Rocket Cruising
Fairview 28th November: They raced on the poly track on Friday where four of the nine races were run over 1600m. The fastest of these was the MR78 Handicap won by COCO. Having only her third start in the province since relocating from Cape Town, the daughter of Royal Air Force was always handy. She took up the running going through the 100m and won going away by two and a quarter.
A maiden plate over 1200m had gotten proceedings underway and here victory went to the Alan Greeff trained STRONG MAN SAM. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Charles Ndlovu the 8/1 shot was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly in the straight and comfortably accounted for the running on FIRTH OF CLYDE. Having only his second career outing here, the runner up finished very well from the rear.
The non-black type November Stakes over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a comfortable victory for the favourite CHESTNUT’S ROCKET. Confidently ridden by MJ Byleveld the visiting son of Horse Chestnut raced third and was always travelling well. He put his head in front at the 200m marker and although OTTIMO ran on strongly from midfield to fill second position, he did have that one well held by three quarters at the wire.
Titbits
HEARTFELT ran on well from the backend of midfield when runner up in the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m.
Dream To Reality won the MR68 Handicap over 1300m going away.
After racing wide around the turn en-route from the rear, RASHAAD ran on stoutly in the short home straight when a three quarter length third in the MR64 Handicap over 1900m.
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Impressive Debut
Greyville 28th November: The poly track was also the surface used for Friday night’s racing. A maiden plate over 1400m was first up and here we saw an impressive performance from the newcomer ERTIJAAL. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 13/10 (op 18/10), Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead passing the 300m pole and cruised clear from there onwards to score by seven and three quarters. This was the fastest of the three 1400m events. The other two were both MR74 affairs.
The fastest of the three 1800m races was the graduation plate in which ASSEGAI recorded his third career victory. Allowed to drift right out to 7/2 from 18/10 favourite at the track, Alistair Gordon’s charge raced third of the five for most of the journey. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the running on GOLDEN HIGH by a length and a quarter.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks, albeit by a much lesser margin, was FRENCH MARK in the 1800m event. Taken straight to the front by Ian Sturgeon the 4yo son of Woodborough led throughout. He was always a length and a half to the good and won without any anxious moments.
Titbits
ROY ROYALE made all when comfortably accounting for his ten rivals in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
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Louis Still King
Turffontein 29th November: Befitting the ideal handicap the bill topping Gr1 Summer Cup over 2000m proved to be a real thriller on the old stand side track on Saturday. On leaving the stalls it was the Natal raider BOLD INSPIRATION who elected to make the running whilst the well supported 18/10 favourite LOUIS THE KING (last season’s Triple Crown winner) was content to race in midfield. Louis’ stable companion KILLUA CASTLE was the first to make a move in the straight and on striking the front 250m from home he looked to have done everything right. In the hands of the vastly experienced 5000+ winner man Piere Strydom though, the son of Black Minnaloushe finished strongly below the distance and just as if scripted he got up in the dying strides.
There is often an upset in the Gr2 Dingaan’s over 1600m and so it proved to be when UNPARALLELED landed the spoils here. Friendless on course (33/1 out to 55/1), Janse Van Vuuren’s charge raced third early on. He quickly went clear after taking up the running early in the straight and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on favourite HARRY’S SON by four and a quarter.
There were four races run over 1600m in total and the fastest of these was the Gr2 Ipi Tombi Challenge won by ARCETRI PINK. Positioned in midfield during the early part of the race, Geoff Woodruff’s charge quickened nicely when asked for her effort. She struck the front shortly after passing the 400m marker and went on to score very easily by four from PINE PRINCESS.
Titbits
Unbeaten LAZER STAR made all when winning the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m with authority by three and a quarter.
After losing two lengths at the start TRIP TO HEAVEN ran on well from midfield when winning the Gr2 Merchants over 1160m.
