Eyecatching Maiden Win
Flamingo Park 15th August: First up in the Northern Cape on Monday was a maiden event over 1000m and here we saw an impressive performance from the Cliffie Miller trained CURRAHAL. Freely available at 50/1 having finished in the rear in his only previous racecourse appearance, Currahal raced second last for the majority of the trip. As they approached the 300m marker though, he suddenly took off and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride.
Another very close finish was to be had in the MR66 affair over 1000m when TRIPARTITE gained his second victory from just four starts. Allowed to ease right out from even money to 7/2 at the track, Sean Miller’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race, but it was only in the very last stride that he was able to get his nostrils ahead of the front running favourite CHAD BAXTER (7/2 into 28/10).
The afternoon’s feature event was a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m and here trainer Sean Miller gained the third of his four winners on the card when AFRICAN VISION landed the spoils. On leaving the stalls it was one of four stable companions in the race CLAVERHOUSE who elected to set the pace whilst African Vision was content to race towards the rear. EYE OF THE WORLD was the first to make a move in the straight and struck the front 400m out. African Vision had also quickened up well coming off the bend though and after he in turn hit the front 100m later, he drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win by two and a quarter.
The not so lucky last was a MR68 Handicap over 1600m and in what proved to be another exciting finish victory here went to the easy to back KEEN SMARTLY. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Corne Spies’ charge was always handy. The more fancied ED’S ANGEL raced just a length ahead of her coming off the bend and when that one skipped three lengths clear 400m out, she looked to have done everything right. With the rest well beaten though, Keen Smartly steadily wore her down and just as if scripted, got up on the line.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear in what very quickly became a strung out field, MAGIC MIRROR caught the eye running on strongly in the closing stages of the race.
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Nice Double
Durbanville 17th August: As is often the case at the country course, the one who leads them into the straight wins the race and so it was with APPEAL ALLOWED (13) in the opening maiden event over 1000m here. Out of the stalls in a flash, the nibbled at Appeal Allowed (10/1 into 15/2), was soon at the head of affairs. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just had enough in hand to beat the much faster finishing TRISH DE LAGO by the narrowest of margins. Trish De Lago had easily been five lengths adrift turning for home and finished well.
Race four on the card was a MR88 Handicap over 1800m and here we saw a smart performance from the Joey Ramsden trained RIGHT AND READY (53). Sent off favourite at 22/10, the Whipper mare raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, she quickened well and after striking the front 200m from home, she went on to score comfortably from the running on SYLVAN WIND by a length and three quarters.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR97 Handicap over 2400m. The favourite HOSPITALITY as expected made the running and still in his favourite position at the front turning for home, he was always going to take some pegging back. Second favourite BLAKE (74) had raced close up throughout though and when getting a clear run, quickened nicely. Hospitality fought on gamely on the run to the line, but try as he might he couldn’t hold off Dean Kannemeyer’s charge who got up late to score by a half.
The stable of Dean Kannemeyer were also on the mark in the MR97 Handicap over 1400m when the top weight CREE LODGE (84) registered his fourth career victory. Soon up handy, the son of Casey Tibbs raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the well supported front running favourite CAP ALRIGHT by three quarters.
Titbits
FABULOCITY had looked to have done everything right when striking the front 200m out in the MR71 affair over 1800m, but Janka, under a determined ride from Karis Teetan, fairly flew below the distance and got up late.
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Lovely Mover
Vaal 18th August: The locals got off to a rough start at Thursday’s sand meeting when one of the outsiders of the twelve horse party MOONELLI (17) got off the mark. Taken straight to the front by Derek David, the daughter of Martinelli made all. She led by just a length and a quarter going through the 400m and despite the efforts of the chasing ALL FUN and CARIBBEAN CRUISE, she extended her lead to five on the run to the line.
A maiden event over 1450m was next up and here we saw a nice performance from the improving TEXAN (23). Ridden for the first time by Piere Strydom, Brett Webber’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He was asked to take closer order early in the straight and after striking the front 150m from home, he went on to score comfortably by a length and three quarters.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the first of just two favourites on the card to arrive, PRIME MOVER (66). Confidently ridden by apprentice Denise Lee, Prime Mover sat in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though, he made up the ground quickly and after gliding past FORT JEFFERSON 220m from home, he won far from fully extended by two and a quarter.
