Speedy Treble
Turffontein 28th May:
They raced on the old stand side track on Sunday where the fastest of the three 1600m races was the MR75 Handicap won by the Gavin Van Zyl trained RAES’DYNA JET. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, despite having won three of her last four outings, the daughter of Dynasty raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on stoutly down the long home straight and with the rest well beaten, she got the better of the front running TRELLIS by just over a half.
The faster of the two 1400m events on the card was the progress plate in which the uneasy favourite (also trained by Gavin Van Zyl) BELLE SONATA did the business. Allowed to ease in the betting market (6/10 out to even money) despite being thrown in at the weights, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced fifth of the seven early on. SHUKAMISA was the first to make a move and on striking the front 400m out, he looked to have done everything right. Indeed, it was only very late that Belle Sonata got her head in front.
Two of the three sprint races were staged over 1160m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was yet another Van Zyl inmate in SO VAR. Sent off third in the betting market to win this maiden event, the Var filly led throughout. She was always a couple clear and won without any anxious moments from the odds on favourite ZERODARKTHIRTY.
Titbits
The newcomer Forest Express came from the rear when easily accounting for her ten rivals in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1600m.
Not Easy To Forget
Fairview 29th May: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Monday and in a time just 5/100th of a second slower than that of the MR80 Handicap we saw a very easy victory for the well-supported favourite GIZMO. Soon positioned close to the speed, Dorrie Sham’s charge took up the running at the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.
The winner of the aforementioned MR80 Handicap was ZIP LINE. Another to race handy, Corne Spies’ charge took up the running going through the 200m, and kept on strongly late to beat the running on DIVAR by three quarters.
Race 5 on the card was a conditions plate over 1900m and here it was nice to see the Judpot mare CRACKPOT back in the number one box. Winning for the first time since returning from a spell in KZN, Gavin Smith’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She put her head in front approaching the 200m marker and with the rest well beaten, she got the verdict by a half over the staying on pacemaker BONNE VIE.
Titbits
Drawn in the car park in this her first outing in the Eastern Cape, CORKER was flying at the finish when a 1,8 length fourth in the MR59 Handicap over 1000m.
Plenty of Heart
Kenilworth 30th May: By far the fastest of the four 1600m races in Cape Town on Tuesday was the MR80 Handicap in which STREAK OF SILVER registered his fourth career victory. Allowed to drift right out to double his opening price of 3/1, the son of Silvano raced in the rear for most of the journey. The eight runner field was always tightly bunched though, and when asked for his effort he quickly made headway. He struck the front 150m from home and kept on strongly late to beat DRAGON FLAME (also came from the rear) by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1200m where the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates was the girls’ affair won by the newcomer ELUSIVE HEART. Taken straight to the front by Karl Zechner the friendless 36/1 shot led throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and beat the always handy 21/20 favourite APOLLO STAR fair and square by three quarters.
A MR88 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Captain Al filly SUBLIME LADY back in top form. Sparingly raced over the past ten months, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced third of the six early on. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and although the front running COLOUR MAGIC kept on determinedly after being headed, she won comfortably by a half.
Titbits
The best bet on the card for many, DEX DEXTER won the maiden plate over 1600m with authority by a length and three quarters.
Most Of Us
Greyville 31st May: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday afternoon where marginally the faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1200m that kicked off the meeting was the boys’ affair won by the newcomer JUDGEMENTAL. The only serious rival in the betting market to the favourite NORTHERN REBEL, Alistair Gordon’s charge was a little slow into stride when the gates opened and as a result he raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly from halfway and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up late to deny the front running favourite close home.
The faster of the two 1200m events on the card was the MR73 Handicap in which PIXIELATE registered her third career victory. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10 Shane Humby’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a race where less than a length separated the first five home, she only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
They also ran two races over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was LEDIMASPRINCESS in the MR65 Handicap. Very well drawn in gate 3, the uneasy favourite (2/1 out to 4/1) was soon nicely positioned in second. She took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the staying on pacemaker ART ATTACK by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned in the backend of midfield during the early part of the race, FRIEND REQUEST cut through the field like a knife coming off the bend and cruised clear to score by three and three quarters after striking the front 300m from home.
