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Flamingo Park 27th January: The fastest of the three 1000m races in the Northern Cape on Monday was the MR84 Handicap won by the top weight MR VINDALOO. Shouldering the super heavyweight burden of 63,5kg the 6yo son of Muhtafal was soon positioned up with the speed. He kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the four timer seeking WOLF’S GIRL by a length and three quarters.
One who did extend his winning sequence on this card was the veteran WINGS OF AN ANGEL when completing a hat-trick in the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 1400m. Now a winner of ten of her seventy four starts, the 7yo Bezrin mare was always handy. She moved through to take up the running going through the 400m and went on to score with some in hand by three and a quarter.
Another to win very well on this card was SKY MARSHAL in the MR71 Handicap over 1200m. A five length winner over today’s course and distance last time out, the Jet Master gelding raced seventh of the eight for most of the journey. The field was always tightly bunched though and when asked for an effort he quickly cut through the field. He struck the front as they approached the 200m marker and won going away by two and three quarters.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of FOREST FLYER in winning the maiden event over 1000m. Up with the pace throughout, Corrie Lensley’s charge began to assert his authority passing the 400m pole and won going away by four and a quarter.
Titbits
At the back turning for home, IMPERANI ran on best of all when only beaten a length in the MR66 affair over 1400m.
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Authoritative Double
Clairwood 28th January: Four of the nine races at the garden course on Tuesday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the second division of the girls’ MR74 Handicap won by AFRICAN DREAM. Freely available at 10/1 on the off the lightly raced daughter of Mogok was soon up handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she got the better of the pacemaker WINTER GLORY by three quarters.
The best bet on the card for most was NORTHERN KING in the maiden juvenile 1200m and the son of King’s Apostle didn’t let down his supporters. Another to race handy the heavily supported 7/10 favourite was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 300m and with some in hand he comfortably accounted for the friendless SEVEN CARAT by two and a quarter.
A MR93 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Kahal gelding DISTINGUISHED. Soon in his favourite position at the head of affairs, the Charles Laird trained 5yo made virtually all. He was always in command and went on to score without any anxious moments by three and a quarter.
The combination of Charles Laird and Anton Marcus were again on the mark in the MR82 Handicap over 1000m when the well supported 3yo NORMANZ did the business. Backed into 7/2 from 6/1 during the afternoon, the son of Var also won from the front. He was just a length clear at the halfway mark, but despite the efforts of the easy to back SHEIK’S BRASHEE he went on to win with authority by three and a quarter.
Titbits
CRIME VICTIM came from midfield when winning the maiden 1450m by three and a quarter with some in hand.
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Cutting It Fine
Fairview 29th January: Victory in the opening maiden event over 1000m at Wednesday’s polytrack meeting went to the second favourite STUNNING VISION. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the 20/1 shot ATSO FIELDS.
Three of the afternoons’ nine races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap won by MANONTHECATWALK. Freely available at 20/1 on the off Grant Paddock’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and under a well judged ride from Karl Zechner he got up late to deny the marginally more fancied SILVER GILT by a neck.
Another to cut it fine on this card was the uneasy favourite TEEPEE in the graduation 1600m. Allowed to ease right out to 15/10 from 8/10 at the track as money came in the main for POLLY PORCH (4/1 into 5/2), the daughter of Ashaawes raced close up in fourth. The nibbled at BABEZEKA was the first to make a move (led 200m) and it was only very close home that Teepee got the better of her.
Titbits
In the rear at the 700m marker KIRKY NINJA was baulked twice and then had to switch out 150m from home when fourth beaten two lengths in the MR64 Handicap over 1600m.
Well handicapped UNTAMED ran on well from the rear when runner up in the MR59 Handicap over 1300m.
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Easy For Cagiva
Vaal 30th January: The easiest victory at the Vaal’s inside track meeting on Thursday was registered by the Sporting Post’s best bet CAGIVA. The third of four winners on the card for trainer Sean Tarry, the well supported 13/20 favourite was taken straight to the front by Piere Strydom and led throughout. He was always in command and with plenty in hand he won unchallenged by four.
