Winter To Kick Off Summer

Plenty Of Space

Flamingo Park 3^rd September: A maiden event over 1400m was first up in the Northern Cape on Monday and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the 3yo FLIRTATIOUS LIGHT. Allowed to ease out to 3/1 from 5/2 at the track, although still retaining her position at the top of the boards, Cliffie Miller’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and with her jockey looking around for challenges from the 200m marker, she went on to score by four.

The recent maiden winner HOLLYWOOD CHIEF was sent off a well supported favourite to win the MR66 Handicap over 1200m and he too did the business. Backed into 13/10 from 2/1 at the track, the son of Captain Al led throughout. He kept on strongly in the straight and comfortably accounted for the veteran GATES OF FORTUNE by two and a half.

Race six on the card was a MR72 affair over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the former Eastern Cape campaigner BIG DADDY. Making his local debut here, Jaap Visser’s charge led throughout. He led a tightly bunched field by just a length for most of the journey, but once given rein he easily drew clear. Big Daddy went on to score by six and clearly has more to come at this centre.

The easiest victory on the card though was undoubtedly that of the 3yo SPACE GIRL in the lucky last, a MR65 Handicap over 1200m. A very easy winner of both starts prior to clearly running well below best in the Kimberley Nursery last time out, the daughter of Alado was taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg and led throughout. Space Girl quickened nicely in the straight and with plenty in hand she cruised in by seven.

Titbits

After racing detached at the rear, EYE OF THE WORLD did very well indeed to win the bill topping pinnacle stakes over 1800m. The pacemaker in this event CLAVERHOUSE was returning from a break of 363 days and was only beaten 1,1 lengths after tiring late.

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Money On The Button

Arlington 7^th September: The Grant Paddock trained VIVALDA was heavily supported to win the opening maiden event over 1000m in Port Elizabeth on Friday and she didn’t let down her followers. Backed into 18/10 from 7/1 in the ante-post market, the daughter of Var was soon up handy. She ran on strongly from halfway and quickened well late to beat the deposed favourite NOMENCLATURE by a half.

Another newcomer to find good support and land the odds on this card was the Alan Greeff trained SINGAPURA CAT in the second division of the girls maiden 1000m. Backed into 22/10 from 7’s at the track, the daughter of Black Minnaloushe broke well when the gates opened and was soon nicely positioned in second. She was asked to take up the running going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the well tried CRASHFEEVER by two.

The former Natal campaigner NEVER FOREVER was sent off favourite to win the MR84 Handicap over 1200m and he too did the business. Allowed to ease out to 17/10 from even money in this his first local start, Never Forever was always positioned close to the speed. He quickened nicely over the final 300m and went on to beat both HAIL THE DUKE and the improving MAAK ‘N PLAN fair and square.

The non-black type Founders Trophy over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw a gutsy performance from the Victory Moon colt BLAZE OF FIRE. Allowed to drift right out to 12/1from 6’s at the track, Yvette Bremner’s charge was taken straight to the front by apprentice Teague Gould and led throughout. He answered every call in the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller he only got the verdict by a neck over the nibbled at KING OF FLAGS (8/1 into 13/2). Interestingly, the runner up was later reported as having not been striding out.

Titbits

Lightly raced COMMUNICATE showed good improvement when winning the maiden event over 1300m and that despite dislodging Karis Teetan on the way to the start and running loose for a brief period.

ADMIRAL JOHN PETER (reported as making a respiratory noise) ran on well from the rear when third in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.

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Promising Youngsters

Kenilworth 8^th September: After some very unsavoury results in recent meetings, favourite backers got away to a good start in Cape Town on Saturday when the Justin Snaith trained WILMINGTON did the business. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the well tried PARISIAN BOLT by two and a quarter.

The stable of Justin Snaith were again on the mark in the next, the girls division of the maiden 1200m when the friendless VARIKATE opened her account. Freely available at 25/1 on the off (op 10/1), the daughter of Var sat in midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though she quickened very nicely and easily drew clear of her well supported stable companion POUNCE (6/1 into 3/1 2^nd fav) after striking the front 150m from home. Varikate won well and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe spoke highly of her when interviewed after the race.

A MR78 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here victory went to the Glen Kotzen trained KIRTLING TOWERS. He was always handy and on taking up the running 200m out it looked as if he would go on to score easily. Running on stoutly from the back at that stage though was the 5yo STRIKE HANDS and steadily gaining throughout the latter stages he only failed to get to Kirtling Towers by a neck.

Titbits

TUBE WAVE quickened very nicely over the final 200m when getting up late to win the third division of the maiden 1200m.

2^nd and 5^th respectively, CIGAR BOY and POLO LOUNGE both ran on well from off the pace in the MR72 affair over 1500m.

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Winning Start

Turffontein 9^th September: Sunday’s action at Turffontein took place on the inner track where the best bet on the card for most IMPERIAL EMPRESS did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Allowed to ease out to 9/10 from 6/10 at the track as money in the main came for the Alec Laird trained HOLD ON (9/2 into 5/2), Imperial Empress sat some five lengths off the leader in fifth for most of the journey. She made her move at the top of the short home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she did well to get to the free striding pacemaker KIMURA CAT in the very last stride.

After the scratching of GOLDEN RING, DOUBLE BIND looked to be a good thing in the maiden event over 1800m and so it proved to be. Confidently ridden by Hennie Greyling, Double Bind raced towards the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickly began to work his way through the field and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR96 Handicap over 1800m and here victory went to one of three runners from the stable of St John Gray YER-MAAN. Freely available at 15/2 on the off, the son of Jam Alley was soon up handy. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for SPITFIRE RUN who had beaten him by two and a quarter on 2,5kg worse terms last time out.

Race eight on the card was a MR86 Handicap over 1450m and here it was nice to see the topweight MOUNT CARMEL register her fourth career victory. Nicely drawn in gate one, the joint second favourite got away well when the gates opened and was always well positioned to strike. She quickened well as they came off the strip and after a thrilling tussle with both CLASSIC ILLUSION and PASCHAL MOON she only got the verdict by a half.

Titbits

STUNNING JET ran on well from the back end of midfield when getting up late to win the MR69 affair over 1450m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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