Two Good Ones
Greyville 19th April: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m on turf opened up proceedings in Natal on Sunday afternoon and here the stable of Justin Snaith announced their arrival in the province when STAR CHESTNUT got off the mark. Making only his second racecourse appearance here the son of Horse Chestnut was always handy. He ran on best of all in the straight and got up late to deny DUTCH HARBOR.
Three of the eight races were run on the poly track and the faster of the two maiden events over 1400m on this surface was the boy’s division won by ROY’S WINTER PATCH. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (5/1 out to 12/1), the Western Winter gelding raced sixth during the early part of the race. He didn’t find the clearest of passages when the race began in earnest and did well to get up very late to deny another runner owned by Mr Roy Moodley, ROY’S AMBASSADOR.
The lion’s share of the races on turf took place over 1600m (four) and by far the fastest of these was the boy’s progress plate in which ST TROPEZ and ULTIMATE DOLLAR fought out a thrilling finish. Both raced handy and were only separable by a short head at the wire. Ultimate Dollar crossed the line first, but following an objection on the grounds of interference in the latter stages, he lost the race in the boardroom.
The biggest winning margin on the afternoon was recorded by the unfancied CHARTER’S CREEK when opening her account in the girl’s division of the maiden 1400m (poly). Freely available at 55/1 on the off, the daughter of Tiger Ridge was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The recent maiden winner TIPTOL came from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to win the MR78 Handicap over 1000m (turf).
The hat-trick seeking ZANTE ran on well from the back when only failing to win the girl’s division of the progress plate over 1600m (turf) by a short head.
Lightly raced MAYA THE BEE was running on from the back when a half-length third in the maiden plate over 1600m (turf).
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Beating The Boys
Flamingo Park 20th April: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in the Northern Cape on Monday when LADY ORACY did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Backed into favouritism at the track (2/1 into 14/10), the Oracy filly made all. Her rider was already looking around for challenges going through the 300m, and she went on to score easing down by four and three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by STEADY AS A ROCK in the MR72 Handicap over 1800m. Priced up as one of the outsiders of the party at 50/1, Corrie Lensley’s charge also led from pillar to post. He held just a length and a quarter advantage coming off the bend, and cruised clear in the straight to win by six and a quarter.
A pinnacle stakes over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to the only female in the race PRINCESS CHICHIBU. Well supported on course into 9/2 from 7’s, the daughter of Admire Man was positioned at the back early on. She made good headway throughout the length of the home straight though, and under a well-judged ride from Jarryd Penny she got up late to deny the 6yo STONE PINE.
Titbits
LA TOURELLE made all when easily winning the MR66 Handicap by five.
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Tactics The Key
Vaal 21st April: The first of the two listed feature races to take place on the sand on Tuesday was the Highveld challenge and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1600m events on the card victory here went to the unfancied STAVINSKY. Freely available at 40/1 on the off, Leon Erasmus’ charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. He put his head in front 150m out and went on to score very easily by three and a half from the running on THE ROYAL RHUMBA. Detached by many lengths from the rest of the field at the back early on, the runner up did very well indeed to get as close as he did.
The girls contested the listed Queen Of The Sand and here another upset was to be had when the 20/1 shot THE ANGELUS landed the spoils. Up with the speed throughout, the Windrush mare ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the remainder comfortably beaten she got the better of another outsider PEEP SHOW (25/1 into 11/1) by three quarters.
There were also three races run over 1200m and fastest against the clock amongst these was MOOTAHADEE in the pinnacle stakes. Drawn widest of the twelve Mike De Kock’s charge was made to work in order to keep in touch early on. The well-drawn ACROSS THE ICE on the other hand was soon up handy and getting first run struck the front 400m out. Mootahadee steadily wore him down over the final 200m though, and got up late to score by a half.
Titbits
AMERICAN TIGER drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race when opening his account in the maiden 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth (mon)
Race 1: (10) Nordic Wind 12
Race 2: (1) Natatela 11
Race 3: (2) Imperial Guard 14
Race 4: (7) Exclusive Knight 12
Race 5: (7) Casual Fan 44
Race 6: (5) Night In Seattle 63
Race 7: (7) Royal Foundation 42
Race 8: (10) Society Rock 54
Scottsville (tues)
Race 1: (4) Lighting The Fire 8
Race 2: (4) Lauderdale 7
Race 3: (7) Playful Time 20
Race 4: (1) William Of Wembley 17 (nb)
Race 5: (3) Shezamatador 15
Race 6: (10) Salander 35
Race 7: (1) Muscatt 65 (NAP*)
Race 8: (1) The Tripster 19
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (2) Archetype 18
Race 2: (3) Escape Route 15
Race 3: (3) Tripp Force 29
Race 4: (1) Phuket 13
Race 5: (7) Graduation Day 73 (NAP*)
Race 6: (11) Dance Kid 56
Race 7: (8) Klondyke River 50 (EW)
Race 8: (14) Devorah 41
Fairview (wed)
Race 1: (6) Struben 10 (NAP*)
Race 2: (2) Champagne Showers 6
Race 3: (1) Plain Of Wisdom 12
Race 4: (12) Ready To Rock 43
Race 5: (7) Irish Maid 36 (EW)
Race 6: (1) Oats 69
Race 7: (4) No Question 41
Race 8: (1) Hera 9
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Cervantes 19
Race 2: (10) Pacifica 7
Race 3: (4) Justash 18
Race 4: (4) Danza 8
Race 5: (17) Torrelavega 40
Race 6: (15) Eusebius 49
Race 7: (5) Barrack Babe 58
Race 8: (8) Jolie Femme 45
Race 9: (12) Kalahari Queen 5
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Top rated winners last week included
Barbosa won 15/4
Merebank Trip won 28/10
Your Worship won 5/2
Just Africa won 2/1
Libertine won 16/10
Lady Oracy won 14/10
The Cat won 11/10
Prince Of Thieves won 11/20
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Notebook:-
St Tropez (J Ramsden, KZN)
The Royal Rhumba (W Marwing, Gauteng)
Ultimate Dollar (J Snaith, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (turf/poly) 19th April
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1000m (1) Tiptol 58,37T
1200m (1) Star Chestnut 72,26T
1200m (1) Daiquiri 72,50P
1400m (2) Roy’s Winter Patch 83,07P
1600m (4) St Tropez 95,44T
Flamingo Park 20th April
Going Standard
1000m (3) Gracefilly 57,74
1200m (3) Taso The Sailor 72,60
1400m (1) La Tourelle 86,30
1600m (1) Princess Chichibu 99,01
1800m (1) Steady As A Rock 114,45
Vaal (sand) 21st April
Going Standard
1000m (2) Captain Sam 58,69
1200m (3) Mootahadee 72,72
1600m (3) Stavinsky 100,13
