Flamingo Park 4th November: The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of SHEIKITUP in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Freely available at 15/1 on the off, the 6yo Sheik gelding was soon up handy. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by six.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap won by DESERT BREEZE. Another to race handy, Sheikitup’s stable companion was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the more fancied WINGS OF AN ANGEL by three quarters.
A pinnacle stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the front running CAPTAIN SIDERIUS. A couple of lengths clear throughout, Dorrie Sham’s charge kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the favourite AFRICAN GLADIATOR chased hard he won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.
Titbits
With the rest well beaten the newcomer TOBE HEATHER comfortably accounted for the running on ASTRO VISION by two in the maiden 1200m.
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Chestnut By Six
Vaal 5th November: They raced on the inside track on Tuesday where we saw a very smart performance in the fastest of the four 1400m maiden plates from the newcomer RAKE’S CHESTNUT. Sent off joint favourite at 22/10, Geoff Woodruff’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 500m pole and despite easing down before the line he cruised in by six and a quarter. One To Follow.
Another newcomer to win well over 1400m in the maiden ranks on this card was Rake’s Chestnut’s stable companion LOUIS THE KING. Second in the betting market at 4/1 on the off, the son of Black Minnaloushe raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well from halfway and comfortably accounted for the perennial maiden CHERIE’S BOY (46th start) by two and a half.
A MR99 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1700m events we saw a gutsy performance from the lightly raced 4yo FULCRUM. A well supported favourite at 13/10, Weiho Marwing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 500m marker and despite jockey S’manga Khumalo dropping his whip he fought on courageously when challenged to beat DUAL ASSET by a neck.
Titbits
Having only his second career outing, RED MARINER ran on strongly from midfield when runner up in the first division of the maiden 1400m.
ASH CLOUD won the MR72 Handicap over 1800m going away by two.
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Home Soil
Greyville 5th November: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday 30th October.
A maiden plate over 1400m got proceedings underway on Tuesday evening and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Charles Laird trained TRANSLATOR. On leaving the stalls it was the easy to back MASTER BANKER who elected to make the running whilst the 4/1 second favourite raced close up in fourth. He quickened well at the top of the straight and after getting the better of the well supported favourite PETER PIPER (raced second, led 300m) 200m out, he won going away by two and a half.
Three of the evening’s eight races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR97 Handicap won by KING JACE. Both PYROTECHNICS and MALUTI set off at a fair clip when the gates opened and although racing in fourth the eventual winner was easily eight lengths off the pace. The front two only served to cut each other’s throats though and as the early effort took its toll in the straight, he got up late to score by three quarters.
The lucky last was a maiden plate over 1200m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the flying favourite PRIANO. Positioned in the backend of midfield as the twelve runners turned for home, the New Approach filly quickened best of all and in a race where only 0,6 of a length covered the first six home she got up in the very last stride.
Titbits
Recent maiden winner CINEMA SCOPE completed a quick double when comfortably accounting for ten rivals in the MR74 Handicap over 1200m.
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Warming Up
Kenilworth 6th November: Three of the nine races in Cape Town on Wednesday were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR93 Handicap won by PRICELESS JEWEL. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, the 4yo daughter of Ashaawes was taken straight to the front by Greg Cheyne and attempted to make all. The fancied GOLD ACADEMY moved up to dispute matters going through the 200m and did briefly look to get her head in front. Priceless Jewel found extra when the gauntlet was thrown down though and went on to win going away by a length.
Race two on the card was a graduation plate over 1200m and here we saw a smart performance from last season’s Gr1 Gold Medallion winner CAPTAIN OF ALL. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off. Dennis Drier’s charge led from pillar to post. Making his seasonal debut here, Captain Of All was always in command and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.
In terms of distance the easiest winner on the card was SHE’S A LOOKER when opening her account in the maiden 1200m. Positioned in midfield early on, the daughter of Mogok ran on strongly from halfway and won well by three and a half after striking the front 300m out.
Titbits
Unable to get within eleven lengths of a winner in her two previous racecourse appearances both in soft, WESTERN WU showed her appreciation of the good ground when running on from the rear to win the maiden 1400m going away.
