Captain In Command
Scottsville 3rd April: Four of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were staged over 1000m and the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by the Victory Moon gelding MUSCATT. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Calvin Habib, the well-supported second favourite led throughout. He was challenged strongly by the favourite CAPTAIN ALFREDO (disadvantaged by a slipped saddle) at the business end of the race, but did have that one held by three quarters of a length at the wire.
The faster of the two juvenile plates over the 1000m trip was the non-black type Sentinel Stakes contested by the boys. Just four went to post and sent off a very strong favourite was ROB’S JEWEL. Always deep in the red, Mike Miller’s charge made all. He already had his three rivals under pressure going through the 400m and won with plenty in hand by a length and three quarters.
Quickest home in the three 1200m races was YELLOW SUBMARINE in the boy’s division of the maiden plate. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 12’s, Glen Kotzen’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, and as a result he raced in midfield early on. He ran on stoutly over the final 400m and after striking the front 100m from home, he comfortably accounted for the newcomer DAFFIQ (a 2yo) by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
AL HAWRAA won the non-black type King’s Pact Stakes for 2yo fillies going away by a length and a half.
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What A Blast
Kenilworth 5th April: A half of the eight races in Cape Town on Tuesday were run over 1200m, and fastest against the clock amongst these was ARCTIC BLAST when getting off the mark in the maiden plate. Backed into 9/10 from 16/10 at the track, the best bet on the card for many was soon at the head of affairs. He was always a length and three quarters clear and won without any anxious moments.
Race two on the card was a maiden juvenile plate for fillies over 1200m and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer DON’T STOP DANCING. Positioned at the back early on, Joey Ramsden’s charge ran on best of all, and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race, won with some in hand by a length. SILVER CAPTAIN (another Ramsden newcomer) ran on well from midfield to fill third position in this race.
In terms of distance, the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SHALL BE FREE when winning the maiden 1600m. Making his tenth racecourse appearance here, the son of Elusive Fort raced in midfield early on. He ran on stoutly in the long home straight and cruised in by three and three quarters despite being eased down late.
Titbits
Racing in open company, the newcomer NEWLANDS caught the eye running on strongly from the rear when third in the maiden plate won by Arctic Blast.
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Profit Taking
Turffontein 5th April: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where quickest home in the three 1400m events was PROFIT RATIO when winning the MR72 Handicap. On leaving the stalls it was the rank outsider of the party CAMPS DRIFT who elected to make the running whilst the top weighted son of Dupont was content to sit in midfield. He ran on strongly in the long home straight and under a well-judged ride from S’manga Khumalo he got up 60m or so from home to win going away.
The faster of the two maiden juvenile plates over 1160m that opened up proceedings was marginally the girl’s affair won by POOL PARTY. Soon up handy Roy Magner’s charge took up the running 450m out and although the front running BABBLING BROOKE kept on strongly after being headed she won comfortably by three quarters.
There was also two races run over 1000m and recording the fastest time in these was OLD EM when first past the post in the MR84 Handicap. Another to race handy, Old Em got the better of a thrilling tussle with HOLLIE POINT over the final 200m by the narrowest of margins, but was demoted to second in the steward’s room.
Titbits
DOUBLE APPEAL won the boy’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1160m very easily by four.
The newcomer SEEKING VENUS won the maiden plate over 1000m with some in hand by a length and a quarter.
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Frontrunners Win Five
Greyville 6th April: Originally scheduled to take place on the turf, races 5,6,7 & 8 (as with the first four races) were all run on the poly track. The Gavin Van Zyl trained ZELIG was all the rage to win the opening maiden juvenile plate and in what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1200m races, he didn’t let down his supporters. Backed through all rates into 18/10 from 10/1, the son of Lateral was soon at the head of affairs. He was always doing it easily and cruised in by four and a quarter.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1600m was the boy’s affair won by WHAT A SCORCHER. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, Jeff Freedman’s charge also raced from the front. He led by three quarters for most of the journey and in what proved to be a real thriller he only held on by the narrowest of margins.
On an afternoon when five of the eight races were won by the pacemaker, one of just two horses successful running on from off the pace was NEVER SETTLE in the MR80 Handicap over 1400m. Positioned in midfield turning for home, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on strongly and got up in the very last stride to deny the always handy BAGGER VANCE.
Titbits
CAPE SPEED raced at the back of the five when winning the MR88 Handicap over 1800m going away by a length and three quarters.
