Twice In Eight Days
Fairview 5th May:
The only distance to stage more than one race at Friday’s turf meeting was 1200m where the fastest of the three was the MR72 Handicap won by REEF OF FORTUNE. Finding the winner’s enclosure for the second time in eight days, Tara Laing’s charge was soon positioned up with the speed. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for RESPECTABLE REBEL by a length and a quarter.
Topping a rather moderate bill was a MR76 Handicap over 2000m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the veteran BLACK KITTEN. Content to race in the rear for most of the journey the 7yo ran on best of all at the business end of the race, and got up in the very last stride to deny the always handy BONNE VIE.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by WESTERN WU in the MR71 Handicap over 1800m. The pace was slow early on and in what was always a very tightly bunched field, Alan Greeff’s charge raced detached at the back. He ran on best of all down the long home straight and cruised clear 200m out to score by three.
Titbits
Racing in open company, the lightly raced 2yo SMACKAROO ran on well from the backend of midfield when a half-length runner up in the maiden plate for the girls over 1200m.
Could Be Anything
Turffontein 6th May:
There were a number of upsets on Champion’s Day and none more so than the defeat of LEGAL EAGLE in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m. In what comparatively proved to be the second slowest race on the card, the son of Greys Inn raced eighth of the nine early on. The pace was a very false one though and when the race developed into a sprint for home 500m out, he was pipped late by the easy to back DEO JUVENTE.
The result did go the way of the punters in the Gr1 SA Nursery though when Mike De Kock’s lightly raced 2yo MUSTAAQEEM did the business. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, the son of Redoute’s Choice was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and in what marginally proved to be the fastest race on the card, he drew clear in good style to win by four. Mustaaqeem has now won both career starts in impression fashion and clearly has a very bright future ahead of him.
Another inmate of the Mike De Kock stable to win well on this card was RAFEEF when landing the prestigious Gr1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front going through the 100m and comfortably accounted for the running on TALKTOTHESTARS by a length and a quarter. The runner up fairly flew after switching out for a run 150m from home, and after a spell in the wilderness looks to be on his way back.
Titbits
Having his first outing for his new stable, HERMOSO MUNDO won the Gr3 Gold Bowl going away by five in impression fashion.
Now a winner of three from ten, STARRETT CITY quickened in good style when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1600m going away.
Guineas Double
Greyville 7th May:
In terms of prizemoney the Gr2 Daisy Guineas topped the bill at Sunday’s turf meeting and in what proved comparatively to be the fastest race on the card victory went to the Gauteng Guineas winner JANOOBI. Taken straight to the front by Pierre Strydom, the son of Silvano led throughout. He was three lengths clear coming off the bend and although SECRET CAPTAIN did make some headway over the final 400m, he went on to score by a length and three quarters without any anxious moments.
Also run in a good time was the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes in which the top weight MARINARESCO registered his fifth career victory. In a race where less than half a length separated the first six home, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge ran on well from midfield and got up in the very last stride to deny the always handy VICTORIOUS JAY (led 150m).
The fastest of the three 1000m races on the card was the MR66 Handicap won by the 3yo Kahal gelding KINGSMEAD. Nicely drawn in gate two Michael Roberts’ charge was soon well positioned in second. He took up the running coming off the bend and with the rest some four and a half lengths adrift, he kept on strongly to fend off the always handy STRUMMER by three quarters.
Titbits
The progressive 3yo GIMME SIX produced a nice turn of foot when comfortably accounting for her nine rivals in the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas over 1600m.
The newcomer CAPTAIN’S TREASURE raced up with the pace throughout when winning the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m with some in hand.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (2) Talk Wrench 2
Race 2: (6) Scarlet Lady 15
Race 3: (7) Manoeuvre 10
Race 4: (8) Kikusha 18
Race 5: (2) Well Dressed 27
Race 6: (5) Mr Mcsteamy 41
Race 7: (1) Desert Sunset 22
Race 8: (11) Hosanna 24
Race 9: (7) Aramouse 58
Race 10: (17) Black Rake 44
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (1) Inn A Million 13 (nb)
Race 2: (5) Pillaroftheearth 21 (NAP**)
Race 3: (5) Let It Flow 20
Race 4: (2) Chapati 27
Race 5: (9) Beautiful Shay 47
Race 6: (11) Intriguing Lady 61
Race 7: (11) A P Chanel 22
Race 8: (14) Scarlet Veil 30
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (4) Filippo 22 (NAP*)
Race 2: (10) Opera Royal 7
Race 3: (1) Captain’s Charm 17
Race 4: (11) Rose Hill 8
Race 5: (9) Awesome Angel One 8
Race 6: (8) Just Cruised In 54
Race 7: (11) South Paw 62
Race 8: (2) Gambol 41
Race 9: (15) Royal Zulu Guard 35
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (3) Twelve Oaks 23
Race 2: (3) Flying Russian 23
Race 3: (2) Supertube 55
Race 4: (1) Town Flyer 16
Race 5: (3) Stavinsky 56
Race 6: (13) Space Tornado 51
Race 7: (1) Angel’s Power 72
Race 8: (1) My Favourite Brown 51
Race 9: (1) Cumberland 44
Top rated winners last week included
Tell My Star won 12/1
Rock Of Africa won 61/10
Reef Of Fortune won 59/10
Janoobi won 5/1
Memphis Belle won 4/1
Enticer won 32/10
Best Kept Secret won 29/20
Flying Free won 12/10
Notebook:-
Gimme Six (J Snaith, KZN)
Marinaresco (C Bass-Robinson, KZN)
Mustaaqeem (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Starrett City (G Woodruff, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 5th May
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,55s slow
1000m (1) Grazia 58,80
1200m (3) Reef Of Fortune 69,13
1400m (1) Lord Katawa 85,11
1600m (1) Phoenix Rising 98,45
1800m (1) Western Wu 110,16
2000m (1) Black Kitten 125,52
Turffontein (stand side) 6th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,38s fast
1000m (1) Rafeef 55,95
1160m (4) Mustaaqeem 65,80
1600m (2) Starrett City 97,28
2000m (2) Deo Juvente 124,66
2450m (2) Al Sahem 154,51
3200m (1) Hermoso Mundo 207,85
Greyville (turf) 7th May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,45s fast
1000m (3) Kingsmead 57,84
1200m (2) Leslie Shadowliner 71,57
1400m (1) Marinaresco 82,55
1600m (3) Janoobi 95,27
