Put Through Their Paces
Fairview 26th June: A juvenile plate over 1400m got proceedings underway in the soft going in Port Elizabeth on Friday and heavily supported here was the Silvano colt NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. Taken straight to the front by Greg Cheyne Nottinghamshire led by a length going through the 400m, and clearly cruising he looked to have the race at his mercy. On hitting the distance though, KING OF CHAOS responded gamely to a determined ride by Karl Zechner, and in a classic finish he got up to deny the 7/10 favourite in the very last stride.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1200m and fastest against the clock amongst these was AL DON CUMARCO in the pinnacle stakes. Well supported on course into 4/1 from 6’s, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and won well by a length from the second favourite UNANNOUNCED.
South Africa’s longest horse race the listed PE Gold Cup over 3600m topped the bill and here victory went to the Tara Laing trained son of Dynasty DRILL SARGEANT. Allowed to ease right out to 5/1 from 3’s at the track as money came for both CURRENT EVENT and TAARISH, Drill Sargeant was content to amble along in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened best of all in the long home straight and with the remainder a minimum of nine lengths adrift he got the better of Current Event by a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by THRILL FACTOR in the MR60 Handicap over 1000m. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, the daughter of Windrush struck the front 300m out and went on to score by four from DANCING INTHE SNOW.
Titbits
JUST TOO EARLY ran on well from midfield when getting up late to open his account in the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
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Big Surprise To Most
Turffontein 27th June: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where the fastest of the four 1600m events, a MR86 Handicap, was won by GALLILEE. Allowed to drift as if having lost a leg at the track (12/1 out to 25/1), Michael Azzie’s charge was always handy. There had been no pace on during the early part of the race and going through the 400m most still had chances. Gallilee ran on strongly in the closing stages and beat both ESTIDRAAJ and FEATHERFOOT fair and square.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1800m was the boy’s affair won by SILVER PEG. Drawn widest of the fourteen, Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the short home straight though, he quickened best of all and cruised clear to score by three and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home.
Another to win with authority on this card was ROMANY PRINCE when getting off the mark in the boy’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1600m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was asked to take up the running coming off the strip and went on to score very easily from the 17/20 favourite HYPOTHERMIC by four and three quarters.
The girl’s division of the maiden juvenile 1600m was won by the well supported ZAPPY CHOICE (10/1 into 9/2). Ridden by the title chasing Gavin Lerena, the daughter of Redoute’s Choice led throughout. She was always a couple clear and won without any anxious moments from ROCK OF LAUDIUM.
Titbits
Backed into favouritism, FACEBOOK (7/1 into 7/2) ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the MR68 apprentice handicap over 1450m.
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Gutsy Derby Win
Kenilworth 27th June: The first of the two Gr3 events to be run in Cape Town on Saturday was the Langerman for 2yo’s over 1500m won by the easy to back READY TO ATTACK. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge raced seventh of the nine during the early part of the race. He quickened best of all in the soft underfoot conditions and comfortably accounted for the more fancied LORD MARSHAL after striking the front 200m from home.
The Gr3 Winter Derby for 3yo’s over 2400m topped the bill in terms of prize money and here we saw a gutsy performance from the grey son of Trippi LIQUID MERCURY. Always handy, Joey Ramsden’s charge put his head in front early in the straight and fought off a wall of horses at the business end of the race to score by three quarters.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1200m races was the pinnacle stakes won by ASSTAR. At the head of affairs throughout, Glen Puller’s charge kept on strongly over the final 400m and although the five timer seeking MISTER MATCHETT finished strongly from midfield, he still had a length to spare at the wire. Third placed ALPHA PEGASI ran on well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
CRYSTAL CAVERN was finishing best of all when a three quarter length third in the listed Winter Oaks over 2200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (2) Plain Of Wisdom 18
Race 2: (3) Al-Amadi 12
Race 3: (1) Hera 9
Race 4: (11) Danilo Gallinari 49
Race 5: (6) Bolt Of Light 60
Race 6: (3) Soul Sacrifice 51 (EW)
Race 7: (1) Lotus Lily Lake 54
Race 8: (11) Katie Em 45 (EW)
Race 9: (11) Love From Al 48
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Tearaway 8
Race 2: (9) Justash 9 (NAP*)
Race 3: (7) Ima Perdy Lady 10
Race 4: (1) Love Tryst 2
Race 5: (6) Kosava 44
Race 6: (5) Fire Dancing 68
Race 7: (12) Wilhelmina 41
Race 8: (10) Chedwin Park 42
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Captain King 21
Race 2: (11) Whatawondafulworld 14
Race 3: (10) Roy’s Roll’s Royce 10
Race 4: (1) Ravishing Lilly 13
Race 5: (11) Melanchete 39 (EW)
Race 6: (11) Newtons Spark 44
Race 7: (7) Finding Neverland 56
Race 8: (2) Sugar Pie 42
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (3) The Midnight Train 15 (NAP*)
Race 2: (9) Rock Of Laudium 10
Race 3: (10) Hypothermic 31
Race 4: (2) S’il Vous Plait 78
Race 5: (4) Glenshee 45
Race 6: (6) Rushing Lark 66
Race 7: (13) Dontbeamoegoe 50
Race 8: (5) King’s Wild 39
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Top rated winners last week included
Ntombe won 8/1
Hurricane Attack won 7/2
Liquid Mercury won 7/2
Glamour Gal won 33/10
Lanner Falcon won 17/10
Gift Of Rain won 15/10
Al Azraq won 13/10
Nyangan won 1/1
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Notebook:-
Ready To Attack (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Romany Prince (O Ferraris, Gauteng)
Silver Peg (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 26th June
Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft
1000m (2) Thrill Factor 59,18
1200m (3) Al Don Cumarco 70,89
1400m (1) King Of Chaos 86,53
1600m (1) African Heritage 101,12
3600m (1) Drill Sargeant 237,76
Turffontein (inner) 27th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1450m (1) Facebook 88,34
1600m (4) Gallilee 98,12
1800m (2) Silver Peg 112,02
2200m (1) Touch The Sky 142,32
2600m (1) Arch Rival 166,88
Kenilworth (old) 27th June
Penetrometer 27 – Going Soft
1000m (1) Ntombe 60,7
1200m (2) Asstar 73,25
1500m (2) Ready To Attack 93,50
1600m (1) Lanner Falcon 101,82
2200m (1) Cat And The Moon 146,22
2400m (1) Liquid Mercury 152,11
