So Var So Good
Turffontein 2nd July:
Four of the eight races at the inner track on Sunday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in by far the fastest time amongst these was SPORTING MONARCH in the MR79 Handicap. Soon up handy, the Rebel King gelding ran on strongly over the final 400m and got up very late to deny DAN THE LAD (led 50m).
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m and quickest home here was the hat-trick seeking SO VAR in the juvenile plate. Backed into favouritism at the track, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge stumbled at the start, but in a small field was still soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the running on ALFOLK by two.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by JIKA when getting off the mark in the maiden 1450m. Another to race handy, Jika took up the running 400m out and despite hanging, and being reported as blowing, he went on to score with authority by almost three.
Titbits
TIGER’S LEGACY and HUNTING OWL both ran on well from the rear when 2nd & 3rd respectively in the MR66 Handicap over 1000m.
Ladies To The Fore
Fairview 3rd July:
Monday’s action took place in the Eastern Cape where quickest home in the two 1200m events was Sporting Post’s best bet WICKED LADY JANE in the MR59 Handicap. Well supported on course into 26/10 from 4/1, the top weighted 3yo raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to deny the fancied CORKER (raced 6th – led 170m).
Marginally the faster of the two 1400m races was the MR68 Handicap in which LADY AWAY registered her second career victory. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 16/10, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fifth early on. She was ridden to lead approaching the 200m marker and kept on strongly late to fend off a determined challenge from the always handy OASIS QUEEN by a neck.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here it was nice to see the Lecture filly MISS APHRODITE gain just reward for her consistency. Another to race close to the speed, Miss Aphrodite took up the running 300m out and comfortably accounted for the heavily supported SPACE TATOO by a length and a half.
Titbits
GRAPEVINE (midfield) and LOTUS ELAN (at the back entering the home straight) both finished very strongly when 1st & 2nd respectively in the MR76 Handicap over 1900m.
CHINA EXPRESS came from the rear when comfortably accounting for his thirteen rivals in the MR66 affair over 1300m.
Bernie At His Best
Kenilworth 4th July:
Off a penetrometer reading of 25 the going was posted as good to soft in Cape Town on Tuesday. Eight of the afternoon’s nine races were run around the turn and comparatively the fastest of these was the MR68 Handicap over 1400m won by FREE AGENT. Sent off a generously priced favourite (9/2) in a race where officially there was no time taken, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced 8th early on. Cleverly ridden by Bernard Fayd’Herbe though, the Warm White Night gelding looped runners rounding the turn and going through the 300m he had stolen a three and a half lengths advantage. WESTERN STORM chased hard in the closing stages of the race, but although he did manage to cut that lead in half, he was never a threat.
By far the faster of the two 2000m events was the MR71 Handicap in which MAKE THE MAGNET ran out a very easy winner. Taken straight to the front by Lucian Africa, the nibbled at Slew The Red mare led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
A pinnacle stakes over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw another gutsy performance from the joint best weighted runner in the field MILTON. The pace was very steady early on and so it wasn’t long before Milton found his favourite position at the head of affairs. He was headed by TURBULENT AIR passing the 200m pole, but fought back gamely under another classy ride from Bernard Fayd’Herbe to score going away by three quarters.
Titbits
A runner up in each of his last four outings, APOLLO STAR won going away when getting off the mark in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m.
Realising Expectations
Scottsville 5th July:
As if often the case in Pietermaritzburg it was the 1200m distance that staged the most races. There were three in total and surprisingly the fastest of these, albeit very marginally, was the opening maiden juvenile plate won by the favourite CHANTYMAN. Heavily supported when a running on third on debut, the son of Oratorio was soon up handy here. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing halfway and given rein 300m out, he cruised clear to score by seven and a half.
1600m was the only other distance to stage more than one event on the eight race program and here LOVE LYRIC was the quickest home when causing an upset in the MR65 Handicap. Nibbled at into 14/1 from 20’s, the daughter of Black Minnaloushe was always handy. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller she only got the verdict on the nod over the running on WONDER WORKER.
A MR82 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here we saw a comfortable victory for the 8/10 favourite CLIFTON SUNSET. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front shortly after passing the 200m pole and won going away by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
A winner of just one race from 22 outings, NEW FORT, the winner of the MR80 Handicap over 2400m here, has won four from five since relocating to KZN.
