTLEMAN ONLY by a quarter.
A MR80 Handicap over 1200m brought the meeting to a close and here a major upset was to be had when the column’s top rated selection INDIAN SONG registered her third career victory. Easy to back at 75/1 at the off, Barend Botes’ charge raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the 33/1 shot MOVIE SHOW by three quarters.
Titbits
Positioned 15th of the 16 early on, CURVATION ran on strongly in the closing stages when a length and a half runner up in the maiden plate for the girls over 1800m
Still Going Strong
Greyville 11th March: Wednesday’s action took place on the poly track where the lion’s share of the races were run over 1400m. The boy’s division of the maiden plate was surprisingly the fastest of these and here the Gavin Van Zyl trained AL JAZEERA opened his account. Soon up handy, the 3yo son of Crusade took up the running at the top of the straight and went on to score with authority from STAR CRUSADE.
The MR68 apprentice handicap was the faster of the two 1600m events on the card and here it was nice to see the veteran PUTCHINI take his tally of wins into double figures. In touch throughout, the 8yo ran on strongly over the final 400m and got the verdict by a half over the much more fancied 4yo EL SERENO.
Just 17/100th of a second separated the winners of the two 1200m handicaps with the faster being the bill topping MR90 affair won by LINEAR. Soon at the head of affairs, Lizanne Forbes’ charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by a half.
Titbits
In the rear after stumbling at the start, TO THE MAX was finishing best of all when a 1,3 length runner up in the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
On A High
Turffontein 14th March: The Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap topped the bill on the old stand side track on Saturday and in what proved to be by far the fastest of the three races over the distance, MIGHTY HIGH caused an upset. Positioned sixth of the ten early on, the daughter of Pathfork was ridden to lead 300m out by Chase Maujean, and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the rallying front runner MR FLOOD by a half.
The Derby Trial was the faster of the two listed events over 2000m and here another upset was to be had when CHRISTOPHER ROBIN gained his third career success. Allowed to drift right out to 25/1 from 12’s at the track, St John Gray’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well in the heavy rain that fell throughout the race, and after striking the front 250m from home, he won going away by two and a half.
The Mike De Kock trained VASEEM was the best bet on the card for most, and the son of Vercingetorix didn’t let down his supporters. Allowed to drift at the track as money came for the Paul Peter trained ILLUSION, Vaseem was always handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten he got the better of Ilusion’s front running stable companion ARAPAHO by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
One of four runners from the Mike De Kock stable in the race, FAYROOZ won the listed Oaks Trial over 2000m with authority by five.
Whilst We Can
Durbanville 14th March: Four of the eight races at the country course on Saturday were staged over 1600m and in the fastest of these, the MR84 Handicap, the nibbled at SIX DEGREES gained his third win. Always handy, Glen Kotzen’s charge put his head in front 100m out and won well by three quarters from the marginally more fancied PATH OF CHOICE.
1250m was the only other distance to stage more than one race and in marginally the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates that opened up proceedings, the newcomer ZARINA won a good race. Nicely positioned in fourth, in what soon became a strung out field, the daughter of Master Of My Fate was always well positioned to strike. She did so 60m from home, and won going away by three quarters.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1400m and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo MEET AT THE GEORGE. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge sat fifth, and was always doing it easily. She only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 200m out, and won with some in hand.
Titbits
INDI ANNA made it four wins from just twelve starts when winning the bill topping MR95 Handicap over 1600m going away.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (1) Famous Orator 14
Race 3: (9) Coin Mistress 17
Race 4: (2) Meryl 68 (NAP**)
Race 5: (2) Glory Days 56
Race 6: (4) Bold Viking 66
Race 7: (8) Storyland 29
Race 8: (5) Born A Bully 44
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (9) Western Vision 17
Race 2: (15) Greens 4
Race 3: (1) Afternoon Tea 18
Race 4: (4) Single Red Rose 21
Race 5: (1) Ouro 58
Race 6: (1) Al Mutawakel 83 (nb)
Race 7: (1) Celtic Sea 87 (NAP*)
Race 8: (2) Epic Dream 59
Race 9: (4) Mistressofmyfate 46
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (6) Sh Boom 4
Race 2: (5) Fiftyshadesdarker 31
Race 3: (2) What A Jewel 20
Race 4: (9) Destruction Boy 45
Race 5: (4) Bold Diva 54
Race 6: (1) Silver De Lange 50 (EW)
Race 7: (9) All In Line 45
Race 8: (1) Maitland Magic 16
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (10) Green Phantom 11
Race 2: (11) Lady Of Lutetia 27
Race 3: (1) Ruby Cove 27
Race 4: (10) Marchingontogether 80
Race 5: (4) Noble Joshua 60
Race 6: (7) Born To Perform 81
Race 7: (2) Royal Rustler 59
Race 8: (7) Jardin 37
Top rated winners last week included
Indian Song won 75/1
Walls Of Dubrovnik won 113/20
Passion Peach won 5/1
Al Jazeera won 69/20
Rabbedoe won 13/4
Nimcha won 2/1
Meet At The George won 14/10
Rock You won 23/20
Notebook:-
Meet At The George (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape)
Rodger The Dodger (C Spies, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 8th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,20s slow
1000m (2) We Light The Fire 59,09
1200m (1) Someone Exciting 72,29
1400m (1) True To Life 84,45
1600m (1) Master Of Destiny 96,60
1900m (1) Blackball 117,70
2000m (2) Brigade 125,90
Vaal (classic) 10th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,17s slow
1000m (2) Roger The Dodger 56,93
1200m (1) Indian Song 70,81
1450m (1) The It Factor 87,54
1800m (1) Ocean Forest 110,70
2000m (2) Nimcha 122,82
2400m (1) Maroon Bells 150,52
Greyville (poly) 11th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,06s slow
1000m (1) Noble Freedom 57,73
1200m (2) Linear 69,43
1400m (3) Al Jazeera 82,41
1600m (2) Putchini 95,41
Turffontein (stand side) 14th March
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,82s slow
1000m (1) Singforafa 57,12
1100m (1) Vaseem 64,10
1160m (3) Mighty High 67,94
1600m (2) Rock You 101,59
2000m (2) Christopher Robin 128,09
2400m (1) Factor Fifty 157,43
Durbanville 14th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant:
1000m (1) Skidoo 57,20
1250m (2) Zarina 74,29
1400m (1) Meet At The George 83,81
1600m (4) Six Degrees 95,79
