Ready For Summer
Fairview 16th August: A maiden plate over 1200m was first up in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the nibbled at COME PLAY. Eventually sent off at 7/1, after opening up at 14’s, Dorrie Sham’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and drew clear easily late to score by two and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden events was the first division won by PURE ELEGANCE. Allowed to drift right out to 25/2 from 6/1 at the track, the daughter of Seul Amour (Come Play was also sired by Seul Amour) raced fifth for most of the journey. She quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won well after striking the front 200m out.
A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here an upset was to be had when the easy to back STONE PINE registered his sixth career victory. Freely available at 18/1 on the off (op 25/2), Gavin Smith’s charge was always handy. He moved through to take up the running going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat the front running (unusually) CELTIC FIRE by a length and three quarters.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the graduation plate won by INSEARCHOFTHESUN. Well supported into 28/10 from 7/2 at the track, the favourite was positioned in the rear going through halfway. He cut through the field quickly once given rein though and won in good style going away by two and a half.
Titbits
INTIMATE TOUCH and RUSH TO STARDOM both ran on well from midfield when 1st & 3rd respectively in the novice 1000m.
BUTTERFLY CHILD ran on from the rear when third beaten a length and a quarter in the second division of maiden 1600m
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Here Comes Billy
Turffontein 17th August: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the best bet on the card for many was SNOWDON in the pinnacle stakes over 1160m. Clearly best in at the weights, the 6yo son of Western Winter raced at the back of the small field of seven early on, but with the runners being tightly grouped he was always well within striking distance. He moved up to dispute matters going through the 400m, but try as he might he couldn’t match strides with the well supported 4yo HERE COMES BILLY who went on to win fair and square by two and a quarter.
Run in a time some 2,74 seconds slower than that of Here Comes Billy was the workrider’s maiden plate won by the newcomer TIMES REMEMBERED. Backed throughout the morning into 19/20 from 3/1, Dominic Zaki’s charge was a little slow into stride when the gates opened and very quickly found herself positioned in the rear. Despite racing very green though she quickened nicely when given rein and won going away by two and a quarter from the regular place getter COPPER GAIA.
Race five on the card was a MR72 Handicap over 2450m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite SHIMMERING GEM. The last of three winners on the card for champion jockey Piere Strydom, the topweight was soon up handy. He struck the front going through the 300m and after fending off a determined challenge from WELLS CARGO he won well by a length and a quarter.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 1400m and here the locals were sent home happy when trainer Mike De Kock’s only runner at the meeting SIDDHARTH did the business. Backed into favouritism at the track (5/2 into 14/10), the newcomer raced prominent throughout. He took up the running passing the 400m pole and comfortably accounted for the friendless FLAMING ACE (10/1 out to 29/1) by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
The well supported FULCRUM (4/1 into 5/2 jt fav) ran on strongly from the rear when third (beaten just three quarters of a length) in the maiden 1600m.
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Eventual Success
Scottsville 18th August: The faster of the two maiden events over 1000m in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was the opener won in good style by the newcomer EVENTUAL ANGEL. Sent off second favourite at 5/2, the daughter of Right Approach was a little slow into stride and raced in the rear early on. She ran on strongly from halfway and won going away by three after striking the front 200m from home.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was EARL OF DERBY in the 1400m event. Deposed at the top of the boards as money came for CAPTAIN’S CHRONICLE, the not so well drawn son of National Assembly raced sixth during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he quickened well and easily accounted for the favourite by three and a half.
A MR97 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when PYROTECHNICS landed the spoils. Freely available at 7/1 on the off (op 4/1), Alec Laird’s charge made all. The well supported favourite ONE COOL DUDE ran on strongly over the final 400m, but having been six lengths adrift turning for home, he couldn’t get closer than two lengths at the wire.
Titbits
CARIBBEAN BAY made all when comfortably accounting for her nine rivals in the second division of the maiden 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (1) Way With Words 7 Race 2: (1) Turkestan 28 Race 3: (3) Private Benjamin 14 Race 4: (2) My Santana 12 Race 5: (10) Milkwood Manor 41 Race 6: (4) Dolomite 35 Race 7: (3) Jagerbomb 53 Race 8: (4) Occhi Di Lupo 44 Race 9: (13) Izaanazama 46 Scottsville Race 1: (2) Terra Nova 27 Race 2: (5) Live Controversy 58 Race 3: (1) Sage Throne 72 Race 4: (2) Sakania 30 Race 5: (1) Breeders Cup 20 (NAP*) Race 6: (7) Admiral’s Eye 47 Race 7: (7) Panama Man 75 Race 8: (1) Fire Curtain 59 Race 9: (4) Cadillac Palace 28 Kenilworth Race 1: (3) Daddy Cool 14 Race 2: (12) Headstrong Harry 25 (NAP*) Race 3: (4) Hammie’s Wildcat 17 (EW) Race 4: (16) Zacharias 28 Race 5: (5) Dynasty’s Secret 42 Race 6: (14) Pasadera 38 Race 7: (12) Rose Bay Moon 57 Race 8: (5) Dandyman Can 40 Race 9: (8) Titus 24 Vaal Race 1: (1) Woza Madoda 15 Race 2: (2) Slinky Jalinky 11 Race 3: (1) Wild Ash 22 (NAP**) Race 4: (6) Negev 70 Race 5: (3) Vivacious Star 65 Race 6: (5) Memeza 47 Race 7: (8) Twilight Elva 31 Race 8: (6) Make My Majesty 40 .
Top rated winners last week included
Extroadinaire won 14/1 Jolie Femme won 7/2 Mount Hillaby won 5/2 Kailani won 18/10 Garibondy won 15/10 Star Point 19/20 Tempered Steel 8/10 Royal Taska won 7/10 .
Notebook:-
Eventual Angel (D Drier, KZN) Here Comes Billy (W Marwing, Gauteng) Times Remembered (D Zaki, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher .Fairview 16th August Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft 1000m (1) Intimate Touch 59,20* 1200m (3) Insearchofthesun 70,44* 1400m (1) Stone Pine 85,41* 1600m (2) Pure Elegance 101,59* 1800m (1) Maximo 115,85* 2000m (1) La Salle 127,25* .
Turffontein (old) 17th Augut Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Malachite 59,26 1160m (2) Here Comes Billy 67,63 1400m (2) Breathless 86,97 1600m (2) Beat The Odds 99,32 2450m (1) Shimmering Gem 156,37 .
Scottsville 18th August Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (2) Caribbean Bay 57,90 1200m (1) Regal Eagle 68,94 1400m (2) Earl Of Derby 85,27* 1600m (2) Pyrotechnics 97,55 1950m (1) Take Off 125,38
