Successful Raid
Borrowdale Park 27th February: A Juvenile Plate over 1000m was first up in Zimbabwe on Sunday and here we saw a smart performance from the newcomer LIKE PARADISE. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, the daughter of Badger’s Drift was soon up with the speed. She began to assert her authority going through halfway and only having to be ridden hands and heels from there onwards, she easily accounted for her previously unbeaten stable companion FIGHT THE NIGHT by five and a half.
Race four on the card was a MR70 Handicap over 1450m and here it was nice to see the former South African campaigner GRACIE JONES make a winning local debut. Initially priced up as a joint favourite at 11/10, Lisa Harris’ charge was allowed to ease out to 15/10 second favourite at the track. She was soon prominent and taking up the running at the top of the straight, she was always going to take some catching. The favourite JUST JUDE ran on stoutly at the business end of the race, but try as she might, she couldn’t make any impression.
The Gr3 Zimbabwe Guineas topped the bill and here victory went to the South African raider MINA SALAAM. Well supported to go off a very strong favourite at 5/10 across the Limpopo, Roy Magner’s charge was always positioned close to the pace. She made her move coming off the bend and after striking the front 350m from home, she easily drew clear.
Titbits
CARLTON HILL was finishing strongest of all when third in the MR85 affair over 1300m.
Eye On The Prize
Flamingo Park 28th February: A maiden juvenile event over 1200m got proceedings underway in the Northern Cape on Monday and here we saw a very easy victory for the friendless TANTRUM. Freely available at 33/1 on the off, Corne Spies’ runner was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead at the top of the straight and drew clear easily over the final 550m or so to score by seven.
Race four on the card was a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m and here victory went to the Vernon Rugg trained BOMBER BILL. On leaving the stalls it was the lightly weighted GREAT HARRY who elected to set the pace whilst Bomber Bill raced some three lengths away in midfield. He quickened nicely from halfway and comfortably accounted for the easy to back SNAZZY JAZZ by a length and a quarter.
The non black type Flamingo Park Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the former Eastern Cape campaigner EYE OF THE WORLD. Allowed to ease right out to 10/1 from 6’s at the track, Eye Of The World was content to amble along towards the rear for most of the journey. He moved up to dispute matters as they approached the 300m marker and after a titanic battle with the much more fancied AFRICAN VISION, it was only by a neck that he got the verdict.
Titbits
Nibbled at ANGAMAHAL ran on well from the widest draw when winning the MR62 Handicap over 1800m.
Thrilling Stuff
Scottsville 1st March: The 3yo BAGE (31) was all the rage to win the maiden event over 1600m in Natal on Tuesday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Backed throughout the day into 8/10 from 5/2, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the steadily improving CHIPNPUTT by a length and a quarter.
The bookies did get a bit back in the graduation event over 1600m though, when the lesser fancied of Charles Laird’s two runners ICE AXE (66) kept his unbeaten record in tact. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, the son of Solskjaer raced in midfield during the early part of the race. His heavily supported stable companion CHINDIT (7/10 into 9/20) was positioned much closer to the pace and when that one made his move 300m out, those buying money must have been feeling pretty pleased with themselves. Just as he was about to hit the front though, Ice Axe loomed alongside and after a thrilling tussle below the distance, Ice Axe got the verdict by a half. A very easy winner of his only previous start, Ice Axe beat a good sort here and is clearly very useful.
Another classic battle was fought out in the novice 1200m where the well supported favourite PHANTOM FIGHTER landed the odds. Claimed early into 9/10, Dennis Drier’s charge was always well positioned to strike. The recent four length maiden winner COFFEE SHEIK was with him when he moved up to dispute matters 300m from home and when that one put his head in front 100m later, it was clear that he had a race on his hands. Both gave their all as they drew clear from the remainder and in what proved to be a real thriller, it was only by the narrowest of margins that Phantom Fighter got the verdict.
Titbits
Improving WICKET MAIDEN looked in a different league when running on from off the pace to win the MR70 Handicap going away by four and a half.
Lightly raced WILD GINGER was at the back of the thirteen turning for home in the maiden 1400m and did well to get within two lengths of the winner.
Cool Strategy
Turffontein 1st March: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where we saw a very smart performance in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1160m from the newcomer TENNESSEE STRATEGY (18). Sent off a well supported favourite at 9/10, the Australian bred son Stratum was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and led throughout. He was always in command and without ever having to engage the upper gears, he comfortably accounted for the 66/1 shot ZAMBUCCA by two and three quarters.
