Pillar To Post
Scottsville 25th May: The first of the four 1200m Gr1 events in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday was the Allan Robertson Championship and here we saw another smart performance from the Silvano filly HAPPY VALENTINE. Taken straight to the front by Sean Veale, Happy Valentine led throughout. She was always going well and won comfortably by three and a quarter after asserting her authority 300m out.
The 2yo boys contested the Gold Medallion and in a faster time than that of Happy Valentine victory here went to CAPTAIN OF ALL. He too led throughout and going through the 400m he held a two lengths advantage on the well supported market leader WILLOW MAGIC (22/10 into 19/20). The favourite did make some headway at the business end of the race, but despite having the remainder some five lengths adrift, he couldn’t get closer than a length.
The fastest of the four Gr1 sprinting events was not surprisingly the SA Fillies Sprint in which the very talented VIA AFRICA registered her sixth victory from just nine starts. Beaten just a length and a quarter by champion sprinter What A Winter in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint last time out, Via Africa was at the head of affairs from pillar to post. She was always in command and won comfortably by two and a half.
Being a handicap, the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint is always very competitive and so it was no surprise to see the race being won by CONTADOR an 11/1 shot. Having his first outing since being gelded, the son of Var was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and kept on strongly from there onwards to beat another easy to back runner in WILD TYPE by a length.
Titbits
Although usually seen out over further FESTIVAL OF FIRE went into the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint unbeaten over sprint distances and was running on stoutly at the finish when only beaten 2,5 lengths by Via Africa.
MERHEE came from the rear when third beaten 2,25 lengths in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint.
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Cutting It Fine
Turffontein 25th May: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1450m went to SPRINTING QUEEN. Nicely drawn in gate two the daughter of Myboycharlie got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 200m and only just held on from ENCHANTED SILK. The runner up came from midfield and gaining rapidly at the finish only failed to get up by the narrowest of margins.
There five races over 1450m in total and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by SENESCHAL. Always in touch with the leaders, in what soon became a strung out field, Seneschal quickened well in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict over HAVANA BEAT by the narrowest of margins.
The listed Syringa Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and in another very tight finish victory here went to the Geoff Woodruff trained SECRET OBSESSION. She was soon at the head of affairs and coming off the strip held a very useful three lengths advantage. The pack headed by SAUCY SAVANNAH began to close in quickly over the final 400m though and it was only by a short head that she managed to hold on.
The stable of Geoff Woodruff were also on the mark when the useful looking PRINCIPLED MAN gained a deserved first career victory in the maiden juvenile plate over 1450m. Ridden to lead early in the straight, the son of Windrush cruised clear over the final 350m and won by seven.
Titbits
Somewhat surprisingly the 36/1 shot EASTERN COBBLER beat the progressive MASTER SABINA fair and square when registering only his second victory on turf in the MR86 Handicap over 1800m.
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Progressive Attraction
Kenilworth 26th May: The going was heavy in Cape Town on Sunday where five of the nine races were run over 1400m. The fastest of these was the bill topping Pinnacle Stakes in which Mike Bass trained runners finished first and second. The slightly more fancied of the two LANCELIN (the favourite) made the running and two and a half lengths clear going through the 400m it looked as if he might well go on to score. Running on from the backend of midfield though, the 3yo son of Battersea Park ASHTON PARK finished best of all and under a well judged ride from Robert Khathi, he got up very late.
Another to run on stoutly from off the pace was GOLCONDA in the faster of the two 1200m events, a MR78 Handicap. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s charge also got up close home after racing in midfield.
The going produced a number of upsets and none more so than the victory of the friendless ABBEY CREEK in the MR76 Handicap. Nicely positioned in second in what soon became a strung out field, the 36/1 shot (op 14/1) was always poised to strike. She did so passing the 300m pole and kept on strongly in the latter stages to beat the running on PASADERA (came from the rear) by a length and a half.
Titbits
Beaten just a half length in the Juvenile Plate over 1400m, the runner up LASTBUTNOTLEAST finished very strongly after not finding the clearest of passages.
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Top rated winners last week included
Size Does Count won 10/1 Piano Man won 19/2 Inventive Girl won 7/1 Kalaam won 4/1 Ashton Park won 7/2 Our Dizzy Emblem won 18/10 Zobens won 9/20 Principled Man won 1/3 .
Notebook:-
Happy Valentine (V Marshall, KZN) Principled Man (G Woodruff, Gauteng) Via Africa (D Howells, KZN) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherScottsville (old) 25th May Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (2) Casual Var 56,91 1200m (5) Via Africa 67,68 1600m (2) Guest El Grande 95,92 .
Turffontein (inner) 25th May Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1450m (5) Seneschal 87,25 1600m (1) Secret Obsession 97,05 1800m (3) Eastern Cobbler 110,12 .
Kenilworth 26th May Penetrometer 36 – Going Heavy 1000m (1) Royal Var 59,54 1200m (2) Golconda 72,12 1400m (5) Ashton Park 88,20 1600m (1) Lady Redoute 104,43
