More Than Enough
Greyville 4th March: Other than the barrier trial run on the poly, there were no sprint races on Sunday’s turf card. Three of the afternoon’s eight races were staged over 1600m and the quickest home in these was ROY HAD ENOUGH in the bill topping pinnacles stakes. In what in real terms wasn’t a fast run race, this progressive son of Pierro raced in the middle of the seven for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the home straight and got up late to deny the front running CELTIC CAPTAIN.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1400m. Both were slowly run maiden events, the quicker being that won by the best bet on the card for many ALDO’S CHASE. Always in the red, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on MR T by three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of DARK MOON RISING in the MR76 Handicap over 1800m. In what proved to be the fastest race on the program, the top weight still had a few lengths to find when the very well handicapped SYLVESTER THE CAT struck the front 400m out. Once given rein though he quickly began to reduce the deficit and cruised clear to score by five after striking the front 150m from home.
Titbits
Poorly drawn GIMME A BRAKE NATE was hampered 450m out and then had to switch 200m out when running on from the back end of midfield to fill third position in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
No Underhandedness
Vaal 6th March: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where proceedings got underway with a maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. The Mike De Kock trained newcomer BELTON ROAD was all the rage in the betting market, but on the day he found one better in another newcomer GREEN HAZE. Ridden to lead 250m out by Gavin Lerena, Belton Road did everything right. Running on nicely from midfield though, the son of Gimmethegreenlight put his head in front 100m later and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1800m and by far the fastest of these was the MR72 Handicap won by the progressive MY FAVOURITE BROWN. Easy to back at 6/1 on the off, the son of Big Brown was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 600m and went on to score with authority from the 9yo YER-MAAN.
The MR84 Handicap was the faster of the two 1700m races and here we saw a smart performance from the Sean Tarry trained SHENANIGANS. Sent off a strong favourite at 16/10, the son of Dynasty adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and although SHOGUN (had the rest well beaten) threw down a determined challenge over the final 200m, he won with some in hand by a length.
Titbits
Racing off a mark some 14 points below that of his earlier best, ODD ROB came from the rear when winning the MR67 Handicap over 2400m.
Four For Anton
Greyville 7th March: Wednesday’s action took place on the poly track where once again the times were relatively slow. A MR88 Handicap topped the bill and a race that might have been run a bit faster, the classy VARALLO registered his third career victory. Always handy, the 3yo Var gelding took up the running 250m out and although FLYING FREE did challenge strongly from there onwards, he did have that one held by three quarters at the wire.
There were five races run over 1400m in total and surprisingly the fastest of these was the maiden plate won by the well supported SOCRATES. Backed into joint favouritism at the track, Shane Humby’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and led throughout. He was visibly cruising during the early part of the race and drew clear in good style to score by four and three quarters when given rein 300m out.
A MR76 Handicap over 1000m brought proceedings to a close and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Visionaire filly WE’RE WATCHING YOU. The fourth winner on the card for jockey Anton Marcus, We’re Watching You raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all in the short home straight and won going away after striking the front 100m out.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, the newcomer PAVAROTTI PASSION was never really asked to race and had a ton in hand when first past the post by a neck in the barrier trial over 1000m.
After being a little slow into stride, lightly raced IRISH MARSH ran on well from the back when a length and three quarter runner up in the maiden plate for the girls over 1400m.
Smart Hat-Trick
Fairview 9th March: The listed Breeders Guineas for 3yo’s over 1600m topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here the visiting LUNA CHILD completed a smart hat-trick. Always handy in what soon became a strung out field, Glen Kotzen’s charge got the better of the front running CLOUD ATLAS 50m out and won well by a half. Runner up QUEEN FOREVER had raced at the back and didn’t find the clearest of passages going through the 200m.
Run in a time 0,6 seconds faster than the feature event was the graduation plate won by DRAGON FLAME. Sent off third in the betting market at 9/2, the well exposed son of Bezrin also raced close to the speed. He put his head in front 400m out and just had enough in hand to get the verdict by a neck over the running on favourite GREEN LANTERN.
The MR80 Handicap over 1000m was comparatively the fastest of the three sprinting events and in what proved to be a real thriller the 3yo KIFTSGATE registered his third career victory. On leaving the stalls it was DICKENSIAN who elected to make the running whilst Alan Greeff’s charge sat handy in fourth. The pack began to close in quickly below the distance and in a race where only 0,3 of a length separated the first four home, Kiftsgate got the verdict by a short head.
