Easy For Majmu
Kenilworth 6th December: The highlight in Cape Town on Saturday was the Gr1 Fillies Guineas and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m events the best bet on the card for most MAJMU did the business. Always deep in the red Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and after quickly going clear she won with some in hand by two and a half.
The supporting act was the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes for fillies and mares and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1000m events we saw a smart performance from the 3/1 second favourite FLY BY NIGHT. The De Kock trained ALBORAN SEA made the running and staying on strongly at the business end of the race had the remainder some six lengths adrift. Racing handy though, the Jet Master mare always had her in her sights and under a confident ride from Bernard Fayd’Herbe she struck the front 50m out.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was that of MOONSONG MAGIC in the maiden plate over 1400m. In the rear as the eight runners turned for home, the daughter of Windrush ran on best of all and won going away by four and three quarters after striking the front 250m from home.
Another to win in very good style in the maiden ranks on this card was FIRE MASTER in the 1200m event. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge could be found guarding the rear for the first half of the race. Once given rein though, he quickly made inroads into the seven length deficit, and despite having to switch out for a run 300m from home, he won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Running on from the backend of midfield, CURRENT EVENT had to switch out for a run prior to getting up in the dying strides to win the MR78 Handicap over 2400m.
OLIM DIVES only had to be pushed out when winning the very slowly run maiden event over 1600m.
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Last 3 Abandoned
Flamingo Park 8th December: Following 25mm of rain races 7,8 & 9 were abandoned at this meeting. The easiest victory amongst the six races that did take place was undoubtedly that of IMPERANI in the MR72 affair over 1600m. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 16’s, the Imperial Stride gelding made most. He began to assert his authority at the top of the home straight and drew clear easily over the final 500m to score by eight.
Another to win comfortably at rewarding odds (albeit by a much lesser margin) was ANNOINTED KING in the maiden plate over 1000m. Positioned in midfield early on, the King Of Kings gelding raced some four lengths off the pace in midfield. He quickened well from halfway and won going away after striking the front close home.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and fastest against the clock in these was BLACK PEPPER in the pinnacle stakes. Another to race from the front, Louis Goosen’s charge was always travelling well and won with some in hand by two and a half.
Titbits
Unable to get within 10,75 lengths of a winner in her previous seven racecourse appearances VEGAS LASS (raced in the backend of midfield) fairly flew over the final 300m and only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.
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On A Plate
Kenilworth 10th December: Racing returned to Kenilworth on Wednesday where first blood went to the punters when the 3/1 favourite POWER TO PLEASE did the business. On leaving the stalls it was Q SCHOOL who elected to make the running whilst in a strung out field the Ashaawes gelding raced some nine lengths away in sixth. He quickened well from halfway and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny the well-supported HARRYHOPEITHAPPENS (14/1 into 11/2 – raced handy – led 200m).
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and fastest against the clock here was TRIPTIQUE in the MR72 Handicap. A comfortable winner in the maiden ranks last time out, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and won well by a length from the running on WHAT A MISSION (5/1 out to 13/1). Having his first outing since March 2013 the runner up raced in the rear, and finished well.
The faster of the two 1000m events was the graduation plate in which ZINNAVAR caused a bit of an upset. The two market leaders GUINESS and HARRY LIME dictated matters and a couple of lengths clear passing the 400m pole it looked as if they would have it between them. Zinnavar quickened nicely as Guiness appeared to run out of gas 150m out though, and under a well-judged ride from apprentice Xavier Carstens he got up late to score by a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was just the 2,25 lengths recorded by ABBEY CREEK in the MR84 Handicap over 1600m. Taken straight to the front by Christopher Puller, the ultra-consistent Jam Alley mare was allowed a very soft five length lead over the second horse, and with the fifth placed runner some twelve lengths adrift turning for home, the race looked gift wrapped. She kept on strongly in the straight and although the pack headed by MA CHOIX did make some headway late, they never looked like getting there.
Titbits
Detached at the back early on, SMILING MISTRESS ran on well over the final 400m and won the MR68 Handicap going away by a length and a quarter.
CASUAL FAN ran on well from midfield when winning the boy’s division of the maiden 1200m. Although never a threat to the winner, fourth placed TROUBLE MAKER also finished well from the rear in this race.
