Scraping Home
Vaal 4th December: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the Vaal on Thursday when ANJOM did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1400m. Confidently ridden by Diego De Gouveia, the son of Snitzel raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well when given rein and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride to deny the pacemaker RUSSIAN PRINCE.
There were three races run over 1400m in total and the fastest of these was the MR66 Handicap won by the 4yo THE TIN MAN. Always on offer at around 7/1, David Nieuwenhuizen’s charge also came from midfield. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and in another classic finish, he only held on by the narrowest of margins.
They also ran three races over 1700m and stopping the clock in the fastest time amongst these was CHITENGO in the MR83 Handicap. Soon up handy, Alec Laird’s charge put her head in front 300m out. She was in turn headed by SHELLY 200m later, but fought back gamely below the distance to get the verdict on the nod.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride, and then having to switch 150m out, 5th placed TAMMANY HALL was finishing best of all when only beaten 0,95 lengths in the aforementioned MR83 Handicap won by Chitengo.
Four From Six
Kenilworth 5th December: They were still racing on the old course on Wednesday where victory in the fastest of the three 1600m events went to the Justin Snaith trained DANCING SALLY in the second division of the maiden plate for the girls. Backed into the red at the track, the 3yo daughter of Twice Over was ridden to lead 200m out, and with some in hand won going away by two.
As might have been expected, the bill topping MR96 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1400m events on the card and here favourite backers were again on the mark when SILVER MAPLE registered his fourth win from just six outings. Taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie, the Silvano gelding led throughout. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well by a half from the running on SILVA’S BULLET.
They also ran two races over 1000m. The MR76 Handicap was the fastest of these and here we saw a smart performance from the improving CELESTIAL STORM. Positioned in the backend of midfield as the thirteen runners turned for home, the daughter of Western Winter had plenty to find. Once given rein though she ran on best of all, and only having to be pushed out won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
The newcomer JE NE SAIS QUOI was finishing as well as anything when a three quarter length third in a much smarter than average maiden plate for the girls over 1600m.
Streaking Clear
Vaal 6th December: After another lengthy absence racing returned to the classic track on Thursday. A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced 3yo MOJITO MAGIC. Having only his second outing here following a six month layoff, the Captain Al gelding raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He ran on stoutly from halfway and won going away by two and a half after striking the front 150m from home.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were staged over 1450m and quickest home amongst these was SOVEREIGN REIGN in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off, the 7yo son of Dynasty gained his eighth career win here. He ran on stoutly from midfield and comfortably accounted for BOLD COAST (backed into favouritism) going away.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2400m where WONDEROUS CLIMBER ran out a very easy winner. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace, Sean Tarry’s charge struck the front 300m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a half.
Titbits
After finishing unsighted behind the very talented HAWWAAM in his only previous racecourse appearance, the Potala Palace colt APPROACH CONTROL won the maiden plate over 1450m very easily by five and three quarters.
Powerful Raiders
Fairview 7th December: Port Elizabeth’s first two year old race of the season (a maiden juvenile plate over 800) got the meeting underway on Friday and here victory went to the lessor fancied of Alan Greeff’s two runners BRANDINA. Just five went to post and in what soon became a strung out field, the daughter of Capetown Noir sat at the back early on. She ran on strongly from halfway and won comfortably after striking the front 150m out.
Surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m events was the maiden plate for the girls won by the Western Cape raider VOMANDLA. In a time almost a quarter of a second quicker than that of the MR88 Handicap, Andre Nel’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead at the 300m pole and with a ton in hand she went on to score by five.
It was a similar story in the two 1400m events where once again the lower graded of the two events was the quicker. In this case it was the MR70 Handicap won by FANTASY ART. Freely at 8/1 in this his first outing since relocating from KZN, The 7yo Wanted gelding raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He made his move early in the long home straight and went on to score with some in hand after striking the front 250m from home.
Titbits
The Western Cape raider CROME YELLOW always looked to be a good thing in the maiden plate over 1600m and Andre Nel’s charge won accordingly.
