A Reason For Being
Turffontein 4th January: The Tony Ruffel Stakes was the faster of the two Gr3 events over 1400m on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the favourite IKIGAI. The son of Vercingetorix got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front 300m out and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
Another to win very comfortably on this card was PALACE ASSEMBLY in the faster of the two 1160m events, a MR86 Handicap. Soon up handy, despite being a little slow into stride, the Potala Palace gelding struck the front 100m from home and won going away by a length and a half.
They also ran two races over 1600m and in the faster of these RIVER JORDAN followed up on his easy maiden win. Sent off third in the betting market at 4/1, Sean Tarry’s charge was content to sit eighth of the nine early on. He quickened best of all when the race developed into a sprint 400m out and got the better of the favourite CHRISTOPHER ROBIN by three quarters.
Titbits
With the rest left trailing in their wake (7 lengths), FACTOR FIFTY and SUNSHINE SILK fought out a thrilling finish over the final 400m of the pinnacle stakes over 2400m with the former prevailing by the narrowest of margins.
Powerful Combination
Scottsville 5th January: The non-black type African Holly Handicap over 1000m topped the bill in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and here we saw a very easy victory for the 5/2 favourite CHANTYMAN. Now a winner of six from eighteen (four of which when ridden by Anton Marcus), Dennis Bosch’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. He cut through the field quickly when given rein and cruised clear to score by four and three quarters after striking the front 160m from home.
Another to win with authority on this card was SOLID GOLD when making all to win the faster of the two 1400m events, a progress plate. Soon two lengths clear, with a further five lengths back to the third placed runner, the son of Rock Of Gibraltar kept on strongly in the straight and won without any anxious moments by four.
Two 1750m maiden plates brought the meeting to a close and in the faster of these the heavily supported favourite DIVINE HUGH opened his account. Running on stoutly from midfield, Brett Crawford’s charge was ridden to lead passing the 200m pole and won going away from a strung out field.
Titbits
Always handy, HAN SOLO won the second division of the maiden 1750m easing down by three and three quarters.
Speedy Work Riders
Turffontein 11th January: Not for the first time in Gauteng in recent meetings, the workrider’s race was the fastest of the races over a distance, and so it was with the opening maiden plate over 1400m won by CORNISH POMODORO on Saturday. In a time 0,3 seconds faster than the MR88 Handicap won by NORLAND, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and eased late, won very cosily by a length and a quarter.
The bill topping listed Swallow Stakes was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1160m events and here we saw a smart performance from the Paul Peter trained SARAH. Thrown in at the weights, the Western Winter filly was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 300m and went on to score very easily by three.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 2000m and in the quickest of these, a graduation plate, the 3yo POMANDER gained her second win from just five starts. The strongly fancied BY CHANCE (came from the rear) was the first to make a move when the race began in earnest and quickly going clear after striking the front 350m out, she looked to have done everything right. Always handy though, Mike De Kock’s charge quickened nicely in the closing stages of the race and with the rest well beaten, she got up late to score by a half.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, the column’s top rated selection CHIEF OF STATE showed good improvement when easily accounting for his nine rivals in the MR96 Handicap over 1000m.
Verdict Or Opinion
Kenilworth 11th January: Albeit marginally, the prestigious Gr1 Queen’s Plate proved comparatively to be the fastest of the six races around the turn on Saturday and here we saw another smart performance from the Adam Marcus trained VARDY. Now a winner of six from nine, the 4yo son of Var was content to sit at the back of the ten for most of the journey. He ran on best of all down the long new course straight and won well by a length and a quarter from his arch rival ONE WORLD.
The Gr1 Paddock Stakes was the faster of the two feature races over 1800m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Gauteng raider QUEEN SUPREME. Always handy, Mike De Kock’s charge took up the running 200m out and won well by two and a half from the always handy DRIVING MISS DAISY.
Another visitor from Gauteng was on the mark in the fastest of the four 1000m races when CHIMICHURI RUN landed the pinnacle stakes. Sent off third in the betting market at 3/1, Sean Tarry’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and got the better of the front running PACIFIC TRADER by three quarters.
Titbits
LILAC SENSATION quickened nicely late when winning the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1000m going away.
