Happy Conclusion
Fairview 7th November: They raced on the turf on Friday where four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m. LETAS BONNET recorded the fastest time amongst these when winning the MR83 Handicap. Positioned towards the rear turning for home, the daughter of Rebel King finished best of all and just got the better of the former Gauteng campaigner DOVER BEACH by three quarters.
A maiden plate over 1600m had gotten proceedings underway and here victory went to the favourite FEARLESS LION. Well supported on course, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon up handy. He ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and got up late to score by a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was a pinnacle stakes over 1400m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the 6yo TWO GUN KID registered his seventh career victory. Soon at the head of affairs, Dorrie Sham’s charge made most. He was headed going through the 500m, but fought back gamely at the business end of the race and won by a half from the always handy second favourite OTTIMO.
The lucky last was a MR67 Handicap over 1000m and here victory went to the top weight GOULDIKOVA. Taking a big drop in class here, the 33/10 favourite raced in midfield for most of the journey. She quickened well passing halfway and under a well-judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk she got up late to beat SUMMER SOLSTICE by a length and a quarter. The runner up also finished well from off the pace.
Titbits
ENDEARMENT made up many lengths in the straight when getting up late to win the MR66 Handicap over 1400m going away.
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On The Mark
Greyville 7th November: The fastest of the three 1000m races on Friday evening was the bill topping MR85 Handicap in which the well supported favourite GERMAN LADY did the business. Backed into 15/10 from 22/10 at the track, the best bet on the card for many raced fifth of the eight for most of the journey. She was cramped when looking to start her run at the top of the short home straight, but once seeing daylight she quickly cut through the field. She struck the front 150m out, and went on to score with authority by three and a quarter.
Another favourite to score after finding good support on this card was THIRTYTWO SQUADRON in the faster of the two 1900m events, a MR69 Handicap. Backed through all rates into 15/20 from 22/10, Charlie Laird’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running going through the 200m and in what proved to be a real thriller he did well to hold off the running on duo of BLAZE THE TRAIL and MR ROYAL by a neck.
There were also two races run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was the veteran ARTISTICALLY DONE. Making her 53rd racecourse appearance here the National Emblem mare as per usual, came from well off them. The more fancied SHELLYS CONNECTION also ran on stoutly from midfield and in another classic finish it was only on the nod that the 7yo got the verdict.
Race eight on the card was a maiden plate over 1000m and here it was nice to see the 4yo YESAN STAR get off the mark. Never the quickest into stride, the Miesque’s Approval gelding raced in the rear early on. He ran on strongly in the straight and won well after striking the front close home.
Titbits
SECRET ADMIRER (midfield) and KARELIA (rear – baulked 300-200m) both ran on well from off the pace when 1st & 3rd respectively in the maiden plate for the girls over 1900m.
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Sparks Flying
Turffontein 8th November:
A workrider’s maiden plate over 1160m was first up on the old stand side track on Saturday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the lightly raced 5yo CELLARMASTER. On leaving the stalls it was the heavily supported 4/10 favourite GENERAL MISTY (op 12/10) who elected to make the running whilst Paul Peter’s charge raced close up in second. He struck the front shortly after passing halfway and went on to score with authority by three and a half. This race was run in a faster time than the girls’ maiden event for professional jockeys.
The best bet on the card for many was ALICE SPRINGS in the girls’ maiden event over 1600m. Despite being a little slow into stride, the daughter of Hussonet was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and won going away by two and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1600m in total and the fastest of these was the MR76 Handicap won by the friendless KLONDIKE RIVER. Freely available at 25/1 on the off (op 14’s), Brian Wiid’s charge was drawn wide and as a result he was positioned in the backend of midfield early on. Once in the long home straight though he ran on best of all, and with the rest some three and a half lengths adrift he got the verdict by a neck over the 3yo FRENCH NAVY.
Titbits
Races 6-9 at this meeting were abandoned due to a persistent electrical storm.