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Smart Rafeef
Vaal 7th April: The going was Good to Soft on the outside track on Thursday and that clearly suited the 3yo RAFEEF winner of the fastest of the three 1200m races a MR72 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Callan Murray, the son of Redoute’s Choice raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened in good style 500m out and went on to score going away by three after striking the front shortly after passing the 200m marker.
Quickest home in the two 1400m events was TAHINI when registering her second win from just five starts in the bill topping MR88 Handicap. Soon up handy, Sean Tarry’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the running on FINDING ALICE by 0,6 lengths.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden plates was the girl’s division won by the 6/1 shot BLACK OPIUM. She got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Craig Zackey led throughout. She was always clear and won without any anxious moments by three and a quarter. Although never any kind of a threat to the winner, the favourite MISS WALES ran on well from the rear to fill fourth position in this race.
Titbits
The 13/2 shot SEVENTH PILLAR was always two and a half lengths clear when getting off the mark in the boy’s division of the maiden 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Killala 5
Race 2: (1) Crown Of Gold 73
Race 3: (4) Picobello 10
Race 4: (6) Messageinabottle 6
Race 5: (2) Love To Sail 68
Race 6: (6) Jet Avenger 78
Race 7: (10) Rocket Rider 57
Race 8: (3) Oomph 23 (EW)
Race 9: (11) Bishop’s Choice 37
Race 10: (16) Night Dancer 36
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) Nuntius 11
Race 2: (13) Uproar 8
Race 3: (1) Mater Familias 41
Race 4: (12) Dublin Rebel 62
Race 5: (1) Team Guys 49
Race 6: (5) Bengal Boy 64
Race 7: (1) All True Man 42
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Jiffy 35
Race 2: (1) Intriguing Lady 32 (NAP**)
Race 3: (1) Vars Pride 17
Race 4: (9) Fort Meyers 70
Race 5: (1) Carry On Alice 86 (nb)
Race 6: (2) Doing It For Dan 85
Race 7: (1) Inara 97
Race 8: (7) Zafira 78
Race 9: (7) Le Clos 83
Race 10: (6) Victor’s Castle 13
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (7) Not On My Watch 8
Race 2: (6) Playboy Buddy 28 (NAP**)
Race 3: (7) Pride Rock 8
Race 4: (1) French Captain 13
Race 5: (2) Garden Tea Party 19
Race 6: (10) Magical Bet 68
Race 7: (12) Noisette 51
Race 8: (10) Three Blue Crances 62
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Daffiq 7
Race 2: (4) Final Judgement 14
Race 3: (1) Omega Onslaught 17
Race 4: (3) Captain Alfredo 87
Race 5: (2) Shezaleader 56
Race 6: (13) Reconsider Baby 34
Race 7: (14) Semonkong 49
Race 8: (4) Roy Royale 39
Race 9: (13) Roy’s Gold 43
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Top rated winners last week included
Ostentation won 11/2
Variance won 7/2
Shall Be Free won 3/1
Thunder Punch won 22/10
Arctic Blast won 9/10
Double Appeal won 7/10
Al Hawraa won 13/20
Rob’s Jewel won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Don’t Stop Dancing (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
Rafeef (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Rob’s Jewel (M Miller, KZN)
Zelig (G Van Zyl, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 3rd April
Penetrometer 24 – Going Soft
1000m (4) Muscatt 56,18
1200m (3) Yellow Submarine 69,42
1600m (1) Zante 98,66
Kenilworth (new) 5th April
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Royal Chian 60,24
1200m (4) Arctic Blast 72,84
1400m (1) Variance 89,98
1600m (1) Shall Be Free 102,53
2500m (1) Tiger Tops 161,73
Turffontein (old) 5th April
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Old Em 56,21
1160m (2) Pool Party 67,35
1400m (3) Profit Ratio 85,44
2000m (1) Fortissima 123,97
Gryville (poly) 6th April
Going Standard
1000m (1) Shap Shap 57,37
1200m (3) Zelig 68,62*
1400m (1) Never Settle 81,68
1600m (2) What A Scorcher 95,75*
1800m (1) Cape Speed 108,22
Vaal (outside) 7th April
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (1) Gun Fighter 57,33
1200m (3) Rafeef 70,32
1400m (2) Tahini 82,35
1600m (2) Black Opium 97,58
