Vintage Performance
Scottsville 3rd December: The first race of the season for 2yo’s in the province got proceedings underway on Sunday and here victory went to the favourite VERTICAL DESCENT. Soon into stride, Mike Miller’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won by a half
Four of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was WYNKELDER in the KZN Summer Challenge Final. More often than not positioned in the rear in his races, Tony Rivalland’s charge again came from off them. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well-judged ride from Mandla Ntuli, he got up late.
Quickest home in the three 1600m races was SEATTLE SKYLINE when winning the MR89 Handicap. Always handy, Dennis Drier’s charge ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and got the better of ADMIRAL’S GUEST by a half.
Titbits
The newcomer STATUTE (a full sister to Legislate) couldn’t have been more impressive on debut when coming from midfield to win the maiden plate for 3yo fillies going away by five.
Striking Gold
Kenilworth 5th December: They raced on the new course on Tuesday, where, by far the fastest of the three 1200m races was the MR76 Handicap won by WESTON. Easy to back at 9/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead 200m out and kept on strongly late to beat the more fancied RUSTAR DHOW by three quarters.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1600m handicaps was the MR64 affair in which BRIDAL PARTY put in a smart performance. Guarding the rear as the ten runners swung for home, the daughter of Ideal World ran on best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk, she won going away by a length and a quarter.
The maiden plate for the girls was the faster of the two slowly run 1400m events and here we found one to follow in MIYABI. Well regarded by trainer Justin Snaith, Miyabi Gold raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well going through the 400m and after striking the front 180m later, she went on to score easing down by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Having been dropped 19 points by the official handicapper since July, it was no real surprise to see the well supported PURPLE MOUNTAINS win the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
Raining Throughout
Greyville 6th December: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m (originally scheduled for 800m) got proceedings underway on the poly track and here victory went to the well-supported favourite CRIMEAN QUEEN. Trained by Michael Miller, who has now saddled both winners of the juvenile races in the province, the daughter of Crusade led throughout. She was always travelling well and won without any anxious moments by two.
There were three races run over 1000m in total and given that it was the only one not run in heavy rain it was no surprise to see the boy’s division of the maiden plate recording the fastest time. Another to race from the front, Moon Shadow was passed by the fancied GREAT DICTATOR 200m out, but fought back gamely below the distance to get the verdict on the nod.
They also ran three races over 1400m and by far the quickest home amongst these was the first to be run, a maiden plate. Sent off an easy to back second favourite at 11/2, the eventual winner OUZO was always handy. He ran on well in the straight and although the well-supported favourite THE GREY CRUSADER chased hard, he did have that one held by a length and three quarters at the wire.
Titbits
Again the fastest of the three 1600m events was won by the first to run, the pinnacle stakes won by LALA. Doug Campbell’s charge struck the front 300m out and won with plenty in hand by two and a half.
Let It Snow
Vaal 7th December: The inside track saw the action at the Vaal on Thursday where five of the afternoon’s ten races were staged over 1200m. The MR65 Handicap proved to be the fastest of these and here the 4yo LAUREN OF ROCHELLE caused a major upset. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, Clinton Binda’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly from halfway, and after striking the front 200m out, won well by a length and a half.
A MR65 Handicap was also the quickest of the three 1400m races and here the costly to follow SHORTSTOP registered his second career victory. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, Roy Magner’s charge finished best of all and got up in the shadow of the post.
The two remaining races were both run over 1700m and stopping the clock in the faster time here was SAMAR in the MR72 apprentice handicap. The pace was on from the start and soon up handy, the Bezrin gelding was perfectly placed to strike. He did so as they approached the 400m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and three quarters.
Titbits
The best bet on the card for many, WHITE WINTER won the maiden plate over 1200m with some in hand.
Easy to back at 7/1, LUNAR DANCER came from midfield when winning the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1200m going away by three quarters.
Word Game
Greyville 8th December: Two maiden plates over 1200m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Friday and in the faster of these it was nice to see the well exposed TURF CONQUEROR get off the mark. Positioned in midfield when the race began in earnest, Paul Lafferty’s charge finished best of all and won going away after striking the front 200m out.
