Very Easy Victories
Fairview 3rd July: There were a number of very easy victories in Port Elizabeth on Friday and none more so than that of SOVEREIGN SPEECH when opening her account in the maiden 2000m. Content to sit sixth of the eight early on, the daughter of Oracy struck the front 400m out and bolted clear in the closing stages of the race to score by nine and a quarter.
Another to win with many lengths to spare was YOSHIE when registering her 13th win from just twenty five starts in the afternoon’s feature event, the listed East Cape Breeders Stakes over 1200m. Positioned in midfield during the early part of the race, Alan Greeff’s charge took the helm going through the 500m and won with authority by five and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here, somewhat surprisingly, was VINSANTO in the maiden plate. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, the lightly raced son of Silvano made his move coming off the bend. The pacemaker MYSTERY LEADER kept on determinedly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten Vinsanto got up late to score by a half.
The lucky last was a MR63 Handicap over 1600m and doing the business for favourite backers here was the 4yo WESTERN WU. Always handy, the former Cape Town campaigner took command as they approached the 400m marker and with an absolute ton in hand he cruised in by three and three quarters.
Titbits
The friendless CRACKPOT (14/1 out to 33/1) was baulked for a run twice en-route from the rear when a half-length runner up in the novice plate over 1400m.
RED BARREL extended his winning sequence to six when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1600m.
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Another Day, Another Result
Greyville 4th July: The highlight at Greyville on Saturday was the Gr1 Durban July over 2200m and in a race where the stipes reported seven runners as being either hampered, baulked or cramped (and those didn’t include the luckless FRENCH NAVY) the easy to back POWER KING (14/1 out to 22/1) took first prize. Positioned in midfield rounding the home turn, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on stoutly in the straight and survived an objection after getting up close home to beat the running on PUNTA ARENAS.
The faster of the two Gr1 events over 1400m for 2yo’s on the card was the Golden Horseshoe contested by the boys and here the favourite SEVENTH PLAIN duly obliged. Backed into 12/10 from 16/10 at the track, the son of Seventh Rock broke well and was always handy. The race developed into a sprint early in the straight and in an event where just two lengths separated the first eight home, Seventh Plain only got the verdict by a short head. Finishing best of all in this race was the runner up BRAZUCA. Having only his second career outing here, this son of Teofilo was baulked for a run 300m out.
SOLID SPEED was strongly fancied to win the Gr2 Gold Vase over 3000m, but on the day good money came for the second favourite HEART OF A LION and he did go on to land the spoils.
Positioned in the backend of midfield as the thirteen runners swung for home, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge ran on best of all in the straight and kept on strongly to beat WILD ASH by three quarters after striking the front 200m from home.
Another to win well from off the pace on the day was SAME JURISDICTION when successful in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m. Poorly drawn and slow into stride to boot, the daughter of Mambo In Seattle had a number of lengths to make up in the straight. Once into stride though she quickened well and with the rest well beaten she got the verdict by a length over another poorly drawn runner SMART CALL (ran on from a similar position).
Titbits
Poorly drawn SAPSAN ran on well from the backend of midfield when a two length third in the Gr1 Golden Slipper over 1400m.
CUTTING EDGE ran on well from the backend of midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the non-black type KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m (poly).
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Confident Strike
Turffontein 4th July: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the fastest of the four 1400m races was the opening juvenile plate won by PROSPECT STRIKE. Taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena, the son of Toreador led throughout. He was always clear and won with authority by four and a half.
There were a number of very easy victories on the card most notably that of SHE’S A DRAGON in the girl’s division of the juvenile plate over 1400m. Always handy, Craig Mayhew’s charge took up the running 300m out and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by eight.
The faster of the two 1160m events was the MR92 Handicap and here Gavin Lerena was also on the mark when the 15/20 favourite GREASEPAINT did the business. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and comfortably accounted for the veteran WHERE’S MY CHOP by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo Fort Eagle opened his account very comfortably in the maiden 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) First Sign 8
Race 2: (5) San Vicenzo 35
Race 3: (1) Anger 57
Race 4: (7) Supreme Leader 26
Race 5: (4) Nisa’s Love 50
Race 6: (1) Tommy Gun 80
Race 7: (3) Up And Running 35
Race 8: (1) Sonny Bill 38
Race 9: (3) Pippi 42
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (8) Mister Potter 19 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Fair Colour 14
Race 3: (1) Victor’s Castle 13
Race 4: (12) Gabriel 51
Race 5: (3) Foyle 66
Race 6: (9) Hotfoot 39
Race 7: (13) Rocky Stallone 45
Race 8: (1) Gold Status 11
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (10) Swakopmund 12
Race 2: (11) Picardi Pink 14
Race 3: (4) Bunker Hill 2
Race 4: (2) Destined For Dawn 27
Race 5: (1) Roy’s Angel 20
Race 6: (11) Burrwood 49
Race 7: (1) Pioneer Spirit 54
Race 8: (8) Hamelin Bay 38
Race 9: (1) Captured In Amber 10
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (3) She’s A Flirt 7
Race 2: (2) Ayrton 8
Race 3: (6) Kopi Luwak 44
Race 4: (3) Sweet On You 12
Race 5: (4) Listen and Learn 44
Race 6: (5) Red Rain 64
Race 7: (6) Seventh Symphony 76
Race 8: (13) Gentle Desire 53
Race 9: (7) Wild Dancer 36
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Top rated winners last week included
Pivotal Pursuit won 2/1
Red Barrel won 18/10
She’s A Dragon won 14/10
Kahal Legal won 13/10
Great Brother won 12/10
Seventh Plain won 12/10
Fortune Fella won 15/20
Prospect Strike won 1/5
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Notebook:-
Brazuka (J J Van Vuuren, KZN)
Western Wu (A Greeff, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 3rd July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (2) Yoshie 71,04
1400m (1) Judd’s Joy 85,47
1600m (3) Vinsanto 99,53
2000m (2) Strong Scent 127,41
Greyville (turf/poly) 4th July
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1000m (1) Tiger Territory 56,54P
1200m (1) Generalissimo 68,83P
1300m (1) Cutting Edge 80,28P
1400m (2) Just Ask Me 81,32P
1400m (2) Seventh Plain 84,70T
1600m (2) Easy Lover 97,22T
2200m (2) Power King 135,17T
3000m (1) Heart Of A Lion 194,40T
Turffontein (old) 4th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1160m (2) Greasepaint 65,67
1400m (4) Prospect Strike 84,97
1600m (1) Suedette 98,26
2000m (1) Africain 123,21
