Bursting Clear
Fairview 7th October: They raced on the poly track on Friday where quickest home in the three 1200m races was STAR BURST GALAXY when winning the novice plate. Racing for the first time since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the 3yo daughter of Var was always in touch with the leaders. She quickened well at the top of the short home straight and with the rest well beaten she won going away from the pacemaker ROGUE RUNNER by a length and a quarter.
They also ran three races over 1300m and stopping the clock in the fastest time here was OCHONCAR when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a MR90 Handicap. Easy to back at 11/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge raced fourth for most of the journey. The always handy STRATOCRUISER took up the running coming off the bend and it was only in the very last stride that Ochoncar got his whiskers in front.
The two remaining races were both staged over 1600m where INVITING LILY in the graduation plate was the quickest home, but neither were run as fast as they might have been. Taken straight to the front by Callan Murray, Inviting Lily led throughout. She was always in command and won comfortably by a length and a quarter from the running on IMPERIAL VELVET.
Titbits
After racing handy the well-supported favourite ASHWAL won the maiden plate for 3yo fillies going away by a length and three quarters.
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Stormy Indeed
Greyville 7th October: They also raced on the poly on Friday evening where five of the eight races were run over 1600m. Run in heavy rain, the fastest of these was the MR93 Handicap won by the aptly named top weight STORMY ECLIPSE. The 28/10 joint favourite got away well when the gates opened and was soon nicely positioned in second. He struck the front as they approached the 100m pole, and all out at the finish he just managed to fend off a determined challenge from MR ROY by a neck.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by CAMOMILE when causing an upset in the MR62 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 18/1 on the off, the St Petersburg mare also raced handy. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and easily accounted for another unfancied runner in SEA FAN by three.
The best bet on the card for most was ONESIE in the first division of the girl’s maiden plate over 1600m and she didn’t let down her supporters. The 9/1 shot KUDRA made the running and staying on gamely all the way to the wire, she had the rest well beaten. Once in straight though the 1/3 favourite quickly began to reduce the three lengths deficit and after striking the front 100m from home won going away by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
A little slow into stride, ROY’S DANCER ran on well from the rear when winning the maiden plate for the girls over 1000m going away by a length and three quarters.
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Five In A Row
Turffontein 8th October: The Gr2 Spring Challenge races over 1450m topped the bill on the inner track on Saturday where all the rage to win the boy’s affair was the progressive KANGAROO JACK. Looking to extend his winning sequence to five here, the son of Querari was soon up handy. He took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and with Andrew Fortune already looking around for challenges 100m out, he went on to score with plenty in hand by two.
Surprisingly the fastest of the four races over 1450m was the MR80 Handicap won by the nibbled at NOAH’S ARK. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Denis Schwarz, the Ideal World gelding led throughout. He kept on determinedly in the straight and with the rest well some four lengths adrift, he didn’t’ relinquish an inch of his early advantage of a length to the runner up CHEROKEE GREY.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 1000m where the quicker of the two was the MR72 affair won by the top weight RONNIE ROCKET. Ideally drawn in gate one the son of Noordhoek flyer was soon nicely positioned in second. He assumed command early in the short home straight and comfortably accounted for the friendless FLIGHT MODE by two and a half.
Titbits
Lightly raced EKTIFAA won the MR76 Handicap over 1450m with authority by two.
Three lengths clear 400m out, the rank outsider of the party MELLA MARIA made all when winning the fillies & mares division of the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m by a neck.
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Captain Al At The Double
Durbanville 9th October: Four of the nine races at the country course on Sunday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR92 Handicap won by the favourite PERCIVAL. A winner of four from seven coming into the race, Andre Nel’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on BRILLIANT CRIMSON by a neck. The runner up didn’t find the clearest of passages in the straight and was perhaps a little unlucky.
Quickest home in the three 1400m races was CAPTAIN AMERICA in the bill topping Gr3 Matchem Stakes. Another to race close to the speed, Brett Crawford’s charge put his head in front 220m out and went on to score by a half. The runner up BARITONE ran on well from off the pace and didn’t find the clearest of passages over the final 400m.
Sharing top billing was the GR3 Diana Stakes over 1400m and here the progressive CAPTAIN’S FLAME completed a hat-trick. Now a winner of five from seven, the daughter of Captain Al raced third for most of the journey. She was asked to take up the running going through the 300m and won well by three quarters from the easy to back GOODTIME GAL. The runner up Goodtime Gal also finished runner up to Captain’s Flame in each of her last two starts.
Titbits
The Dynasty filly JUST SENSUAL won the opening maiden plate for 3yo fillies with authority by three and a quarter.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (9) Honeybush Tea 9
Race 2: (4) Silver Image 64
Race 3: (1) Nurse Harriet 13
Race 4: (12) Parade Council 61
Race 5: (4) One Love 41 (EW)
Race 6: (14) Evening Storm 48
Race 7: (4) Kanara 74
Race 8: (17) The Night Away 44
Durbanville (tues)
Race 1: (4) Candid 15
Race 2: (1) Flower Blue 6
Race 3: (2) Put The Berries 14
Race 4: (7) Jingle Belle 58
Race 5: (10) Imperial Dancer 58
Race 6: (1) Fromafar 60
Race 7: (8) Dawn Rising 16
Greyville (wed)
Race 1: (11) Terabyte 10
Race 2: (1) Fashion Quest 13
Race 3: (1) Brave Knight 15
Race 4: (2) Swiss Note 19
Race 5: (1) Free State 66
Race 6: (6) King Django 36 (EW)
Race 7: (10) Kolinsky 54
Race 8: (9) National Chimes 61
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (6) Secret Vision 18
Race 2: (16) Lebanese Tractor 29 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Lily Love 13
Race 4: (4) Lively Debate 13
Race 5: (6) Muntu 23
Race 6: (1) Malala 8
Race 7: (10) Bi Pot 26 (nb)
Race 8: (11) Brave Nation 23
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Top rated winners last week included
Roman Discent won 7/1
Open Heir won 4/1
Ronnie Rocket won 5/2
Ashwal won 1/1
Black Cat Back won 1/1
Kangaroo Jack won 1/1
Just Sensual won 13/20
Onesie won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Baritone (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Kangaroo Jack (G Alexander, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 7th October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,04s fast
1200m (3) Star Burst Galaxy 69,46
1300m (3) Ochoncar 74,59
1600m (2) Inviting Lily 96,25
Greyville (poly) 7th October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 1,31s slow
1000m (1) Roy’s Dancer 59,00
1200m (1) Camomile 70,89
1400m (1) Pearl Emblem 83,50
1600m (5) Stormy Eclipse 96,37*
Turffontein (inner) 8th October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,59s fast
1000m (2) Ronnie Rocket 58,34
1200m (1) A Woman’s Will 73,65
1450m (4) Noah’s Ark 87,47
1800m (1) Okavangao Delta 112,34
2600m (1) Odd Rob 166,41
Durbanville 9th October
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
Course Variant: 0,5s fast
1200m (4) Percival 71,25
1400m (3) Captain America 83,84
1600m (1) Magic Trick 100,11
2400m (1) Roman Discent 157,35
