Still Going Strong
Greyville 20th August: Sunday’s action took place on the poly track where the fastest of the afternoon’s four 2000m races was the MR60 Handicap won by the top weight PEGGY’S DREAM. Sent off a joint second favourite at 5/1, the daughter of Jay Peg was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and although the pacemaker EINA kept on doggedly after being headed, she got the verdict by a half.
Quickest home in the three 1400m events was ROCKET MASTER when winning the MR66 Handicap. The son of Jet Master got away well when the gates opened and led throughout. He raced a length and a quarter clear for most of the journey and that proved to be just enough to beat the much faster finishing FANTASY ART (came from the backend of midfield).
The remaining races were both staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the veteran NICKLAUS in the bill topping pinnacle stakes. At the top of the boards on leaving the stalls, the 7yo was always handy. He ran on strongly in the straight and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the 4yo WILD WICKET by three quarters.
Titbits
Easy to back JUST RAP (9/2 out to 7/1) was baulked for a run en-route from the rear before getting up in the very last stride to win the MR70 Handicap over 1400m.
Afternoon Assault
Vaal 22nd August: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where victory in the fastest of the three 1400m races, a MR94 Handicap, went to the bottom weight TRADING PROFIT. Soon up handy, the 4/1 second favourite raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front going through the 200m and with the rest some three lengths adrift, he kept on strongly late to beat ARTICA by three quarters.
The MR68 Handicap was the faster of the two 1200m races and here CLARET CUP registered her second career victory. Nibbled at on course into 17/2 from 12’s, Paul Peter’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race, and with the benefit of first run, she comfortably accounted for the four-timer seeking LAST GIRL STANDING by a length and a half.
By far the easiest victory on the card was that of DAWN ASSAULT in the graduation plate over 1800m. Taken straight to the front by S’manga Khumalo, the Call To Combat gelding led throughout. He raced just a length and a quarter clear for most of the journey before cruising clear over the final 300m to score by eight and a quarter.
Titbits
The 7/10 favourite TAMMANY HALL had the remainder eleven and a half lengths adrift when getting the better of the newcomer PENNY FROM HEAVEN (2/1 second favourite) by three quarters.
Be With The Boys
Scottsville 23rd August: Four of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was BLACKBALL in the MR71 Handicap. Easy to back at 17/2 on the off the 3yo son of Black Minnaloushe raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the straight and won going away after striking the front 150m from home.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1000m was the boy’s affair in which the 4/10 favourite DIAMONDS FOREVER got rolled. Always well positioned to strike, Diamonds Forever could find no extra when the front running ON YOUR LIFE stepped on the gas 300m out. Indeed, On Your Life won going away by four.
They also ran two maiden events over 1000m and again the boys were the quickest. Allowed to drift right out to 13/1 from 6’s, the winner BAD ATTITUDE was soon positioned close up in second. He took up the running 100m out and comfortably accounted for the newcomer UNBELIEVABLE LAD by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Drawn wide and slow into stride to boot, he newcomer QUEEN’S PLAIN impressed when running on from the rear to win the maiden plate over 1400m going away.
Allowed to drift right out to 20/1 from 8’s, MASTER OF MISCHIEF ran on well from the rear when getting up late to win the MR83 Handicap over 1400m.
All Maiden Events
Turffontein 24th August: The best bet on the card for most on the inner track on Thursday was RIDING SHOTGUN in the opening maiden event for 3yo’s over 1000m. Always deep in the red, the son of Brave Tin Soldier was soon positioned up with the speed. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and went on to score very comfortably by three.
Two of the afternoon’s eight races were maiden plates for 3yo’s over 1160m and running out an easy winner in the quicker of these was MANITOBA in the boy’s affair. Soon up handy, St John Gray’s charge took up the running shortly before halfway. He quickly went clear and won very easily by three.
Marginally the faster of the two maiden plates over 1600m was the girl’s division in which the 7/10 favourite CASHEL PRINCE came home smoking. Always well positioned to strike, Alec Laird’s charge put her head in front 400m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by eight and a quarter.
