Human Hat-trick
Flamingo Park 22nd August: The faster of the two 1000m races in the Northern Cape on Monday was a MR72 Handicap and here we saw a very easy victory for the top weight HEAVENLY EXPRESS. Freely available at 7/2 on the off, Bill Human’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead at the halfway mark and only having to be pushed out from there onwards, he won with a ton in hand by three and three quarters.
Another to take a stroll in the park on this card was IL PALIO when registering his sixth career victory in the faster of the two 1800m events, a MR76 Handicap. Backed into joint favouritism at the track 11/2 into 7/2, the stable companion to Heavenly Express also raced in a handy position. He put his head in front going through the 300m and drew clear easily in the closing stages to score by five and a quarter.
A MR78 Handicap was the faster of the two 1400m races and here victory went to another Bill Human inmate in TRUMVIRATE. Friendless in the betting market at 33/1, the son of Holy Roman Emperor was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by the in-form Randal Simons, and was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly in the straight and with the rest comfortably beaten he got the better of the pacemaker LA TOURELLE by a length.
Titbits
Making his debut in Kimberley, CAVALERO was always in command when winning the opening maiden plate over 1200m by two. After racing wide on the bend, EMPORIO MANI ran on well from the back to finish fourth (beaten 3,25 lengths) in this race.
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Shades Of Jade
Vaal 23rd August: The only distance to stage more than one race on the Vaal’s inside track on Tuesday was 1200m, and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these three events was BRITISH ROYALE in the novice plate. Winning in a time just one hundredth of a second quicker than that of MIGHT AS WELL in the opening maiden plate, the son of Great Britain made all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and had enough in hand to beat the running on SAIL FOR JOY by three quarters. Troublesome at the start, and a little slow into stride to boot, the runner up came from the rear.
Race two on the card was a MR88 Handicap over 1000m and here it was nice to see the 7yo JADE BAY back in the winner’s enclosure. Racing off a mark some 24 points below that of his former best here, the son of Jallad broke well and was at the head of affairs before reaching halfway. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and although the more fancied RAFA chased hard, he won with authority by a length and a half.
Another to win well on this card was SILVER CLASS in the graduation plate over 1400m. On leaving the stalls it was SEATTLE LADY who elected to make the running whilst the Silvano mare raced close up in fourth. She put her head in front as they approached the 400m marker and with plenty in hand she won going away by two and a half.
Titbits
The 4yo BLUE SAGE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from midfield to fill fourth position in the MR69 Handicap over 2000m.
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Speed Of Light
Greyville 24th August: They raced on the poly track on Wednesday where by far the fastest of the five 1600m races was the MR86 Handicap won by GREY LIGHT. Just six went to post and off a surprisingly good pace for a small field the grey Tapit mare raced fourth. She was asked to take up the running early in the straight by Anton Marcus and drew clear easily over the final 350m to score by three and a half.
Quickest home in the three 1200m events was MISS BRODY when winning the not so lucky last, a MR69 Handicap. Soon up handy despite being a little troublesome at the start, Wendy Whitehead’s charge raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly in the straight and in a race where just over half a length separated the first four home, she got the verdict by a neck over the 20/1 shot CATHERINEOFARAGON.
The one remaining race was a MR68 Handicap over 2000m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the 5/2 favourite NINA KATRINA. She got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus led throughout. She was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two.
Titbits
Poorly drawn TANAMI didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the back to finish third in the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
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Playing The Fool
Vaal 25th August: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1600m races, a MR72 Handicap, was won by The Sporting Post’s roving banker TOM FOOL. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 8’s, the son of Brave Tin
Soldier raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up the dying strides to deny the lessor fancied TRIPLE BEAT.
Quickest home in the two 1000m races was LAKAHAL when registering her third career victory in the MR64 Handicap. Another to run on stoutly from midfield, Dianne Stenger’s charge took up the running approaching the 200m marker and won well by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR68 Handicap in which the reserve runner CANNES scored a facile victory. Taken straight to the front by Andrew Fortune the top weight led throughout. He was always two and a half lengths clear and won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
SHOTGUN RIDER must have been eight lengths clear going through the 400m, and although FLYING FOOL did make good headway in the closing stages of the race, he still had two and a half lengths to spare at the wire.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (7) Anton Ruskin 19
Race 2: (8) Ashwal 23 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) Fire Horse 40 (EW)
Race 4: (9) Oswego 17
Race 5: (2) Dream To Reality 47 (EW)
Race 6: (3) Rahvar 78
Race 7: (3) Dreamforest 51
Race 8: (8) Cruzcampo 84
Race 9: (12) Yell 37
Race 10: (2) Shine Like A Star 39 (EW)
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Duke Of Edinburgh 20
Race 2: (4) Samurai Blade 77
Race 3: (9) Champions Cup 40
Race 4: (8) Fish River Canyon 19
Race 5: (3) In The Cruise 60
Race 6: (1) Crown Of Roses 77
Race 7: (1) Kangaroo Jack 97 (NAP*)
Race 8: (2) Daspoort 46
Race 9: (11) Cash In Camilla 37
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (5) Rebel’s Burst 16
Race 2: (8) One Direction 36 (NAP***)
Race 3: (3) Miss Hyde 9
Race 4: (7) Evoke Emotion 79
Race 5: (8) Lucky Tuesday 46
Race 6: (4) Le Harve 50
Race 7: (6) Fifty Cents 73
Race 8: (7) Elusive Path 11
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (1) Northern Storm 1
Race 2: (4) Cabinda 34
Race 3: (6) Straw Man 19
Race 4: (2) Dale House 17
Race 5: (10) Queen Diva 20
Race 6: (12) Maria Estella 46
Race 7: (1) Anime 35
Race 8: (7) Special Encounter 58
Race 9: (8) Delirious Nomad 66
Race 10: (1) Mambo 19
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Top rated winners last week included
Polar Secret won 6/1
Lakahal won 33/10
Zeal And Zest won 28/10
Flying Dream won 5/2
Online won 2/1
Forest Lawn won 16/10
Silver Class won 11/10
Refuge won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Grey Light (J Ramsden, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Flamingo Park 22nd August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,55 seconds slow
1000m (2) Heavenly Express 58,22
1200m (1) Cavalero 73,60
1400m (2) Triumvirate 86,54*
1600m (2) Russian Saint 100,78
1800m (2) Il Palio 111,67*
Vaal (inside) 23rd August
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,96 slow
1000m (1) Jade Bay 57,26
1200m (3) British Royale 70,81
1400m (1) Silver Class 83,17
1700m (1) Midnight Racer 105,94
2000m (1) Cranberry Crush 123,42
2400m (1) Wall Of Ice 152,90
Greyville (poly) 24th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,16 slow
1200m (3) Miss Brody 71,26
1600m (5) Grey Light 95,52
2000m (1) Nina Katrina 123,19
Vaal (outside) 25th August
Penetrometer 21 Going Good
Course Variant: 0,32 slow
1000m (2) Lakahal 58,13
1200m (2) Cannes 70,48
1400m (1) Shotgun Rider 84,21
1600m (3) Tom Fool 95,70
