Global Upset
Fairview 11th December: A maiden plate over 2200m was first up at Friday’s poly track meeting and here we saw a comfortable victory for the uneasy favourite KNOCKOUT JOHNY (12/10 out to 18/10). Taken straight to the front by Robert Khathi, the Teofilo gelding led throughout. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and won well by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1600m races was the MR64 Handicap in which STORMING HOME registered his third career victory. Nicely positioned in second as the eleven runners turned for home, Alan Greeff’s charge put his head in front going through the 200m, and went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
A MR87 Handicap over 1900m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when GLOBAL EXPRESS landed the spoils. Sent off as the rank outsider of the eight horse party at 40/1, the bottom weight made all. He was two and a quarter lengths clear entering the straight and that proved just enough to see him through by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
The 3yo THEMBISA made all when winning the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR60 Handicap, with some in hand.
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Royal Hat-trick
Greyville 11th December: Friday evening’s meeting was a mixed affair with six races taking place on the poly and two on the turf. The turf races both took place over 2000m and fastest against the clock here was the hat-trick seeking PRINCESS VARUNYA in the MR75 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the front running CLASSE MONDIALE by two and three quarters.
Three of the six races on the poly were staged over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was FRENCH LASS in the MR70 Handicap. Positioned in the backend of midfield coming off the bend, the Western Winter mare ran on best of all in the straight and got up nicely late to score by three quarters.
The faster of the two 2000m races on the poly was the MR66 Handicap won by KITTY’S DESTINY. Backed into favouritism at the track, Duncan Howells’ charge also ran on stoutly from midfield. He struck the front at the top of the straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by five and three quarters.
Titbits
Poorly drawn and slow into stride to boot, lightly raced BLUE BEACH ran on well from the rear when third in the girls’ maiden plate over 1400m.
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Easy Call
Turffontein 12th December: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the best bet on the card for most, SMART CALL in the conditions plate over 1800m, did the business. Just four went to post and in what proved to be more of a 600m sprint the 1/4 favourite raced third. He started the ball rolling at the 600m pole and with the other two some fourteen lengths adrift, he easily accounted for the second favourite PINE PRINCESS by two.
A maiden juvenile plate over 800m had gotten proceedings underway and here victory went to the second favourite HAMUNAPTRA. Soon up handy, the Var filly ran on strongly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with the colt SILVER KING (18/10 fav) she got the verdict by three quarters.
The only distance to stage more than one race was 1160m and the fastest of the four events here was the MR97 Handicap won by SPLENDID GARDEN. On leaving the stalls it was GREASEPAINT who elected to make the running whilst Michael Azzie’s charge raced some five lengths away in midfield. He cut through the field like knife when given rein 400m out, and won going away by two and a half after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
In a very false paced work rider’s maiden event over 1600m, TEREPOVA ran out a very easy winner by nine.
Running on from the rear the heavily supported MASTER’S SPIRIT didn’t find the clearest of passages before getting up late to win the MR79 Handicap over 1160m.
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On The Upgrade
Kenilworth 12th December: The first maiden juvenile plate to be run in the Western Cape this season got proceedings underway on Saturday, and here we saw a very easy victory for the favourite VAR AHEAD. Sent off at 15/20 to win this 800m scurry, Justin Snaith’s charge was very quickly two lengths clear. He kept up a healthy gallop from pillar to post and won without any anxious moments by three and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by SCHOOL RUN. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the bottom weight was always handy. She moved up to challenge the front running favourite SILVER BANSHEE 150m out and after a thrilling tussle she only got the verdict on the nod.
The Gr2 Premier Trophy topped the bill and in a time some 2,5 seconds slower than that of MA CHOIX, winner of the only other race over the distance, the Gr3 Victress Stakes, victory here went to the improving PATERFAMILIAS. Sent off a strong favourite at 15/10, Mike Bass’ charge raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the new course straight and comfortably accounted for the 8yo GOLD ONYX.
Titbits
The 3yo VILAKAZI came from the backend of midfield and won going away when opening his account in the maiden plate over 1200m.
After making all SPEED LIMIT only had to be pushed out in the closing stages when getting off the mark in the maiden 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (2) Minnaroom 6
Race 2: (5) Gauteng 7
Race 3: (3) Captain’s Slipper 42
Race 4: (12) Soaring Jet 50
Race 5: (7) The Captain’s Cat 45
Race 6: (5) Midnight Magenta 38
Race 7: (3) Emblem Honour 35
Race 8: (12) Laws Of Succession 42
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (2) Mount Fuji 12
Race 2: (6) Sea Spray 37
Race 3: (3) Florrick 12
Race 4: (8) Another Idea 75
Race 5: (8) Boomtown Belter 40
Race 6: (6) Lord Marshal 72 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) More Than Grand 48
Race 8: (3) Cautiontothewind 19
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Seventh Moment 13
Race 2: (2) Omega Onslaught 21
Race 3: (1) Bank It 25 (Nap*)
Race 4: (3) You Bolt 36
Race 5: (1) Shine Up 25
Race 6: (11) Delray Beach 45
Race 7: (5) Baltic Amber 77
Race 8: (15) Red Red Ruby 58
Race 9: (3) Golden Earings 16
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (8) Antagonist 23
Race 2: (6) Blazing Brave 56
Race 3: (1) Samarra 16
Race 4: (1) Golden Man 27
Race 5: (1) French Navy 88 (NAP*)
Race 6: (10) Ruby Ruby 48
Race 7: (4) Luca Delago 54
Race 8: (6) Capricious 8
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Top rated winners last week included
Global Express won 40/1
Storming Home won 9/1
Jolene won 11/2
Tripp Force won 5/2
Dark Rose won 18/10
The Lonsdale won 8/10
Master’s Spirit won 11/20
Smart Call won 1/4
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Notebook:-
Master’s Spirit (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Paterfamilias (M Bass, W-Cape)
Smart Call (A Laird, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 11th December
Going Standard
1000m (2) Thembisa 58,27
1200m (2) Rebel House 70,13*
1600m (2) Storming Home 95,81
1900m (2) Ming Warrior 115,81*
2200m (1) Knockout Johny 138,20
Greyville (mixed) 11th December
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1400m (3) French Lass 84,73P
1600m (1) Team Guys 95,36P
2000m (2) Kitty’s Destiny 122,47P
2000m (2) Princess Varunya 122,90T
Turffontein (old) 12th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
800m (1) Hamunapta 47,29
1160m (4) Splendid Garden 67,59
1400m (1) Belle Sonata 86,89
1600m (1) Terepova 100,59
1800m (1) Smart Call 111,47
2000m (1) Lord Windsor 125,73
Kenilworth (new) 12th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
800m (1) Var Ahead 48,97*
1200m (3) School Run 73,03
1400m (1) Adorada 89,29
1600m (2) Ma Choix 112,26
1800m (2) Milton 100,80