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New Course Record
Kenilworth 8th November: The first race for professional jockeys in Cape Town on Saturday was a Graduation Plate over 1200m and here a new course record was set by the visiting GENERALISSIMO. Backed throughout the day into 4/10 from even money, Dennis Drier’s charge was soon at the head of affairs. He looked to be doing it with a fair amount of ease for most of the journey, but did then have to be stoked up over the final 150m or so when it became evident that the chasing ANOTHER IDEA had not read the script. Third placed NIGHT IN SEATTLE ran on from the rear in this race and was only beaten 1,55 lengths.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and fastest against the clock here was MISS SAIGON in the MR88 Handicap. Another to race from the front, Joey Ramsden’s charge led by a length turning for home. It was only close home that the tightly grouped chasing pack began to get to grips with her and in a race where just 0,65 lengths separated the first five home, she held on by a neck.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the MR68 Handicap in which the 3yo CHARLES LYTTON completed a hattrick. On leaving the stalls it was the well supported SIDECAR who elected to make the running whilst the Thomas Crown gelding raced close up in fourth. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 200m and asked to do no more than was necessary in the closing stages of the race, he kept on to score by three quarters.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing here the 3yo AREZZO caught the eye running on from the rear when fourth (beaten just 0,8 lengths) in the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) What’s The Turnover 26
Race 2: (1) Amaan 31
Race 3: (5) Oh Schucks 16
Race 4: (3) Sir Isaac 45
Race 5: (4) Vestal Virgin 31
Race 6: (2) Bay Route 44
Race 7: (5) Up And Running 42 (NAP*)
Race 8: (2) Tudor Star 39
Race 9: (12) Master Of Fate 22
Tuesday (tues)
Race 1: (6) Penitent Pirate 14
Race 2: (1) Buddy’s Falcon 3
Race 3: (4) Razzle My Tazzle 14
Race 4: (8) London Dipper 36
Race 5: (10) Dance Code 36
Race 6: (3) Winter Darling 50
Race 7: (6) Vulcan 62
Race 8: (12) Shepherd’s Song 41
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (19) Triptique 22
Race 2: (8) Fat Bottom Girl 19
Race 3: (2) Black Belvedere 21
Race 4: (1) Waterways 6
Race 5: (1) Eventual Angel 72
Race 6: (7) Musical Man 53
Race 7: (9) Inn Action 32
Race 8: (12) Sidecar 51
Race 9: (9) Imibala 18
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (11) Aza Arrow 27
Race 2: (4) Crimson Oak 10
Race 3: (1) Heywot 14
Race 4: (1) Times Roman 13
Race 5: (4) Lavender Landscape 57
Race 6: (17) Rebel Flame 54
Race 7: (6) Carry On Alice 77 (NAP**)
Race 8: (11) Start Your Engines 49
Race 9: (2) Azaniah 46
Race 10: (5) By Jove 27
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Top rated winners last week included
Artistically Done won 7/1
First Favour won 11/2
Scrum Half won 33/10
Yesan Star won 33/10
Secret Admirer won 18/10
Zoo Biscuit won 16/10
German Lady won 15/10
Jay Jay’s Wild won 14/10
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Notebook:-
Charles Lytton (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Generalissimo (D Drier, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview 7th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Gouldikova 56,02
1200m (1) Blast 68,04
1400m (4) Letas Bonnet 84,64
1600m (1) Fearless Lion 99,61
1800m (1) Dona Datia 112,76
2400m (1) Zoo Biscuit 157,91
Greyville (poly) 7th November
Going Standard
1000m (3) German Lady 57,86
1400m (1) Karraar 84,56
1600m (2) Artistically Done 95,72
1900m (2) Thirtytwo Squadron 116,58
Turffontein (old) 8th November
Penetrometer 20 – Going
1160m (2) Cellarmaster 67,52
1600m (3) Klondike River 98,44
Kenilworth (old) 8th November
Penetrometer
1000m (1) First Favour 57,25
1200m (2) Generalissimo 69,51
1400m (4) Miss Saigon 87,68
1600m (2) Charles Lytton 99,46
