Change Of Scenary

Two Dead Heats

Fairview 17^th January: All of the races took place on the poly track on Friday where amazingly there were two dead heats. The first of these came in the MR55 Handicap in which PINDAN BLUE and ENDLESS JOY shared the spoils. Endless Joy sat the closest to the pace and took up the running 400m out after racing handy. Pindan Blue meanwhile raced towards the backend of midfield and in a race where only a short head separated the first three home, she got up to share in the very last stride.

At the other end of the scale the biggest winning margin was the 3,25 lengths recorded by TRIBAL PARTY in the maiden 1600m. Taken straight to the front by Greg Cheyne, the costly to follow son of Lecture made all. He was always three lengths clear and won without any anxious moments.

Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of the veteran WHITE HOUSE in winning the MR78 Handicap over 2200m. In the rear early on, Grant Paddock’s 8yo steadily worked his way through the field and struck the front at the top of the short home straight. He ran on strongly over the final 400m and won comfortably by two and a quarter.

The afternoon’s feature event was the non-black type Aloe Handicap over 1300m and this is where the second dead-heat occurred. WINTER FANTASY and ARROW HEART were the horses involved. Winter Fantasy made the running and three lengths clear turning for home she looked to have the race in the bag. After racing second though, Arrow Heart took off late and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up to share on the post.

Titbits

MEET THE MORNING (midfield) and DO YOU DANCE (rear, hampered 400m) both ran on well when 1^st & 3^rd respectively in the maiden 1900m.

KINGSTON ran on well from midfield when getting up in the very last stride to win the novice 1000m.

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Sean’s Big Five

Turffontein 18^th January: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where five of the nine races on the card were won by trainer Sean Tarry. The 5yo TRESCO set the ball rolling when completing a hat-trick in the pinnacle stakes over 2600m. Always handy, the Dynasty mare took up the running entering the strip and kept on strongly over the final 600m to beat RODEO SIOUX by a half.

As well as being successful aboard Tresco, champion jockey Piere Strydom was again on the mark for Sean Tarry when guiding HALVE THE DEFICIT to victory in the fastest of the four 1600m events, a MR89 Handicap. Always top of the boards, the Right Approach gelding raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and went on to score with some in hand from the 6yo TROUBLED WATERS.

The most impressive performance on the afternoon though was undoubtedly that of MISTER CRICKET in the MR72 Handicap over 1450m. Unbeaten coming into the race having won his only previous outing, the poorly drawn son of Judpot raced in the back end of midfield for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickly made his way through the field and only having to be ridden with hands and heels he easily accounted for LEEULOOP JET by three and a half.

The not so lucky last was a MR66 Handicap over 1800m and here the Tarry stable completed a five timer with the lesser fancied of their three runners THE MONEY SHOT (40/1). In the rear turning for home, the 4yo son of Muhtafal fairly flew over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up in the very last stride.

Titbits

Drawn wide and then losing two lengths at the start, lightly raced GALAXY GOLD ran on strongly from the rear when fourth beaten 2,15 lengths in the maiden 1600m.

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Improving Image

Kenilworth 18^th January: Three of the nine races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR94 Handicap won by THE WEST IS WIDE. Freely available at 9/1 on the off (op 12/1), Vaughan Marshall’s charge sat third during the early part of the race. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and a quarter.

There were also three races over 1400m and fastest on the clock here was MAN TO MAN when winning the MR92 Handicap. Taken straight to the front by Richard Fourie, the son of Silvano led throughout. He kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and held on to beat the in form SOUTH KENSINGTON by a half. One to look out for next time from this race is ROYAL FOLLY who finished third. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge had raced in the rear and was finishing best of all.

The Gr2 Sceptre Stakes over 1200m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Tamburlaine mare REFLECTIVE IMAGE gain just reward for her consistency. Content to guard the rear for most of the journey, Brett Crawford’s charge quickened best of all when the race began in earnest and just got the better of JET BELLE by a neck.

Titbits

IMPERIAL FABERGE came from the rear when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1000m going away by a length.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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