DUSTAN ran on well from the rear when fourth in the maiden 1800m.
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Talking Horses
Vaal 7th November: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where surprisingly the fastest of the three 1000m races was the maiden event won by the newcomer JULIE DOOLITTLE. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the friendless daughter of Horse Chestnut was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 100m and comfortably accounted for the well supported second favourite QUILICIOUS by two.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR88 Handicap over 1800m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for MUTHIAH PILLAI. Another to be positioned close to the speed from early on, Kom Naidoo’s charge took up the running as they approached the 400m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to beat the running on SNAPPY LAD by four and three quarters. The supported Snappy Lad had raced detached at the rear and did very well indeed to get as close as he did.
Racing on sand for the first time, and over a distance well short of his best, DOUBLE BIND ran on strongly from the back when winning the graduation plate over 1450m going away.
Titbits
Flying at the finish after racing detached at the rear, TAKAAMUL made up many lengths on both the first and second placed runners over the final 400m when third in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (8) Howami 21 Race 2: (2) Tigerish 27 Race 3: (11) Arctic Desert 33 Race 4: (6) Victorialaine 68 Race 5: (4) Stone Pine 87 Race 6: (12) Wogsy 58 Race 7: (2) Icemberg 78 Race 8: (3) Secret Quest 52 Turffontein Race 1: (1) In Full Flo 6 Race 2: (13) Dance Away 30 Race 3: (3) The Barbadian 58 Race 4: (11) Shout Out 41 Race 5: (1) Whiteline Fever 91 Race 6: (3) Eastern Greeting 82 Race 7: (14) Halve The Deficit 107 Race 8: (12) Purrveyor 66 Race 9: (10) London Irish 52 Kenilworth Race 1: (4) Imperious Girl 18 Race 2: (4) Count My Luck 57 Race 3: (3) Bandido Caballero 27 Race 4: (1) Via Africa 99 (NAP**) Race 5: (4) Louisville Legend 33 Race 6: (7) Hunting Horn 58 Race 7: (14) Shades Of Indigo 98 Race 8: (2) On The Nod 50 Race 9: (8) Changing Heart 36 (EW) Clairwood Race 1: (1) Beyond The Burg 15 Race 2: (6) Finding Neverland 58 Race 3: (5) Beewithmee 73 Race 4: (3) King’s Bay 85 Race 5: (5) The Fifth Day 26 Race 6: (10) Jet Set Model 57 Race 7: (12) With Her Approval 41 Race 8: (8) Legend Dancer 48 Race 9: (1) Rainier 30
Top rated winners last week included
Titus won 5/1 Falconers Knot won 9/2 Lightning Eye won 4/1 South Kensington won 4/1 Translator won 4/1 One Cool Dude won 2/1 Speed Merchant won 13/10 Capel Top won 6/10 .
Notebook:-
Captain Of All (D Drier, W-Cape) Rake’s Chestnut (G Woodruff, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFlamingo Park 4th November Going Standard 1000m (2) Swing Away 57,66 1200m (2) Sudden Surprise 72,11 1400m (1) Here I Am 85,31 1600m (3) Desert Breeze 98,48 1800m (1) Captain Siderius 111,38 .
Vaal (inside) 5th November Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1200m (2) Vulcan 69,05 1400m (4) Rake’s Chestnut 81,60 1700m (2) Fulcrum 99,78 1800m (1) Ash Cloud 110,79 2000m (1) Lightning Eye 124,93 .
Greyville 5th November Penetrometer 24 – Going Good 1200m (2) Cinema Scope 72,14 1400m (2) Translator 85,59 1600m (3) King Jace 96,76 2000m (1) Educated 127,44 .
Kenilworth (old) 6th November Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (2) Western Movie 59,29 1200m (2) Captain Of All 72,43 1400m (3) Priceless Jewel 86,91 1800m (1) A Time To Kill 115,13 2000m (1) Titus 127,57 .
Vaal (sand) 7th November Going Standard 1000m (3) Julie Doolittle 59,65 1200m (1) Savannah Montana 74,29 1450m (2) Double Bind 91,06 1600m (2) Levanto 102,63 1800m (1) Muthiah Pillai 115,90
