Full Of Promise
Durbanville 1st April: A maiden plate over 1600m got proceedings underway at the country course on Wednesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well-supported second favourite MORNING LIGHT. She got away well when the gates opened and was always poised to strike. She did so approaching the 300m marker and after fending off a determined challenge from the friendless PATRINA, she won going away by a length and a quarter.
There were four races run over 1600m in total and the fastest of these was the MR72 Handicap won by the 3yo BUFFALO TRIP. Another to race handy, the son of Trippi commenced battle with the more fancied MUSICAL MAN 200m out, and after a thrilling tussle he only got the verdict by a neck.
There was also a thrilling tussle in the afternoon’s distance race, a MR86 Handicap over 2400m, where the 3yo MY WORLD registered her second career victory. Just five went to post and in what proved to be a very false paced affair the Ideal World gelding was close up in second entering the home straight. The 5yo PRIVATE DOOWALEY led them in and after a protracted battle all the way to the wire it was only a short head that separated them.
The best bet on the card for many was the progressive PROMICING POLLY in the MR76 Handicap over 1000m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Confidently ridden by Sean Cormack, Mike Stewart’s charge stepped on the gas from midfield going through the 400m, and after striking the front 200m later, she went on to win easing down by two. The runner up TALES OF SILVER had raced at the back, and she too finished well.
Titbits
At the back of the ten turning for home, BLUE DOOR caught the eye running on strongly in the latter stages when fourth in the maiden plate over 2000m.
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More Than Ready
Vaal 2nd April: They raced on the sand on Thursday where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m for the Mike De Kock trained newcomer WISAAM. Sent off at even money in what has to be said was a very moderate field, the More Than Ready colt led throughout. Champion jockey S’manga Khumalo was looking through his legs for potential challengers 200m out and only asked to do the bare minimum from there onwards Wisaam won easing down by two.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the MR76 Handicap won by TWILIGHT TIGER. Allowed to ease out to 7/1 from 9/2 second favourite at the track, Roy Magner’s charge was always handy. She struck the front going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat her running on stable companion USISI by three quarters.
The fastest of the three 1600m events on the eight race program was the MR76 Handicap in which AHLAAM ran out a very easy winner. Well supported on course to go off a clear favourite at 16/10 (op 5/2 jntfav), Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front passing the 600m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by seven.
The faster of the two 1450m races on the card was the MR72 Handicap won by the lightly weighted ANTONIUS CHARM. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Matthew Thackeray, Bradley Maroun’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and won comfortably from the always handy INALA by two.
Titbits
Although well beaten, MASNOON (MR72 over 1450m) and LEGAL ACTION (MR68 over 1000m) both ran on well from off the pace when fourth in their respective handicaps.
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Clean Sweep For Justin
Fairview 3rd April: First up at Friday’s turf meeting was a maiden juvenile plate over 1000m and here we saw a very smart debut performance from the Yvette Bremner trained newcomer BRIDA. Freely available at 5/1 on the off, the daughter of Judpot was soon at the head of affairs. She began to assert her authority going through the 400m, and only having to be pushed out, she cruised in by seven and a half.
Another to win with a ton in hand on this card was EROS’S GIRL in the non-black type Oaks Plate over 1800m. Surprisingly allowed to drift right out to 17/10 from 11/20, Justin Snaith’s charge was content to guard the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though, she cut through the field like a knife and drew clear easily after striking the front 300m out to score by four.
The listed East Cape Guineas topped the bill and here the stable of Justin Snaith was again on the mark when DOOR OF DECEPTION landed the spoils. Sent off as the lesser fancied of his two runners, Door Of Deception, in what was a small but strung out field, raced second. He commenced battle with his stable companion CHARLES LYTTON (4/10 fav) shortly after that one put his head in front 400m out and after a thrilling tussle all the way to the wire it was only by a half that the son of Count Dubois got the verdict.
Five of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m and fastest against the clock amongst these was ICEFIRE when registering his fourth career victory in the MR84 affair. Priced up as the rank outsider of the eleven horse party at 110/1, the 5yo Spectrum horse raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and got up nicely late to beat the fancied SEDGE by a half.
