Time For A Break

Antious On Four

Clairwood 18^th March: A maiden event over 1100m was first up at the garden course on Sunday and here we saw an impressive performance from the heavily supported first timer CENTIMES (40). Backed throughout the morning into 9/10 from 33/10, Mike De Kock’s charge was a little slow into stride, but despite that she was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and with a ton in hand she comfortably accounted for the friendless newcomer STORM GODDESS (33’s out to 66’s) by two and a quarter.

The first of the afternoon’s two non-black type feature events for the juveniles to be run was the 1000m King’s Pact Stakes over 1000m and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced COUNTER RIDGE (47). A fluent winner of her only previous racecourse appearance, the nibbled at daughter of Tiger Ridge (7/1 into 6/1) was soon up handy. She made her move going through the 400m and after getting the better of the hat-trick seeking favourite FUN SUNZI 150m out, she won going away by two.

The boys contested the Sentinel Stakes over the same distance and in a time almost a second quicker than that of the girls victory here went to the very promising son of King Of Kings, REIGN AS KINGS (49). Heavily supported on course into 11/20 from even money, Mike De Kock’s charge raced third during the early part of the race. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 300m marker and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels in the closing stages of the race, he comfortably accounted for MY JELLY BEAN by a length and a half.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of SPECTROSCOPE (37) when winning the MR74 Handicap over 2500m. Drawn wide and a little slow into stride to boot, Adam Kethro’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though, he quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Christopher Taylor, he comfortably accounted for SUNNINGDALE by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear going through halfway, the recent Gauteng Merchants winner ANTIOUS ran on best of all when completing a four timer in the conditions plate over 1000m.

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Bird Food

Vaal 20^th March: They raced on the turf on Tuesday where victory in the opening maiden qualified handicap over 1000m went to the best supported of the three 28/10 co-favourites WISPER THE WIND (op 7/2). Soon up handy, the daughter of Windrush raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead 200m out by Pierre Strydom and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the nibbled at outsider SHAAHIRA by a half.

Race four on the card was a qualified maiden handicap over 1700m and not for the first time in recent meetings the stable of Lucky Houdalakis landed a gamble. Backed through all rates into 5/1 from 20’s at the track, the aptly named FOR THE BIRDS raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on best of all down the long home straight and just as if scripted he got up in the very last stride.

The bookies were again on the receiving end in the MR66 Handicap over 1700m when the strongly fancied MAKE SPACE (26) did the business. Sent off a clear favourite at 13/10, the 5yo son of Spaceship was always handy. He was visibly cruising going through the 400m and although MO’ PEPPER challenged strongly after he took up the running 250m out, Make Space went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Another to catch the eye winning well was PERFORMING LIGHT (37) in the MR62 affair over 1200m. Absolutely friendless on course (20/1 out to 33’s), Paul Matchett’s charge sat in the rear for the first half of the race. Once given rein though she quickened best of all and went on to score by a length and a quarter going away.

Titbits

Running on from the rear after being a little slow into stride, the friendless VENTURE (16/1 out to 33’s) was then baulked for a run 350m out and did well to get up for fourth beaten just 2,75 lengths in the MR66 Handicap over 2000m.

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Thrilling Finishes

Greyville 20^th March: A nice gamble was also landed on Tuesday evening when YOU ARE THE ONE (24) did the business in the maiden event over 1400m. Backed into 4/1 from 14/1 at the track, the Right Approach filly was soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride. She quickened well over the final 200m and with the rest well beaten she got up in the dying strides to deny MOULIN NOIR.

There were a number of close finishes on the evening, but none more so than that of the maiden 1400m where less than a length separated the first five home. Virtually all had a shout going through the 300m, but it was one of the two most tried runners in the field LITTLE SWAN who got the verdict.

The Gr3 Kings Cup over 1600m topped the bill and all the rage here was the Silvino gelding BAY ROUTE. A winner of five of his previous seven outings over this course and distance, Bay Route looked as if he might well improve that statistic when taking up the running 400m out. The improving 4yo JET LEGEND quickened best of all in the straight though and after a thrilling tussle over the final 200m he got up close home.

Race seven on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 1900m and in what proved to be another thrilling finish victory here went to the 5yo GANDOLF THE GREAT. The well supported favourite DESERT RAPTOR got first run in the straight and on striking the front 250m out, the 3yo looked to have done everything right. Gandolf The Great threw down a determined challenge over the final 200m though and after a classic battle he got the verdict on the nod.

Titbits

EYE THE GIRL ran on from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to deny the well supported favourite Pigeon Power in the maiden 1600m.

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Hammie’s Improving

Kenilworth 21^st March: The easiest victory in Cape Town on Wednesday was recorded by HAMMIE’S HOOKER in the juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m. Backed into 7/10 from even money at the track, Mike Bass’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and with some in hand she comfortably accounted for the second favourite WATERFALL by three.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1400m and here we saw a nice performance from the Dean Kannemeyer trained LORD PARAMOUNT. Confidently ridden by Karl Neisius, the Miesque’s Approval gelding sat towards the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he steadily began to work his way through the field and with Neisius looking as cool as a cucumber over the final 100m, he got up late to beat a wall of horses.

A MR76 Handicap over the same distance was next up and in a time slower than that of Lord Paramount victory here went to the nibbled at LOCKED ON TARGET (10/1 into 8/1). He got away well when the gates opened and led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won comfortably from the running on PRINCE OF WINGS. Keep an eye on the runner up Prince Of Wings. Mike Bass’ charge was forced to switch out for a run at a crucial stage and fairly flying at the finish did well to get up for second.

ACT OF FAITH couldn’t get a run between the 400m-100m poles when sent off a strong favourite last time out and so it was no surprise to see him open his account in the maiden event over 1600m here. Taken around runners early by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Greg Ennion’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced close up in second. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and only asked to do the necessary, he kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the original joint favourite BAYONT (15/10 out to 5/2) by two.

Titbits

TERRY LISTER ran on strongly from the rear when only beaten 0,6 lengths in the race won by Lord Paramount.

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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