Main Threat
Vaal 1st November: They raced on the turf on Thursday where backed as if unbeatable to win the opening maiden event over 1000m in the ante post market was the Geoff Woodruff trained newcomer RIVER TRIP. Allowed to flirt with 4/10 at one stage after opening up at even money, the son of Trippi was soon up handy. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 400m marker and only having to be ridden with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race he won with plenty in hand by a length and a quarter.
Another to win very comfortably in the maiden ranks on this card was LADY CALUMET when opening her account in the 1200m event. She got away well when the gates opened and positioned in second in what soon became a strung out field she was always poised to strike. She did so shortly after passing the 200m marker and easily accounted for the favourite STAMFORD BRIDGE by two and three quarters. One to look out for next time from this race is LUALA who finished third. Racing green, Stephen Moffatt’s newcomer was positioned in the rear going through halfway and finished well.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR94 Handicap over 2000m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the lightly raced MAIN DANE. Allowed to ease out to 7/2 from 5/2 at the track, the son of Fastnet Rock raced fourth for most of the journey. Racing two places ahead of Main Dane was HALVE THE DEFICIT and when that one put his head in front as they approached the 300m pole he looked to have done everything right. Mike De Kock’s charge always had him in his sights though and after a thrilling tussle over the final 200m he got the verdict by a neck.
Race seven on the card was a MR87 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a nice performance from the top weight MARY’S PRIDE. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back FANZENE who elected to make the running whilst Ormond Ferraris’ charge raced close up in fifth. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and although the nibbled at JOANIE GEE finished well from off the pace she did have that one held by a length and a half at the wire.
Titbits
MAGIC POTION was running on strongly from the rear when hampered in the latter stages of the MR73 affair over 1200m.
After jumping a patch and faltering, the lightly raced ANTARCTIC CALL caught the eye running on from the rear when sixth in the maiden event over 1400m.
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Easy For Placido
Arlington 2nd November: A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway in the Eastern Cape on Friday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Way West filly DREAM TO REALITY. The first winner as a trainer for former jockey Neville Benecke, the aptly named Dream To Reality was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for MADYA by a length and a half.
Race four on the card was a graduation plate over 1000m and in what proved to be the fastest of the four events over the minimum distance victory here went to the Muhtafal filly FLASHING STAR. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just got the better of the slightly more fancied COTILLION by a neck.
The non-black type Guineas Plate over 1600m topped the bill and here the stable of Alan Greeff were again on the mark when PLACIDO landed the spoils. On leaving the stalls it was the odds on favourite SEDGE who elected to make the running whilst Placido was content to sit sixth of the seven. Placido quickened well at the top of the short home straight and cruised clear to win with quite a bit in hand after striking the front 200m out. Interestingly, the second placed runner DUKE OF DESTINY (still a maiden) ran on from the back and was only 3,25 lengths behind Placido at the wire.
Titbits
Having only his second outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the former Natal campaigner HUNT THE JESTER (poorly drawn) was running on strongly from the rear when fifth in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.
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Thrilling Mile
Turffontein 3rd November: One of the highlights of Saturday’s racing on the old stand side track on Saturday was the R2,5M Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup over 2400 and here a bit of an upset was to be had when ROCK OF ARTS landed the spoils. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and after quickly grabbling a three lengths advantage he just had enough in hand to beat the running on NEGEV. The runner up came from the rear and only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.
The first of the afternoon’s three graded races to be run was the Gr2 Charity Mile and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the unbeaten MUJAARIB. Extending his winning sequence to four here, Mike De Kock’s poorly drawn son of Nadeem ran on best of all down the long home straight and just as if scripted, he got up in the very last stride to deny the more fancied WHITELINE FEVER.
The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the next, the Gr3 Starling Stakes over 1400m when FESTIVAL OF FIRE registered her fourth victory in just five starts. On leaving the stalls it was LEEWAY who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Kahal sat in midfield. One of the joint favourites BLUERIDGE MOUNTAIN was the first to make a move and ran on strongly after striking the front 400m out. Festival Of Fire had steadily been gaining on her all the way down the long home straight though and under a well judged ride from Derrick David she got up late to score by a half.
The biggest upset on the twelve race programme came in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes where FRANCOIS BERNARDUS showed good improvement. Freely available at 33/1 to win this 1400m event, Tyrone Zackey’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on favourite THE HANGMAN by a neck.
Titbits
EMERALD APPROACH impressed when running on from the rear to win the MR74 Handicap over 1600m going away by three and three quarters.
The newcomer NO PRISIONERS ran on well from the rear when only beaten a short head by Adams Rock in the maiden 1160m.
