Smart Double
Fairview 27th November: The non-black type November Stakes over 1400m topped the bill on Friday’s poly track card and victory here went to the Western Cape raider CHESTNUT’S ROCKET. Always top of the boards, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for the veteran LAURIE’S GOLD by three.
Trainer Vaughan Marshall was also on the mark with his only other runner at the meeting SUMMER CRUISE in novice company. Sent off a well-supported favourite in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events, the daughter of Sail From Seattle raced in midfield early on. Both she and the local fancy NATURAL TAN (also came from midfield) ran on well over the final 400m and in a thrilling finish she only got the verdict by a neck.
The faster of the two 1300m races was the MR63 Handicap in which DOGMATISM and CAPTAINS SLIPPER dead-heated. In a thrilling tussle both ran on strongly from midfield and finished a length and a half clear of the unfancied THE CAT.
Titbits
Detached at the rear early on, VALDE VELOX did well to get within a length and three quarters of the winner when fourth in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.
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Six From Eighteen
Greyville 27th November: Friday evening’s action also took place on the poly surface. Three of the eight races were run over 1000m and fastest against the clock in these was ARABIAN NATIONAL when registering his sixth career victory from just eighteen starts in the MR90 Handicap. Sent off a strong favourite at 18/10, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on TONTO by a neck.
The faster of the two 1400m races was the MR70 Handicap won by READY FOR TAKE OFF. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. Running on from the rear the poorly drawn BUSTER BROWN was the first to make a move and looked to have done everything right on striking the front 200m out. The aptly named Jet Master gelding quickened nicely at that point though and with the rest some four lengths adrift he got up late to score by three quarters.
Two of the remaining three races were run over 1600m and quickest home in these was OVERLAP. Always handy in this MR76 Handicap, Doug Campbell’s charge put her head in front as they approached the 100m marker, and won well by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Racing from a handy position, the even money favourite WILLOUGHTON won the maiden plate over 1600m going away by six.
The 4yo MACKDESI was baulked for a run twice before getting up late to win the MR79 Handicap over 1200m.
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Master’s Cup
Turffontein 28th November: The Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup topped the bill on the old stand side track on Saturday and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 2000m races, MASTER SABINA landed the spoils. Sent off a well-supported joint second favourite at 13/2, Geoff Woodruff’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. As was the case with all of the first five past the post, the 6yo son of Jet Master ran on strongly, and only got the verdict in a blanket finish by a neck. An objection was lodged on behalf of the second horse DEO JUVENTE (also trained by Geoff Woodruff) on the grounds of interference in the concluding stages, but this was overruled.
By far the fastest of the four 1600m races on the card was the Gr2 Dingaans in which the Mike De Kock trained NOA FROM GOA gained a narrow victory. Now a winner of four of his five career starts, the son of Tiger Ridge was always handy. The eventual runner up NEW PREDATOR set the pace and with the rest well beaten it was only in the dying strides that Noah From Goa got up.
They also ran four races over 1160m and quickest home amongst these was the hat-trick seeking BRUTAL FORCE. Always top of the boards, Joey Ramden’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and only got the verdict by a neck over the 25/1 shot DOLLAR DAZZLER (saddle slipped back in running).
Titbits
The Fort Wood filly NEGROAMARO made all and was always clear when winning the Gr3 Fillies Mile over 1600m very easily by four and a quarter.
After racing at the back, SUPERTUBE won the Gr3 Racing Association Handicap over 3200m going away by two and a quarter.
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Striking Late
Kenilworth 28th November: Two maiden plates over 1400m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Saturday and the fastest of these was the girl’s affair won by GOODTIME GAL. Sent off third in the betting market at 5/2, the daughter of Royal Air Force was always handy. She put her head in front as they approached the 100m marker and with some in hand won going away by two and a quarter.
Unusually, three of the afternoon’s nine races took place over 2000m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was MY WORLD when registering his third career victory in the MR85 Handicap. Close to the speed throughout, the top weight ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by a neck over A TIME TO KILL (led 150m).
The faster of the two 1600m races was the bill topping MR95 Handicap won by BIG CAT. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the visiting Black Minnaloushe gelding raced in the rear for most of the journey. He quickened best of all in the straight, and in another classic finish he got up in the very last stride to deny the rank outsider of the ten horse party HENRY OF YORK (50/1).
Titbits
DIXIE EXPRESS and BOOMTOWN BELTER both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the MR75 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (11) Mister Potter 19
Race 2: (8) Jolene 10
Race 3: (7) Rich And Dark 13 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Savethelastdance 55
Race 5: (14) The Queen Vic 27
Race 6: (5) Duke Of Destiny 34
Race 7: (7) Sub Shaawes 49
Race 8: (1) Bodega 36
Race 9: (3) Al Lunam 34
Race 10: (1) Cherry Tripper 39 (nb)
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (3) Minnesota 18
Race 2: (3) Honeybush Tea 22
Race 3: (1) Golden Man 23
Race 4: (10) Mrs Bader 13
Race 5: (17) Balli Miracle 53
Race 6: (7) Beautiful Shay 53
Race 7: (7) Delftshaven 49
Race 8: (9) Regal Force 57
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (2) Twenty Four Carat 14
Race 2: (2) Marmalade Tycoon 64
Race 3: (1) Keep On Chooglin 50
Race 4: (4) Gin For Genius 14
Race 5: (3) Brooklyn Brawler 20
Race 6: (6) Sea Spray 41
Race 7: (6) Shout 49
Race 8: (6) Sheltered 40
Race 9: (1) Spider Web 14
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (4) Welcome Home 1
Race 2: (1) Laughistheanswer 31
Race 3: (3) Legal Eagle 99 (NAP*)
Race 4: (6) Schillaci 27
Race 5: (8) Bulleting Home 86
Race 6: (15) Inkolo 36
Race 7: (3) Pyramus 44
Race 8: (2) Rambo 51
Race 9: (9) Talbec 22 (nb)
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Top rated winners last week included
Al-Amadi won 7/1
Brutal Force won 15/4
Chestnut’s Rocket won 5/2
Captain King won 22/10
Kumiko won 2/1
Our Jet won 18/10
Thrust won 11/10
Alexa won 8/10
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Notebook:-
Negroamaro (JJ v Vuuren, Gauteng)
Noah From Goa (M De Kock, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 27th November
Going Standard
1000m (2) Summer Cruise 58,06*
1200m (1) Al-Amadi 71,13*
1300m (2) Dogmatism/Captains Slipper 75,41*
1400m (1) Chestnut’s Rocket 80,50*
1600m (2) Laws Of Succession 95,10*
Greyville (poly) 27th November
Going Standard
1000m (3) Arabian National 56,96
1200m (1) Mackdesi 70,25
1400m (2) Ready For Take Off 82,63
1600m (2) Overlap 95,97
Turffontein (old) 28th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1160m (4) Brutal Force 66,25
1400m (1) Alexa 88,27
1600m (4) Noah From Goa 97,32
2000m (2) Master Sabina 122,55
3200m (1) Supertube 205,55
Kenilworth (old) 28th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Dixie Express 58,88
1400m (2) Goodtime Gal 87,55
1600m (2) Big Cat 97,30
2000m (3) My World 125,32
