Family Affair
Scottsville 4th August: They raced on the inside track on Sunday where the best bet on the card for many was MISS JAGGER in the maiden plate for the girls over 1750m. Backed into the red on course, the daughter of Duke Of Marmalade was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and with plenty in hand she comfortably accounted for the lightly raced DARK MOON DOWN by a length and a quarter.
A MR79 Handicap for the girls over 1950m topped the rather moderate bill and here the stable of Gavin Van Zyl was again on the mark when IRISH WONDER GIRL did the business. Another to race handy, Irish Wonder Girl was headed shortly after taking up the running 350m out, and in what proved to be a real thriller she got back up very late.
In form jockey Warren Kennedy rode those two winners for Gavin Van Zyl and he was also on the mark for Gavin’s son Gareth when NOBLE JOSHUA landed the faster of the two 1600m events, a MR78 Handicap. Up in class after winning a MR72 Handicap over the course and distance last time out, the top weighted son of Noble Tune raced fourth for most of the journey. He put his head in front going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on veteran PETER PIPER (now a 9yo) by a half.
Titbits
The first of three winners on the card for trainer Gavin Van Zyl, the newcomer CHERRY ROAD (also Warren Kennedy) had a ton in hand when winning the 1000m maiden plate for the girls going away.
10 From 47
Fairview 5th August: Three of the nine races on Monday’s poly track card were staged over 1900m and by just 3/100th of a second the fastest of these was the MR62 Handicap won by LATERAL’S FLASH. A running on second to a fair local sort in EPIC STORM last time out, the daughter of Lateral raced in midfield early on. She quickened nicely when given rein and after striking the front 300m out, she went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
The only other distance to stage more than one race on the card was 1600m where comfortably the faster of the two was the MR64 Handicap won by the top weight VALENTINE’S GIRL. Soon up handy, the Noordhoek Flyer mare took up the running 500m out and kept on strongly in the straight to beat the running on VICTORY MARCH by three quarters.
A pinnacle Stakes over 1400m topped the bill and in what comparatively proved to be the fastest race on the card the 9yo EXELERO took his tally of wins into double figures. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off Tara Laing’s charge raced eighth of the nine during the early part of the race. Once given rein though, he quickened best of all, and in a classic finish he got the verdict on the nod.
Titbits
Having only her second outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, PALE LILAC ran on well from the back of fourteen when a length and a quarter runner up in the MR74 Handicap over 1000m.
Fortune Favours the Brave
Vaal 6th August: A maiden plate over 1400m opened up proceedings at the Vaal on Tuesday and in what proved to be the fastest of the three races over the distance we saw a comfortable victory for the 26/10 favourite WESTERN OASIS. Content to sit in midfield early on, the son of Lateral ran on well at the business end of the race and won going away from the front running LION KING.
The lowly MR66 Handicap was surprisingly the faster of the two 2000m races and here the 4yo JACKO BOY registered her second career victory. Nibbled at to go off a clear second favourite, Barend Botes’ charge raced in midfield early on. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and won going away by three from the always handy SEEKING GOLD.
In a time considerably slower than that of Jacko Boy, the gutsy RABIA THE REBEL landed the bill topping MR82 Handicap over 2000m. Ridden by the very hard working MUSI YENI, the Rebel King mare answered every call over the final 300m and held on by three quarters from the luckless PILGRIM’S PROGRESS (baulked twice in the latter stages).
Titbits
Easy to back at 22/1 on the off, OCEANIA ran on well from the rear when getting up 150m from home to win the MR68 Apprentice Handicap over 1400m.
Flying Mr Tibbs
Scottsville 7th August: Racing returned to Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday where we saw an impressive performance in the fastest of the three 1400m events from the lightly raced BAY TIBBS. Sent off a strong favourite to win his maiden here, the son of Bold Silvano was guarding the rear as the seven runners swung for home. Once given rein though he quickened in good style and won going away by three and three quarters after striking the front 200m from home.
The bill topping MR85 Handicap was the faster of the two 1200m races and here favourite backers were again on the mark when the well supported IN THE STARS did the business. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, Dennis Drier’s charge ran on strongly over the final 400m and went on to score a tad more cosily than the official winning margin of half a length would suggest.
