Precious Beginning
Scottsville 21st April: Four of the scheduled eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was the lightly raced 3yo IN THE STARS. Freely available at 10/1 to win this MR80 Handicap, the daughter of Master of My Fate was soon up handy. She ran on strongly in the heavy rain and ran out a very easy winner by four and a half.
Rain fell throughout the afternoon and as a result one of the three feature events, the listed Sledgehammer, had to be rescheduled. They did manage to run the listed Scarlet Lady though, and here victory went to the Western Cape visitor MIYABI GOLD. Another to race handy, Justin Snaith’s charge took up the running 200m out and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SABINA’S DYNASTY by a length. The runner up came from the rear and was gaining nicely at the finish.
The non-black type Highland Night Cup over 2400m was the supporting act and here the 6yo son of Silvano, SILVER ROSE registered his seventh career victory. In a race devoid of pace early on, Andre Nel’s charge gained a soft lead going into the first bend and then led throughout. He kept on determinedly in the home straight and try as they might the chasing pack failed to make any headway.
Titbits
The newcomer CARTEL CAPTAIN ran on well from midfield when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m with some in hand.
Counting Success
Fairview 22nd April: The only distance to stage more than one race on Monday was 1100m where the fastest of the three was the MR66 Handicap won by THE CARPENTER. Soon up with the speed, the Fort Wood gelding kept on strongly in the short home straight and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the always handy ROYAL MARINE.
A MR72 Handicap over 1600m topped the rather moderate bill and here we saw a very easy victory for the Var gelding COUNTING STARS. Close up in fourth as the six runners swung for home, Sharon Kotzen’s charge only had to be pushed out in order to take up the running 250m out and won with authority by two and a quarter.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1100m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a nice performance from the aptly named newcomer GOTCAUGHTSPEEDIN. Allowed to drift right out to 11/1 from 11/2 at the track, Yvette Bremner’s charge raced fourth in what quickly became a strung out field. He quickened in good style over the final 200m and won well by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Running on from midfield, DUKE OF HAZARD had the remainder some seven lengths adrift when getting the better of his year younger stable companion CASEY JAY by a length and a quarter in the maiden plate over 1300m.
Cracking Effort At Weights
Kenilworth 24th April: The not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap was the fastest of the three 1200m races on Wednesday’s card and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo NATURALIST. Having his third outing here following a short break, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he ran on best of all, and won going away by a length and three quarters after striking the front 100m from home.
The bill topping MR94 Handicap was not surprisingly the faster of the two 1400m events on the card and here all eyes were on the top weight DYNAMIC DIANA. Shouldering no less than 61kg here Justin Snaith’s charge raced fourth of the six for the first half of the race. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and showing good improvement she got the better of her stable companion LIBRA by three quarters of a length.
They also staged two races over 1800m and quickest home here was CROME YELLOW when winning the MR73 Handicap. A winner of three of his last five outings, Andre Nel’s charge was always doing it easily. He quickened well from his handy position early in the straight and comfortably accounted for the running on BIG FISH by three quarters.
Titbits
Continually baulked for a run in the straight, KALAHARI NINJI produced a nice turn of foot below the distance when winning the MR70 Handicap over 1500m going away.
Shining Bright
Fairview 26th April: This meeting was originally scheduled to take place on the turf. The listed East Cape Nursery over 1200m topped the bill in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here we saw another smart performance from the unbeaten Vercingetorix colt VIKING MOON. Racing on the poly for the first time, Alan Greeff’s charge raced unsettled in second early on. He put his head in front 250m out and won well by a half from HOOVES OF THUNDER.
A MR88 Handicap was the only other event over 1200m and in a time 0,6 seconds quicker than that of Viking Moon victory went to the lightly raced 3yo CLIFTON CRUSHER. Racing for the first time since finishing 7th in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on July day, the Philanthropist gelding was soon up handy. He took up the running at the top of the straight and although he only beat the always handy JIKA by a half, he did have that one well held.