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Gutsy Louvre
Scottsville 3rd November: By far the fastest of the two maiden events over 1600m on Saturday was that in which we saw an eye catching performance from the Victory Moon colt RED ROVER. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Alistair Gordon’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. The 5/2 favourite SILVER SPRING was the first to make a move and running on strongly after striking the front 400m out he comfortably had the rest well beaten. Red Rover quickened nicely at the business end of the race though and did very well indeed to get up late after having had to switch out for a run 80m from home.
A conditions plate over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw another gutsy front running performance from the Doowaley mare LOUVRE. Just a length clear turning for home, Louvre as per usual kept on determinedly in the straight and actually extended her advantage to two and a half lengths on the run to the line.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of LOVE STRUCK who came home smoking in the graduation plate over 1400m. Third in last season’s Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, Love Struck was soon up handy. 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 pacemaker MR HARRY by six and a quarter.
Another to win very easily on this card was RASHULI BREEZE when registering her second career victory in the MR74 Handicap over 1000m. She wasn’t the quickest into stride, but in what was always a very compact field Duncan Howells’ charge was always close to the pace. She struck the front going through the 400m and ran out a very easy winner by two.
Titbits
Recent maiden winner MOTOWN was running on from the rear when only beaten 2,1 lengths by Provencal in the MR81 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (10) Big Red 12 Race 2: (14) Diamond Emblem 20 Race 3: (13) Mysterious City 19 Race 4: (4) Anne Bonny 41 Race 5: (6) Miss Sunshine 69 Race 6: (12) Havasha 90 Race 7: (12) Dancinginthedesert 63 Race 8: (2) Oh So Easy 58 Race 9: (13) Follow The Light 45 Kenilworth Race 1: (3) Haili 18 Race 2: (6) Tribal Dance 116 (NAP*) Race 3: (2) Ambassador Rex 25 Race 4: (2) In Full Flo 20 Race 5: (8) Texas Flood 68 Race 6: (5) Red Banner 42 Race 7: (1) All Is Secret 66 Race 8: (9) Count My Luck 48 Race 9: (16) Pasadera 47 Vaal Race 1: (1) Go Foxy 34 Race 2: (12) Rocky Stallone 23 Race 3: (3) Antarctic Call 19 Race 4: (4) Cat’s Game 19 Race 5: (6) Uncle Tommy 84 Race 6: (4) Hors D’oeuvre 63 Race 7: (6) Benbow 67 Race 8: (15) Key Ridge 50 Race 9: (13) Maiko Magic 46 Race 10: (9) Magic Parcel 18 (EW) Scottsville Race 1: (1) Black Platinum 24 Race 2: (1) Sadhu 24 Race 3: (2) Crumlin 15 Race 4: (1) Benjamin Brush 28 Race 5: (1) Coy Boy 33 Race 6: (13) Trimontium 44 Race 7: (1) Black Is Black 67 Race 8: (4) Aurum 53 Race 9: (5) Catalectric 52 Race 10: (4) Octavia 33 (NAP*) .
Top rated winners last week included
Our Way won 12/1 Speed Keeper won 11/1 Showmetheway won 8/1 Golden Dynasty won 6/1 Kiwi Island won 11/2 Cufflinks won 9/2 Love Struck won 18/10 Follow The Piper 1/1 .
Notebook:-
Emerald Approach (M De Kock, Gauteng) Mujaarib (M De Kock, Gauteng) Red Rover (A Gordon, KZN) River Trip (G Woodruff, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run over each distance)
Vaal (inside) 1st November Penetrometer 19 Going Good 1000m (1) River Trip 56,78 1200m (4) Mary’s Pride 69,05 1400m (2) Shimmering Gem 82,94 1700m (1) Do You Remember 103,40 2000m (2) Money Flows 121,47 .
Arlington 2nd November Penetrometer 1000m (4) Insearchofthesun 56,11 1400m (2) Superfederation 84,58 1600m (2) Placido 97,44 1800m (1) Diva Taahirah 112,52 2000m (1) Royale Drift 127,76 .
Turffontein (standside) 3rd November Penetrometer 1000m (1) Showmetheway 56,20 1160m (2) Sharp Design 66,89 1400m (4) Francois Bernardus 84,07 1600m (4) Mujaarib 96,50 2000m (1) Cufflinks 124,88 .
Scottsville 3rd November Penetrometer 1000m (2) Threshold 58,21 1200m (3) Bwana Macube 70,22 1400m (2) Love Struck 86,83 1600m (2) Red Rover 101,12 1950m (1) Awesome Beauty 128,03