Shifting Gears
Greyville 7th December: Heavily supported to win the lucky last on Friday evening’s poly track card was RED SHIFT, and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1200m events (a MR72 Handicap), he did the business. Soon positioned close to the speed by Gareth Wright, the Silvano gelding was always poised to strike. He did so as they approached the 100m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m where the quicker of the two events was the pinnacle stakes won by ZARNITSA. Taken straight to the front by Stuart Randolph, the daughter of Querari led throughout. She was assisted by a 30km/h tail wind in the straight and in what proved to be a fast time, she just held on from the running on duo of ESSENCEOFLIFE and KATEECADOR.
A maiden plate over 1000m had opened up proceedings and here jockey Anton Marcus was on the mark when guiding OTTAWA to victory. Always deep in the red, the daughter of Brave Tin Soldier was soon prominent. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and won going away from WISHFUL WORDS by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
In a race devoid of any real pace, the 3yo BANJO ON MY KNEE improved considerably when winning the MR66 Handicap over 2000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (10) Seattle Choice 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (7) Ohsobright 4
Race 3: (7) Believethisbeauty 18
Race 4: (9) March Music 62
Race 5: (5) Boldness 3
Race 6: (8) Lucky Lulu 66
Race 7: (6) Humble Addict 50
Race 8: (10) Capaill 32 (EW)
Race 9: (13) Oracle Kingdom 45
Greyville (sat)
Race 1: (3) Final Assembly 19
Race 2: (1) Scrabble 51 (NAP*)
Race 3: (9) Missibaba 25 (EW)
Race 4: (2) Elusive Diva 19
Race 5: (7) Haylor 72
Race 6: (1) Lotsa Silver 30
Race 7: (8) Bravo Zulu 29
Race 8: (3) Greenlight Gatsby 4
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: No Qualifiers
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (3) Greener Pastures 26 NAP*)
Race 4: (2) Potjie 13
Race 5: (5) San Fermin 67
Race 6: (3) Bullsade 36
Race 7: (1) Rebel’s Champ 92
Race 8: (7) Shifting Shadows 67
Race 9: (5) Boatswain 37
Race 10: (1) Laptop Wizard 7
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (3) Grey Ferrari 7
Race 2: (1) Crusade’s Promise 6
Race 3: (4) Anglet 55
Race 4: (8) Captain’s Salute 17
Race 5: (10) Valbonne 85
Race 6: (4) Front And Centre 57
Race 7: (1) One World 70
Race 8: (2) Brave Move 76
Race 9: (7) Made To Conquer 84
Race 10: (5) Cash Call 22
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Starlight 5
Race 2: (1) Wynkelder 81
Race 3: (9) Retrial 6
Race 4: (12) Dale House 37
Race 5: (3) All Aboard 21 (NAP*)
Race 6: (16) Liverpool Lass 37
Race 7: (2) Dawn Calling 65
Race 8: (3) Amber Furst 40
Top rated winners last week included
Cop Shop won 9/1
Green Lantern won 8/1
Anjom won 22/10
Sweet Preserve won 12/10
Red Shift won 11/10
Palace Chapel won 8/10
Dancing Sally won 13/20
Crome Yellow won 4/10
Notebook:-
Dancing Sally (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Je Ne Sais Quoi (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal 4th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,02s slow
1000m (2) Memphis Belle 57,09
1200m (1) Seventh Son 69,60
1400m (3) The Tin Man 82,00
1700m (3) Chitengo 103,24
Kenilworth (old) 5 December
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,60s slow
1000m (2) Celestial Storm 58,72
1400m (2) Silver Maple 84,33
1600m (3) Dancing Sally 99,43
2000m (1) Still I Rise 125,12
Vaal (classic) 6th December
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
Course Variant: 1,52s slow
1000m (1) Mojito Magic 58,19
1450m (4) Sovereign Reign 87,81
1800m (1) Lock Him Up 109,45
2000m (1) Pretty Balerina 123,05
2400m (2) Wonderous Climber 150,79
Fairview (turf) 7th December
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant:
800m (1) Brandina 45,57
1000m (2) Vomandla 56,63
1200m (1) Quick Glimpse 69,96
1400m (2) Fantasy Art 84,73
1600m (2) Curved Light 97,69
Greyville (poly) 7th December
Going Standard
Penetrometer 0,82s fast
1000m (2) Zarnitsa 56,52
1200m (2) Red Shift 69,41
1400m (1) Lilibet 82,97
1600m (1) Born To Perform 96,49
1900m (1) Sweet Preserve 117,29
2000m (1) Ideal Duel 122,48
