From Strength To Strength
Greyville 31st July: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday 30th July. Races 2 & 9 were switched to the poly track from the turf.
The Gr2 Gold Cup over 3200m (turf) topped the bill on the last day of the season and here we saw another smart performance from the up and coming ENAAD. Confidently ridden by champion jockey S’manga Khumalo, the 5/1 favourite sat in the rear for most of the journey. He began to take closer order rounding the home turn, and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 300m out.
The Gr1 Champions Cup over 1800m (turf) topped the bill and after his tremendous effort in the Durban July it was no surprise to see MARINARESCO go one better. Allowed to ease a little at the track (8/10 out to 11/10), the poorly drawn son of Silvano also came from the rear. He was baulked for a run 300m out and at that stage he looked in trouble. Mike Bass’ charge fairly flew once seeing daylight though and went on to score by a length and a quarter going away.
By far the faster of the two Gr1 features for the 2yo’s was the Thekwini Stakes contested by the girls. DAWN CALLING was sent off a well-supported favourite (22/10 into 16/10) and on striking the front 450m out she looked to have done everything right. Running on stoutly from off the pace though was the second favourite QUERARI FALCON, and when that one in turn struck the front 300m later she could find no extra.
Titbits
CROWD PLEASER won the maiden juvenile plate in a time 0,9 seconds faster than the MR78 Handicap, the only other race over 1900m.
Unbeaten HACK GREEN came from the rear when winning the Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m.
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Reach For The Sky
Fairview 1st August: Racing in Port Elizabeth on Monday took place on the poly track where three of the eight races were run over 1900m. Comfortably the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap in which SKY FULL OF STARS registered his second career victory. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, Dorrie Sham’s charge ran on strongly in the short home straight and in a race where only a neck separated the first three home, he got up late to deny FACEBOOK.
Quickest home in the two 1300m events was TROUBLE MAKER when winning the MR72 Handicap. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the Captain Al gelding was soon up handy. He only got the better of the pacemaker PATAUDI 50m out and just had enough in hand to beat the running on SEYMOUR (came from midfield) by a neck.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of SKY MASTERSON when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1200m. Sent off second in the betting market at 2/1, the Rock Of Rochelle gelding was soon at the head of affairs. He led by just a length and a half coming off the bend and cruised clear in the straight to score by seven and three quarters.
Titbits
Having his first outing since relocating from Gauteng, STAR TREK won the maiden plate over 1600m easing down by a length and a quarter.
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At Your Peril
Durbanville 2nd August: The faster of the two maiden plates over 1200m that got proceedings underway on Tuesday was the boy’s affair won by SUMMER SKY. Positioned in midfield early on, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on strongly in the straight and won comfortably by a length after striking the front 200m from home.
Quickest home in the two 2000m races was RED PERIL in the MR84 affair. Sent off favourite at 33/10, the 6yo son of Western Winter set a good pace and soon had the field well strung out. He was five lengths clear at the top of the home straight and staying on strongly cruised in by seven.
They also ran two races over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was the 3yo NOT ON MY WATCH when winning the MR68 Handicap. Sent off a generously priced favourite at 9/2, Glen Kotzen’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and just had enough in hand to beat the running on GARDEN TEA PARTY by 0,40. The runner up came from the back and was gaining quickly at the wire.
Titbits
FIGURE OF GREY made up many lengths from the rear when third in the fillies maiden plate over 1600m.
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Determined Power
Greyville 3rd August: They raced on the poly on Wednesday where unlike Sunday’s meeting the track was running fast.
Three of the eight races were run over 1000m and quickest home amongst these was GIMMETHEMONEY in the opening fillies’ maiden plate. Sent off a joint favourite at 28/10, Paul Peter’s charge made all. She was just a half a length clear turning for home and with the rest almost five lengths adrift she kept on strongly in the straight to beat JUST VOGUE by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1600m events on the card was the MR72 Handicap in which the Dynasty mare WANDIE’S completed a hat-trick. Freely available at 11/2 on the off, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon in touch with the leaders. She ran on strongly over the final 300m and after a thrilling tussle with RUBY GEM she got the verdict by a neck.
A MR86 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the well supported favourite EXECUTIVE POWER (7/2 into 22/10). Taken straight to the front by Alec Forbes, the son of Warm White Night led throughout. He answered every call in the straight and in a race where just half a length separated the first five home, he just held on.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, BIG SI ran on strongly from the rear when runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1400m.
