With A Pinch Of Salt
Flamingo Park 28th July: A maiden plate over 1600m was first up in the Northern Cape on Monday and here we saw a smart performance from the second favourite CAPTIVE CONSORT. On leaving the stalls it was IMPERIAL COAST who elected to make the running whilst Dorrie Sham’s charge raced many lengths away in the rear. Once in the straight though the son of ALBERT HALL quickly worked his way through the field, and went on to win well by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by BLACK PEPPER in the MR72 Handicap over 1000m. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 15/10 (op 5/2) Louis Goosen’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. He began to assert his authority as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three. One to look out for next time from this race is QUEEN OF ROCK who finished second. Having her first start out of the maidens here, Cliffie Miller’s charge ran on strongly from midfield and did have the rest well beaten.
The non-black type Kimberley Nursery over 1400m topped the bill and as expected victory here went to the useful TOPOSTWEGO. Surprisingly allowed to ease right out to 13/10 from 7/10 at the track, Corne Spies’ charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and with the rest some five and three quarter lengths adrift he kept on strongly to beat his stable companion ALL THE BIDS by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1200m events was the MR75 Handicap won by SOLDIERSAILOR. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 20’s, the 4yo son of Trippi led throughout. He was always in command and won comfortably by a length and a quarter. Running on from the backend of midfield to fill third positon (beaten just a length and a half) was ROMAN LEGION.
Titbits
Lightly raced LORD ASTRONOMY won the maiden 1200m very comfortably by two and a half.
.
Highflyer
Durbanville 29th July: The going was soft at the country course on Tuesday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1600m went to the very uneasy favourite VALERIN. Allowed to ease right out to 2/1 from 6/10 on course as money came for the lightly raced CASTLE (op 4/1, touched 19/10), the son of Lateral was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly in the straight and won comfortably from CELESTIAL FLIGHT by three quarters of a length.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by STRATOCRUISER in the MR70 Handicap over 1400m. A 4,5 length winner in the maiden ranks last time out, Glen Kotzen’s charge broke well when the gates opened and was soon very nicely positioned in second. He was visibly cruising as he picked off the pacemaker ROBERTSON 280m out and won went on to win with authority again by four and a half.
Another to win very well, albeit by a much shorter distance, was CAT AND THE MOON in the MR72 Handicap over 1300m. On leaving the stalls it was the Mellifont mare KIND LADY who elected to make the running whilst Justin Snaith’s 2yo was content to sit second last. She battled to find a clear run when the race began in earnest and had to switch out severely in order to get a run shortly after passing the 200m pole. Once seeing daylight though, the daughter of Black Minnaloushe quickly cut through the field and won going away after striking the front close home.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 2000m and the fastest of these was the MR70 affair won by TIGER TOPS. Freely available at 14/1 on the off the 3yo son of Tiger Ridge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He made his move early in the home straight and won well by two after striking the front 200m out. Running on well from the rear to fill third position in this race was FREEZING POINT.
Titbits
SHAKARA ran on well from the back end of midfield and didn’t find the clearest of passages when runner up in the girl’s division of the maiden 2000m.
The best bet on the card for many CAPTAIN’S ORDERS won the maiden plate over 1300m very comfortably with some in hand.
.
Smart Youngsters
Scottsville 30th July: The lightly raced GENERALISSIMO was all the rage to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Deep in the red at 9/20 (op 13/10) on the off Dennis Drier’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by six.
Another to win with authority on this card was AQUILA JET in the girl’s division of the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Confidently ridden by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, the daughter of Jet Master raced third for the first half of the race. She was ridden to lead going through the 400m and although her only serious rival in the betting market LILY GRAY threw down a determined challenge at that point she went on to score very easily by three.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the bill topping M93 Handicap won by the faithful servant FRIAR TUCK. A five length winner in a much lower class handicap last time out, Mark Dixon’s charge again made all. He was two lengths clear turning for home and despite the efforts of the nibbled at FLYING FELLOW in the closing stages of the race, he slightly extended his advantage.
Titbits
VINO VERITAS made all when easily accounting for her ten rivals in the MR80 Handicap over 1950m by four and three quarters.
Always one to finish well from off the pace, THE QUEEN ran on stoutly from the rear, and was gaining at the finish, when only beaten half a length in the MR74 Handicap over 1000m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Vaal
Race 1: (4) Return Of The Roar 12
Race 2: (3) Jade Bay 75
Race 3: (2) Tayba 91
Race 4: (10) Intandokazi 16 (NAP*)
Race 5: (11) Blazing Al 70
Race 6: (8) Rockingandrolling 39
Race 7: (3) Spring Blaster 41
Race 8: (7) Princess Faull 25
Scottsville
Race 1: (1) Madiba’s Pride 21
Race 2: (7) Seventh Virtue 8
Race 3: (2) Nottingham Forest 22
Race 4: (1) Le Forti 22 (NAP*)
Race 5: (12) At Midnight 46
Race 6: (4) Sheri Baby 48
Race 7: (2) She’s A Stunner 76
Race 8: (6) Melanchete 36
Durbanville
Race 1: (1) Clean Cut 7 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Missing Link 4
Race 3: (6) Lady Graca 7
Race 4: (7) Queen Of Diamonds 39
Race 5: (6) Moika Dancer 67
Race 6: (7) Bad News Meeuws 46
Race 7: (3) Prince Of Magic 39
Race 8: (6) Skipping Gal 49
Turffontein
Race 1: (1) Jay River 24
Race 2: (11) Taiwan Treasure 5
Race 3: (1) Gold Cup Girl 24
Race 4: (14) Suzi Swift 40
Race 5: (12) Microstate 44
Race 6: (3) Symbolik 45
Race 7: (6) Rocco’s Luck 77
Race 8: (9) Noah Forever 55
.
Top rated winners last week included
Reigning Wind won 12/1
Harry’s Son won 6/1
Jet Belle won 9/2
Classe Mondiale won 2/1
Valerin won 2/1
Topostwego won 13/10
Mack Desi won 15/20
Aquila Jet won 7/10
.
Notebook:-
Captive Consort (D Sham, N-Cape)
Cat And The Moon (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Stratocruiser (G Kotzen, W-Cape)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Flamingo Park 28th July
Going Standard
1000m (1) Black Pepper 57,01
1200m (2) Soldiersailor 74,26
1400m (3) Topostwego 87,81
1600m (1) Captive Consort 102,22
1800m (2) Merciless 115,30
Durbanville 29th July
Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft
1300m (2) Cat And The Moon 82,09
1400m (1) Stratocruiser 87,46
1600m (2) Valerin 102,24
2000m (3) Tiger Tops 127,16
Scottsville (inside) 30th July
Penetrometer
1000m (1) Reigning Wind 58,24
1200m (2) Generalissimo 70,48
1600m (4) Friar Tuck 96,78
1950m (1) Vino Veritas 121,75
