Always Handy
Fairview 9th July: Monday’s action took place on the poly track where three of the eight races were staged over 1200m. The MR66 Handicap was the fastest of these and here the 4yo COUNTING STARS registered his third career victory. Soon positioned close to the speed, the Var gelding kept on strongly at the business end of the race, and with the benefit of first run he got the verdict over the four timer seeking SCRIBO.
They also ran three races over 1900m and quickest home amongst these was ROAD TO INDY in the bill topping MR90 Handicap. Always handy, Tara Laing’s charge quickened nicely in the short home straight and in a thrilling three way finish, he got the verdict over the running on KING DJANGO.
The two remaining races were both staged over 1600m and in what proved to be the quicker, the MR66 Handicap, the 3yo daughter of Gimmethegreenlight HASHTAGSELFIE gained her second victory from eleven starts. Another to race handy, Alan Greeff’s charge ran on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest some three and three quarter lengths adrift, she got the verdict over the running on OASIS QUEEN by a neck.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from midfield, the friendless newcomer GUN HILL won the maiden plate over 1600m going away by four and three quarters.
Not So Good
Kenilworth 10th July: Off a penetrometer reading of 23 the going was posted as good in Cape Town on Tuesday, but as can be seen by the sprint times the ground was clearly much softer than this would suggest.
Five of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR88 Handicap won by NORDIC BREEZE. Clear top rated by the column, the 15/1 shot raced in the rear for most of the journey. She ran on best of all when the race began in earnest and went on to score comfortably by a length and three quarters after striking the front 100m from home.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1600m where the faster of the two events was the MR86 affair stole by KAMAISHI. Well supported on course to go off third in the betting market at 9/2, the apprentice ridden daughter of Tiger Dance went straight to the front and soon had the field strung out. She was eight lengths clear at the top of the short old course straight and although the always second positioned LOVE SUPREME did manage to make some headway, she still had three lengths to spare at the wire.
The lucky last was a MR72 Handicap over 1000m, and here favourite backers went home happy, when FIRE WALKER did the business. Soon positioned close up in second, Glen Puller’s charge was always poised to strike. He did so 100m out and in a race where just a neck separated the first three home he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
The 3yo BELL JAR finished best of all when getting up late to open her account in the maiden 1600m.
Plenty Of Value
Scottsville 11th July: A MR82 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two events over the distance, FALKLAND registered his second career victory. A generously priced Roving Banker for Sporting Post at 113/20, Brett Crawford’s charge made virtually all. He kept on determinedly over the final 300m and held off a wall of horses by a half.
A maiden plate for the girls was the faster of the two 1400m races and here the favourite PEARL TIARA got off the mark. Positioned in midfield as the fourteen runners turned for home, the lightly raced daughter of Horse Chestnut ran on best of all and got up in the very last stride to deny PALACE ROSE.
They also ran two races over 1600m where MARCHINGONTOGETHER was the quickest home when gaining his second win from just four starts in the juvenile plate. Backed into second favourite at the track, the son of Pathfork sat sixth during the early part of the race. He made his move early in the straight and comfortably accounted for the always handy PERPETUAL FLAME by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Towards the rear after taking a bump at the start, SECOND TO NONE was finishing best of all when only beaten a third of a length in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
Sealed With A Kiss
Vaal 12th July: Four of the nine races on the outside track on Thursday were staged over 1200m and the fastest of these on my clock was the first division of the MR66 handicap won by the ultra-consistent 6yo WOTTAHOTTIE. Easy to back at 27/4 on the off, Stanley Ferreira’s charge raced in the rear during the first half of the race. Once given rein though, he finished best of all and under a well-judged ride from Keagan De Melo he got up 50m from home to win going away.
They also ran four races over 1600m and quickest home here was IT IS NOT OVER in the MR62 affair. The lesser fancied of St John Gray’s three runners, the daughter of Mon Sang was freely available at 22/1 on the off. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, It Is Not Over ran on nicely over the final 400m and got the verdict by a half over stable companion ANGELIC APPEAL. Similarly positioned at halfway, the runner up also finished well.
The one remaining race was the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1400m and here the well-supported outsider KISS ME STUPID did the business. Nibbled at throughout the morning into 8/1 from 20’s, Tony Nassif’s charge raced in the rear of what soon became a strung out field. Confidently ridden by the experienced Sam Mosia though, the Horse Chestnut filly steadily worked her way through the field and after striking the front 110m out, won going away.
Titbits
Sent off a heavily supported favourite, the lightly raced LAZARUS TREE won the maiden plate over 1200m with authority by three and a quarter.
