29 For 9
Greyville 5th November: A MR96 Handicap topped the bill on Sunday afternoon’s poly track card and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events, the 8yo MUSCATT registered his ninth career victory. Priced up as one of the rank outsiders of the seven horse party at 13/1, the Victory Moon gelding was soon prominent. He put his head in front as they approached the 200m marker and kept on strongly below the distance to hold off the running on WYNKELDER.
Four of the nine races were staged over 1200m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was LUPO in the MR66 affair. Another to race handy, Muscatt’s stable companion took up the running 150m out and went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden plates on the card was the second division in which the only female in the twelve horse line up STELVIO opened her account. Always top of the boards, the 3yo was soon at the head of affairs. She found extra after being headed by OUTSIDE EDGE early in the straight, and won comfortably by a half from the running on BIOMETRIC.
Titbits
After being baulked for a run between the 250m and 150m marks, FIRST CRUSADE was flying at the finish when only beaten a neck in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m.
Cool As Ice
Vaal 7th November: The Silvano filly WIND CHILL looked to be a good thing in the progress plate over 2000m and after the scratching of ELEVATED, it was no surprise to see her leave the stalls at 1/5. Allowed to flirt with 1/7 at one point, Joey Soma’s charge sat fourth of the five early on. She took up the running going through the 800m and with her jockey looking around for challenges from the 300m pole, she won with a ton in hand by five and a quarter.
Another to win with authority on this card was the 3yo MARMOOK when making it two wins from four outings in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m. In what proved to be the fastest of the three events over the distance, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front as they approached the 400m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on KINGOFTHEWORLD by a length and a half.
Two 1500m handicaps wound up proceedings and quickest home in these was SLEEPINSEATTLE in the MR72 affair. On leaving the stalls it was BARBADOS CRUISE who elected to make the running whilst Erico Verdonese’s charge raced close up in second. He ran on best of all over the final 300m and had the runner up BLUE DIAMOND ROAD held by a half at the wire.
Titbits
The well supported newcomer OURO had the rest well beaten when running on strongly from midfield to finish runner up in the opening maiden plate over 1000m.
As Good As A Wink
Turffontein 9th November: The old stand side track staged the action at the Big T on Thursday evening where the feature event was the Gr3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m. In a race in which five females took on six males, it was the girls in the form of GIRL ON THE RUN who landed first prize. Easy to back at 11/2 on the off, the Silvano mare was always handy. She put her head in front going through the 200m and just had enough in hand to get the verdict over CORAL FEVER by a short head. The runner up had raced in the rear and only lost on the nod.
Three of the eight races were run over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was NOTHER RUSSIA in the pinnacle stakes. A winner of five from ten coming into the race, the Tiger Ridge mare was having her first start since May. Sent off a strong even money favourite despite that though, Mike De Kock’s charge raced prominent throughout. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the front running REDBERRY LANE by a half.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1160m where NAAFER in the pinnacle stakes was quickest home. Taken straight to the front by Anthony Delpech, the 3yo kept on determinedly over the final 400m and although the running on BULL VALLEY (came from the rear) was closing in below the distance, he still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
The newcomer SAN FERMIN couldn’t have been more impressive when running on from the backend of midfield to win the opening maiden plate over 1400m. She struck the front 200m out and won going away by seven.
Plenty To Talk About
Fairview 10th November: There were a number of easy victories on the turf in Port Elizabeth on Friday and none more so than that of CHIT CHAT in the MR83 Handicap over 2000m. Sent off third in the betting market at 5/1, the 4yo Pathfork filly was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a quarter.
In terms of prizemoney, a pinnacle stakes over 1600m topped the bill and here victory went to the 6yo RAZED IN BLACK. Always handy in what proved to be a very false paced affair, Razed In Black quickened well when the race developed into a sprint and in an event where less than a length covered the first five home, he got the verdict on the nod.
The afternoon’s feature event was arguably the Guineas Plate for 3yo fillies over 1400m and here we saw a smart performance from CLOUD ATLAS. Taken straight to the front by JP Van Der Merwe, Cloud Atlas made virtually all. She quickened well when briefly headed by QUEEN FOREVER 200m out, and won going away by two.
Titbits
At the head of affairs throughout, CAPE REBEL won the MR74 Handicap over 1400m without any anxious moments by three and a half.