Three of the evening’s nine races were staged over 1400m and in the fastest of these, a MR66 Handicap we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced 3yo SCRABBLE. Burdened with top weight of 61kg, the son of Byword wasn’t the quickest into stride. Despite that though, he was soon in touch with the leaders. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m pole and won going away by two and a quarter.
Another to win well was THE KING OF RANDOM when registering his second career victory in the MR66 Handicap over 1000m. In what proved to be the faster of the two events over the distance, Michael Roberts’ charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he ran on best of all and after striking the front 200m out won going away.
Titbits
The heavily supported favourite MASTER SAM won the MR66 Handicap over 1400m with authority by two and three quarters.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Supa Smart 7
Race 2: (1) Tough Harry 4
Race 3: (2) Green Field 5
Race 4: (7) What A Player 13
Race 5: (10) Buck Eye 47 (NAP*)
Race 6: (5) Bollemakiesie 47
Race 7: (1) True Msater 75
Race 8: (8) Boxley 61
Race 9: (1) Stopthinkingofme 43
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) Roy’s Barbel 15
Race 2: (12) The Bayou 6
Race 3: (4) Toltec 19
Race 4: (4) Biometric 18
Race 5: (10) Pharoah’s Charm 8
Race 6: (8) Noodle 58
Race 7: (8) Roy’s Magic 44
Race 8: (11) Beluga Berry 33
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Generoso 8
Race 2: (2) Red Revolution 17 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Kings Creek 13
Race 4: (2) Twelve Oaks 44
Race 5: (1) Hat Puntano 92
Race 6: (2) Mrs O 52
Race 7: (8) Emily Jay 69
Race 8: (11) Flying Fool 40
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Township Melody 29
Race 2: (3) Flower Of Carmel 16
Race 3: (5) Milden Spell 43
Race 4: (6) Hereford 36
Race 5: (3) Endofmarch 51
Race 6: (3) Ovidio 99
Race 7: (6) Rocket Countdown 68
Race 8: (1) Nightingale 83
Race 9: (4) Strathdon 84
Race 10: (1) It Is What It Is 39
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (14) Love Theme 17 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Shadow Catcher 8
Race 4: (9) Making Miracles 24
Race 5: (12) Magesh’s Jet 49
Race 6: (5) Sonar Active 67
Race 7: (1) Miss Varlicious 52 (nb)
Race 8: (4) Marriot 31
Top rated winners last week included
Lauren Of Rochelle won 18/1
Cock-A-Hoop won 11/1
So Long Spring won 11/1
Weston won 9/1
Wynkelder won 11/2
King Of Aces won 5/1
Samar won 4/1
White Winter won 5/2
Notebook:-
Miyabi Gold (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Statute (M Roberts, KZN)
Wynkelder (A Rivalland, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 3rd December
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,24s fast
800m (1) Vertical Descent 46,35
1200m (4) Wynkelder 68,42
1400m (1) Redcarpet Captain 85,39
1600m (3) Seattle Skyline 95,77
1950m (1) Saint Marco 118,63
Kenilworth (new) 5th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,18s slow
1000m (1) Majestic Glory 60,58
1200m (3) Weston 73,08
1400m (2) Miyabi Gold 89,19
1600m (2) Bridal Party 99,77
2500m (1) Made To Conquer 162,29
Greyville (poly) 6th December
Going Rain Affected
1000m (3) Moon Shadow 59,01
1400m (3) Ouzo 82,08
1600m (3) Lala 97,87
Vaal (inside) 7th December
Penetrometer 28 – Going
Course Variant: 1,14slow
1200m (5) Lauren Of Rochelle 71,02
1400m (3) Shortstop 83,81
1700m (2) Samar 104,01
Greyville (poly) 8th December
Going Standard
1000m (2) The King Of Random 59,33
1200m (2) Turf Conqueror 71,70
1400m (3) Scrabble 85,10
1600m (2) Sovereign Soldier 98,54