Let The Music Play
Greyville 12th January: They raced on the poly track on Sunday where the faster of the two 1000m races that got proceedings underway was the MR79 Handicap won by WOLFGANG. Returning from a 14 week break here, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was freely available at 8/1 on the off. He was always handy and won well by a length and a quarter after striking the front 150m from home.
The MR79 Handicap was also the faster of the two 1400m events and here victory went to the former Cape Town campaigner QUICK STAR. Backed into favouritism during the afternoon, Brett Crawford’s charge raced fourth during the early part of the race. He quickened nicely at the top of the short home straight, and won well from the running on CAPTAIN DEMONAMI by a length.
They also ran two races over 1600m where stopping the clock in the faster time was GRANDE MAESTRO when winning the MR68 Handicap. Yet another to race handy, the well exposed Oratorio gelding took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on PERFECTLY PUTT by a quarter.
Titbits
Supported into favouritism, lightly raced GAIL FORCE ran on well from the back end of midfield when winning the opening maiden plate over 1000m with some in hand.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Andrea 14
Race 2: (5) Elusive Green 14
Race 3: (4) Gina’s Girl 15
Race 4: (3) Lord Marshal 46
Race 5: (7) Falcon Rock 66
Race 6: (7) Margot’s Magic 55
Race 7: (1) Vivir 57
Race 8: (10) Sauvage 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Pucker Up 14
Race 2: (3) Blue Spark 29 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Sidonie 50
Race 4: (5) Written In Stone 53
Race 5: (5) Liberado 38
Race 6: (1) Dawn Assault 85
Race 7: (2) Rock Of Africa 76
Race 8: (2) Pop Icon 45
Race 9: (9) Alex The Great 46
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (6) Pray For Rain 3
Race 2: (2) Pacific Rim 23
Race 3: (11) Voice Of Reason 30
Race 4: (11) Hope And Pray 20
Race 5: (2) Azores 46
Race 6: (7) Elusive Rain 39
Race 7: (9) Selailai 45
Race 8: (4) Aqua Bolt 51`
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (9) Miss Charlotte 27
Race 2: (11) Blush Of Dawn 24
Race 3: (10) Constantine 63
Race 4: (3) La Bastide 45
Race 5: (6) Loadshedder 47
Race 6: (7) Marsanne 60 (EW)
Race 7: (12) Marchingontogether 80
Race 8: (12) Royal View 20
Top rated winners last week included
Chief Of State won 9/1
Celebration Rock won 9/2
Diorama won 5/2
Quick Star won 5/2
Ikigai won 5/4
Brilliant Disguise won 1/1
Divine Hugh won 7/10
Cornish Pomodoro won 5/10
Notebook:-
Queen Supreme (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Vardy (A Marcus, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (stand side) 4th January
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,86s slow
1000m (1) Dancing Queen 56,69
1160m (2) Palace Assembly 67,58
1400m (2) Ikigai 84,30
1600m (2) River Jordan 100,18
1800m (1) Jet Start 112,21
2400m (1) Factor Fifty 153,09
Scottsville (inside) 5th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,35s slow
1000m (1) Chantyman 56,10
1200m (1) Celebration Rock 68,63
1400m (2) Solid Gold 82,40
1600m (1) Winter Retreat 95,90
1750m (2) Divine Hugh 105,96
1950m (1) Escape Club 120,10
Kenilworth (new) 11th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,08s fast
1000m (4) Chimichuri Run 57,35
1400m (1) Cabo Da Cruz 85,01
1600m (2) Vardy 97,00
1800m (2) Queen Supreme 110,08
2500m (1) Doublemint 156,23
Turffontein (stand side) 11th January
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,20s slow
1000m (1) Chief Of State 56,80
1160m (2) Sarah 67,14
1400m (2) Cornish Pomodoro 85,19
1600m (1) Shango 98,89
2000m (3) Pomander 125,53
Greyville 12th January
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,36s slow
1000m (2) Wolfgang 57,80
1400m (2) Quick Star 82,14
1600m (2) Grande Maestro 95,50
1900m (1) Gentleman’s Wager 114,81
2000m (1) Galway Girl 124,13
