Loving The Extra
Greyville 9th November: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Sunday and here a major upset was to be had when the rank outsider of the eleven horse party DREAM BOY got off the mark at the first time of asking. Freely available at 150/1 on the off the daughter of Mullins Bay raced in midfield early on. On entering the straight it was the well exposed SORBONNE who made the first move and on striking the front 170m from home it looked as if he might at last break out of the maidens. Dream Boy ran on stoutly below the distance though and got up in the very last stride.
The faster of the two 1000m events then was not surprisingly the MR68 Handicap won by STORMY CAT. Positioned sixth turning for home in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Colin Scott’s charge ran on strongly in the straight and with the benefit of first run he just got the verdict in another classic finish over the running on KEPT SECRET.
At the other end of the scale the biggest winning margin was recorded by HO’OPONOPONO in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m. Backed into favouritism at the track (3/1 into 2/1) Dennis Drier’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and drew clear in good style late on to score by four and a half.
The KZN Guineas Trial over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the Duncan Howells trained EASY LOVER. Trying the distance for the first time, the son of Right approach raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. He quickened well when given rein at the top of the straight and comfortably accounted for the well supported TRIP TO RIO (3/1 into 22/10) by two and a half.
Titbits
STRATEGIC’S PRIDE won the maiden plate over 1600m going away by four and a quarter.
28 Lengths
Fairview 10th November: They raced on the poly track on Monday where surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m events was the MR70 affair won by the 5yo Var gelding BENEDICT. Completing a double here, Yvette Bremner’s charge led throughout. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout, and won without any anxious moments by a length and a half.
Fastest against the clock in the two 1200m races was STORMIN CAT in the MR59 Handicap. Drawn nicely in gate three, Glen Kotzen’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She took up the running going through the 200m and won well by a length and three quarters from the always handy LITTLE ONE.
There were also two races run over 1900m and in a time almost five seconds quicker (equivalent to 28 lengths) than that of the maiden plate won by VALMINOUSHE, MING WARRIOR registered her fifth career victory. Easy to back at 12/1 on the off the 6yo son of Miesque’s Approval was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on stoutly in the straight and in a race where less than a length separated the first four home, he got the verdict by a short head over the in-form SANFONEIRO. Third placed NAVAL INTELLIGENCE finished best of all in this race.
Titbits
RUSTIC ROMANCE won the Guineas Plate over 1400m and is now unbeaten in two starts.
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Not So Dynamic
Kenilworth 12 November: The faster of the two 1000m events in Cape Town on Wednesday was the MR76 Handicap won by the top weight SILVER SALVER. Soon at the head of affairs, Eric Sands’ charge led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
The best bet on the card for most was DYNAMIC in the graduation plate over 1600m, but it was by no means as easy as the betting had suggested. Indeed, the 9/20 shot had to give his all over the final 100m and only scraped in by the narrowest of margins.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by EVIL WOMAN when opening her account in the maiden 1800m. As per usual towards the rear early on, the daughter of Go Deputy made her move much earlier here and was already in second position as they entered the home straight. She struck the front going through the 400m and went on to score very easily by four and a half.
Another to win well, albeit by a much lesser margin, was CUVEE BRUT in the faster of the two 1200m events, a MR68 Handicap. An eye catching winner in the maiden ranks last time out, Brett Crawford’s charge raced sixth during the early part of the race. She was always travelling well and although the pacemaker LADIDAH did find extra when challenged, and had the rest well beaten, she went on to win with some in hand by three quarters.
Titbits
WITHOUT PERMISSION (handy – led 250 – won with some in hand) and NEBRA (raced detached at the rear) both ran on strongly when 1st & 2nd respectively in the maiden plate over 1400m.
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Stopping The Bullet
Vaal 13th November: There were a number of very easy victories at Thursday’s sand track meeting, the most striking of which was the performance of DEPUTY JUD in the maiden 1600m. Michael Azzie’s charge got away well when the gates opened and dictated the lead with the hotpot favourite BULLETING HOME (6/10 into 9/20) for most of the journey. Bulleting Home gave his all over the final 400m, but try as he might he couldn’t hold on to the son of Judpot, who, with the remainder some 18 lengths adrift, went on to score by four and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by CELTIC KING in the fastest of the three 1200m events, a MR68 Handicap. One of four in a line at the front going through the 400m, the 6yo King Of Kings gelding quickened away well when given rein and came home lonely by five and a quarter.
