Quest For Success
Greyville 26th November: The first four races on Sunday’s poly track card were all run over 2000m and by far the fastest of these was the second division of the MR60 Handicap won by the former Cape Town campaigner HERO QUEST. Taken straight to the front by replacement rider Sean Veale, the top weighted son of Ideal World led throughout. He was always in command and found extra when challenged late on to score by a length and a quarter.
Three of the remaining five races were staged over 1000m and marginally the quickest home amongst these was the 3yo FILIPPO. Easy to back at 16/1 on the off, Yogis Govender’s charge was soon up handy. He put his head in front going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the always handy GREAT VALUE by a length.
Two 1200m handicaps completed the afternoon’s fare, the faster of which was the MR76 affair won by ACCIDENTAL TOURIST. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, this hat-trick seeking daughter of Gimmethegreenlight raced in the rear early on. She quickened best of all in the short home straight and under a well-judged ride from Sherman Brown she got up late to deny TWICE AS SMART.
Titbits
Racing off a mark some 21 points below that of her earlier best, the 4yo SHIZAM ran on well from midfield when winning the MR70 Handicap over 1000m going away.
Lightning Strikes
Vaal 28th November: They raced on the outside track on Tuesday where the meeting was abandoned after five races due to the close proximity of an electrical storm.
The first three races on the card were all run over 1000m and marginally the quickest of these on my clock was the opening work rider’s maiden plate in which the well exposed SEVEN SOVEREIGNS got off the mark. Soon at the head of affairs, despite being a little slow into stride, the 5yo kept up a healthy gallop throughout. He was joined by the heavily supported newcomer HIGHLAND HERO (11/10 favourite) 200m from home and after a thrilling tussle he only got the verdict on the nod.
The two other races that were run both took place over 1200m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was the column’s top rated runner MINNESOTA. Freely available at 22/1 on the off, the 5yo son of Miesque’s Approval was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on LAST BATTLE by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, the deposed favourite OURO won the girl’s division of the maiden 1000m very easily by four and three quarters.
In the rear some six and three quarter lengths adrift of the winner going through the 400m, MOHALLELA was finishing best of all when fourth in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
Deja Vu
Vaal 29th November: As with the previous day’s meeting, a number of races had to be abandoned due to the close proximity of an electrical storm. Indeed, only four races were run here.
Two 1500m maiden plates got proceedings underway and opening their account in the faster time in these was THE ROCKETMAN in the boy’s affair. Making only his second racecourse appearance here, the 9/1 shot raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened best of all over the final 400m and won going away by a length and a quarter after striking the front 70m or so from home.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 2000m was also the boy’s affair and here the well exposed MISTER LISTER got off the mark. Another to leave the stalls at 9/1, Chris Jonker’s charge sat third to last for the vast majority of the trip. With plenty of time to unwind down the long home straight though, he made headway quickly when the race began in earnest and comfortably accounted for the lightly raced SUCHA CHARMER by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Soon up handy, the well supported ZARGUN quickly went clear after striking the front in the girl’s division of the maiden 1500m. Her jockey was already looking around for challenges 250m out, and eased down in the latter stages won a lot more easily than the official winning margin of a length will reflect. Impressive.
Nasty Shock
Kenilworth 30th November: Four of the ten races in Cape Town on Thursday were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the girl’s division of the MR68 Handicap won by AMAZINGLY. Easy to back at 15/2 on the off, Adam Marcus’ charge was taken straight to the front and led throughout. She was two lengths clear turning for home and that proved to be just enough to beat the running on EVELINA.
Three of the six remaining races were staged over 1800m where OPERA ROYAL was the quickest home. Backed into 7/2 from 11/2 to win the MR72 Handicap, the 3yo son of Oratorio raced seventh of the ten early on. He ran on best of all in the short old course home straight and under a well-judged ride from Richard Fourie he got the better of the recent maiden winner ZANZIBARIAN by a length.
The faster of the two 1200m races on the card was the MR80 Handicap in which NASTY HARRY showed good improvement. Positioned at the back when the race began in earnest, Brett Crawford’s charge ran on best of all over the final 400m and won going away by three quarters from the pacemaker VIKING VOYAGE.
