Consistency Rewards
Fairview 17th March: The highlight in Port Elizabeth on Friday was the listed East Cape Sprint Cup and in what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1200m races, victory here went to the ultra-consistent 6yo NORMANZ. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, the lesser fancied of Tara Laing’s three runners led throughout. He was always in command and comfortably accounted for the always handy TAR HEEL by a length and a half.
The faster of the two 1400m events on the card was the pinnacle stakes won by another easy to back runner in CUP CAKE. She too set the pace and although her two and a quarter lengths advantage was considerably cut into in the closing stages of the race, she still had three quarters to spare at the wire.
They also ran two races over 1600m and quickest home here was the aptly named RUSH IN when winning the not so lucky last, a MR63 Handicap. Positioned in midfield as the fourteen runners turned for home, Gavin Smith’s charge ran on best of all in the long home straight and went on to score with authority, after striking the front 200m from home.
Titbits
Having his first outing since relocating from KZN, the 3yo OLLIE POTS won the maiden plate over 2000m going away by ten and a half.
RAINBOW SKINK won the maiden plate over 1400m going away by four and a half.
Jetting In
Greyville 17th March: Four of the eight races on the poly on Friday evening were staged over 1600m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was SELVAN’S JET when winning the MR62 Handicap. Allowed to ease a little at the track out to 6/1 from 9/2, the top weighted son of Jet Master was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front early in the straight and comfortably accounted for the similarly fancied AQUA BLUE by a length and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on the card was 1200m where quickest home was KEPT SECRET when registering her fourth career victory in the MR66 Handicap. Another to race hot on the heels of the pacemaker, the 6yo King Of Kings mare took up the running 250m out, and kept on strongly late to beat the running on SEEK THE SUMMIT by a neck.
A maiden plate over 1200m had opened up proceedings and here a bit of an upset was to be had when SHOW ME YOUR ROSIE opened her account. Freely available at 9/1 in an event priced up like a boat race, Tony Rivalland’s charge raced sixth of the eight. The field was always very tightly bunched with the exception of the back marker CRACKLING ROZEE though. She ran on best of all in the short home straight and under a well-judged ride from apprentice Moodley, she got up late to deny the well-supported DREAM DE RA.
Titbits
Despite being drawn wide, slow into stride, and reported coughing, LIBERAL SALLY ran on well from the rear when only beaten a neck in the MR62 Handicap over 1600m.
Cause And Effect
Turffontein 18th March: Two maiden juvenile plates over 1000m opened up proceedings on the inner track on Saturday and quickest home here was SPRING BREEZE in the girls’ division. Always in the red, Michael Azzie’s charge led throughout. She raced a length and a half clear for most of the journey and although the newcomer CODE WRITER chased hard throughout, she still had almost a length to spare at the wire.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was CORAL FEVER in the MR84 Handicap. Content to sit sixth of the seven during the early part of the race, the son of Judpot made his move in the strip, and was already within a length of the leader going through the 400m. He struck the front 200m out and kept on strongly late to beat the gaining TILBURY FORT by a half.
The listed Drum Star Handicap topped the bill and in what not surprisingly turned out to be the faster of the two 1800m events, THE ELMO EFFECT caused a major upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the ten horse party at 50/1, Gary Alexander’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead 100m out and kept on strongly late to beat ARCTICA (raced handy – led 300m) by three quarters.
Titbits
Sporting blinkers for the first time, ROSE OF SOWETO opened her account in the maiden 1450m going away by four.
Well-supported LAURENT DU VAR was always clear when comfortably accounting for his thirteen rivals in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (1) Contessa Fantasia 10
Race 2: (2) Sanctuary 68
Race 3: (5) Rake’s Chestnut 60
Race 4: (2) Elusive Mist 4
Race 5: (12) Strut Your Stuff 35
Race 6: (11) Apoc 56
Race 7: (5) Daring Dave 78
Race 8: (15) La Manga 46
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (2) The Hunting Game 9
Race 2: (3) Al Azraq 76 (NAP*)
Race 3: (7) Gimmeabreak 11
Race 4: (9) Dream Leader 41
Race 5: (8) Wild Brier 65
Race 6: (4) Blue Diamond Road 49 (EW)
Race 7: (4) My Treasure 43
Race 8: (9) Devious Tiger 34
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (12) Regal Ruby 3
Race 2: (13) Why Wouldn’t Yew 8
Race 3: (1) Emerald Gal 14
Race 4: (4) Strikeitlikeamatch 23
Race 5: (2) Azarenka 57
Race 6: (6) Saint Donan 48
Race 7: (9) Excellent 71
Race 8: (11) Bruno 52
Turffontein (thur)
Race 1: (7) Kenna 2
Race 2: (1) Tharoos 31
Race 3: (1) Madam Secretary 23
Race 4: (1) Half A Bar 5
Race 5: (2) Jay Zee 8
Race 6: (12) Sabre Dance 48
Race 7: (4) Dalley 43
Race 8: (7) Gambol 73
Race 9: (4) Mighty Manzi 49 (EW)
Race 10: (6) Embrasiatic 46
Top rated winners last week included
The Elmo Effect won 50/1
Parisienne Chic won 8/1
Tahini won 5/1
Gold Sail won 4/1
Western Warrior won 5/2
Desert Chief won 22/10
In Other Words won 2/1
Highlander won 18/10
Notebook:-
Laurent Du Var (C Spies, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (turf) 17th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,33s slow
1200m (3) Normanz 69,52
1400m (2) Cup Cake 85,87
1600m (2) Rush In 97,05
2000m (1) Ollie Potts 124,52
2400m (1) Alghadeer 147,47
Greyville (poly) 17th March
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,25s slow
1000m (1) Vine Street Star 58,83
1200m (2) Kept Secret 72,22
1400m (1) Honest Prince 84,78
1600m (4) Selvan’s Jet 96,70
Turffontein (inner) 18th March
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,20s slow
1000m (2) Spring Breeze 58,45
1450m (2) Rose Of Soweto 88,44
1600m (3) Coral Fever 96,58
1800m (2) The Elmo Effect 109,55
