The Lucky Last

Two For Tara

Fairview 6^th July: First up in Port Elizabeth on Friday was a maiden event over 1200m and here we saw a nice performance from the Captain Al filly AFLOAT. Positioned in midfield going through halfway, Tara Laing’s charge finished best of all and comfortably accounted for FLASHING STAR, who in turn had the rest well beaten.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was IMPERIAL FLEET who caused a major upset when winning the boys division of the maiden 1200m. Freely available at 66/1 on the off, Imperial Fleet also ran on from midfield and won very comfortably by two and a half after striking the front 150m from home.

The stable of Tara Laing were also on the mark in the MR91 Handicap over 2000m when CRIMSON GLOW registered her third career victory. Soon up handy, the daughter of Western Winter raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and although the in form FLY EMIRATES chased hard, she did have that one held by a length and a half at the wire.

The listed East Cape Breeders Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and here victory went to the grey HURRICANE KATRINA (33/1 into 15/1). Initially priced up as the lesser fancied of trainer Justin Snaith’s four runners, the well supported Hurricane Katrina was always in touch with the leaders. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and under a determined ride from J P Van Der Merwe, she got up late to deny the front running CASHMERE MAFIA.

Titbits

CAPTAIN SURGE ran on well from the rear when second in the MR73 Handicap over 1200m.

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July Day

Greyville 7^th July: The first of the four Gr1 events to be run on July day was the Golden Slipper over 1400m and here we saw a very impressive performance from the Mike De Kock trained RUMYA (67). Sent off second favourite at 3/1, the unbeaten grey wasn’t the quickest into stride and raced in midfield early on. Once given rein though, she quickened in good style and with the rest well beaten she flew past the ultra consistent STRAIGHT SET close home.

Another to win well in top grade company here was WAR HORSE (57) in the 1400m Golden Horseshoe. Backed into favouritism at the track (9/2 into 33/10), War Horse was always handy. He moved up smartly when our visiting former champion jockey Jeff Lloyd asked for his effort at the top of the straight and after striking the front 200m from home, he easily accounted for SHIMMER AND SHINE by two and a quarter.

The 3yo JACKSON was sent off a strong favourite to win the big one, but after skilfully being guided over from a wide draw to race handy he was not persevered with in the home straight as jockey Karis Teetan felt that something was amiss. Victory instead went to the Sean Tarry trained POMODORO. Always handy despite setting off from the widest draw, the son of Jet Master sat third for most of the journey. He took up the running at the top of the home straight and showing real and guts and determination he found extra to get back up after being headed by the 55/1 shot SMANJEMANJE 100m from home.

Winding up the quartet of top graded events was the prestigious Garden Province Stakes over 1600m and just as the bookmakers had predicted the finish was fought out by PRINCESS VICTORIA and EBONY FLYER. They raced together in midfield for most of the journey, but it was the second favourite Princess Victoria who got first run. She struck the front 160m from home under a very determined ride from Anton Marcus and although Ebony Flyer was very steadily gaining at the finish, she still had half a length to spare at the wire.

Titbits

Many lengths adrift after losing two lengths at the start in a very competitive juvenile plate over 1900m, the newcomer AGADEZ ran on strongly over the final 400m and did very well indeed to get within a length and a quarter of the winner Gray’s Champ.

SOLO TRAVELLER was finishing best of all when only beaten a length and a quarter in the July.

For the second race in a row GENERAL SHERMAN caught the eye running on very strongly from off the pace when fourth to Depardieu in the non-black type Thekwini Sprint over 1200m.

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Closing In Fast

Turffontein 8^th July: They raced on the inner track on Sunday where victory in the maiden event over 1450m went to the newcomer ERIN (35). Sent off a rather uneasy second favourite at 3/1 (op 2/1), Erin raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and despite having lost a shoe at some stage of the race, she got up late to deny one of the rank outsiders of the party WOOD NYMPH.

Title chasing jockey Gavin Lerena rode two winners on the card, the first of which was VENTURE (50) in the MR70 affair over 2600m. A well supported favourite at 28/10 (op 4/1), Venture lost two lengths at the start and as a result he soon found himself positioned towards the rear. He began to take closer order as they passed through the strip and quickening up best of all in the straight, he comfortably accounted for WINGED LEGEND after striking the front close home.

A MR86 Handicap over 1450m topped the bill and here Gavin was on the mark aboard the Michael Azzie trained ROMANTIC GIRL (62). On leaving the stalls it was her friendless stable companion SOLARIUM (7/1 out to 13/1) who elected to make the running whilst Romantic Girl raced close up in fifth. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on OHIKI BAY by a length.

Titbits

Costly to follow HENRY HIGGINS was again running on strongly at the death when third in the workrider’s maiden event over 1800m.

Drawn widest of the twelve, NAUTICAL ran on very well from the rear when finishing runner up in the second division of the maiden 1800m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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