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No Opposition
Vaal 11th December: They raced on the sand on Thursday where the fastest of the three 1600m events was the MR90 Handicap won by the only 3yo in the field ALL THE BIDS. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, the son of Darling Bid made all. He was always a couple clear and although both MYSTIC TIGRESS and NICKLAUS chased hard over the final 400m neither could make any headway.
There was also three races run over 1450m and fastest against the clock here was the recent maiden winner SUB SHAAWES. Always handy, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m pole and cruised clear below the distance to score by two and three quarters.
As is usually the case on the sand there were a number of easy victories and none more so than that of OLYMPIC BOLT in the MR73 affair over 1600m. Allowed to ease right out to 18/10 from 12/10 at the track as money came for FACEBOOK (22/10 into 16/10 – saddle slipped), Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 400m and with his only two serious rivals in the betting market both having excuses (SON OF APPROVAL lame off fore), he cruised clear to score by twelve and a quarter.
Titbits
In the rear early on the newcomer SCAR TISSUE was running on strongly at the finish when fourth in the boy’s maiden event over 1450m.
JADE VINE won the conditions plate over 1200m in good style going away by five and a half.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (6) Destiny Driven 18
Race 3: (12) Simmering 6
Race 4: (4) Lady Silvia 37
Race 5: (4) Family Fortune 19
Race 6: (15) Honey Bun 51
Race 7: (3) Blaze Of Fire 80
Race 8: (10) Darling Moon 54
Race 9: (14) Symbolik 46
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (12) Seattle Light 24
Race 2: (1) Ms Brooks 18
Race 3: (3) Escovitch 4
Race 4: (2) Scrum Half 38
Race 5: (4) Dravidian 46
Race 6: (7) Umoyana 46
Race 7: (5) Cage Fighter 52 (NAP*)
Race 8: (12) London Olympics 50
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (9) Legal Force 22
Race 3: (1) Panga Panga 15
Race 4: (7) Ash Cloud 97
Race 5: (8) Sweet Sasha 43
Race 6: (6) Dynastic Power 91
Race 7: (1) Harry’s Son 87
Race 8: (10) Ze Kaiser 102
Race 9: (10) Emblem Honour 65
Race 10: (19) Sunday Seventh 21 (NAP*)
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (8) Dream Logic 11
Race 2: (2) Not Sulking 75
Race 3: (8) Corleoni 30
Race 4: (8) Kostya Zu 19
Race 5: (11) Captain’s Diva 38
Race 6: (1) Halve The Deficit 87
Race 7: (5) Tomorrow’s Miss 42
Race 8: (8) Wall ‘n All 47
Race 9: (15) Iwo Jima 77
Race 10: (9) Rebel Flame 52
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Top rated winners last week included
That Cowboy Kid won 25/1
Stone Pine won 5/1
Smiling Mistress won 9/2
Fly By Night won 3/1
Power To Please won 3/1
Beach Goddess won 5/2
Olympic Bolt won 18/10
Majmu won 3/10
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Notebook:-
Fire Master (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Fly By Night (M Bass, W-Cape)
Majmu (M De Kock, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 6th December
Penetrometer
1000m (3) Fly By Night 58,21
1100m (1) Dressed In Cotton 65,18
1200m (1) Fire Master 72,96
1400m (1) Moonsong Magic 87,55
1600m (3) Majmu 99,26
2400m (1) Current Event 154,50
Flamingo Park 8th December
Going Standard
1000m (3) Black Pepper 57,16
1200m (1) On The Thames 74,73
1400m (1) Stone Pine 86,66
1600m (1) Imperani 100,05
Kenilworth (new) 10th December
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Zinnavar 59,12
1200m (3) Triptique 72,87
1400m (1) Power To Please 87,49
1600m (1) Abbey Creek 101,23
1800m (1) Independence 113,74
2500m (1) Big Ed 160,80
Vaal (sand) 11th December
Going Standard
1000m (2) Malta Rocks 58,50
1200m (1) Jade Vine 73,13
1450m (3) Sub Shaawes 91,34
1600m (3) All The Bids 101,21
