Arlington 14th January
Opening Gambit
Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when TAURUS did the business in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Backed throughout the morning into 11/2 from 14/1, Grant Paddock’s charge was content to sit towards the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened nicely from halfway and after striking the front 200m out, he comfortably accounted for the recent recruit from Cape Town ROXHILL by two and three quarters.
The bookies also had to dig deep into their satchels after the next, a MR86 Handicap over 2000m when the best bet on the card for many, SCRIPTURE did the business. Allowed to flirt with even money at one stage after opening up at 12/10, Alan Greeff’s charge raced close up in fifth. She quickened best of all in the short home straight and with the rest well beaten she got up nicely at the distance to deny MILL KEY WAY.
Race five on the card was a graduation event over 1000m and here we saw a nice performance from the favourite TORCIDA SPLIT. Soon into stride, Torcida Split raced prominent throughout. He began to assert his authority as they approached the 300m marker and easily accounted for the running on SPORTING ROONEY by two.
Titbits
THE FORD ran on nicely from off the pace in the MR75 Handicap over 1400m and was only beaten by a neck.
Former Cape Town campaigner ROXHILL ran on well on his local debut in the maiden event over 1000m and should go one better quite quickly.
Turffontein 15th January
Flying Rudra
They raced on the inner track on Saturday where the first of a number of solid looking bets, LANCEWOOD (41) landed the spoils. Deep in the red at 9/20 on the off, the son of Fort Wood was always positioned close to the pace. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 500m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on FLAMING FORGE by three and a quarter.
Race five on the card was a Conditions Plate over 1450m and as expected here victory went to the recent Fillies Mile winner HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD (61). Allowed to ease right out to even money from 5/10 at the track, the daughter of Street Cry raced sixth during the early part of the race. She was some five lengths off the pace turning for home and when the eventual runner up TREE OF PERFECTION struck the front 200m out, she still had a bit to do. Given a typical ride from the Peruvian Willie Figueroa though, Hollywoodboulevard fairly flew in the latter stages of the race and just as if scripted, she got up in the dying strides.
A Pinnacle Stakes over the same distance topped the bill and in a time slower than that of Hollywoodboulevard we saw an impressive performance from the 2008 Summer Cup winner RUDRA (86). Nibbled at on course to go off second favourite at 75/20, Mike De Kock’s charge was content to sit towards the back end of midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the strip though he quickened very nicely and after striking the front 250m from home, he quickly shot clear.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear turning for home, FLAMING FORGE ran on very nicely in a fair maiden field and can be expected to improve plenty.
Kenilworth 15th January
Back With The Girls
JEPPE’S REEF in the maiden event over 2500m was the best bet for most in Cape Town on Saturday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Backed throughout the day into the prohibitive odds of 3/10, Mike Bass’ charge raced fifth during the early part of the race. He was asked to take closer order early in the home straight and after striking the front 200m from home, he ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat his only serious rival in the betting market SOUL SINGER by two.
The first of the afternoon’s two feature events to be run was the listed Sun Classique Handicap over 2400m and here victory went to the top weight SANGRIA GIRL. Back racing against her own sex for the first time in four starts, Greg Ennion’s charge was always handy. She was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on ALINGA by a half.
The listed Jamaica Handicap over 1700m was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller, victory here went to the hattrick seeking CROC VALLEY. FLIGHTY’S LAST and the favourite IN LIKE FLYNN were disputing matters going through the 400m and 200m later it looked as if they would go on to fight it out. The pack closed in rapidly below the distance though and in a race where only a half length separated the first four home, Croc Valley got up in the dying strides.
Titbits
COASTING AVALANCHE won the maiden event over 1600m in good style going away.
After being baulked for a run, both TALENT SCOUT and FLY AMERICAN were gaining rapidly in the MR77 Handicap over 1200m and were only beaten a neck.
Scottsville 16th January
Smart Gamble
The stable of Dennis Drier have been in very good form of late and they completed a quick double here when the heavily supported FRESH AS FRUIT (23) did the business in the maiden event over 1400m. Backed all the way in to 11/2 third favourite from 20/1, the formless daughter of Strike Smartly was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead halfway down the home straight and went on to score very comfortably by two from the nibbled at favourite LA BELLE VITA (7/2 into 28/10).
The listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here the progeny of Strike Smartly were again on the mark when one of the 7/1 joint second favourites RICH STRIKE (72) landed the spoils. Taken straight to the front by Ian Sturgeon, Mike De Kock’s charge led throughout. Fellow joint second favourite DANCE AT DAYLIGHT fairly flew over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller, he only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.
The lucky last was a maiden event over 1400m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the favourite DRIFT ALONG (29). Allowed to ease out to 16/10 from 12/10 at the track, Weiho Marwing’s charge was positioned towards the back end of midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he quickly cut through the field and went on to score very easily by three and a quarter.
Titbits
SEXY SALSA ran on well in the maiden event for the girls over 1400m and would surely have gotten up in another stride.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park
Race 1: (16) Aussie Diva 16
Race 2: (14) Rusty 8
Race 3: (9) Majestic Lady 24
Race 4: (2) Eternal Glory 48
Race 5: (12) Swarming 75
Race 6: (1) Capitella 49
Race 7: (11) Electrifying 38
Race 8: (4) Bomber Bill 44 (EW)
Race 9: (15) Le Or 50
Clairwood (Tues)
Race 1: (12) Sense Of Speed 27
Race 2: (1) Full Steam Ahead 18
Race 3: (1) Perazim Joy 19
Race 4: (3) Modern Scott 13
Race 5: (7) Royal Zulu Warrior 78 (NAP**)
Race 6: (1) Goat 84
Race 7: (13) Green Day 85
Race 8: (9) The Giant 56
Turffontein
Race 1: (1) Tsitsikama Strike 25
Race 2: (3) Soul Sister 21
Race 3: (1) Target 12
Race 4: (13) Flaming Forge 27
Race 5: (6) Mirage Drive 81
Race 6: (2) Kapow 65
Race 7: (11) Gold Game 82
Race 8: (6) Dubai Rainbow 55
Arlington
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (4) Hobbit 20
Race 3: (1) Ozzie Dude 53 (NAP**)
Race 4: (1) Kimberley Gem 36
Race 5: (3) King Of Eagles 76
Race 6: (8) Mangaliso 64
Race 7: (10) Chariya 72
Race 8: (7) Laura’s Gift 52
Clairwood (Thur)
Race 1: (9) Superlicious 2
Race 2: (4) Sparkle 24
Race 3: (1) Fancy Some French 25
Race 4: (1) Silver Sensation 18
Race 5: (4) Turk 51
Race 6: (1) Intellectual 88 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Zackly 82
Race 8: (14) Spirit Of Success 65 (EW)
Top rated winners last week included:-
Silver Forest won 12/1
Hot Summer Night won 15/2
Moonlight Gambler won 7/2
Moroccan won 7/2
Drift Along won 16/10
Mr Black Tom won 14/10
Lizzie Arden won 12/10
Hollywoodboulevard won 1/1
Notebook:-
Flaming Forge (B Wiid, Gauteng)
Hollywoodboulevard (C Laird, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Arlington 14th January
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Torcida Split
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Makzoos
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (3) Scripture
Turffontein 15th January
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Mr Black Tom
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (7) Hollywoodboulevard
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Perpetual Song
Kenilworth 15th January
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Burnitlikebeckham
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (2) Croc Valley
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Sangria Girl
Scottsville 16th January
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Rebellious Streak
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Rich Strike
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Zahir Shah
