Top Sprinters

Tourist Attraction

Scottsville 13^th January: The fastest of the four 1200m races run in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday was the MR87 Handicap in which WINGS OVER SKYE and BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS dead-heated. Wings Over Skye raced the closest to the pace and looked to have done everything right on striking the front 200m out. Dennis Drier’s charge ran on stoutly below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up to share in the very last stride.

The listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here a bit of an upset was to be had when LAS RAMBLAS landed the spoils. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, James Goodman’s charge was taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni and led throughout. She answered every call over the final 400m and still had a half length to spare over the running on ORBIT WAR at the wire.

Race five on the card was a MR91 Handicap and in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1400m events victory here went to the ultra consistent ALWAYS AL. Another to make all, Sean Tarry’s charge kept on determinedly in the straight and although PEREGRINE POWER ran on strongly late, he won comfortably by a length.

Titbits

Runner up for the third race in a row, CAMPANOLOGIST ran on well from midfield when only failing by the narrowest of margins to open her account in the maiden 2000m.

PREAMBLE came from the rear when third beaten a length and three quarters in the MR70 Handicap over 1200m.

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Flying Tiger

Arlington 14^th January: A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here victory went to the 3yo FLYING IN. He was always handy and did well to get the better of SETFIRETOTHERAIN who had taken it up 100m out.

Race four on the card was a novice 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the former Natal campaigner TIGER RIGHT. Freely available at 20/1 on the off, in this his third start in the Eastern Cape, the son of Tiger Ridge raced detached at the rear early on. Once in the short home straight though he quickened best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up late to deny the nibbled at BOUCHERS INN.

A MR82 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and here another upset was to be had when the lightly weighted MILE HIGH registered her fourth career victory. Soon in her favourite position at the head of affairs, Alan Greeff’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly over the final 400m to beat the hat-trick seeking CRYSTAL KIRSTEN by a half.

Titbits

HANDSOME FELLOW ran on from the rear when a three quarter length second in the maiden 1600m.

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On Her Day

Scottsville 15^th January: After a false start reduced the maiden 1000m field to nine the improving WESTHAMPTON looked to be a good thing and so it proved to be. Allowed to flirt with 11/20 at one stage Duncan Howells’ charge flew out of the pens and led throughout. He was always clear and won without any anxious moments.

Another to win well was ZIRE SPECIAL in the faster of the two 2000m events, a MR66 Handicap. Positioned in the rear for most of the journey, the Opera King mare quickened best of all in the home straight and cruised clear to score by three and a quarter after striking the front 200m out.

A Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the veteran GOLDEN PARACHUTE register his seventh career victory. Racing off a mark some 18 points lower than that of his former best, Mike Bass’ charge was always in touch with the leaders. He moved through to take up the running going through the 300m and kept on strongly in the latter stage of the race to beat the well supported favourite LOOK AFTER ME by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

After losing four lengths at the start the poorly drawn BLUE BERRY was running on strongly at the finish of the maiden 1600m and did well to get up for second.

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Nona’s Surprise

Turffontein 15^th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by STAVINSKY in the first division of the maiden 1160m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a quarter.

There were five races run over 1160m in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping listed Swallow Stakes in which NONA IN COMMAND caused a major upset. On leaving the stalls it was the lightly raced second favourite DANISH BLUE (reported lame on the off hind) who elected to make the running whilst Alec Laird’s charge sat close up in second. She took up the running going through the 200m and with the rest headed by the 8/10 favourite KING’S TEMPTRESS some seven lengths adrift, she comfortably accounted for MARGOT ON STAGE by a length.

The supporting act was a MR102 Handicap over 1160m and as expected victory here went to the Michael Azzie trained TWO TONE. Sent off favourite at 16/10 Two Tone was taken straight to the front by Robbie Fradd and led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for his only serious rival in the betting market MYTHICAL PALACE by two and a quarter.

Titbits

Recent maiden winner PRINCE JAZEEM ran on well from midfield when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR80 Handicap over 1160m. DISTINCTLY also ran on well from off the pace in this race.

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Ace Up The Sleeve

Kenilworth 16^th January: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m was first up in Cape Town on Wednesday and here we saw a smart debut performance from the fancied ACE ANTONIUS. Nibbled at into 4/1 joint second favourite on course, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He quickened well at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he won going away from the favourite KONO by two.

The best bet on the card for most was BAY MARINER in the maiden 1000m and the son of Western Winter didn’t let down his supporters. Always in touch with the leaders Neil Bruss’ charge was ridden to lead 100m from home by Bernard Fayd’Herbe and drew clear easily late to score by two and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap over 1600m and here it was nice to see the 7yo CAYMEN ISLAND find the winner’s enclosure. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Yogis Govender’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and was always handy. He ran on strongly under a determined ride from the talented Bernard Fayd’Herbe and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins over the well supported favourite GRASP YOUR DESTINY.

Titbits

18/10 favourite GOGOTINE won the MR77 Handicap over 1200m with authority.

PRICELESS JEWEL ran on well from off the pace when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1400m going away by two and a quarter.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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