Titbits
Aptly named EFFORTLESS easily accounted for her seven rivals when getting off the mark in the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1400m.
The 3yo LIKE A PANTHER cruised clear to score by six and a half after taking up the running 130m from home in the maiden plate over 1600m.
Sparkling Diamond
Kenilworth 26th August: The going was good to soft on the old course on Saturday where the fastest of the three 1000m races was the MR84 Handicap won by CASUAL DIAMOND. Just six went to post and with the exception of EXTRADITE who raced detached at the rear they were very tightly bunched. Justin Snaith’s charge put her head in front going through the 100m and went on to score with authority by three and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m where APOLLO STAR was quickest home. Always handy in this MR72 Handicap over 1400m, the son of Alado was ridden to lead 150m out and kept on strongly late to beat the staying on pacemaker ROCKETEER by three quarters.
A workrider’s maiden plate over 1000m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a very easy victory for the uneasy favourite I AM CAPTAIN. Allowed to drift right out to 2/1 from even money, the Captain Al filly was soon prominent. She assumed command 400m out and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by seven and a quarter.
Titbits
The 14/1 shot MASTER’S SPIRIT came from the back when getting up very late to win the MR80 Handicap over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Nimble 10
Race 2: (10) Caitlin’s Answer 27
Race 3: (1) Big Three 2
Race 4: (8) Imperial Velvet 76
Race 5: (4) Off To Gaul 44
Race 6: (5) Miracle Bureau 85 (NAP*)
Race 7: (5) Winter Trade 48
Race 8: (14) Mock Mambo 41
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Rendezvous 5
Race 2: (6) National Key 78
Race 3: (3) Runalong 66
Race 4: (2) La Girona 8
Race 5: (5) Tendre 74
Race 6: (1) Secret Star 77
Race 7: (8) Pure Blonde 89
Race 8: (2) Manitoba 39
Race 9: (10) Penny From Heaven 31
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (8) Photocopy 17
Race 2: (1) Eternal Night 19
Race 3: (3) Sequined 34
Race 4: (5) Spectra Force 22
Race 5: (4) One Direction 65
Race 6: (1) Silicone Valley 90 (NAP*)
Race 7: (2) Seven Wood 42
Race 8: (9) Call Me Darling 37
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Connect Me 3
Race 2: (3) Champenois 19
Race 3: (3) Lucky Veil 23
Race 4: (3) Chantyman 50
Race 5: (13) Scrabble 12 (NAP*)
Race 6: (7) Yankeedoodledandy 52
Race 7: (7) Saint Marco 67
Race 8: (11) Haddington 32
Race 9: (13) Willowgrange 30
Top rated winners last week included
Master Of Mischief won 20/1
Claret Cup won 17/2
Casual Diamond won 13/10
Like A Panther won 1/1
Rocket Countdown 1/1
Hemmingway won 17/20
Tammany Hall won 7/10
Riding Shotgun won 1/5
Notebook:-
Cashel Prince (A Laird, Gauteng)
Queen’s Plain (D Howells, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 20th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,8s slow
1400m (3) Rocket Master 83,95
1600m (2) Nicklaus 95,70
2000m (4) Peggy’s Dream 124,10
Vaal (inside) 22nd August
Penetrometer 22 Good
Course Variant: 2,81s slow
1000m (1) Jameson Girl 59,99
1200m (2) Claret Cup 72,72
1400m (3) Trading Profit 85,14
1800m (1) Dawn Assault 114,20
2400m (1) Dromedaris 156,60
Scottsville (inside) 23rd August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,07s slow
1000m (2) On Your Life 56,91
1200m (2) Bad Attitude 69,14
1400m (4) Blackball 82,66
Turffontein (stand side) 24th August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,43s slow
1000m (2) Riding Shotgun 57,66
1160m (2) Manitoba 67,91
1400m (2) Christofle 86,58
1600m (2) Cashel Palace 100,17
Kenilworth (old) 26th August
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,09s slow
1000m (3) Casual Diamond 60,91
1200m (1) Hemmingway 75,21
1400m (2) Apollo Star 88,03
1600m (1) League Game 101,91
1800m (1) Rocket Countdown 115,12
