Winter Wonderland
Greyville 6th November
Rain fell during the afternoon on an already rain affected track, and as a result the last two races (8 & 9) were abandoned.
Three of the seven races that were run took place over 1000m and impressive in the fastest of these was the 3yo CALL ME WINTER when winning the MR78 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Brandon Lerena, the daughter of Western Winter was soon at the helm. She led by just half a length for most of the journey before asserting her authority over the final 400m to score by three and a half.
Three of the remaining four races were maiden plates over 1400m and quickest home here was SILVER RIDGE in the only division for the boys. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He took up the running 200m out and won well by a length and a quarter from the running on KILMOKEA.
What proved to be the last race on the night (run in heavy rain) was a MR80 Handicap over 1800m and here the 8yo grey PENHALIGON registered his sixth career victory. With the field always tightly bunched the race developed into a sprint and running on stoutly over the final 400m Alyson Wright’s charge got the verdict by a half over a wall of horses.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from midfield, OUT MY WAY was finishing best of all when third in the MR80 Handicap over 1000m.
Thrust Into Contention
Vaal 8th November
Comparatively the fastest race on the inside track on Tuesday was the bill topping MR85 Handicap won by FAREEQ. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge lost a length at the start, but despite that was soon positioned close up in second. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and in a race where less than two lengths separated the first seven home he held on by the narrowest of margins.
Run in a time some 3,69 seconds faster than that of the only other 2000m event on the card was the MR76 Handicap in which TOBESURETOBESURE registered her fourth career victory. The field was very strung out early on and although racing in midfield the Tobe Or Nottobe mare looked to have plenty to do. She was quickly thrust into contention when the field began to concertina 700m out and won well by a length after striking the front 200m out.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m races on the card was the maiden plate (the other was a MR76 Handicap) won by the newcomer ALL OVER THE WORLD. Priced up as if a win was out of the question at the off (66/1), St John Gray’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though, she quickened well and under a well-judged ride from JP v’d Merve, she got up late to deny the well-supported second favourite LADY OF THE WORLD.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride the newcomer BOCKSCAR caught the eye running on nicely from the backend of midfield when third to his stable companion Matador Man (the best bet on the card for most) in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Couldn’t Beat The Retreat
Greyville 9th November
They raced over just two distances on Wednesday afternoon with the fastest of the four 1200m events being the bill topping MR97 Handicap won marginally by BEAT THE RETREAT. Run in a time almost a second faster than the next quickest over the distance, the son of Argonaut raced in the rear for the first half of the race. He quickened best of all in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny SEA FEVER (led 100m).
The remaining four races were all run over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was BEAUTE NOIR in the MR66 Handicap. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 2/1, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly from there onwards to fend off the rallying pacemaker LUNA SEA by a neck.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was registered by WE’RE WATCHING YOU when getting off the mark in the girl’s division of the maiden 1200m. Another to race handy, the daughter of Visionaire won going away by three after striking the front early in the straight.
Titbits
Poorly drawn and slow into stride to boot, SAN JULIAN BAY ran on well from the back when only beaten 0,55 lengths in the MR62 Handicap over 1600m.
Yes My Lord
Kenilworth 10th November
Although the going was good and the course said to be running fast, the times in general were a little slow compared to standard due to a 35k/h southeasterly head wind. The fastest of the three 1200m races on the card was the MR86 Handicap won by the 3yo LORD BALMORAL. Allowed to drift right out to 5/1 from 22/10 at the course, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing halfway and kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the always handy FIRE MASTER by a length and three quarters.
Quickest home in the two 1600m events was EARTH HOUR in the maiden plate. Run in a time over two and a quarter seconds faster than that of the MR86 Handicap, Paddy Kruyer’s charge raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly once in the short old course straight and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 200m from home.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1800m (two maiden plates) and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was SOARING PAST. Taken straight to the front by apprentice May, the lightly raced 3yo led throughout. He kept on determinedly over the final 400m and relinquished little of the length and a quarter advantage that he had held for most of the journey.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing here, MAXAMORE only had to be pushed out when winning the opening maiden plate over 1100m.
The Dennis Drier trained MOGOSTAR led throughout and was always in command when getting off the mark at just the second time of asking in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Turffontein 10th November
This meeting was abandoned without a race being run due to torrential rain and an electrical storm.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (12) Shining Through 10
Race 2: (2) Green Lantern 57
Race 3: (11) Ze Tzar 43
Race 4: (7) Oswego 13
Race 5: (1) Seventh Symphony 55
Race 6: (6) Restless Road 44
Race 7: (12) One Love 47
Race 8: (1) Jet Explorer 76 (nb)
Race 9: (5) The Wild Mistress 63 (EW)
Race 10: (2) Sweetchild O Mine 44 (NAP*)
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (6) Captain Of Rock 20
Race 2: (8) Captains Moll 18
Race 3: (3) Roy’s Dispren 20
Race 4: (6) Argo’s Jet 50
Race 5: (7) My Pal Al 51 (NAP**)
Race 6: (6) Dawn Calling 75
Race 7: (8) Destined For Dawn 37
Race 8: (9) National Chimes 49
Race 9: (11) Seattle Belle 46
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Mount Keith 20
Race 2: (10) Step Out 24
Race 3: (4) Desert Lark 28
Race 4: (7) Smart World 88
Race 5: (9) Shishangeni 45
Race 6: (1) Always In Charge 62 (nb)
Race 7: (1) Table Bay 74 (NAP*)
Race 8: (1) Let’s Go Get It 48
Race 9: (11) Sign Your Name 51
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (4) Tilbury Fort 23
Race 2: (10) Leopard Lilly 55
Race 3: (9) Gasoline 66
Race 4: (8) Devadip 16
Race 5: (12) Frozen 16
Race 6: (12) Just A Gigolo 38
Race 7: (7) Aldiara 64
Race 8: (6) Beautiful Shay 36
Race 9: (7) Sha-Boom-Sha-Boom 27
Top rated winners last week included
Temple Rock won 13/1
Imperial Guard won 12/1
Dance In The Woods won 11/2
Honest Ally won 7/2
Ice Ridge won 16/10
Mogostar won 3/1
Missibaba won 9/20
Matador Man won 4/10
Notebook:-
Lord Balmoral (V Marshall, W-Cape)
Mogostar (D Drier, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 6th November
Going Rain Affected
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1000m (3) Call Me Winter 57,64
1400m (3) Silver Ridge 83,71
1800m (1) Penhaligon 113,86
Vaal (inside) 8th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,25s slow
1000m (2) All Over The World 57,25
1200m (1) Matador Man 69,96
1400m (2) Fareeq 82,20
1700m (1) Happy Pills 103,41
2000m (2) Tobesuretobesure 121,54
Greyville (poly) 9th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,57s slow
1200m (4) Beat The Retreat 69,61
1600m (4) Beaute Noire 95,65
Kenilworth (old) 10th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,63s slow
1000m (1) Mogostar 60,04*
1100m (1) Maxamore 66,91
1200m (3) Lord Balmoral 71,90
1600m (2) Earth Hour 99,21
1800m (2) Soaring Past 112,71
