Walk In The Park

Back In Form

Greyville 16^th December: Followers of champion jockey Anton Marcus got off to a good start in Natal on Friday evening when HARGRAVES BELL (29) did the business in the opening maiden event over 1300m. Backed into 5/2 joint favourite from 3’s at the track, the daughter of Royal Academy was soon at the head of affairs. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and comfortably accounted for the fancied WEST VIRGINIA by two and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by ARCTIC HOOLIGAN (32) when getting off the mark in the maiden event over 1600m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the well supported outsider EYE OF THE NEEDLE (20/1 into 8/1) by three.

The evening’s feature event was a MR80 Handicap over 1100m and here it was nice to see the 3yo Toreador filly SHE’S A STUNNER find the winner’s enclosure for the first time since landing the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes back in April. On leaving the stalls it was LANGOUSTIER who elected to make the running whilst Deon Visser’s charge raced close up in fourth. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a thrilling four way finish she only got the verdict by a half.

Titbits

SURF THE SURFACE won the second division of the maiden 1300m going away.

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All The Way

Turffontein 17^th December: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the lightly raced UMCEBO (34) in the second division of the girl’s maiden event over 1160m. Backed into even money from 16/10 at the track, Gary Alexander’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running going through the 200m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat SEA BOMB by five and a quarter.

The best bet on the card for Sporting Post was VARIOMETER (51) in the graduation event over 1000m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, the daughter of Var led throughout. She was always in command and although the easy to back REGAL ROXY tried her best to make a race of it, she went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and all the rage here was the top weighted MAGICO. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, Magico wasn’t the quickest into stride, and later reported as making a respiratory noise, he never really got into the race. Victory instead went to the second favourite MANNEQUIN (77). Always positioned close to the speed, Mannequin took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and easily accounted for the rank outsider of the seven horse party CHALLENGER QUAY by a length and a half.

Titbits

Positioned in the rear going through halfway, WHERE’S MY CHOP ran on strongly in the MR72 Handicap over 1160m and did well to get up for fourth after being badly hampered 250m out.

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Tactics The Key

Kenilworth 17^th December: The first of the three feature events to be run in Cape Town on Saturday was the Gr3 Victress Stakes over 1800m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when SUPER ELEGANT landed the spoils. Freely available at 13/1 on the off, Piet Steyn’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on strongly in the home straight and under a well judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk, she got up late to deny the favourite BEACH BEAUTY.

The Gr2 Diadem Stakes was next up and here we saw another very smart performance from the Mike Bass trained WHAT A WINTER. He got away well when the gates opened and racing much closer to the pace than he is usually seen was always poised to strike. He took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and with some in hand he comfortably accounted for last season’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner EBONY FLYER by two and a quarter. What A Winter won well and clearly has a very bright future ahead of him.

The Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m topped the bill and completing a very smart hat-trick here was the Var colt VARIETY CLUB. On leaving the stalls it was his stable companion THE BALLADEER who elected to make the running whilst the Anton Marcus ridden Variety Club raced close up in second. Variety Club very cleverly skipped clear early in the straight and although the recent Dingaans winner SILVER FLYER finished strongly from off the pace, he went on to score very comfortably by three and a quarter.

Titbits

PALOS VERDES ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the maiden event over 1600m.

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Last Year’s Champs

Greyville 18^th December: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Clairwood.

After running on stoutly to take third over 800m on debut, it was no surprise to see FUN SUNZI (16) priced up deep in the red to win the maiden juvenile event over 1000m. Fun Sunzi lost three lengths on debut, but soon into stride here, she made all. With the rest well beaten, the runner up LITTLE PRINCESS made her work all the way to the wire, but Fun Sunzi kept on gamely at the business end of the race and did have that one held.

The easiest victory of the afternoon was recorded by UNITED (34) in the maiden event over 1000m. Sent off as one of three co-favourites at 33/10, Glen Kotzen’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat PRAYER OF PRAISE by four and three quarters.

A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the ultra consistent Bezrin gelding TETELESTAI (84) back in the winner’s enclosure. Having only his second outing following a four month break here, Duncan Howells’ charge was hampered early on, but despite that was soon within striking distance. He moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on DAUNTLESS DELANCE by three quarters.

Titbits

15/10 favourite SAGE THRONE won the pinnacle event over 2500m with a ton in hand.

A little slow into stride, and baulked for a run between the 400m and 200m poles to boot, SECRET BABE ran on very strongly late and did well to get within a length of the winner CHERRY ON THE CAKE.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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FASTEST TIMES

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