Talk Of The Track
Flamingo Park 10th June: CYBER SPACE was rumoured to be the right one at the track on Monday and despite drifting to double her original opening price of 7/10 before the off, she did do the business. Taken straight to the front by Evert Pheiffer, the lightly raced daughter of Kabool led throughout. She was already three lengths clear coming off the bend and cruised clear in the straight to score by eight and a quarter.
There were three races over 1200m on the card in total and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by the much travelled PRINCESS ALBERTA. Racing in the Northern Cape for just the second time, Corne Spies’ charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and in what proved to be a real thriller she only held on by the narrowest of margins from the gaining GYPSY FAIR.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to the Albert Hall gelding POWEROFTHEFLOWER. A winner of four of his last six outings, the 4yo wasn’t the quickest into stride and raced in the rear early on. He quickened well in the straight and in another very tight finish he got up late to deny the ultra consistent JACK DAN.
The faster of the two 1000m races on the program was the MR84 affair in which MR VINDALOO completed a double. Supported throughout the afternoon into 28/10 from 9/1, the Muhtafal gelding made all. He was two lengths clear going through the 400m and although MEMGHAR was gaining late, he still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
An easy winner in her latest start three weeks ago, THE LIVING IS EASY again won with authority in the MR66 Handicap over 1400m here.
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Seventh Win For Benbow
Vaal 11th June: They raced on the sand on Tuesday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m went to the favourite TIGER TERRITORY. He got away well when the gates opened and was soon positioned up with the speed. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and with some in hand he comfortably accounted for the newcomer COSMIC TOM by two and a quarter. Always second in the betting market, the runner up finished six lengths clear of the remainder.
The fastest of the three 1000m races on the card was the bill topping pinnacle stakes in which the 5yo BENBOW registered his seventh career victory. Initially priced up at 10/1 in the betting market the nibbled at son of Bezrin raced in midfield early on. He made his move passing halfway and won going away by two and a quarter from the uneasy co-favourite ACROSS THE ICE.
The faster of the two 1800m events was the MR90 Handicap won by HENRY HIGGINS. Backed into favouritism at the track (28/10 into 22/10), Paul Peter’s charge was always handy. He took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and although MASAI WARRIOR tried his best to make a race of it, he won comfortably by a length and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the eight race program was recorded by DIVINE INVITATION when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1600m. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge raced close up in fifth for most of the journey. He moved through to take it up as they approached the 400m marker and easily accounted for the running on USHKADELL by three and a half.
Titbits
The recent maiden winner COCKNEY TIGER rallied gamely after being headed 400m out and got back up late when completing a quick double in the MR70 Handicap over 1800m.
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Garth Wins All
Clairwood 12th June: A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway at the garden course on Wednesday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the newcomer GOLDEN MIRABILIS. The first of three winners on the card for trainer Garth Puller, who won all of the races that he contested, the daughter of Miesque’s Approval was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing halfway and after fending off a determined challenge from the deposed favourite ROCKET LADY, she went on to score by a length.
Three of the nine races on the card were run over 1450m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR99 Handicap in which the Charles Laird trained CHERBOURG caused a bit of an upset. Positioned in midfield as the nine runners turned for home, the son of Count Dubois ran on stoutly in the straight and after as thrilling tussle with HAMMIE’S DYNASTY over the final 100m he only got the verdict on the nod.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of WEST END who came home smoking in the MR72 affair over 1200m. Racing off a mark some fourteen points below her previous best despite having won last time out, Jeff Freedman’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and was soon up handy. She struck the front going through the 500m and with plenty in hand won very comfortably by four and a quarter.
Titbits
Although never any kind of a threat to the winner West End, fifth placed THAT SO ATSO (detached at the rear early on) was running on strongly at the finish of the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Kenilworth Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (14) Sahvara 35 Race 3: (16) Winter’s Eve 17 Race 4: (12) She’s A Honey 18 Race 5: (1) Diplomatic 35 Race 6: (6) Barrel ‘n Butt 26 Race 7: (18) Sister Lynn 53 Race 8: (8) Moonlight Gambler 68 Race 9: (9) Laptev 52 Race 10: (2) Spring Beauty 50 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (2) Romeo’s Fan Club 12 Race 2: (12) Stormy Tiger 24 (NAP*) Race 3: (2) Signature 21 Race 4: (7) Authorice 20 Race 5: (15) Lecture Queen 27 Race 6: (15) Sheri Baby 33 Race 7: (16) Venture 62 Race 8: (12) Adams Rock 75 Race 9: (9) Var Var Zela 45 Scottsville Race 1: (16) Tribute To Kylie 30 Race 2: (1) Captain’s Reserve 43 (nb) Race 3: (2) Mensoora 46 (NAP**) Race 4: (1) Mercurial Brave 43 Race 5: (8) Berry Blaze 92 Race 6: (3) Petite Master 75 Race 7: (7) Tiger Cub 54 Race 8: (1) Party Doll 27 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (3) Sir Swarovski 22 Race 2: (2) Irish Lace 24 Race 3: (3) Dis’llbetheday 12 Race 4: (2) Rodeo Dandy 66 Race 5: (2) La Volta 57 Race 6: (7) Masai Warrior 97 Race 7: (1) Decameron 47 Race 8: (5) Paintyourface 34 .
Top rated winners last week included
Pan Amm won 9/1 Shepherds Purse won 9/1 Coventina won 5/1 Pure Power won 28/10 Downton Twilight won 5/2 Wunout won 9/10 Variety Club won 9/20 Agra won 2/7 .
Notebook:-
Cyber Space (P Peter, N-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFlamingo Park 10th June Going Standard 1000m (2) Mr Vindaloo 56,64 1200m (3) Princess Alberta 73,16 1400m (2) The Living Is Easy 86,77* 1600m (1) Poweroftheflower 100,22 2200m (1) Desert Rat 149,69 .
Vaal (sand) 11th June Going Standard 1000m (3) Benbow 57,94 1200m (2) Pinot Noir 72,52 1600m (1) Divine Invitation 99,65 1800m (2) Henry Higgins 113,52 .
Clairwood 12th June Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Golden Mirabilis 58,28* 1200m (2) West End 70,26* 1450m (3) Cherbourg 86,06* 1600m (1) Cula 98,12* 1800m (1) Antonia’s Fortress 110,19* 2000m (1) Eminence Day 123,12*