A MR86 Handicap over 1450m was next up and here it was nice to see the Horse Chestnut mare WOMAN OF THE YEAR win her first start since being close to death with African Sickness. Despite being off the track for seven months, the gutsy Woman Of The Year went straight to the front. The friendless Running Rivulet challenged strongly going through the 500m and did briefly hit in front. Roy Magner’s charge rallied gamely once headed though and after regaining the lead some 250m later, she went on to score by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear as they turned for home in the race won by Texan, ROVER T caught the eye running on strongly in the closing stages of the race and was only beaten 2,5 lengths.
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No Favs
Fairview 19th August: With no market leaders arriving, it was a tough day for punters in Port Elizabeth on Friday. A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway and here victory went to the newcomer IVY PARADE. Allowed to drift right out to 12/1 from 6/1 at the track, Alan Greeff’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on stoutly from halfway and under a well judged ride from the vastly experienced Felix Coetzee, he got up late to deny the 10/1 shot RAIN MAN.
A conditions event over 2700m topped the bill and here the combination of Felix Coetzee and Alan Greeff were again on the mark when the veteran OCTOBER CLUB registered his ninth career victory. Asked to take up the running going through the 1200m, October Club kept on strongly at the business end of the race and when challenged late by JERVIS, he duly found extra.
One of the biggest upsets of the afternoon came in the conditions event over 1400m when the best bet on the card for most POLAR BOUND got rolled. Deep in the red at 9/20 on the off, the Cape Town raider raced in midfield for most of the journey. He ran on stoutly in the straight and steadily gaining at the finish, just failed to get past BHUSENDE who had gotten first run.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by DELTA ALPHA DELTA when winning the MR68 affair over 1400m. Freely available at 33/1 on the off, the Jet Master mare raced towards the back end of midfield early on. She ran on best of all in the straight and after striking the front 200m from home, she easily accounted for the much more fancied DREAMS AND FANCIES by three and a quarter.
Titbits
AVILA won well when running on from the rear in the MR69 Handicap over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (4) Southern Dixie 14 Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (15) Float On Air 45 Race 4: (3) Surfin’ Usa 74 Race 5: (4) Scripture 86 Race 6: (13) Primary Trend 39 Race 7: (10) Three Captains 61 Race 8: (3) Gulf King 40 (NAP*) Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Split The Profit 10 (NAP*) Race 2: (6) Daintree Dancer 10 Race 3: (15) Molly R 10 Race 4: (6) My Castle 2 Race 5: (5) Act With Honour 41 (EW) Race 6: (6) Royal Cruise 53 Race 7: (1) Los Colmos 75 Race 8: (1) Tick Tock 68 Race 9: (1) Loving Cup 38 Vaal Race 1: (1) Flaming Forge 30 Race 2: (11) Sithela 15 Race 3: (1) Mildford 19 Race 4: (10) Thulani 48 Race 5: (2) Midnight Charger 39 Race 6: (10) Tilbury 81 Race 7: (8) Bouquet-Garni 92 Race 8: (6) Marching Band 54 Race 9: (5) The White Horse 79 (NAP*) Race 10: (2) Spanish Angel 42 (EW) Clairwood Race 1: (1) Sweet Charity 30 Race 2: (1) Nomzane 26 Race 3: (1) Sugarformyhoney 32 Race 4: (6) Charles Greig 57 Race 5: (4) Danish Silver 97 Race 6: (6) She-Var 48 Race 7: (1) Always Al 44 Race 8: (13) Dancing Arrow 38 Race 9: (3) Meriden 25
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Top rated winners last week included
Delta Alpha Delta won 33/1 Causeway won 7/1 Solar Voyager won 7/1 Woman Of The Year won 6/1 Share The Silver won 3/1 Sylvester won 28/10 Right And Ready 22/10 Rock The System won 1/1.
Notebook:-
Blake (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape) Currahal (W Miller, N-Cape).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Flamingo Park 15th August Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Tripartite Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6) Beepbeep Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
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Durbanville 17th August Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Offertory Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6) Cree Lodge Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Blake.
Vaal 18th August Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Moonelli Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Causeway Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers.
Fairview 19th August Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Blaze Of Fire Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Avila Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) October Club