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Red In The Morning
Vaal 4th August: Thursday’s action took place on the new classic track where quickest home in the two 1000m races was the aptly named SPEEDY SUZI. Easy to back at 20/1 to the win the MR76 Handicap, Corne Spies’ charge raced towards the backend of midfield early on. Just four and a half lengths covered all going through the 400m though, and running on stoutly at the business end of the race she got up close home to deny the more fancied MUSICAL ROMANCE.
The easiest victory on the eight race program was undoubtedly that of SHEPHERDS WARNING when winning the faster of the two 2000m races, a MR80 Handicap. Nicely positioned in sixth in what was a tightly bunched field for most of the journey, the Tiger Ridge gelding was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker, and after quickly skipping clear went on to win with authority by four and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1450m races was the MR68 Handicap won by Beautiful Shay. On leaving the stalls it was the well supported favourite OUR MIRACLE who elected to make the running whilst Stephen Moffatt’s charge somewhat unusually raced close up in second. She put her head in front 100m out and with the rest well beaten won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Poorly Drawn PISTOLERO ran on well from the rear when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Lindelize 16
Race 2: (8) Mustang Boy 9
Race 3: (7) Another Night 20
Race 4: (5) Line Break 75
Race 5: (7) Matador In Red 67
Race 6: (1) Oriental Tiger 65
Race 7: (3) Clear Sailing 65
Race 8: (16) Celtic Revival 42
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Shivering Sea 48
Race 2: (1) Trip Tease 95 (NAP**)
Race 3: (13) Space Tornado 16
Race 4: (2) Sweet Chestnut 9
Race 5: (7) Royal Honour 46
Race 6: (1) Pennington Sands 50
Race 7: (7) Movie Award 56
Race 8: (8) Secret Angel 30
Race 9: (5) Levi Lady 15
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (2) Moulina 18
Race 2: (7) Rebel’s Burst 16
Race 3: (5) Sandy Bay 25
Race 4: (3) Jingle Belle 32
Race 5: (6) Our Jet 62
Race 6: (7) Evoke Emotion 65
Race 7: (2) Sail For Gold 74
Race 8: (2) Azarenka 58
Race 9: (12) Aleut 46
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Inyati 14
Race 2: (6) Kimberley 20
Race 3: (1) Structured Reply 11 (nb)
Race 4: (13) Roy’s Yevahn 12
Race 5: (1) Piano Man 73
Race 6: (1) Hack Green 64 (NAP*)
Race 7: (18) Bonsai 43
Race 8: (10) Costa Del Sol 28
Race 9: (2) Saber’s Beads 15
Race 10: (6) Inga 21
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Top rated winners last week included
Conquering Queen won 12/1
Lisnoble won 7/1
Seal My Fate won 28/10
Gina Ballerina won 15/10
White Rose won 1/1
Just A Gigolo won 13/20
Crowd Pleaser 11/20
La Myst won 4/10
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Notebook:-
Enaad (M De Kock, KZN)
Hack Green (D Drier, KZN)
Marinaresco (M Bass, 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 (mixed) 31st July
Turf Soft/Poly Standard
Course Variant: Turf 2,7 seconds slow/Poly 0,47 slow
1000m (1) Asstar 57,58P
1200m (2) Hack Green 72,20T
1400m (1) Wind Singer 83,28P
1600m (2) Querari Falcon 98,42T
1600m (1) Macduff 96,97P
1800m (1) Marinaresco 112,75T
1900m (2) Crowd Pleaser 116,47P
2000m (1) Flying Ice 123,35P
3200m (1) Enaad 211,28T
Fairview (poly) 1st August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,36 seconds slow
1100m (1) Dragon Li 63,43
1200m (1) Sky Masterson 70,21
1300m (2) Trouble Maker 75,35
1600m (1) Star Trek 97,03
1900m (3) Sky Full Of Stars 116,94
Durbanville 2nd August
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (2) Summer Sky 72,78
1300m (2) Heart Of Darkness 78,97
1400m (2) Not On My Watch 85,80
1600m (1) Beshayir Girl 100,74
2000m (2) Red Peril 122,01
Greyville (poly) 3rd August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,33 seconds fast
1000m (3) Gimmethemoney 56,81
1200m (1) Executive Power 69,16
1400m (1) Putchini 82,49
1600m (2) Wandie’s 96,57
2000m (1) At Long Last 123,52
Vaal (classic) 4th August
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,22 seconds fast
1000m (2) Speedy Suzi 56,71
1200m (1) Pistolero 70,36
1450m (2) Beautiful Shay 88,44
1600m (1) Hamley 98,71
2000m (2) Shepherds Warning 123,55
