On The Nod
Fairview 17th July: A maiden juvenile plate over 1600m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Friday and in what proved to be a very tight finish victory went to the uneasy joint favourite SEATTLE SWING. Allowed to ease right out to 33/10 from 13/10 at the track as money came in buckets for SKY FULL OF STARS (10/1 into 33/10), the son of Mambo in Seattle sat sixth as they rounded the turn. The pacemaker MOUNT FUGI kept on determinedly in the straight and it was only on the nod that Seattle Swing got the verdict.
There were three 1600m races on the card in total and recording the fastest time amongst these was GALAO when landing the MR80 Handicap. Racing closer to the pace than he had done in his two most recent outings, Dorrie Sham’s charge struck the front 300m out and comfortably accounted for OREO by two.
There were also three races run over the 1000m trip and here HOUSE OF LORRAINE was quickest home when registering her fourth career victory in the MR76 Handicap. Soon up handy, the former Cape Town campaigner also struck the front 300m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1400m maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by MYSTERY LEADER. Backed into favouritism at the track (3/1 into 5/2), the Parade Leader gelding was soon positioned close up in second. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker, but only got the verdict on the nod from the running on UNBROKEN.
Titbits
Having only his third outing since returning from a spell in the Western Cape, SWIFT WONDER won the afternoon’s feature event, a pinnacle stakes over 1000m, well by a length.
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Bowing Out In Style
Greyville 18th July: The highlight at Greyville on Saturday was undoubtedly the victory of CAPTAIN OF ALL in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m (turf). A winner of six from eleven in what was planned to be his final race before going to stud, the son of Captain Al was soon nicely positioned in second. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m pole and drew clear in good style below the distance to win with total authority by four and a half. Not surprisingly this was the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1200m turf races.
Also worthy of note on the turf was the performance of DEPUTY RYDER when winning the listed Queen Palm Stakes over 2400m. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 16/10, the daughter of Go Deputy raced sixth for most of the journey. She quickened best of all when the race developed into a sprint at the top of the short home straight and won going away by a length and three quarters from the supported COUNTING ANGELS (10/1 into 5/1). Deputy Ryder has now won four of her last five outings.
The three 1600m races on the card were all run on the poly and quickest home amongst these was PECAN NUT in the listed Off To Stud Stakes. She got away well when the gates opened and nicely positioned in second was always poised to strike. She did so going through the 300m and despite being reported as making a respiratory noise she won well by two.
Race five on the card was a MR82 Handicap over 1200m on the poly track and here we saw a smart performance from the top weight TUSCAN. Positioned in midfield after being a little slow into stride, Kom Naidoo’s charge cut through the field like a knife in the straight and won very well by two and a half from the more fancied CINEMA SCOPE.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here, the well-supported favourite INTERGALACTIC won the fillies maiden plate over 1600m going away by five and a quarter.
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One Moment In Time
Kenilworth 18th July: The going was heavy in Cape Town on Saturday, but that didn’t stop the favourite CAPTAIN SAM from doing the business in the fastest of the four 1000m races, a MR88 Handicap. Soon up handy, Vaughan Marshall’s charge took up the running 300m out and won well by a length and a quarter.
The Gr3 Final Fling Stakes topped the bill and in what not surprisingly turned out to be the faster of the two 1800m events, victory here went to the Black Minnaloushe filly CAT AND THE MOON. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge raced sixth of the eight for most of the journey. She quickened best of all in the straight and comfortably accounted for the front running favourite JET SUPREME after striking the front 100m out.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of SEA GLASS when getting off the mark in the maiden 1800m. In the rear during the early part of the race, Brett Crawford’s charge began to take closer order rounding the turn and struck the front 300m from home. She quickly went clear and with her rider Robert Khathi continually looking around for challenges, and then saluting as if he had just won the July (for which he was fined R1000) whilst crossing the line, she cruised in by seven and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo BLOW ME AWAY didn’t find the clearest of passages before running on strongly to fill second position in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo (mon)
Race 1: (5) Idiosyncrasy 8
Race 2: (6) Banjo Bay 50
Race 3: (5) Captain Disko 14
Race 4: (6) Cape Grey 31
Race 5: (10) Action Belle 27
Race 6: (2) Yesan Star 31
Race 7: (1) Dr Finley 22 (NAP*)
Race 8: (7) Defender Of Peace 31
Durbanville (tues)
Race 1: (8) Salinger 8
Race 2: (9) Princess Jane 7
Race 3: (8) In Your Dreams 9
Race 4: (9) Dogmatism 65 (EW)
Race 5: (10) Louisville Legend 41
Race 6: (10) Winter’s Eve 51
Race 7: (11) Valde Velox 60
Race 8: (9) Lebombo Breeze 42
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (14) Russian Girl 3
Race 2: (13) Sylvester The Cat 10
Race 3: (2) Beluga 16
Race 4: (3) Royal Union Jet 21
Race 5: (1) Colonel Bling 9
Race 6: (8) Entrée 53 (EW)
Race 7: (12) Slot In 46
Race 8: (2) Jet On Fire 72
Race 9: (2) Taking Chances 57 (NAP*)
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Blue Blazer 4
Race 2: (13) River Empress 20
Race 3: (2) Phuket 13
Race 4: (4) Master ‘n Commander 58
Race 5: (5) Spring Blaster 52
Race 6: (6) Super Club 47
Race 7: (1) Return To The Sun 30
Race 8: (11) Set In Stone 25
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Top rated winners last week included
Secret Lover won 16/1
Bunker Bill won 9/2
Heywot won 33/10
Penstock won 5/2
Melliflora won 22/10
Captain Of All won 2/1
Ledbury won 18/10
Rock On Baby won 9/20
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Notebook:-
Captain Of All (D Drier, KZN)
Deputy Ryder (A Wright, KZN)
Sea Glass (B Crawford, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 17th July
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
1000m (3) House Of Lorraine 58,75
1400m (2) Mystery Leader 86,62
1600m (3) Galao 101,50
Greyville (poly/turf) 18th July
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1200m (4) Captain Of All 70,84T
1200m (1) Tuscan 69,96P
1600m (3) Pecan Nut 95,34P
2400m (1) Deputy Ryder 152,94T
Kenilworth (old) 18th July
Penetrometer 32 – Going Good
1000m (4) Captain Sam 61,73
1200m (1) Forward Drive 75,13
1800m (2) Cat And The Moon 114,50
2400m (1) Mambo Square 158,68