Sparingly Raced
Vaal 1st June: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where four of the nine races were staged over 1200m. The MR81 Handicap for the girls was the fastest of these and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Captain Al filly KHALEESI. Sparingly raced since returning from a year’s absence last October, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was soon prominent. She put her head in front going through the 400m and won well by almost two from the 3yo HIGH SEAS BEAUTY.
Quickest home in the three 1000m races was the 2yo QUINLAN when winning the graduation plate. Sent off fifth in the betting market at 59/10, the Sail From Seattle gelding was always handy. He struck the front 150m from home and cruised clear below the distance to beat AL AZRAQ (broke a bloodvessel) by three.
The two remaining races were both maiden plates over 1400m and in a time of 83,25 seconds, IDEAL SECRET was the quickest home. On leaving the stalls it was the 20/1 shot ROMAN FLIGHT who elected to make the running whilst Michael Azzie’s charge was content to race in midfield. They were always very tightly bunched though, and when given rein he soon began to make headway. He struck the front going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The best bet on the card for most, CELESTINA won the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1000m a little more easily than the official winning margin of three quarters of a length would suggest.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Battle Creek 10
Race 2: (4) Kimberley Star 29
Race 3: (1) Julie Orly 16
Race 4: (14) One Love 56
Race 5: (10) Strut Your Stuff 43
Race 6: (8) Precious Pansy 29 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) Stratocruiser 75
Race 8: (12) Baylisiana 60
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (9) Zarnitsa 21
Race 2: (6) Monks Hood 50 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) Romi’s Boy 80
Race 4: (10) Mark My Card 76
Race 5: (4) Just Sensual 90 (nb)
Race 6: (8) Royal Badge 90
Race 7: (1) Trip To Heaven 101
Race 8: (15) Fellow Traveller 83
Race 9: (12) Roy’s Rolls Royce 63
Race 10: (1) Miss Varlicious 71
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (2) Casual Diamond 15
Race 2: (1) Above Eleven 8
Race 3: (1) Cossack Guard 22 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Time To Think20
Race 5: (12) Spcctra Force 26
Race 6: (1) Colorado Rose 11
Race 7: (7) Cigar Boy 58
Race 8: (1) Line Break 71
Race 9: (13) Midtown Manhattan 64
Race 10: (15) Astrapi 52
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (2) Alfolk 36
Race 2: (1) Town Flyer 16
Race 3: (16) Zerodarkthirty17
Race 4: (1) Salmon Run 10
Race 5: (2) Captain Aldo 86
Race 6: (2) Wukkin’ Up 69
Race 7: (11) Hidden Agenda 91
Race 8: (13) Blazing Winter 63
Top rated winners last week included
Hidden Gem won 17/2
Ideal Winter won 7/1
Philospher won 61/10
Streak Of Silver won 61/10
So Var won 59/10
Banks Hideal won 5/1
Tsessebe won 7/2
Sitia won 2/1
Notebook:-
Dex Dexter (D Hodgson, W-Cape)
Forest Express (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Friend Request (D Drier, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (old) 28th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,81s fast
1000m (1) Effortless Reward 55,94
1160m (2) So Var 66,83
1400m (2) Bella Sonata 83,95
1600m (3) Raes’ Dyna Jet 98,77
2450m (1) Let It Rain 154,37
Fairview (poly) 29th May
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,06s slow
1000m (1) Zanzibar Beat 58,53
1200m (3) Zip Line 70,16
1300m (1) High Definition 77,50
1600m (1) Elusive Rose 97,99*
1900m (1) Crackpot 117,34
2200m (1) Banks Hideal 140,88
Kenilworth (old) 30th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,23s fast
1000m (1) State Ballet 58,90
1200m (2) Elusive Heart 71,28
1400m (1) Amazingly 85,83
1600m (4) Streak Of Silver 96,93
Greyville (poly) 31st May
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,73s slow
1000m (2) Pixielate 58,34
1200m (2) Judgemental 71,45
1400m (1) Friend Request 82,36
1600m (2) Ledimasprincess 96,43*
1900m (1) Ideal Winter 117,25
Vaal (outside) 1st June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,09s slow
1000m (3) Quinlan 56,96
1200m (4) Khaleesi 69,53
1400m (2) Ideal Secret 83,25
