Out-Manoeuvred
Fairview 2nd May: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when SCUZAMI did the business in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Allowed to drift right out to 14/10 from 7/10 during the morning, the son of Windrush was soon up handy. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 100m out.
The easiest victory on the card was that of RUSSIAN MIG in the faster of the two 1400m events, a MR85 Handicap. More often than not seen running on stoutly from off the pace, Hekkie Strydom’s charge raced very close to the speed here. He took up the running shortly after passing halfway and after quickly skipping clear in the straight, he went on to score very cosily by three.
The not so lucky last was a MR68 Handicap over 1400m and here victory went to the recent maiden winner ONE TRACK MIND. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and although the always handy MY JELLY BEAN did manage to make some headway in the closing stages of the race, he still had a length and three quarters to spare at the wire.
Titbits
ROSEY PEG and BORN FOR BALLET both ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race when 1st & 3rd respectively in the maiden 1600m.
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Workrider’s Day
Turffontein 3rd May: All of the races at Saturday’s stand side track meeting were workrider’s events. Race two on the card was a maiden 1160m and here we saw a comfortable victory for the well exposed SACRED GROUND. Soon up handy, the Toreador gelding was always poised to strike. He did so going through the 500m and went on to win well by four and a quarter.
A MR77 Handicap over 1800m was next up and here it was nice to see the 5yo son of Tiger Ridge CAPRICORN RIDGE find his form. Content to race at the back of the seven for most of the journey, Mike De Kock’s charge began to take closer order early in the straight. He had to switch out for a clear passage at the 200m marker, but despite that he won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 2000m and the fastest of these was the MR75 Handicap won by LUCKY GAMBLER. Sent off a nibbled at second favourite at 9/2, the Silvano mare raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the long home straight though, she soon began to make headway and under a well-judged ride from Calvin Habib, she got up late to score by two.
On an afternoon where no favourites found the winner’s enclosure, the not so lucky last was won by the 20/1 shot CATCH A THIEF. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, George Scott’s charge finished best of all and got the verdict over the regular bridesmaid PERFECT WINTER by three quarters.
Titbits
WALTRAUT came from the rear when only beaten a short head in the maiden 2000m. The third horse was beaten by six lengths in this race.
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Horses For Courses
Greyville 3rd May: The first of the three Gr2 feature events to be run on Saturday afternoon was the KRA Fillies Guineas over 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the Brett Crawford trained MAYBE YES landed the spoils. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, the daughter of Tiger Ridge was always handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and won well from the slightly more fancied NOT SULKING by a length and three quarters.
The KRA Guineas was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Justin Snaith trained LEGISLATE. Usually seen running on stoutly from off the pace, the son of Dynasty adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. He struck the front going through the 400m and easily accounted for the running on BEZANOVA by three.
A winner of five from seven at the track and unbeaten over the course and distance coming into the race, BEACH BEAUTY was not surprisingly strongly fancied to win the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, and she didn’t let down her supporters. Confidently ridden by her regular partner Sean Cormack, the Dynasty mare raced fifth for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and won well from the running on RIO CARNIVAL by two and a half.
Race four on the card was a conditions plate over 1000m and here we saw an improved performance from the 4yo Var filly VARIKATE. Well supported at the track into 7/2 from 11/2, Justin Snaith’s charge led throughout. She raced two lengths clear for most of the trip and although PEJ did gain a length on her over the final 400m, she only had to be pushed out in order to score.
Titbits
VERTICAL APPROACH came from the rear when getting up in the very last stride to win the maiden 1200m.
Rejuvenated DE LA DANZA ran on stoutly from the rear when winning the MR78 Handicap over 2000m very easily by three and a half.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (3) Modus Tollendi 8 (NAP*) Race 2: (9) Imagine 17 Race 3: (1) African Gladiator 65 Race 4: (4) Fort Dixy 18 Race 5: (1) Space Girl 36 Race 6: (4) Wind At Your Back 41 Race 7: (13) Way With Words 13 Race 8: (2) Random Al 31 Race 9: (3) Blue Spirit 25 Kenilworth Race 1: (13) Pigeon Flyer 10 Race 2: (1) Black Belvedere 8 Race 3: (1) Roventas 12 Race 4: (6) Moon Shot 15 Race 5: (9) Current Event 52 Race 6: (9) Epic Tale 88 Race 7: (4) Shades Of Indigo 62 Race 8: (1) Musical Man 30 (EW) Scottsville Race 1: (6) Madiba’s Pride 21 Race 2: (8) Miss Argentina 19 Race 3: (10) King Jay 25 Race 4: (1) Promising 19 Race 5: (14) Squadron 58 Race 6: (7) Centimes 54 Race 7: (2) Gold Academy 72 Race 8: (7) Cherry Tripper 63 Race 9: (8) In Tribute 74 Race 10: (4) Natterjack 22 Vaal Race 1: (4) Belong To Me 17 Race 2: (3) Dayla 21 Race 3: (4) Attract The Crowd 2 Race 4: (2) Guy From Dubai 23 Race 5: (6) Judicial 66 Race 6: (15) Venture 45 Race 7: (6) Empire Of Fire 47 Race 8: (9) Chedwin Park 50 Race 9: (16) Beowulf 43 .
Top rated winners last week included
Catch A Thief won 20/1 Sacred Ground won 14/1 Featherfoot won 12/1 Gharbee won 10/1 De La Danza won 8/1 Gameloft won 6/1 Waikato won 4/1 Miesquesrok won 13/10 .Notebook:-
Legislate (J Snaith, KZN) .FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview (poly) 2nd May Going Standard 1000m (2) Covariance 57,13 1200m (1) Scuzami 70,45 1300m (1) Diocese 75,88 1400m (2) Russian Mig 81,17 1600m (2) Evening Rose 96,30 . Turffontein (stand side) 3rd May Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1160m (2) Sacred Ground 68,05 1400m (1) Catch A Thief 85,78 1800m (1) Capricorn Ridge 113,17 2000m (3) Lucky Gambler 125,39 2450m (1) Takushi 158,05 . Greyville 3rd May Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Varikate 58,78 1200m (2) Vertical Approach 72,36 1300m (1) Kelikote Express 78,29 1400m (3) Beach Beauty 82,99 1600m (2) Legislate 94,14 2000m (1) De La Danza 122,45