Titbits
The 50/1 shot SMART SUZY caused a major upset when running on from midfield to win the not so lucky last (a MR76 Handicap) going away.
Positioned third last entering the straight, SILVER GOBLET ran on best of all when getting up late to win the MR68 Handicap over 2000m.
A New Eagle To Follow
Turffontein 4th March: The going was posted as good to soft on Saturday and the course was running over 2 seconds slow. In terms of prizemoney three listed events over 1000m topped the bill, the fastest of which was the Storm Bird Stakes won by BOLD EAGLE. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won going away by three and a half.
The pinnacle stakes was the fastest of the three 1160m events and here an upset was to be had when the lessor fancied of Alec Laird’s two runners ROMI’S BOY landed the spoils. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, the 4yo son of Querari was soon up handy. He was headed by the talented GREEN PEPPER shortly after taking up the running 200m out, but fought back gamely below the distance to get the verdict by a neck.
Another classic finish was to be had in the non-black type Egoli Mile won by SOLDIER ON. Positioned in midfield early on, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and got the verdict by a neck over the improving IMFAMOUS FOX.
Titbits
Five and a half lengths behind the runner up going through the 400m, HUMBLE ADDICT ran on very well from the rear when getting up late to open his account in the boy’s division of the maiden plate over 1160m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (7) Klever Kathy 8
Race 2: (6) Goddess Aurelia 6
Race 3: (4) Kounia Bella 32
Race 4: (2) True Master 67
Race 5: (1) Peach Delight 60
Race 6: (17) Across The Lake 40
Race 7: (10) Shady World 68
Race 8: (6) Captain Marooned 67
Race 9: (2) Quinelia 36
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Afranchi 18 (NAP*)
Race 2: (10) Liquid Gold 5
Race 3: (4) Kissmeinmydreams 12
Race 4: (13) My Cherry 50
Race 5: (2) Inn A Million 51
Race 6: (1) Fort Ember 70
Race 7: (7) Secret Captain 83 (EW)
Race 8: (5) Brigtnumberfive 58
Race 9: (3) Inyanga 32
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (2) Bountiful Strength 6
Race 2: (5) Lanza 14
Race 3: (2) Canukeepitsecret 11 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) Strabo 15
Race 5: (3) Symphony 12
Race 6: (1) Sark 8
Race 7: (4) William The Brave 48
Race 8: (5) Western Storm 43
Race 9: (9) Celtic Charm 31
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (10) Special Force 5
Race 2: (6) Petra 3
Race 3: (11) Sand Path 22 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Lilibet 6
Race 5: (7) Mbali 53
Race 6: (12) Eternal Ice 29
Race 7: (2) Golden Minaret 4
Race 8: (8) Palace Mystery 16
Top rated winners last week included
Emerald Bay won 15/1
Madam Secretary won 15/1
Limerick Ridge won 113/20
Great Dictator 61/20
Carioca won 57/20
Bridal Party won 15/10
Dark Sienna won 13/10
Antony Hotspur won 5/10
Notebook:-
Bold Eagle (G Van Zyl, Gauteng)
Roy Had Enough (F Robinson, KZN)
Smart Suzy (G Smith, E-Cape)
Socrates (S Humby, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf) 4th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,38s slow
1400m (2) Aldo’s Chase 85,30
1600m (3) Roy Had Enough 97,03
1800m (1) Dark Moon Risin 109,29
2000m (1) Obvious Child 125,11
2200m (1) Hero Quest 137,29
Vaal (inside) 6th March
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,54s slow
1000m (1) Green Haze 58,65*
1100m (1) Madam Secretary 63,66
1700m (2) Shenanigans 102,57
1800m (3) Seal My Fate 109,67
2400m (2) Odd Rob 151,33
Greyville (poly) 7th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,94s slow
1000m (2) We’re Watching You 58,40
1400m (5) Socrates 82,90
1600m (1) Toltec 96,70
2000m (1) Black Mariner 124,70
Fairview (turf) 9th March
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant:
1000m (1) Kiftsgate 56,31
1200m (2) Smart Suzy 68,37
1400m (2) Sabbatical 86,04
1600m (2) Dragon Flame 98,34
2000m (2) Silver Goblet 125,63
Turffontein (stand side) 10th March
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,03s slow
1000m (3) Bold Eagle 58,40
1100m (1) Mrs O 65,14
1160m (3) Romi’s Boy 69,14
1400m (1) Divine Odyssey 86,72
1600m (1) Soldier On 100,94
2400m (1) Emerald Bay 158,22