The rain was pouring down throughout in the Gr3 Fillies Mile won by BANBURY
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True Indeed
Kenilworth 30th November: A MR95 Handicap topped the bill on Sunday and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events victory here went to the 7/2 second favourite TRUE MASTER. There was no real pace on early and although Justin Snaith’s charge raced seventh of the eight he was always well within striking distance. He took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and with the rest a couple of lengths adrift he kept on to beat the determined TIGER TIGER by a half.
The faster of the two 1400m maiden events was the boy’s affair won by the consistent BUFFALO TRIP. Soon up handy, the Trippi gelding raced prominent throughout. He ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and got the verdict by a half over SAIL FOR GOLD.
There was also two maiden races run over 1800m and fastest against the clock in these was ZANTE in the girl’s division. Another to race close to the speed, the daughter of Ideal World took up the running 300m out and won well from the running on EVOKE EMOTION by a length.
Titbits
EVENING STORM ran on well from off the pace when winning the MR77 Handicap over 1600m going away.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (7) Daggons Hall 12
Race 2: (6) Stone Pine 62
Race 3: (1) Jamie Lee Jet 70
Race 4: (1) He Rocks 17
Race 5: (5) Hammie’s Wildcat 25
Race 6: (1) Golden Crystal 44
Race 7: (2) Kalidar 39
Race 8: (2) Caribbean Bay 45
Race 9: (2) Aegis-Fang 35
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (3) Supa Sami 21
Race 2: (7) Dream Of Glory 34
Race 3: (3) Baksteen 14 (NAP*)
Race 4: (5) Hawker Hurricane 10
Race 5: (6) Down Under 36
Race 6: (17) Rebel Flame 54
Race 7: (7) Tamaanee 70
Race 8: (14) Gold Bank 62
Race 9: (14) Antonia Major 40
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (3) Power To Please 17
Race 2: (2) Nonki Poo 56
Race 3: (6) Revved Up 23
Race 4: (5) Wise Choice 6
Race 5: (5) Arachne 52
Race 6: (5) Smiling Mistress 40
Race 7: (1) Guiness 61 (NAP**)
Race 8: (1) Saint Donan 17
Race 9: (7) Beach Goddess 11
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (5) Aqua Blue 12
Race 2: (12) See You 9
Race 3: (9) Mystic Tigress 61
Race 4: (4) Olympic Bolt 45
Race 5: (1) Moonlit Venice 19 (NAP*)
Race 6: (6) War Trail 32
Race 7: (2) Winter Star 73 (nb)
Race 8: (3) Kiss Me Hardy 62
Race 9: (1) Sussudio 5
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Top rated winners last week included
Preamble won 10/1
Chillingham won 8/1
Arcetri Pink won 11/2
Falling Sky won 4/1
Tamarind won 5/2
Arabica won 18/10
Highway Explorer won 18/10
True Asset won 16/10
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Notebook:-
Ertijaal (M De Kock, KZN)
Lazer Star (O Ferraris, Gauteng)
Louis The King (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
Trip To Heaven (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 28th November
Going Standard
1000m (1) Spectacularus 58,52
1200m (1) Strong Man Sam 71,17
1300m (1) Dream To Reality 75,64
1400m (1) Chestnut’s Rocket 82,06
1600m (4) Coco 96,06
1900m (1) Toss The Dice 116,31
Greyville (poly) 28th November
Going Standard
1200m (1) Roy Royale 69,59
1400m (3) Ertijaal 82,46
1600m (1) Upstream 97,63
1800m (3) Assegai 108,32
Turffontein (old) 29th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1160m (3) Trip To Heaven 66,12
1400m (2) Tamarind 87,24
1600m (4) Arcetri Pink 98,61
1800m (1) Thatho Magestique 114,50
2000m (1) Louis The King 126,33
3200m (1) Shimmering Gem 210,71
Kenilworth (old) 30th November
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (1) Uncle Jim 71,93
1400m (2) Buffalo Trip 87,57
1600m (2) True Master 99,29
1800m (2) Zante 112,36
2000m (1) Pecan Nut 131,71