Another to win with authority on this card was the highly regarded AKII BUA in the MR72 Handicap over 2000m. Nicely positioned in fifth for most of the journey the 3yo son of Encosta De Lago was asked to take up the running shortly after LEEULOOP JET struck the front 300m out. He quickly went clear and won well by three.
Four of the ten races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the lucky last, a maiden plate, won by the 5/2 favourite BLAKE CARRINGTON. Seen running on from off the pace in each of his first two racecourse appearances the 5yo son of Dynasty adopted a change of tactics here and raced from the front. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and won very comfortably by three and a quarter from the perennial maiden RECOURSE.
Titbits
A stable companion to the 18/10 favourite Samogan, the newcomer GLASSWING (25/1) ran on from the rear when winning the maiden 1000m going away by a length and three quarters. Third placed ADI STAR (midfield) also finished well in this race.
The strongly supported favourite WINTER PASSION won the MR76 Handicap over 1000m with authority by two.
After losing two lengths at the start EMPIRE OF FIRE didn’t find the clearest of passages and had to switch for a run 200m from home when winning the maiden 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (7) Dont Worry 21 Race 2: (3) Guided Arrow 57 Race 3: (8) Dark Reign 28 Race 4: (6) Lake Benjamim 16 Race 5: (10) Hostile Takeover 58 Race 6: (7) Bush Ranger 52 (EW) Race 7: (1) Celtic Fire 77 Race 8: (2) Marionette 37 Greyville Race 1: (6) Catching Zeds 25 Race 2: (8) Malted And Bolted 45 Race 3: (1) Perfect Circle 22 Race 4: (6) Amroth Bay 18 Race 5: (7) Picador 50 Race 6: (8) Radio Waves 69 Race 7: (10) Mr Royal 60 Race 8: (8) Chili Pepper 88 Race 9: (4) Luxardo 55 Turffontein Race 1: (1) Facebook 17 Race 2: (14) Umtata 7 Race 3: (15) Ice Goddess 50 Race 4: (5) Moon Lay Hidden 23 Race 5: (10) Tomorrow’s Miss 66 Race 6: (11) American Storm 90 Race 7: (8) Samba Serenade 77 Race 8: (4) Bouclette Top 78 Race 9: (11) Funny Glory 54 Kenilworth Race 1: (4) Elite Class 7 Race 2: (5) Happy Lion 43 Race 3: (5) Epicentre 33 Race 4: (5) Duke Of Destiny 16 Race 5: (10) Seven Suns 54 Race 6: (9) Prescient 58 Race 7: (4) Pounce 47 Race 8: (8) Mystical Moon 17 Clairwood Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: No Qualifiers Race 3: (1) Lucky Break 31 Race 4: (14) Salander 24 Race 5: (5) Izora 68 Race 6: (7) Pej 61 Race 7: (8) Father Ted 94 Race 8: (12) Ascot Charm 56 Race 9: (11) Bonds The Name 56 Race 10: (1) Coco Love 18 .
Top rated winners last week included
Manonthecatwalk won 20/1 Little Pearl won 8/1 Apple Tart won 7/2 Hana won 7/2 Stunning Vision won 7/2 Miss Imperial won 5/2 Henry Higgins won 2/1 Sky Marshal won 13/20 .
Notebook:-
Normanz (C Laird, KZN) Sky Marshall (J Visser, N-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFlamingo Park 27th January Going Standard 1000m (3) Mr Vindaloo 56,28* 1200m (2) Sky Marshal 71,90 1400m (2) Wings Of An Angel 85,15 1600m (1) Silken Sea 99,20 1800m (1) Sugar Ray 112,41 .
Clairwood 28th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Normanz 55,66 1200m (4) African Dream 68,71 1450m (3) Distinguished 84,48 2000m (1) Dux 122,99 .
Fairview (poly) 29th January Going – Standard 1000m (1) Stunning Vision 59,23 1200m (1) Budweiser Boy 71,86 1300m (2) Cinderfella 76,89 1400m (1) Little Pearl 83,85 1600m (3) Manonthecatwalk 97,91 1900m (1) Maximo 119,21 .
Vaal (inside) 30th January Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (3) Velvet Verona 57,02 1400m (4) Blake Carrington 82,43 1700m (1) Henry Higgins 102,11 2000m (2) Akii Dua 122,86
