Magical Improvement
Turffontein 17th October: A work rider’s maiden plate over 1800m got proceedings underway on the inner track on Saturday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the easy to back SIR TRIPPI. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Chris Erasmus’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the strip and won going away by two and a half after striking the front 150m from home.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was RUN FOR REVELRY in the MR84 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by S’manga Khumalo, Sean Tarry’s charge led throughout. She was always in command and won comfortably from the running on SHE’S A LOOKER by two and a half.
Not surprisingly the faster of the two 1450m events was the bill topping MR102 Handicap won by TORO ROSSO. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the well supported PRINCE OF ORANGE by a length and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the nine race program was recorded by JOLIE ROGER in the MR80 Handicap over 1600m. Allowed to ease a little out to 5/2 at the track, the son of Dynasty was always handy. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m pole and won going away by three and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer MYTHICAL MAGIC made up many lengths from the rear when runner up in the opening maiden plate over 1200m.
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Seven From Fourteen
Scottsville 18th October: Six of the nine races in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday were run over 1200m and fastest against the clock in these was TALKTOTHESTARS when registering his seventh career victory from just 14 starts in the MR90 Handicap. In touch throughout, Coenie De Beer’s charge ran on strongly over the final 400m, and got the verdict over the unfancied HIGHWAY EXPLORER by a half.
The faster of the two 2400m races surprisingly, was the maiden plate won by FOREST. Sent off a warm favourite at 17/10, the lightly raced son of Silvano was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and won going away by three.
The remaining race was run over 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when REIGNING WAVE opened her account. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, Paul Gadsby’s charge also raced handy. She took up the running going through the 300m and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on ESTIMATION by a neck.
Titbits
MISS VARLICIOUS made all when comfortably accounting for her six rivals in the bill topping conditions plate over 1200m.
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Work Rider’s Day
Vaal 22nd October: They raced on the sand on Thursday where all of the races were for work riders. Quickest home in the two maiden plates over 1000m was GOLD COMET in the boy’s affair. Well supported into 14/1 from 33’s before the off, Chris Erasmus’ charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the more fancied ROCK ON by a length and a half.
The boys were also quickest home in the faster of the two 1800m maiden races. On leaving the stalls it was another well supported outsider KING’S DRIVE (25/1 into 15/2) who elected to make the running, and going through the 600m he must have been at least twelve lengths clear. He kept on gamely in the straight and although the pack headed by SEVEN SINGLE did cut the deficit in half over the final 400m, they were never in the same race.
A maiden plate for the boys over 1450m had gotten the meeting underway and using similar tactics to those of King’s Drive, the 7/10 favourite LE CLOS got rolled. Clear throughout the early part of the race, Michael Azzie’s charge had a good five lengths in hand passing the 400m marker, and was looking home and hosed. His stride began to shorten over the final 150m though, and both the eventual winner THE BADGE, and the newcomer LEIGH WOODS, flew past late on.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, FANNALIES GIRL ran on best of all when getting up 50m from home to win the girls’ division of the maiden plate over 1000m going away.
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Successful Traveller
Turffontein 24th October: Saturday’s action took place on the inside track where the fastest of the three 1450m events was the MR76 Handicap won by LONDON. Allowed to ease right out to 14/1 from 8/1 at the track, Paul Peter’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. She took up the running as they approached the 200m marker and won going away from another drifter in ARTIC ROUTE (8/1 out to 20/1) by two.
A pinnacle stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here victory went to the much travelled ST TROPEZ. Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 7/2 (op 5/1), Joey Ramsden’s charge was content to race in midfield for most of the journey. He made his move coming off the strip and after joining the front running AHLAAM 300m out, he won what proved to be a good battle by a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of NOAH FROM GOA in the MR74 Handicap over 1450m. Eventually sent off a joint favourite at 3/1 after opening up at 9/10, Mike De Kock’s charge was swiftly guided over from a wide draw by Anthony Delpech and raced handy. He put his head in front early in the short home straight and drew clear easily over the final 400m to score by six and a quarter.
The stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the opening maiden plate over 1450m when NESSPRESSO opened her account. Soon positioned close to the speed, the daughter of Western Winter put her head in front 300m from home and won well from the always handy SWEET CHESTNUT.
Titbits
The always handy BELENOS won the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1600m going away by a length and a half.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (2) Skrik Vir Niks 14
Race 2: (1) Stunning Angel 15
Race 3: (1) Hidden Dragon 13
Race 4: (15) Tall Ship 49
Race 5: (9) Motoman 59
Race 6: (2) Nottinghamshire 29
Race 7: (5) Captain On The Run 79
Race 8: (2) Ess El Kay 49
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (2) Toll Free 18
Race 2: (1) Queen Delta 15
Race 3: (1) Scots Party 29
Race 4: (1) Relish 25
Race 5: (10) Pyrenees In Spain 16 (NAP*)
Race 6: (9) Royal Folly 49 (EW)
Race 7: (3) Surefire 85
Race 8: (1) Ice Machine 102
Race 9: (1) Fly Peg Fly 44
Turffontin (sat)
Race 1: (20) Suyoof 39
Race 2: (10) New Predator 40
Race 3: (11) Pennington Sands 77
Race 4: (13) Shea Devon 86
Race 5: (1) Lineker 63 (NAP*)
Race 6: (1) Rabada 59 (nb)
Race 7: (2) Madame Dubois 57
Race 8: (16) Mitraad 106
Race 9: (2) Bull Valley 55
Race 10: (13) Viva La Var 88
Race 11: (5) For The Lads 58
Race 12: (8) American Storm 76
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Bold Aspen 28
Race 2: (3) Free Agent 13
Race 3: (4) Florrick 28
Race 4: (3) Tales Of Silver 46
Race 5: (3) Another Idea 61
Race 6: (8) Titus 71
Race 7: (8) Disney Queen 36
Race 8: (1) Captain America 87
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Dark Rose 16
Race 2: (2) Red China 23
Race 3: (14) Rumbullion 36
Race 4: (1) The Lonsdale 26
Race 5: (2) Topaz Rain 9
Race 6: (6) Zagora 13 (NAP**)
Race 7: (10) Blaze The Trail 55 (EW)
Race 8: (3) Victory Takeover 30
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Top rated winners last week included
King’s Drive won 15/2
Belenos won 11/2
Valediction won 5/1
Pipette won 9/2
Sheltered won 7/2
Shishangeni won 7/2
Just A Jag won 13/10
My Silver Fox won 9/10
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Notebook:-
Mythical Magic (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
Turffontein (inner) 17th October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Shiver ‘n Shake 59,32
1200m (1) Narnia 75,45
1450m (2) Toro Rosso 88,02
1600m (3) Run For Revelry 96,95
1800m (1) Sir Trippi 113,92
2600m (1) Baahir 167,96
Scottsville (inside) 18th October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1200m (6) Talktothestars 68,34
1600m (1) Reigning Wave 97,37
2400m (2) Forest 149,13
Vaal (sand) 22nd October
Going Standard
1000m (2) Gold Comet 61,23
1450m (2) Mr Balboa 102,44
1600m (2) The Badge 91,93
1800m (2) King’s Drive 115,49
Turffontein (inner) 24th October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Lonely Arethebrave 59,51
1200m (2) Woodrose 72,91
1450m (3) London 88,33
1600m (1) Belenos 100,82
1800m (1) St Tropez 110,44
2600m (1) Aszkaban 171,56