They also ran two races over 1600m and in the faster of these, a MR84 Handicap, the easy to back
CONNECT ME registered her fifth career victory. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the Tiger Ridge mare was taken straight to the front by Serino Moodley and led throughout. She was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and a half.
Titbits
Lightly raced PRINCE OF VENICE found good outside support before running on strongly to beat the odds on favourite going away in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.
Strolling Through Surrey
Vaal 8th August: Backed into favouritism to win the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m was the Lucky Houdalakis trained newcomer WISTERIA WALK. This daughter of Vercingetorix got away well when the gates opened and was soon in command of a two lengths advantage. She kicked clear with ease when given rein 400m out and came home lonely by ten.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and in the fastest of these, a pinnacle stakes, the former Eastern Cape campaigner LAWDY MISS CLAWDY registered her fifth win. Just six went to post and nicely positioned in second she was always poised to strike. She did so going through the 300m and won well by two and a quarter from the 16/1 outsider of the sextet, TWELVE OAKS.
The MR84 Handicap was the faster of the two 1600m events (race 9 was abandoned), and here we saw another smart performance from the progressive EIGHTFOLDS LASS. One of five in line when the race developed into a sprint 400m out, Joey Soma’s lightly weighted charge quickest best of all, and won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
Now a winner of three from thirteen, the Var mare NAWAASI showed good improvement when easily accounting for her four rivals in the MR84 Handicap over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Gold Pact 11
Race 2: (4) Caballe 9
Race 3: (4) Convention 17
Race 4: (3) Data Link 42
Race 5: (2) Free Agent 61
Race 6: (11) Cowgirlinthesand 43
Race 7: (12) Ribovar 43
Race 8: (6) Travel Guide 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Nordic Queen 8
Race 2: (1) Orchid Street 19
Race 3: (6) Segontium 25
Race 4: (11) Pretty Popular 33
Race 5: (7) Flame Fella 42
Race 6: (4) Gimmethenight 56
Race 7: (10) Colour Of Light 53
Race 8: (5) Kings Archer 52
Race 9: (3) Passion Peach 33 (EW)
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (2) Lord Caro 4
Race 2: (1) Silver Beauty 3
Race 3: (2) Luxemburg 15
Race 4: (8) Janice’s Secret 29
Race 5: (2) Vijeta 20
Race 6: (1) Solid Gold 50
Race 7: (3) Di Mazzio 67
Race 8: (3) First Sighting 30
Top rated winners last week included
Connect Me won 16/1
Finchatton won 6/1
Okavango Delta won 21/4
Master And Man won 73/20
Princess Nicole won 33/10
What A Blast won 57/20
Snorting Bull won 28/10
Pidgeon Rock won 22/10
Notebook:-
Bay Tibbs (G Puller, KZN)
Cherry Road (G Van Zyl, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 4th August
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,56s slow
1000m (2) Wildly In Love 57,03
1100m (1) Harmonica 63,00
1200m (2) Dallas 68,82
1600m (2) What A Blast 98,02
1750m (1) Miss Jagger 107,80
1950m (1) Irish Wonder Girl 119,57
Fairview (poly) 5th August
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,11s slow
1000m (1) Big Bay 58,35
1200m (1) Stream Of Kindness 70,55
1300m (1) Toran’s Girl 77,09
1400m (1) Exelero 82,50
1600m (2) Valentine’s Girl 96,54
1900m (3) Lateral’s Flash 117,44
Vaal 6th August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,43s slow
1000m (1) Battle Creek 57,22*
1200m (1) I Ain’t Trippin 70,40*
1400m (3) Western Oasis 84,34*
1600m (1) Finchatton 96,53*
1800m (1) Master And Man 111,00*
2000m (2) Jacko Boy 124,22*
Scottsville (inside) 7th August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,08s slow
1000m (1) Prince Of Venice 57,28
1200m (2) In The Stars 69,23
1400m (3) Bay Tibbs 83,88
1600m (2) Connect Me 95,05
Vaal 8th August
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,29s slow
1000m (2) Nawaasi 57,57*
1200m (3) Lawdy Miss Clawdy 70,60*
1600m (3) Eightfolds Lass 96,62*
2400m (1) Snorting Bull 152,41*
