Benefit Of First Run
Fairview 1st July: The best bet for most on Friday’s turf card was the 2yo OFF THE BIT in the maiden plate over 1000m, and he didn’t let down his supporters. Always deep in the red, Alan Greeff’s charge was soon in touch with the leaders. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and with plenty in hand won cosily by two.
Two of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1400m and quickest home in these AQUINATA in the MR68 Handicap. Sent off a joint favourite at 7/2, the daughter of Silvano was raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once given rein though she quickened well, and in what proved to be a real thriller she won by the narrowest of margins from the luckless top weight PIRANGI. Having only her second start since relocating to the province, Pirangi was baulked for a run twice en-route from midfield.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed East Cape Breeders Stakes and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1200m races victory here went to the recent recruit from KZN CLEAR SAILING. Nicely positioned in sixth going through halfway, the Argonaut mare took up the running 200m out and just had enough in hand to score by a neck from the running on SCANDAL. The runner up came from the rear and did well to get as close as she did.
Titbits
MIRROR THE MOON and PREOCCUPATION both ran on well from the rear when 2nd & 3rd respectively in the MR88 Handicap over 2000m.
Negating The Draw
Greyville 2nd July: The Gr1 Vodacom Durban July topped the bill at Greyville on Saturday where amazingly the best drawn horse in the first five home was IT’S MY TURN who had set off from gate twelve. THE CONGLOMERATE had been drawn widest of all and despite being written off by many for that fact alone, he landed first prize. Given a masterful ride by the veteran Pierre Strydom, the son of Lonhro was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 300m pole and after quickly going a couple clear he kept on strongly to beat another Cape raider in MARINARESCO. In the rear turning for home, the runner up (drawn second widest) fairly flew over the final 400m and did amazingly well to get within a neck at the wire.
The supporting act was the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m and here victory went to the best rated runner in the field INARA. Sent off second in the betting market at 3/1, Mike Bass’ charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead at the 100m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on OLMA by a half.
The faster of the two Gr2 features for juveniles over 1400m was the Golden Horseshoe won by ZODIAC RULER. He lost two lengths when the gates opened and very quickly found himself positioned in the rear. Once in the straight though, he ran on best of all and won going away by a length after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
At the back turning for home, poorly drawn SON OF SILVER fairly flew over the final 400m and only failed to land the non-black type Middle stakes over 1400m on the poly track by the narrowest of margins.
ENAAD finished by far the best when getting up very late to win the Gr3 Gold Vase over 3000m.
The top weighted 5yo SAIL SOUTH won the listed Thukela Handicap over 1600m with authority by five.
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Top Of The Class
Turffontein 2nd July: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where we saw an impressive performance from GRADUATION DAY in the fastest of the three 1160m events, a pinnacle stakes. Despite being squeezed out at the start, Joey Soma’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and eased late won with total authority by two and a half.
The stable of Joey Soma were also on the mark in the fastest of the three 1400m races, a maiden plate, when ORAPA got off the mark. Making only his second racecourse appearance here, the son of Tiger Ridge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He put his head in front as they approached the 300m pole and with the rest some nine lengths adrift he comfortably accounted for DUKE OF EDINBURGH by three and a quarter.
Comfortably the faster of the two juvenile plates over 1160m was the boy’s affair won by the 15/10 favourite FLYING MYTH. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and won well by two and a quarter from RASMAAL (the second favourite) by two and a quarter.
Titbits
RIVER RUN came from the rear when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR69 Handicap over 1400m.
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Gutsy Frontrunner
Turffontein 3rd July: Sunday’s action took place on the inner track where quickest home in the two 2000m events was the gutsy front runner RUNALONG in the MR81 Handicap. Soon in her usual position at the head of affairs, the daughter of Mogok found extra when challenged 200m out and went on to score comfortably by two and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on this card was 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was NAWRA when getting off the mark in the maiden plate. Another to make all, Michael Azzie’s charge was six lengths clear coming off the strip. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and although the 1/3 favourite BLAZING WINTER was closing in quickly in the closing stages, he still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BABBLING BROOKE when winning the work rider’s maiden plate over 1600m. Soon up handy, the 1/5 favourite put her head in front as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the latter stages to score by five and a quarter.
Titbits
The 3yo WATABOUT was gaining at the finish when running on from midfield to finish second in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Afgas 15
Race 2: (11) Flying Peg 19
Race 3: (3) Boarding Call 43
Race 4: (7) High Maintainance 11
Race 5: (5) Rozenna 45
Race 6: (1) Lavender Landscape 65
Race 7: (4) Jupiterandmars 32
Race 8: (5) Pigeon Flyer 48
Race 9: (1) Captured Wind 68 (NAP**)
Race 10: (8) Lavender Girl 34
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (7) Mia Culpa 5
Race 2: (9) Lebanese Tractor 12
Race 3: (5) Raasmaal 23 (NAP**)
Race 4: (1) Countess Jemina 14
Race 5: (11) Jewel Of Gibraltar 30
Race 6: (10) World Domination 52
Race 7: (9) Profit Ratio 77
Race 8: (11) Bah 51
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (7) Rebel Rose 3
Race 2: (1) Ichkeria 17
Race 3: (8) Qeyaadah 11
Race 4: (7) Joy To Joy 2
Race 5: (12) Highway Explorer 84
Race 6: (9) Keep You Light On 62
Race 7: (12) Fashion Secret 46
Race 8: (13) De Sol A Sol 42
Race 9: (2) Sambora 24 (NAP**)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Golden Memories 11
Race 2: (3) Eversilver 14
Race 3: (13) Persian Approval 28
Race 4: (14) Champions Cup 40
Race 5: (3) Captured Wind 68
Race 6: (2) Turbo Tom 44
Race 7: (1) Shepard One 63
Race 8: (1) La Manga 43 (NAP*)
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Top rated winners last week included
Viking Castle won 7/1
Jin-Go-Lo-Ba won 5/1
Tell My Star won 9/2
Inara won 3/1
Flying Myth won 15/10
Intisara won 14/10
Off The Bit won 4/10
Babbling Brooke won 1/5
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Notebook:-
Graduation Day (J Soma, Gauteng)
Marinaresco (M Bass, KZN)
Scandal (C Spies, E-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 1st July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (2) Kungfoofighting 60,34
1200m (2) Clear Sailing 73,21
1400m (2) Aquinata 87,63
1600m (1) True Master 99,54
2000m (1) Nima 126,97
2400m (1) Border Hopper 154,98
Greyville (mixed) 2nd July
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1000m (1) Isca 56,32P
1200m (1) Redcarpet Captain 69,19P
1300m (1) Lunar Rush 77,72T
1400m (2) Zodiac Ruler 82,23T
1400m (2) Desert Fighter 82,01P
1600m (2) Sail South 94,61T
2200m (2) The Conglomerate 133,50T
3000m (1) Enaad 191,37T
Turffontein (stand side) 2nd July
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Celtic Lady 57,67
1160m (3) Graduation Day 66,03
1400m (3) Orapa 84,57
2450m (1) The Elmo Effect 154,48
Turffontein (inner) 3rd July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Daspoort 58,10
1200m (1) Tell My Star 72,69
1450m (1) Viking Castle 87,86
1600m (2) Nawra 98,58
2000m (2) Runalong 123,67*
2200m (1) Zoo Alley 143,64