Making Progress
Vaal 6th July:
They raced on the inside track on Thursday where the only sprint, a juvenile plate was won by the 7/20 favourite WINTER WATCH. Attempting to make all, the winner looked beaten when ROSIE BUBBLES struck the front and went a length or so clear 300m out. With the rest well beaten though, Winter Watch fought back gamely in the closing stages of the race and got back up late to score by a half.
The faster of the two 1700m races on my clock was the MR66 Handicap in which the well exposed CHAMPIONS CUP registered a third career victory. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the son of Miesque’s Appoval raced in midfield for most of the journey. He struck the front 200m out and kept on strongly late to beat SPACE TORNADO by a length.
The two races over 1800m were both maiden plates and stopping the clock in the faster time here was PILGRIM’S PROGRESS in the girl’s affair. Racing in open company here, the 2yo daughter of Await The Dawn raced fourth during the early part of the race. She put her head in front going through the 400m and with the rest some 8 lengths adrift she had the runner up HOT TALENT (dropped rein late) held by a half.
Titbits
The easy to back 3yo RETURN TO POWER cruised clear to score by four and a quarter after taking up the running 500m out in the MR68 Handicap over 1700m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Run For Your Life 8
Race 2: (7) Julie Orly 28
Race 3: (14) Van Dam’s Force 53
Race 4: (1) Nordic Leader 4 (NAP)
Race 5: (12) Imperial Velvet 72
Race 6: (10) Mock Mambo 41
Race 7: (13) Night Dancer 49
Race 8: (5) Omega Onslaught 58
Race 9: (10) Bah 37
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (5) Endofmarch 12
Race 2: (4) Weekend Warrior 27
Race 3: (1) Quarllo 15
Race 4: (1) Tevez 95
Race 5: (7) Eastern Front 47
Race 6: (1) Ntombe 50
Race 7: (14) Volatile Energy 66
Race 8: (1) Our LadyPeace 15
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (12) Sequined 34 (NAP*)
Race 2: (6) Forbidden Duel 71
Race 3: (7) Mark My Card 68
Race 4: (3) Icy Spirit 52
Race 5: (9) Black Jaguar 36
Race 6: (5) Varbration 69
Race 7: (4) Wukkin’Up 75
Race 8: (1) Trip To Heaven 105
Race 9: (4) Astroman 31
Race 10: (12) Fantasy Art 49 (EW)
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (1) Ali Bon Dubai 10
Race 2: (7) Marimba Queen 12
Race 3: (1) Alfolk 32
Race 4: (9) Manitoba 23 (NAP*)
Race 5: (11) Space Tornado 51
Race 6: (8) Prince Of Orange 84
Race 7: (10) Emily Jay 52
Race 8: (3) Stavinsky 44 (EW)
Top rated winners last week included
Eve Wilkie won 5/1
Pilgrim’s Progress won 7/2
Winter Watch won 7/2
So Var won 2/1
Miziara won 17/10
Lady Away won 16/10
Apollo Star won 14/10
No More Words won 6/10
Notebook:-
Chantyman (D Bosch, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (inner) 2nd July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,14s slow
1000m (2) So Var 57,55
1200m (4) Sporting Monarch 71,37
1450m (1) Jika 88,46
1600m (1) Kapenta Bay 98,88
Fairview (poly) 3rd July
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,69s slow
1000m (1) Varonella 57,09
1200m (2) Wicked Lady Jane 71,28
1300m (1) China Express 76,01
1400m (2) Lady Away 84,33
1600m (1) Katniss 99,07
1900m (1) Grape Vine 116,63
Kenilworth (old) 4th July
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,76s slow
1200m (1) Freedom Charter 73,20*
1400m (3) Free Agent 87,14
1600m (1) Milton 99,25
1800m (1) Liquid Dynamite 112,78
2000m (2) Make The Magnet 128,00
Scottsville (old) 5th July
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,24s slow
1000m (1) Tweed Valley 58,06
1200m (3) Chantyman 68,79
1400m (1) Rock My Soul 83,99
1600m (2) Love Lyric 98,08
2400m (1) New Fort 152,24
Vaal (inside) 6th July
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,20s slow
1000m (1) Winter Watch 58,17
1400m (1) Joey Piper 82,31
1700m (2) Champions Cup 103,86
1800m (2) Pilgrim’s Progress 111,05
2000m (2) Barbados Cruise 124,95