It was a similar story in the bill topping MR87 Handicap won by BRAD’S SURGE. Taken straight to the front in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1450m races on the card, Bradley Maroun’s charge led throughout. He began to assert his authority as they approached the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five.
Titbits
Well handicapped DELIGHTED won the MR68 Handicap over 1000m going away.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Your Lordship 15
Race 2: (8) Hamba Kahle 38
Race 3: (10) Masked Lady 69
Race 4: (8) Unannounced 68 (NAP*)
Race 5: (3) Covariance 57
Race 6: (5) The Beat 37
Race 7: (10) Fiscardo 58
Race 8: (17) Promising 5
Race 9: (1) Goddess Faustina 15
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (4) Canadian Club 21
Race 2: (2) Tapaway 19 (nb)
Race 3: (1) Buzz 17
Race 4: (10) Battle Hammer 48
Race 5: (15) Royal Lance 63
Race 6: (3) Triple Apology 16 (NAP*)
Race 7: (8) Indian Connection 56
Race 8: (14) London Olympics 50
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (10) Secret Society 23
Race 2: (3) Milton 33 (NAP**)
Race 3: (5) Princess Chloe 65
Race 4: (4) Dynasty’s Pride 75
Race 5: (2) Futura 90
Race 6: (1) Act Of War 80
Race 7: (11) Alexis 74
Race 8: (5) Diva’s Daughter 69
Race 9: (9) Tales Of Silver 43
Vaal (sat)
Race 1: (12) Majestic Bay 20
Race 2: (5) Angelus Bell 15
Race 3: (1) Pretty Special 14
Race 4: (8) Muskogee 18
Race 5: (12) Eva Tibbs 59
Race 6: (9) Kiss Me Hardy 44
Race 7: (2) Winter Darling 50
Race 8: (7) The Light House 67
Race 9: (8) Arabian World 18
Race 10: (4) Latinus 19
Scottsville
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (10) Lily Gray 30
Race 3: (2) Salander 26
Race 4: (1) Tenderwood 14
Race 5: (1) Your Worship 28
Race 6: (7) Roc ‘n Rose 71
Race 7: (6) Chase The Cherry 50
Race 8: (6) Surefire 80
Race 9: (2) Jet On Fire 69 (NAP*)
Race 10: (5) Rocket Lady 46
Race 11: (3) Many A Summer 21
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Top rated winners last week included
Ming Warrior won 12/1
Kirkby Ninja won 9/1
Easy Lover won 9/2
Interface Ace won 3/1
Benedict won 28/10
San Trip won 22/10
Ho’oponopono won 2/1
Dynamic won 9/20
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Notebook:-
Cuvee Brut (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Easy Lover (D Howells, 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 (poly 1-6/turf 7-8) 9th November
Poly – Standard/Turf – Good
1000m (2) Stormy Cat 58,49
1200m (1) Ho’oponopono 70,16
1400m (1) Snow Rose 84,42
1600m (1) Strategic’s Pride 96,80P
1600m (2) Candy Moon 96,72T
1900m (1) San Trip 115,47
Fairview (poly) 10th November
Going Standard
1000m (2) Benedict 56,65
1200m (2) Stormin Cat 69,89
1400m (1) Rustic Romance 84,09
1600m (1) Kirkby Ninja 98,50
1900m (2) Ming Warrior 116,57
Kenilworth (old) 12th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Silver Salver 57,79
1200m (2) Cuvet Brut 71,52
1400m (2) Brave Leader 88,46
1600m (1) Dynamic 100,77
1800m (1) Evil Woman 115,09
2400m (1) Even So 153,13
Vaal (sand) 13th November
Going – Rain Affected
1000m (2) Tiger Territory 57,56
1200m (3) Celtic King 72,23
1450m (3) Brad’s Surge 88,32
1600m (1) Deputy Jud 99,37