Stroll In The Park
Turffontein 14th July: Just five runners went to post for the bill topping MR104 Handicap over 2000m on the old stand side track on Saturday, and in what proved to be a very false paced affair, the clear best handicapped runner in Sporting Post TOP SHOT registered his seventh career victory. In a race devoid of real pace throughout, the talented HEAVENLY BLUE made the running. More than likely in need of the run though he was passed by Top Shot 400m out. Gary Alexander’s charge kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race and just held on by a neck from the faster finishing BANKABLE TEDDY.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these, a graduation plate, was FULL MAST. Always top of the boards, the son of Go Deputy raced handy in fourth. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the staying on pacemaker WINTER’S FORGE by two and three quarters.
There were a number of easy victories on the afternoon, but none more so than that of ALYAASAAT in the maiden plate over 1400m. Sent off a strong favourite at 15/10, Mike De Kock’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m pole and cruised clear from there onwards to score by almost five. He won well in this just his second career outing and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
Titbits
The 3yo Golden Sword gelding VILLAGE DEEP ran on well from the back when getting up late to open his account in the maiden plate over 2400m.
At the back going through the 400m, AURORA AUSTRALIS was finishing best of all when a 2,25 length third in the MR72 affair over 1400m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Press Release 16
Race 2: (4) Call Me Blue 7
Race 3: (2) Money Buys Love 11
Race 4: (15) Limerick Ridge 45
Race 5: (8) Free Agent 54
Race 6: (5) Patchit Up Baby 67
Race 7: (5) Le Grand Rouge 53
Race 8: (9) If Only 49
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) Lady Jackson 9
Race 2: (8) Rockcliffe 14
Race 3: (1) Fleek 7
Race 4: (1) Zadora 36
Race 5: (13) Silver Raisin 47
Race 6: (9) Borya 52
Race 7: (1) Silver Prancer 21
Race 8: (1) Prince Ardent 15
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Shanghai Pierce 4
Race 2: (2) Oceans Pride 5
Race 3: (6) Absente 20
Race 4: (1) Stormborne Thunder 2
Race 5: (10) Excalibur’s Return 59
Race 6: (1) Donny G 52
Race 7: (5) Visuality 70
Race 8: (9) Lock Him Up 37
Race 9: (12) Viva Espana 38
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (5) Ready To Rumble 4
Race 2: (4) Elusive Trader 17
Race 3: (6) Captain Of Tortuga 25
Race 4: (2) Sommersonne 18
Race 5: (3) Hotel Cipriani 59
Race 6: (5) Royal Chian 34
Race 7: (1) Tevez 79
Race 8: (11) Romantic Crusade 36
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (8) Palace Rose 3
Race 2: (1) The Grey Crusader 17
Race 3: (15) Salsa Queen 29
Race 4: (11) Son Of Silver 31
Race 5: (5) Kahula 67
Race 6: (6) Illuminate 35
Race 7: (5) Miss Ferris 4
Race 8: (8) Exclusive Quantity 26
Top rated winners last week included
Nordic Breeze won 15/1
Ronnie Rocket won 31/4
Sail For Joy won 31/4
Flower Of Carmel won 71/10
Fire Walker won 61/20
Lanza won 61/20
Top Shot won 26/10
Mount Keith won 17/10
Notebook:-
Alyaasaat (M De Kock, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 9th July
Going Standard
1200m (3) Counting Stars 69,43
1600m (2) Hashtagselfie 95,46
1900m (3) Road To Indy 113,47
Kenilworth (old) 10th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 3,18s slow
1000m (1) Fire Walker 61,54
1200m (5) Nordic Breeze 74,94
1400m (1) Deepston 87,94
1600m (2) Kamaishi 100,00
2400m (1) Cape Xtreme 157,27
Scottsville 11th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,33s slow
1000m (2) Falkland 56,60
1200m (1) Ronnie Rocket 68,44
1400m (2) Pearl Tiara 84,49
1600m (2) Marchingontogether 96,00
1950m (1) Warfarer 119,63
Vaal (outside) 12th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (4) Wottahottie 70,72
1400m (1) Kiss Me Stupid 85,95
1600m (4) It Is Not Over 97,10
Turffontein 14th July
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,14s slow
1000m (2) Isphan 56,81
1160m (2) Peppermint Tea 67,94
1400m (3) Full Mast 85,17
2000m (1) Top Shot 128,19
2400m (1) Village Deep 154,35
2850m (1) Arte 188,53