Titbits
MILDEN SPELL showed good improvement when winning the maiden plate over 1400m going away.
Oh No Not Again
Greyville 1st December: As with the meetings at the Vaal on Tuesday and Wednesday this meeting had to be abandoned part of the way through due to the proximity of an electrical storm.
If you include the barrier trial, three of the five races that took place were run over 1000m and the comfortably the fastest of these was the boy’s division of the maiden plate won by BEDAZZLED JOKER. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, the son of Pathfork was soon up handy. He put his head in front 70m out and kept on strongly late to beat the running on VISION OF TRUST by three quarters.
Race three on the card was a MR96 Handicap over 1200m and here the lightly weighted 4yo MARSHALL THAT registered his third career victory. Considerably up in class here, the 18/1 shot got away well when the gates opened and in a very tightly bunched field, set the pace. He kept on doggedly at the business end of the race and held off a wall of horses by a half.
Titbits
SHREWDY was never really asked to race when a three and a half lengths runner up to his stable companion Q THE MUSIC in the barrier trial over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Nicole 8
Race 2: (7) Junta 14
Race 3: (1) Imperial Guard 56
Race 4: (7) Green Field 5
Race 5: (7) Bollemakiesie 60
Race 6: (4) Our Destiny 87 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Inviting Lily 71
Race 8: (7) Captain’s Vista 51
Race 9: (10) Madiba Dance 40
Race 10: (9) Killala 52
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (8) Prince Ponti 18
Race 2: (3) Dusty Button 17
Race 3: (2) Alesnado 14
Race 4: (9) War Demon 10
Race 5: (9) Roy’s Donkey 43
Race 6: (5) Captains Moll 28 (EW)
Race 7: (9) Master Sam 40
Race 8: (6) All True Man 36
Race 9: (2) Inyati 39
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (1) Amajory 13
Race 2: (15) White Winter 23
Race 3: (2) Dancing Rebel 4
Race 4: (2) Africa’s Sky 18
Race 5: (9) So Long Spring 45
Race 6: (11) Vul Indlela 34
Race 7: (18) Woody Cape 45
Race 8: (5) Golden Man 56
Race 9: (11) Blue Sage 57
Race 10: (12) Russian Friend 35
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (5) Party Crasher 63
Race 3: No Qualifiers
Race 4: (10) Doyles 20 (NAP*)
Race 5: (2) Oloye 4
Race 6: (4) Dark Moon Rising 58
Race 7: (2) Jo’s Bond 89
Race 8: (3) Pillar Of Hercules 71 (EW)
Race 9: (13) Streak Of Silver 82
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Cossack Guard 24
Race 2: (1) Flamenco Dancer 14
Race 3: (1) Green Fairy 4
Race 4: (11) Mutawaary 14
Race 5: (5) Ataturk 63
Race 6: (6) Head Honcho 77
Race 7: (1) Muscatt 86 (NAP*)
Race 8: (1) Varallo 63 (EW)
Race 9: (12) Strummer 44
Top rated winners last week included
Minnesota won 22/1
It is What It Is won 9/1
Mister Lister won 9/1
Amazingly won 15/2
Seven Sovereigns won 6/1
Accidental Tourist won 5/1
Magic Flame won 7/2
Movie Show won 7/2
Notebook:-
Zargun (M De Kock, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 26th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,45s fast
1000m (3) Filipo 57,70
1200m (2) Accidental Tourist 70,40
2000m (4) Hero Quest 124,30
Vaal (outside) 28th November
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,97s slow
1000m (3) Seven Sovereigns 57,93
1200m (2) Minnesota 70,79
Vaal (classic) 29th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,14s slow
1500m (2) The Rocketman 91,94
2000m (2) Mister Lister 125,84
Kenilworth (old) 30th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,28s slow
1000m (1) Passion Peach 60,44
1200m (2) Nasty Harry 72,97
1400m (4) Amazingly 87,14
1800m (3) Opera Royal 109,64
Greyville (poly) 1st December
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1000m (3) Bedazzled Joker 58,15
1200m (1) Marshall That 69,30
1400m (1) Myelisha 83,40
