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Fairview 11th September: First up on the poly track in Port Elizabeth on Friday was a maiden plate over 1300m and here we saw a smart performance from the friendless MY FRIEND FRED. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, Dorrie Sham’s charge raced in the rear early on. He quickened well in the short home straight and won going away by a length and a quarter after striking the front 70m or so from home.
The non-black type Founders Trophy over 1600m topped the bill and here the stable of Dorrie Sham were again on the mark when SYMBOLIK landed the spoils. In what was a strange race as some thought there was a false start, the 5yo son of Kahal was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the recent recruit from Natal KING JACE by two and a quarter.
Another to win well from the red hot Sham yard (4 winners on the day) was HAPPY LION in the MR80 Handicap over 1200m. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10, Happy Lion was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 200m and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race, he won by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The 33/10 joint favourite PURELY ATOMIC ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when only failing to land the MR73 Handicap over 1300m by the narrowest of margins.
The Rebel King filly FIRING QUEEN had to switch en-route from the rear when a length and a half third in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
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Easy To See
Greyville 11th September: Friday evening’s action also took place on the poly track where victory in the fastest of the three 1200m races, a MR66 Handicap, went to the Des Egdes trained KEEP YOUR LIGHT ON. Well supported on course into 11/2 from 10’s, the son of Fort Beluga raced in midfield for most of the journey. He took closer order coming off the bend and won well by a length and a half from another nibbled at runner in RUMBULLION.
Quickest home in the three races over 1400m was the grey MOGOKITY when registering her third career victory in the MR73 affair. Eventually sent off second in the betting market at 7/2 (op 8’s), Lizelle Forbes’ charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won comfortably from the running on ROYALSECURITYBABY.
The two remaining races were maiden plates over 1600m and the faster of these was the boy’s affair won by BELUGA. Soon up handy in what proved to be a false paced affair, Dennis Drier’s charge ran on stoutly in the straight and with the rest left trailing in their wake he only got the verdict over the favourite JUST LIKE MAGIC by a neck.
Titbits
Despite losing three lengths at the start, and being positioned at the back turning for home, MISSION RAPIDS won the MR74 Handicap over 1400m going away by two and three quarters.
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Progressing Nicely
Turffontein 12th September: Three of the eleven races on the inner track on Saturday were run over 2600m and not surprisingly the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by the top weighted STORM WARNING. Confidently ridden by Craig Zackey, the well weighted son of Jet Master raced fifth of the seven for most of the trip. He quickened best of all coming off the strip and went on to win with some in hand after striking the front 100m from home.
There also three races run over 1800m and fastest against the clock amongst these was KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY in the MR92 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back STONEHENGE who elected to make the running whilst Mike De Kock’s charge sat handy in fifth. The favourite DEO JUVENTE made the first move and on striking the front 300m out the son of Trippi looked to have done everything right. Kingmambo’s Legacy steadily wore him down below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to score by a neck.
The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the pinnacle stakes over 1450m when MITRAAD completed a very smart hat-trick. Now a winner of four of his five career starts, the son of Northern Meteor made all. He looked to just do the necessary over the final 400m and won comfortably by a length and a half.
Titbits
Poorly drawn JUBILEE LINE ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1600m going away by three and a half.
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Going Good
Durbanville 12th September: The going was good at the country course on Saturday where a half of the races were run over 1600m. The fastest of these was the MR75 Handicap won by the 3yo ASPARA. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 22/10 (op 3/1), Justin Snaith’s charge raced fifth early on. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and won going away by six and a half.
A maiden plate over 1400m had gotten proceedings underway and here the stable of Justin Snaith were again on the mark when the newcomer FRANCIA put in a smart performance. Another to race handy, the daughter of Dynasty hit the front 100m out and won well by a length and a half.
A MR84 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from ARACHNE. At the head of affairs throughout, the Greys Inn gelding answered every call in the straight and won fair and square from TITUS by three quarters.
Titbits
Detached at the rear, and still a good six lengths adrift of the pack at the top of the straight, the newcomer PURPLE ROCK ran on stoutly over the final 600m and did very well indeed to get within a length of the winner when runner up in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) De Lujo 18
Race 2: (4) Air Patrol 34
Race 3: (3) Trade Emblem 57
Race 4: (1) Forary 17
Race 5: (2) Target Five 38 (EW)
Race 6: (8) Commanche Moon 48 (EW)
Race 7: (3) Luv U Babes 41
Race 8: (2) Jet Swinger 26
Race 9: (2) Heavenly Express 27 (NAP*)
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Emerald Mackay 21
Race 2: (11) Spanish Kiss 26
Race 3: (3) Tripadvisor 22
Race 4: (1) Notorious 13
Race 5: (5) Dakiwe 71
Race 6: (5) Tora Tora 44
Race 7: (4) Shamal 44
Race 8: (18) Chief Sioux 35
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (2) Kwando 23
Race 2: (7) Van Dam’s Force 22
Race 3: (5) Nutbush 20
Race 4: (10) Dazzling Dancer 46
Race 5: (5) Exelero 79
Race 6: (9) Little Mo 63
Race 7: (8) Skysign 46
Race 8: (12) Sheltered 62 (EW)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (5) Roxy Lady 17
Race 2: (1) Antagonist 23
Race 3: (1) Seal My Fate 7 (NAP*)
Race 4: (1) Angel Of Mercy 11
Race 5: (14) William Nicol 23
Race 6: (12) Raging Princess 44 (EW)
Race 7: (7) Arkansas 51
Race 8: (9) Heywot 67
Race 9: (8) Bah 56
Race 10: (5) Teagan’s Boy 27
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Top rated winners last week included
Blue Door won 16/1
Buster Posy won 14/1
Sub Shaawes won 12/1
Ravishing Lilly won 15/2
Flirting Around won 7/2
Mr Whatever won 7/2
Shepard One won 2/1
Trip To Heaven won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Aspara (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Happy Lion (D Sham, E-Cape)
Mission Rapids (L Forbes, KZN)
Mitraad (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
Fairview (poly) 11th September
Going Standard
1000m (1) Netsuke 57,75
1200m (1) Happy Lion 69,25
1300m (2) Egregious 76,01
1600m (1) Symbolik 94,79
1900m (2) Strict By Standard 117,54
2200m (1) Money Grubber 134,65
Greyville (poly) 11th September
Going Standard
1200m (3) Keep Your Light On 70,16
1400m (3) Mogokity 82,86
1600m (2) Beluga 97,47
Turffontein (inner) 12th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (2) Trip To Heaven 72,71
1450m (1) Mitraad 89,28
1600m (2) Jubilee Line 99,19
1800m (3) Kingmambo’s Legacy 110,60
2600m (3) Storm Warning 164,43
Durbanville 12th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (2) Jo’s Bond 58,66
1300m (1) Fifty Cents 77,58
1400m (1) Francia 86,01
1600m (4) Aspara 96,86