Powerful Stock
Vaal 11th November: Racing returned to the Vaal’s classic track on Saturday where a MR90 Handicap over 1600m for 3yo’s topped the bill. In what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1600m events, victory went to the 15/10 favourite ALSHIBAA. Confidently ridden by Callan Murray, the unbeaten son of STREET CRY raced in midfield for most of the journey. He made his way through the field quickly when given rein and won going away by a length and three quarters after striking the front 200m from home.
Trainer Mike De Kock has already produced a herd of talented looking 3yo’s this season and in the newcomer DHABYAAN, he has clearly found another. Heavily supported into 11/20 before the off, the son of Medaglio D’oro was soon up handy. He put his head in front 200m out and with the rest well beaten he won going away by two from KING OF THE DELTA.
Yet another Mike De Kock 3yo (four winning 3yo’s on the afternoon) to come home smoking on this card was KREMLIN JUDGEMENT in the maiden plate over 1600m. Always handy, the son of the De Kock trained July winner Greys Inn took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and won going away by two and a half.
Titbits
UNAGI won the MR96 Handicap over 1800m a lot more easily than the official winning margin of a length and three quarters would suggest.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) State Capture 8
Race 2: (4) Desert Chief 48
Race 3: (3) Junta 14
Race 4: (10) I’ll Tell Her 13
Race 5: (3) Storyfields 16
Race 6: (1) Captain Marooned 58
Race 7: (1) Rock Of Africa 58
Race 8: (9) Treize 70
Race 9: (11) Miss Hyde 32
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (6) Ballymaine 22
Race 2: (9) Flamenco Dancer 14
Race 3: (1) Moon Shadow 22
Race 4: (4) Wild Wicket 80
Race 5: (10) She’s A Dream 64
Race 6: (2) Ryker 51
Race 7: (4) Varallo 73
Race 8: (5) If Only 73
Race 9: (2) Dark Sienna 13
Race 10: (4) First Crusade 22
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Above Eleven 10
Race 2: (1) Clifton Sunset 61
Race 3: (6) Mambo Mime 89
Race 4: (9) Pillar Of Hercules 77
Race 5: (1) Master’s Eye 74
Race 6: (2) Bold Respect 66
Race 7: (7) Undercover Agent 70
Race 8: (3) Aviatrix 42
Race 9: (13) Unicorn 15
Turffontein (sun)
Race 1: (9) Ouro 19 (NAP*)
Race 2: (3) Parisienne Chic 59
Race 3: (7) Duzi Moon 51
Race 4: (6) Tigerlace 12
Race 5: (5) Flexible Fugitive 28
Race 6: (5) Dromedaris 37
Race 7: (3) Smokey Affair 50
Race 8: (14) Golddust Woman 23
Race 9: (6) Just A Gigolo 38
Race 10: (7) Zouaves 67
Top rated winners last week included
Rainbowinthesky won 6/1
Chit Chat won 5/1
Lucky Veil won 33/10
Stelvio won 2/1
Meet The Logans won 13/10
Jazaalah won 6/10
Ossetra won 6/10
Wind Chill won 1/5
Notebook:-
Alshibaa (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Bull Valley (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Dhabyaan (M De Kock, Gauteng)
San Fermin (MG & AA Azzie, Gauteng)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 5th November
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,13s slow
1000m (2) Muscatt 57,96
1200m (4) Lupo 70,92
1600m (2) Stelvio 98,77
1900m (1) Iced Up 118,62
Vaal (classic) 7 November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,05s slow
1000m (3) Marmook 56,74
1500m (2) Sleepinseattle 89,87
1700m (1) Gambado 104,13
2000m (2) Champions Cup 122,76
2400m (1) Let It Rain 149,49
Turffontein (stand side) 9th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Queen Laurie 57,43
1160m (2) Naafer 66,90
1400m (3) Nother Russia 85,16
1600m (1) Starrett City 99,13
1800m (1) Girl On The Run 111,38
Fairview (turf) 10th November
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (1) Lady Diddeo 68,42
1400m (4) Cape Rebel 82,45
1600m (2) Exclusivity 97,25
2000m (2) Enlightenment 124,18
Vaal (classic) 11th November
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,11s fast
1200m (2) Dhabyaan 69,80
1450m (1) Bold Coast 86,58
1600m (4) Alshibaa 95,64
1800m (1) Unagi 110,32
2000m (1) Big Parade 123,62
