In The Bagg
Kenilworth 13th February: Three of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1000m and quickest home amongst these was CAPTAIN BAGG when registering his third career victory in the MR85 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Grant Behr, the Captain Al gelding led throughout. One of the joint favourites STONE THROWER ran on well from off the pace over the final 400m, but he couldn’t get closer than a length and a quarter at the wire.
By far the faster of the two 1600m races was the MR80 Handicap won by the improving ANNIGONI. Content to sit sixth of the eight for most of the journey, Vaughan Marshall’s charge ran on strongly in the straight, and did well to get the better of the aptly named WAITING FOR RAIN (led 150m) close home.
There was a major upset in the faster of the two 1400m events when SEA SPRAY landed the spoils. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the lightly weighted daughter of King Of Kings raced in the rear early on. She had to switch for a run en-route from the rear 200m out, but despite that she went on to win with authority by two.
Titbits
Backed as if unbeatable at the track, the 1/5 favourite LEISURE TRIP won the maiden plate over 1000m very comfortably by a length and a half.
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New Course Record
Scottsville 14th February: The 4yo HUMIDOR had been rumoured to be something special and after breaking the course record over 1200m here in the MR86 Handicap on Sunday, that might prove to be the case. In the red at 9/10 on the off, the son of Miesque’s Approval was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and made all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest some four and a quarter lengths adrift he beat the running on top weight FORTISSIMO by three quarters. Squeezed out at the start the runner up had to switch for a run en-route from midfield, and taking everything into account did very well indeed to get as close as he did.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and quickest against the clock in these was BUCK SHOT in the MR64 Handicap. Another to make all, the 12/1 shot soon had the field very strung out. Indeed, he was a good seven lengths clear of the third horse turning for home. He kept on strongly in the straight and all out at the finish still had three and a half lengths to spare over the runner up.
The one remaining race was a maiden plate over 2000m and here victory went to the horse with the highest merit rating in the race, IMPACT ZONE. Allowed to ease out to 7/1 from 11/2 at the track, James Goodman’s charge was always handy. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and in a thrilling three way finish he got up late to beat the favourite SHINE UP.
Titbits
The 5yo DHAAMER made up many lengths from the rear when beaten just over half a length in the maiden plate over 2000m.
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Heart, But No Luck
Vaal 16th February: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where the faster of the two 1200m races was the MR72 Handicap won by CANNES. The second winner on the card for the combination of S’manga Khumalo and Clinton Binda, the 4yo son of Atso made all. The 28/10 favourite TABREEK ran on strongly from midfield to challenge below the distance, but he did have that one held by a half at the wire.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the MR72 Handicap won by MISS TWEEDY. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge raced prominent throughout. She put her head in front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the running on PAREE by two and a quarter.
A MR90 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and in a time 0,17 seconds slower than that of Miss Tweedy, the Toreador mare SHEPARD ONE registered her sixth career victory from just fifteen starts. On leaving the stalls it was MISS MAGICAL (reported as being distressed) who elected to make the running whilst Gary Alexander’s charge (a little slow into stride) raced fourth. She took up the running 100m out and just had enough in hand to beat the luckless favourite SEVENTH HEART by 0,4 lengths. Baulked for a run 300m out, the runner up was flying at the finish.
Titbits
The 3yo A P Emblem won the maiden plate over 2400m going away by four and a half.
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Following Formlines
Kenilworth 17th February: Surprisingly the fastest of the four 1200m races in Cape Town on Wednesday was the girl’s division of the maiden plate won by PRIZE PEG. Soon up handy, the daughter of Jay Peg raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the front running pacemaker PIXELATE by three quarters.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the maiden plate won by the form horse THE BEST OF ME. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, the Western Winter gelding was soon at the head of affairs. He found extra when challenged 200m out and went on to score by three quarters from the running on HERO QUEST. Making his debut here, the runner up quickened well from midfield and did well to get as close as he did.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of BISHOP’S BOUNTY in winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Troublesome at the start and then not the quickest into stride, the 1/3 favourite raced in the rear some six lengths off them early on. Once given rein though he quickened well, and under a well-judged ride from Bernard Fayd’herbe he got up late to win by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
The 3yo CUBAN EMERALD looked to have some in hand when making all in the MR70 Handicap over 1200m.
The costly to follow maiden PLAYBOY BUDDY again ran on strongly from midfield when only failing to open her account by a neck in the maiden 1600m.
