Fastest Of Eight
Scottsville 6th December: Eight of the nine races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday took place over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping KZN Summer Challenge Final won by SPLIT THE BREEZE. Sent off third in the betting market at 5/1, Charlie Laird’s charge was a little slow into stride, and as a result he raced in the rear early on. On given rein though, he quickened well, and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny HIGHWAY EXPLORER (led 300m).
The faster of the five maiden events over 1200m was the girl’s affair won by ELUSIVENCHANTMENT. Making only her second racecourse appearance here, the daughter of Elusive Fort was soon up handy. She put her head in front going through the 100m and only having to be pushed out won going away by three and three quarters.
The winner of the 1000m race, a MR72 Handicap, was the veteran BURRWOOD. Gaining his fifth career win here, the Overlord gelding raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and got up late to beat the 6yo ALDRIC by three quarters.
Another to win comfortably was TIPTOL in the MR78 Handicap over 1200m. Always handy, the 6/1 shot was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and easily accounted for TREBLE TOT by two.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, STARCRAFT PRINCE ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win in maiden company over 1200m.
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Open Company
Vaal 8th December: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where quickest home in the three 1400m events was OCULUS in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, the son of Parade Leader made most of the running. He was headed by GAMBOL 300m out, but rallied gamely in the closing stages of the race to win going away by a length.
The stable of Gavin Van Zyl has been in very good form of late and they were on the mark in the faster of the two 1700m races, a 3yo Handicap, when ROCKETBALL landed the spoils. The top weight got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and won going away by two and a half from NETFLIX.
The faster of the two 1000m maiden plates was the girl’s affair won easily by LADY STARLETT. Another to race close to the speed, Lady Starlett took up the running 300m out and won with authority by three and a half from the heavily supported newcomer RED HEART (12/1 into 4/1).
The one remaining race was a MR70 Handicap over 2400m and here we saw a smart performance from the maiden in open company KINAAN. Supported into 7/2 second favourite from 7/1, Mike De Kock’s charge raced in midfield early on. He quickened well in the home straight and won very comfortably by three and a quarter from the running on ROCKY STALLONE (baulked for a run between the 400m and 200m poles).
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Three From Six
Kenilworth 9th December: In terms of merit ratings, a graduation plate topped the bill in Cape Town on Wednesday and in what proved to be the quickest of the three 1200m events, the lightly raced 5yo SILICONE VALLEY registered his third career victory. Positioned in midfield early on, Glen Puller’s charge ran on best of all at the business end of the race and got up late to pip PRINCE OF THIEVES.
They also ran three races over 1400m and the fastest home amongst these was TARGARYAN in the MR68 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was PEARL OYSTER BAY who elected to make the running whilst the daughter of Var raced close up in third. She ran on stoutly over the final 400m and with the rest comfortably beaten she got the better of SEVENTH SISTER by a neck.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BROOKLYN BRAWLER when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1400m. Another to race handy, Justin Snaith’s charge struck the front 200m out and won going away by three.
Titbits
The heavily supported favourite CAPTAIN’S COMPANION made all when winning the girl’s maiden plate over 1600m with authority.
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All About The Pace
Turffontein 10th December: Thursday’s action took place on the inside track where four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m. The fastest of these was the MR73 Handicap in which the well supported DAKIWE made all. Sent off favourite at 28/10 (op 11/2), Roy Magner’s charge made all. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout, and always a couple clear, won without any anxious moments.
Surprisingly the slowest of the four 1600m races was the MR94 Handicap won by BULLETING HOME. The talented SILVER SCOOTER made the running whilst Sean Tarry’s charge raced handy in fourth. He put his head in front shorty after passing the 300m marker and went on to score very comfortably by two and a half from the running on LOCO POR GANAR.
All eyes were on the very well weighted LEGAL EAGLE in the Allowance Plate over 1800m, but in what proved to be another false paced affair he had to settle for second. Making his seasonal debut here, the 1/4 favourite was always handy. He ran on strongly when the race developed into a sprint 400m out, and after a thrilling tussle with the rejuvenated KILLUA CASTLE, he only lost out by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
BAR NONE caused an upset when winning the opening maiden plate over 1200m going away.
Backed into 11/20 from even money, TALBEC impressed when showing a nice turn of foot to win the maiden plate over 2600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (2) Stunning Angel 15
Race 3: (7) Agile Combat 18
Race 4: (1) Roman Silvanus 19 (nb)
Race 5: (4) Al Don Cumarco 87
Race 6: (7) Silvane Spring 47
Race 7: (10) In Rem 38
Race 8: (11) Bella Spumante 37
Race 9: (9) Thayer 53 (NAP*)
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Destined For Dawn 25
Race 2: (5) Glimmer Of Silver 7
Race 3: (14) Maachaan 43
Race 4: (5) King Of Torts 72
Race 5: (13) Burwaaz 51
Race 6: (10) Work Ethic 49 (NAP*)
Race 7: (13) Canigao 48
Race 8: (1) Winter’s Heir 13
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (11) Matron Pilli 16
Race 2: (2) Relish 29
Race 3: (8) Duty Dance 45
Race 4: (7) Celtic Legend 67
Race 5: (11) Vivacious Lady 50
Race 6: (11) Dublin Rebel 60
Race 7: (9) Tom Fool 66
Race 8: (9) Go Gold 45
Race 9: (6) Lovingkindness 18
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (3) Promicing Polly 40
Race 3: (12) Impala Lily 29 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) Overshadow 21
Race 5: (4) Tar Heel 68
Race 6: (11) Marchant 100
Race 7: (17) Silver Mountain 84
Race 8: (6) Masterly 83
Race 9: (4) Inara 95
Race 10: (2) League Of Legends 12
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (1) Barbosa 95 (NAP**)
Race 3: (10) Jollerie 7
Race 4: (2) Panza 57
Race 5: (1) Littleblacknumber 62
Race 6: (7) Pearl Emblem 39
Race 7: (15) Good Girl Flies 37
Race 8: (12) Trendy Guy 60
Race 9: (1) Feel The Volcano 18
Race 10: (1) Caligari Carnival 12
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Top rated winners last week included
Global Express won 40/1
Tiptol won 6/1
Split The Breeze won 5/1
Bulleting Home won 4/1
Dark Rose won 18/10
Brooklyn Brawler won 1/1
The Lonsdale won 8/10
Talbec won 11/20
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Notebook:-
Elusivenchantment (D Howells, KZN)
Kinaan (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Talbec (M De Kock, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville 6th December
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (1) Burrwood 57,94
1200m (8) Split The Breeze 69,92
Vaal (inside) 8th December
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) Lady Starlett 57,88
1400m (3) Oculus 81,98
1700m (2) Rocketball 102,76
2400m (1) Kinaan 147,83
Kenilworth (new) 9th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Percival 59,33
1200m (3) Silicone Valley 71,74
1400m (3) Targaryan 86,25
1600m (1) Captain’s Companion 101,88
1800m (1) Secret Seven 115,88
Turffontein (inner) 10th December
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Wisaam 57,79
1200m (2) Irish Pride 74,15
1600m (4) Dakiwe 97,73
1800m (1) Killua Castle 113,06
2600m (1) Talbec 168,53
