Upping The Pace
Fairview 11th November
A strong tail wind accompanied Friday’s turf meeting and as a result the course was running fast. Five of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR89 Handicap won by CAPTAINS SLIPPER. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 8’s, Tara Laing’s charge was always handy. The easy to back BRIAR KING was the first to make a move and struck the front 400m out. The former Cape Town campaigner MISTER MATCHETT also ran on strongly in the straight and 100m out it looked as if either of the three could win. The son of Captain Al quickened very nicely below the distance though and won going away by a length and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2400m where the quickest home was NOTTING HILL in the MR76 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Wayne Agrella, the 5yo Horse Chestnut gelding soon had the field well strung out. He kept up a healthy gallop from pillar to post and with the rest comfortably beaten he just had enough in hand to beat the running on ONE AWAY by a neck.
The one remaining race was the opening maiden plate over 1200m in which the form horse VILLANELLE got off the mark. Up with the pace throughout, Grant Paddock’s charge began to assert her authority going through the 200m and won well by a length and a half from the always handy NOORDHOEK’S SPEED.
Titbits
Returning from a ten month layoff here, MINNAROOM came from the back when getting up late to open his account in the maiden plate over 1400m.
The progressive Argonaut filly HURRICANE SHELLEY completed a hat-trick when winning the bill topping Guineas Plate for fillies over 1400m with authority by four and a quarter.
Another Hat-Trick For Brett
Kenilworth 12th November
It was a different story with the wind in Cape Town on Saturday as the runners had a head wind to contend with. Five of the eight races were run around the turn though with the fastest of the three 1400m events being the pinnacle stakes won by the best weighted runner in the field SAIL SOUTH. Freely available at 9/2 on the off, Brett Crawford’s charge raced third in what very quickly became a strung out field. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 100m marker and although the more fancied BARITONE ran on well from off the pace, he was never a threat.
Quickest home in the two 2000m races was KILRAIN when registering his fourth career victory in the MR95 Handicap. Trying the distance for the first time, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge took up the running 1400m out. He kept on strongly once in the short home straight and although the the uneasy favourite CAPE SPEED challenged strongly over the final 200m, he did have that one held by a length at the wire.
The listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m topped the bill and here trainer Brett Crawford saddled the second of his three winners on the card when BEACH GODDESS landed the spoils. Positioned second last early on, the daughter of Kildonan was ridden to lead approaching the 100m pole and kept on strongly late to beat the running on stable companion CHEVAUCHEE by three quarters of a length. In midfield when the race began in earnest, the runner up didn’t find the clearest of passages and finished at least as well as the winner.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 1400m and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced COPPER FORCE. Nicely positioned in fifth as the fourteen runners swung for home, Eric Sands’ charge put his head in front going through the 200m and won going away by three.
Titbits
NUTBUSH CITILIMITS ran on best of all when getting up in the very last stride to win the girls’ division of the maiden 1400m.
Welcome Return
Turffontein 13th November
This was the meeting originally scheduled for Saturday 12th November. After plenty of rain in the latter part of the week, the going was good to soft. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1160m with the quickest of these, not surprisingly, being the pinnacle stakes won by TRIP TO HEAVEN. The runners were always tightly grouped and although Sean Tarry’s charge lost two lengths at the start and raced in the rear, he was always close enough to strike. Indeed, he had already made his way into second position going through the 400m and after striking the front 100m later, he went on to score with authority by two.
The Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the 6yo Bezrin gelding BEZANOVA back in the winner’s enclosure. Without a win in seventeen months, Alec Laird’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. The favourite LIEGE (always handy) was the first to make a move and on striking the front 150m out he looked to have done everything right. Running stoutly at the business end of the race though, Bezanova was already on his heels and when he in turn put his head in front 50m later, Sean Tarry’s charge could find no extra.
Run in a much faster time than that of Bezanova was the MR93 Handicap won by STONEHENGE. Soon in his favourite position at the head of affairs, the son of Seventh Rock led throughout. He was a length and a half clear going through the 400m and despite the efforts of the running on STAVINSKY he extended his advantage to two.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the nine race program was recorded by SECRET STAR when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1160m. Jumping out of the pens as if possessed, the daughter of Pathfork was very quickly two lengths clear. She had extended her lead to more than four going through the 400m and went on to score unchallenged by six and a half.
Titbits
Two lengths clear for most of the journey, MISTY ROLLER extended his advantage to three and three quarters after being challenged 400m out.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (4) Scribo 16
Race 2: (1) Oli Miranda 10
Race 3: (9) Captain Nemo 35
Race 4: (11) Themla 36
Race 5: (11) Imperial Velvet 77
Race 6: (12) Laventelhaan 57
Race 7: (6) Oklahoma Sky 59
Race 8: (4) Southern Sunset 42 (EW)
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (3) Jackman 25
Race 2: (14) Western Warrior 22
Race 3: (2) Moshav 23
Race 4: (13) Rainbowinthesky 22
Race 5: (1) Golden Mirabilis 43
Race 6: (4) Angel’s Power 73
Race 7: (10) Apple Crumble 60
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (2) Moment To Shine 14
Race 2: (3) Attenborough 63
Race 3: (4) Oh Behave 16
Race 4: (6) Rocket Master 50
Race 5: (9) Make The Magnet 50
Race 6: (2) Captain Courteous 48
Race 7: (1) Dixie Express 57
Race 8: (3) Icon King 29 (NAP*)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (8) Sierra Redwood 21
Race 2: (1) Comtessa Antonia 8
Race 3: (2) Light Indigo 5
Race 4: (12) Cyber Magic 28 (NAP**)
Race 5: (2) Vogue’s Wood 12
Race 6: (11) Ilitshe 61
Race 7: (11) Seventh Heart 62
Race 8: (10) Kapitan 66
Race 9: (2) Spring Steel 42 (EW)
Top rated winners last week included
Beach Goddess won 10/1
Sail South won 9/2
Copper Force won 7/2
Rouge Allure won 22/10
Ebony Knight won 2/1
Secret Star won 18/10
Villanelle won 15/10
Tilbury Fort won 1/1
Notebook:-
Chevauchee (B Crawford, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 11th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,63s fast
1200m (1) Villanelle 69,63
1400m (5) Captains Slipper 83,02
2400m (2) Notting Hill 151,60
Kenilworth (old) 12th November
Penetrometer 21 – Good
Course Variant: 0,86 slow
1000m (1) Search Party 59,01
1100m (1) Beach Goddess 65,52
1200m (1) Heracles 74,94
1400m (3) Sail South 85,49
2000m (2) Kilrain 126,56
Turffontein (old) 13th November
Penetrometer 24 – G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,44s slow
1000m (1) Green Pepper 56,83
1160m (3) Trip To Heaven 67,08
1400m (1) Golden Man 86,57
1600m (2) Babbling Brooke 100,00
1800m (2) Bezanova 112,06