Titbits
The Justin Snaith trained CAPTAIN SWAROVSKI came from the back when winning the listed East Cape Nursery over 1200m.
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE ran on well from midfield when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Devastating Form
Greyville 3rd April: Trainer Dean Kannemeyer has been in devastating form since arriving in Natal this season and he was again on the mark with his only runner, SOLAR STAR, here. Positioned at the back as the ten runners contesting the MR94 Handicap over 1600m swung for home, the Kahal gelding still had a bit to do when the second favourite BOLD INSPIRATION struck the front 300m out. The well supported market leader (22/10 into 14/10) quickened nicely in the closing stages though, and got up late to score by a length. This was the fastest of the evening’s three 1600m races.
The faster of the two 1000m races was the not so lucky last, a MR74 Handicap, which was won by the veteran top weight COTSWOLD. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the 7yo The Sheik mare led throughout. She was two lengths clear coming off the bend and just had enough in hand to beat the running on MELANCHETE by a neck.
There was also an upset in the faster of the two 1400m events, a MR74 Handicap, when MOGOKITY landed the spoils. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 14’s, the 3yo came from the rear. She struck the front 130m or so from home and won well by a length and a quarter from the uneasy joint favourite TIME MARCHES ON. Fourth placed HOT RESPONSE ran on well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
Runner up in the 1600m maiden plate, QUEEN DELTA (came from midfield) was gaining quickly at the finish.
HAMELIN BAY ran on well from midfield when third in the MR72 Handicap over 2000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (11) Struben 8
Race 2: (4) Shiraz Cabernet 7
Race 3: (5) Pure Spice 7
Race 4: (3) Dance And Destroy 29
Race 5: (6) Rushing Elf 63
Race 6: (5) Gypsy Lane 47
Race 7: (3) The West Is Wide 70 (NAP*)
Race 8: (7) Turnstone 46
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (7) Saraaba 8
Race 2: (5) Varlo 66
Race 3: (12) What Luck 46
Race 4: (9) Nights On Broadway 50
Race 5: (8) Saratoga Dancer 94
Race 6: (1) Alexis 58
Race 7: (2) Kingvoldt 84 (NAP*)
Race 8: (8) Wild Namaqua 21
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Nomvula 16
Race 2: (3) Slinky Jack 25
Race 3: (1) Trip Tease 92 (NAP***)
Race 4: (1) Sea Fan 13
Race 5: (8) Rake’s Chestnut 75
Race 6: (15) Cellarmaster 49
Race 7: (1) Hammie’s Hooker 97
Race 8: (6) The Centenary 66 (EW)
Race 9: (9) Tenderwood 14
Kenilworth (sun)
Race 1: (1) Bird Marsh 5
Race 2: (7) Just Rock ‘n Roll 4
Race 3: (1) Seventh Feather 15
Race 4: (1) Fly By Night 85 (NAP*)
Race 5: (1) Swift Wonder 51 (EW)
Race 6: (5) Moonlight Wonder 70
Race 7: (3) Casual Fan 38
Race 8: (1) Imperial Guard 18
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Top rated winners last week included
Cotswold won 12/1
Captain Swarovski won 9/2
Door Of Deception won 4/1
Antonius Charm won 33/10
Eros’s Girl won 17/10
Arezzo won 16/10
Promicing Polly won 5/10
Street Flyer won 9/20
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Notebook:-
Promicing Polly (M Stewart, 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
Durbanville 1st April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Promicing Polly 60,00
1300m (1) Shepherds Purse 79,01
1600m (4) Buffalo Trip 98,12
2000m (1) Cherish The Moment 125,95
2400m (1) My World 157,1
Vaal (sand) 2nd April
Going Standard
1000m (3) Twilight Tiger 58,39
1450m (2) Antonius Charm 90,72
1600m (3) Ahlaam 100,20
Fairview (turf) 3rd April
Penetrometer
1000m (5) Icefire 57,55
1200m (1) Captain Swarovski 70,19
1600m (1) Door Of Decption 97,54
1800m (1) Eros’s Girl 112,99
Greyville (poly) 3rd April
Going
1000m (2) Cotswold 57,97
1400m (2) Mogokity 82,72
1600m (3) Solar Star 94,24
2000m (1) Night Lock 121,55