A MR94 Handicap over 2000m topped the bill and here followers of the money were again on the mark when the 3yo MONEY GRUBBER (58) did the business. Backed throughout the day into 5/2 from 11/2, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though, the son of Strike Smartly quickened best of all and despite the efforts of the pacemaker BEIT BRIDGE, who fought on doggedly over the final 400m, he got up late to win going away. Beaten less than five lengths by the subsequent Gauteng Guineas winner Link Man in his penultimate start, Money Grubber won well and is clearly very useful.
It was a similar story in the final event on the card, a MR75 Handicap over 2000m where the 6yo MODERN DRIVE (58) recorded his fifth career victory. The fancied FOREIGN RESERVE had made the running and under a determined ride from champion jockey Anton Marcus, he was showing no signs of stopping. Finishing best of all though, Modern Drive steadily wore him down in the home straight and under a well judged ride from Gunter Wrogemann, he got up late.
Titbits
The newcomer MOUNT CARMEL caught the eye running on nicely to take fifth in a hot looking maiden juvenile event over 1160m and looks sure to come on plenty for the run.
Although beaten fair and square by the aforementioned Money Grubber, INDIGO AMIGO was again running on very strongly at the finish.
In The Money
Durbanville 2nd March: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the country course on Wednesday when the well supported LIAM duly landed the odds in the opening juvenile event over 1200m. In the red at 19/20 on the off, Greg Ennion’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and despite the efforts of the running on HUNTING TIME, he went on to score very cosily by three.
A MR89 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Justin Snaith trained NAUGHTY GIRL back in the winner’s enclosure. Backed into 33/10 favourite from 6/1 at the track, Naughty Girl got away well from her widish draw and was soon up handy. She quickened well at the top of the straight and after striking the front 300m later, she comfortably accounted for QUEEN’S COMMAND by two and a half.
The lucky last was a maiden event over 1400m and here the locals were sent home happy when the Silvano gelding CHATEAU ROYAL did the business. Sent off a well supported favourite at 2/1, Joey Ramsden’s charge was content to amble along in midfield during the early part of the race. He was asked to take closer order early in the straight and after quickly working his way into contention, he went on to score with authority by a length and a half.
Titbits
Positioned at the back turning for home, the well supported CHESALON (5/1 into 33/10) was badly baulked for a run when the race began in earnest. He finished very strongly after being switched out, but by then the race was over.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (4) Coastal Club 14
Race 3: (16) Mogok’s Maiden 20
Race 4: (1) Fiery Wood 10
Race 5: (4) Storey Bridge 50
Race 6: (12) Fragrant Al 69 (NAP*)
Race 7: (3) Great Heart 73
Race 8: (17) Hot Wood 47
Turffontein
Race 1: (5) Special Landing 17
Race 2: (2) Winning Wild 24
Race 3: (1) Santa 91
Race 4: (1) Checcetti 64
Race 5: (4) Bulsara 105
Race 6: (7) Roman Wall 65
Race 7: (14) Royal Arrow 91
Race 8: (12) Star Of Destiny 92
Race 9: (11) Dancing Red 59
Durbanville
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (4) Willie Gunn 14
Race 4: No Qualifiers
Race 5: (8) Bigstone Dancer 48
Race 6: (4) Loving Cup 54 (EW)
Race 7: (2) Castlethorpe 61
Race 8: (1) Icy Zone 45 (EW)
Clairwood
Race 1: (9) Red Lotus 9
Race 2: (4) News Hub 17
Race 3: (2) Rover T 23
Race 4: (14) Imperial Image 18
Race 5: (6) Midnight Fox 80
Race 6: (6) Wishful Eye 82
Race 7: (6) Royal Zulu Warrior 84 (NAP**)
Race 8: (7) Bwana Macube 52
Borrowdale Park
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: (7) Passage Of Time 12
Race 3: (3) Golden Pharoah 9
Race 4: (9) Sahara’s Song 24
Race 5: (1) Syracuse 64
Race 6: (1) Mina Salaam 69 NAP*)
Race 7: (7) Gracie Jones 82
Race 8: (2) Misty Flier 20
Top rated winners last week included:-
Richinstyle won 8/1
Surfing Safari won 75/20
Naughty Girl won 33/10
Copperloochee won 5/2
Let It Be won 5/2
Una Aura won 16/10
Gracie Jones won 15/10
Variety Club won 1/7
Notebook:-
Ice Axe (C Laird, Natal)
Like Paradise (S G Odendaal, Zimbabwe)
Wicket Maiden (C Laird, Natal)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Borrowdale Park 27th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Like Paradise
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Gracie Jones
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Pressure
Flamingo Park 28th February
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Bomber Bill
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Richinstyle
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Scottsville 1st March
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Krackerjack Ace
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Ice Axe
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Wicket Maiden
Turffontein 1st March
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Star Factor
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Up Company
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (3) Money Grubber
Durbanville 2nd March
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Liam
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Naughty Girl
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
