Super Six

The Wind Blows

Turffontein 13^th April: They raced on the inside track on Sunday where the fastest of the three 1450m maiden events was won by the second favourite SUPER GLUE. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Gunter Wrogemann, the son of ideal World raced close up in fifth. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on INTANDOKAZI (cramped at the start) by a length.

The biggest winning margins on the card were recorded by BLACK POSEIDON and SAVAGE WIND. Freely available at 6/1 to win the maiden 1800m, Black Poseidon came from the rear. He made his move as they entered the strip and won well by three and a quarter after striking the front 400m out. The poorly drawn runner up TIGER WOULD was finishing just as strongly as the winner in the home straight.

Well supported to win the pinnacle stakes over 2600m, the costly to follow Savage Wind (4/1 into 2/1) was always handy. He took up the running 300m out and after quickly going clear won well by three and a quarter.

Titbits

SHIRLEY’S TIME didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on to take third position in the maiden juvenile plate over 1450m.

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Climb Every Mountain

Flamingo Park 14^th April: Racing in the Northern Cape on Monday got underway with a maiden juvenile plate over 1000m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the PE raider FURIOUS POWER. Allowed to ease out to 4/1 from 28/10 at the track, Grant Paddock’s charge led throughout. The even money favourite LANGUAGE OF LOVE chased hard throughout, but she couldn’t hold on to Furious Power when the chips went down.

The easiest victory on the nine race program was recorded by PRINCESS CHICHIBU in the faster of the four 1200m events, a MR62 Handicap. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the lesser fancied of Cliffie Miller’s three runners (the stable finished 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd) raced in the backend of midfield early on. Once in the straight though she quickened best of all and cruised clear to win by three and a quarter after striking the front 120m or so from home. Race 8 on the card was a pinnacle stakes over 1600m and here we saw a gutsy performance from the heavily supported second favourite KINGOFMOUNTAIN. Backed into 18/10 from 4/1 at the track, the son of Ravishing attempted to make all. The favourite STONE REEVES put his head in front going through the 500m and at that stage of the race it looked as if he would go on to complete a hat-trick. Kingofmountain rallied gamely in the closing stages of the race though and got back up to score by three quarters.

Titbits

SET THE SCENE won the maiden 1200m going away.

TERRIBLE GULCH ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when runner up in the MR63 Handicap over 1400m.

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Heading For The Peak

Vaal 15^th April: Four of the nine races at the Vaal’s inside track meeting on Tuesday were run over 2000m and the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by EVEREST. Taken straight to the front by Randal Simons, the 3yo son of Sarge led throughout. He was always a couple clear and although NOBLE STAR (baulked for a run 400m out) ran on strongly late, he barely relinquished an inch of his advantage.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by ONE FINE DAY in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Another to make all, Mike De Kock’s charge raced a length and a half clear for most of the journey. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m and went on to score, as a good odds on shot should, easily by five and a quarter.

By far the faster of the two 1700m events on the card was the MR64 Handicap won by ORLANDO MAGIC. In the rear during the first half of the race Paul Matchett’s charge still had many lengths to find going through the 400m. The daughter of Mullins Bay quickened well at the business end of the race though and under a well-judged ride from apprentice Akash Aucharuz she got up late to score by three quarters.

Titbits

AFRICAN KNIGHT ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden event over 1700m going away by a length.

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Flying Finish

Clairwood 16^th April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1450m was first up at the garden course on Wednesday and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced FLYING CROSS (10/1 into 15/2). Having only her second career outing here, the nibbled at daughter of Brave Tin Soldier wasn’t the quickest into stride. She was soon up handy despite that though, and after striking the front 250m from home she strode clear to score by three and a quarter.

Three of the afternoon’s eight races were maiden events run over 1600m and the fastest of these was that won by HOUSECARL. He got away well when the gates opened and soon positioned in fourth was always poised to strike. He did so as they approached the 400m marker and went on to score comfortably by a length and a half.

There were also three races run over 1450m and fastest on the clock amongst these was ACAPULCO when winning the MR81 Handicap. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off (op 11/2), Dennis Drier’s charge raced fourth for most of the journey. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on OREO SHAKE (baulked for a run 400m out) by a half.

Titbits

AT MIDNIGHT won the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m going away by three and three quarters.

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Cool Palace

Vaal 17^th April: ELUSIVE SHADE was originally priced up favourite to win the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m at the Vaal’s outside track on Thursday and he didn’t let down those who stood by him. Allowed to ease out to 7/2 jt2ndfav at the track as money in the main came for the Paul Matchett trained newcomer SEA KNIGHT (20/1 into 28/10), he was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running at the 200m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the running on JOCK SILBERSTEIN by a length and a quarter.

Strongly fancied to win the very competitive looking graduation event over 1200m was OLIVE LEAF and she didn’t let down her followers. Well supported into 16/10 from 22/10 at the track, the daughter of Jet Master made virtually all. She found extra when the joint favourite KINGS V came flying up from midfield and held on to score by a half.

There were four 1200m events on the card in total and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by the top weight POLAR PALACE. Confidently ridden by Richard Fourie the 3yo son of Kildonan sat in midfield for most of the journey. Once given reign though he quickened well and only having to be pushed out he won going away by four and a quarter with some in hand. 

Titbits

AFRICA’S SPLENDOUR ran on strongly from midfield when only beaten by a neck in the maiden event over 1600m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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