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Current Form The Key
Vaal 18th February: Thursday’s action took place on the outside track where backed as if unbeatable to win what proved to be the fastest of the three 1000m events was PROSPECT STRIKE in the graduation plate. Allowed to flirt with 7/20 at one point despite returning from a rest and racing over 1000m for the first time, the well weighted son of Toreador was always positioned with every chance. He failed to quicken over the final 400m though and finished fourth beaten five and three quarters. Victory instead went to Sporting Post’s generously priced roving banker SEATTLE LADY. Nicely positioned in second going through halfway, the Sail From Seattle filly took up the running 300m out and comfortably accounted for her more fancied stable companion SILVER CLASS by three.
There was also three races scheduled to be run over 1600m, but due to inclement weather the last two races were abandoned. The 1600m race that was run was a maiden plate and here SHELLY got off the mark. Soon at the head of affairs, the daughter of Announce led throughout. She was always a length and a quarter to the good and won without any anxious moments. Having only her second career outing here, the runner up BIRD ALLEY (a little slow into stride) came from the rear and had the remainder well beaten.
The other two races were both MR68 Handicaps over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time in these was NESSPRESSO in the first division. Sent off third in the betting market at 9/2, the daughter of Western Winter was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and won well by two and three quarters from the heavily supported second favourite S’WAY (10/1 into 4/1).
Titbits
Racing off a mark 22 points below that of her former best the 4yo BY JOVE came from the rear when comfortably accounting for her thirteen rivals in the second division of the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Stunning Angel 15
Race 2: (6) King Jace 68
Race 3: (2) Zevenastic 20
Race 4: (3) Normanz 91
Race 5: (2) Neptune’s Jewel 20 (EW)
Race 6: (10) Blue Dawn 81
Race 7: (8) Eternal Jet 84
Race 8: (7) Cassia 52 (EW)
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Reactive 25 (nb)
Race 2: (2) Hosanna 15 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Aldric 46
Race 4: (1) Coastal Spell 5
Race 5: (4) Mission Rapids 60
Race 6: (10) Rocky Bay 49
Race 7: (5) Scots Party 29
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (7) Ektifaa 18
Race 2: (2) Aussie Captain 23
Race 3: (8) Shankly Gates 45
Race 4: (1) French Navy 90 (NAP**)
Race 5: (1) Ice Machine 101
Race 6: (9) Sensible Lover 83
Race 7: (2) She’s A Dragon 61
Race 8: (4) Champagne Haze 71
Race 9: (6) Arch Rival 89
Race 10: (11) Antonius Charm 56
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (8) Rebel’s Burst 4
Race 2: (4) Mr Wise Guy 78
Race 3: (2) All Magic 10
Race 4: (1) Sunshine Lady 2
Race 5: (1) Doctorow 10 (NAP*)
Race 6: (3) Irish Dynasty 48
Race 7: (6) Northern Corner 53
Race 8: (14) Rising Sunset 45
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (7) Ocean Drive South 8
Race 2: (1) Flyfirstclass 83
Race 3: (9) Newtons Spark 49
Race 4: (10) Don’tstoptheparty 9 (NAP*)
Race 5: (12) Trendy Guy 60
Race 6: (7) Lady Ming 79
Race 7: (4) Portman Square 19
Race 8: (1) Purple Splash 9
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Top rated winners last week included
The Best Of Me won 7/1
Zrinski won 6/1
Drifting Dusk won 5/2
Kanonkop won 2/1
Let’s Go Get It won 2/1
Jet Intombi won 8/10
Bishop’s Bounty won 1/3
Leisure Trip won 1/5
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Notebook:-
Bishop’s Bounty (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Fortissimo (G Puller, KZN)
Hero Quest (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Humidor (A Rivalland, KZN)
Seventh Heart (S Tarry, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 13th February
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (3) Captain Bagg 58,94
1200m (1) Sunset Breeze 72,79
1400m (2) Sea Spray 87,54
1600m (2) Annigoni 99,24
Scottsville (stand side) 14th February
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (3) Humidor 66,98
1600m (4) Buck Shot 97,41
2000m (1) Impact Zone 125,59
Vaal (inside) 16th February
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Manx Park 56,89
1200m (2) Cannes 69,09
1400m (2) Miss Tweedy 81,83
1700m (1) Nawab 103,16
2000m (1) Revelation 123,53
2400m (1) A P Emblem 150,63
Kenilworth (new) 17th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1200m (4) Prize Peg 72,23
1400m (2) The Best Of Me 87,62
1600m (1) Let’s Go Get It 100,52
2000m (1) Chrome Blue 125,90
Vaal (outside) 18th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (3) Seattle Lady 56,63
1200m (2) Nesspresso 69,85
1400m (1) Kanonkop 84,14
1600m (1) Shelly 98,57