Two maiden plates over 1600m had opened up the meeting and in the faster of these, the girl’s affair, the heavily supported SPOILS OF WAR ran out a very easy winner. Backed into joint favouritism at the track, Sharon Kotzen’s charge raced second for most of the journey. She put her head in front going through the 400m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned in the backend of midfield turning for home, DOUBLE BLACK ran on best of all when getting up close home to win the MR72 Handicap over 1400m
Four From Twelve
Turffontein 27th April: Five of the nine races on the inner track on Saturday were staged over 1200m and by far the fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap in which the Querari filly ULLA registered her fourth career victory. Drawn in pole position, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on OPERETTA by a half. Ulla has gained her four victories from just twelve starts.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2000m where the faster of the two maiden plates was the boy’s affair in which the well exposed JOSI DI NERO got off the mark. Positioned close to the speed throughout, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge was always poised to strike. He did so early in the straight and won going away by three and a quarter.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well-supported newcomer ALRAMZ. Backed into the red on course, Mike De Kock’s charge led throughout. He was always clear and won without any anxious moments by almost two.
Titbits
Detached at the rear early on, the newcomer CAPTIVE LADY impressed when getting up in the very last stride to win the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
In the rear turning for home, the newcomer MAGIC SCHOOL ran on strongly over the final 400m when a length and a quarter third in the maiden juvenile plate for the girls over 1200m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (13) World Squared 1
Race 2: (1) Cozy Chestnut 5
Race 3: (6) Evolver 71
Race 4: (4) Silvari 6
Race 5: (5) Desert Chief 57
Race 6: (7) Redberry Wood 46
Race 7: (12) Keanan’s Rock 52
Race 8: (16) Oracle Kingdom 45
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (3) At The Opera 4
Race 2: (1) Mardi Gras 88
Race 3: (1) Miss Honey 42
Race 4: (7) El’ Zara 34
Race 5: (6) Matador Man 102
Race 6: (2) Temple Grafin 69
Race 7: (1) Soqrat 83
Race 8: (4) Neptune’s Rain 82
Race 9: (3) Hard To Play 83
Race 10: (1) Captain’s Girl 77
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (8) Tree Tumbo 9
Race 2: (4) Candle Rock 2
Race 3: (1) Basadi Faith 55
Race 4: (3) Frosted Gold 41
Race 5: (2) Fresnaye 76
Race 6: (5) Schippers 80
Race 7: (3) Sunshine Silk 68
Race 8: (11) Cascapedia 92
Race 9: (1) Bull Valley 103
Race 10: (6) Shogun 72
Race 11: (4) Condor Gulch 58
Race 12: (9) French Leave 49
Kenilworth (sun)
Race 1: (6) Rio Querari 21
Race 2: (4) Cradleofgratitude 17
Race 3: (4) Alfred’s Girl 21
Race 4: (1) Anse Lazio 8
Race 5: (2) Ferrari Red 21
Race 6: (4) Ground Control 29
Race 7: (1) Dutch Philip 84
Race 8: (6) Chasing Green 29
Top rated winners last week included
Zanadu won 13/1
Orpheus won 15/2
Je Ne Sais Quoi won 113/20
Bize won 61/20
Cabo Da Cruz won 43/20
Josi Di Nero won 21/10
Master Jay won 18/10
Jacqueline won 12/10
Notebook:-
Captive Lady (A Laird, Gauteng)
Dynamic Diana (J Snaith, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 21st April
Penetrometer 25 – Going Soft
Course Variant: 2,59s slow
1000m (1) Miss Florida 58,76
1200m (4) In The Stars 70,39
1750m (1) Miyabi Gold 108,30
2400m (1) Silver Rose 154,92
Fairview (poly) 22nd April
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,99s slow
1000m (1) On A Promise 58,59
1100m (3) The Carpenter 64,27
1200m (1) Capaill 70,72
1300m (1) Duke Of Hazard 76,93
1600m (1) Counting Stars 97,11
1900m (1) Baltic Danseur 119,55
Kenilworth (new) 24th April
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 2,08s slow
1200m (3) Naturalist 72,93
1400m (2) Dynamic Diana 87,68
1500m (1) Kalahari Ninja 94,18
1800m (2) Crome Yellow 113,73
2000m (1) Zanadu 127,65
Fairview (poly) 26th April
Going Standard
Course Variant:
1200m (2) Clifton Crusher 70,75
1300m (3) Delia’s Delight 75,83
1600m (2) Spoils Of War 98,60
1900m (1) Seeking Wisdom 117,96
Turffontein (inner) 27th April
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 2,03s slow
1200m (5) Ulla 72,07
1450m (1) Miyoshi 89,87
1600m (1) Bize 99,52
2000m (2) Josi Di Nero 129,60
