Couple To Follow
Greyville 21st September: Surprisingly the faster of the two 1000m races run on the poly track on Sunday afternoon was the opening maiden plate won by the newcomer MINT MASTER. Taken straight to the front by Sean Cormack the 3yo son of Jet Master led throughout. He was always in command and won with some in hand by four and a quarter. One To Follow.
The other 1000m event was the conditions plate won by the Gr1 Allan Robertson runner up RICH GIRL. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 18/10 Charlie Laird’s charge was always handy. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat her running on stable companion BELOVED COUNTRY by a neck. The runner up didn’t find the clearest of passages and can be considered as unlucky.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the novice plate won by OLMA. Nicely positioned in fifth turning for home, Frank Robinson’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after she faltered 250m out and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five. Both Frank and jockey Anton Marcus spoke very highly of this filly when interviewed after the race.
Titbits
The newcomer FORTISSIMO (lost two lengths) impressed when running on from the rear to win the second division of the maiden 1350m going away.
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Smart Victory
Vaal 22nd September: They raced on the outside track on Monday where four of the nine races were run over 1000m. The fastest of these was the MR80 Handicap in which GREASEPAINT registered his third career victory. Allowed to ease out to 9/2 from 7/2 at the track, Roy Magner’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and won well by two and a quarter.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by SMART CALL in the opening maiden plate for fillies and mares over 1400m. Despite being troublesome at the start the heavily supported favourite (2/1 into 19/20) got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. She was two lengths clear going through the 400m and cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by six and three quarters.
Another to win with authority on this card was STAY AMAZED in the MR67 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 7/1 on the off the recent sand maiden winner (also a little troublesome at the start) was slow into stride and as a result she raced in midfield early on. She moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the uneasy second favourite (2/1 out to 4/1) SAINT CLAIRE (had to switch 200m out en-route from midfield) by two and three quarters.
Titbits
The newcomer OSTENTATION ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden event over 1000m very cosily by three and a quarter.
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Sweet Double
Greyville 23rd September: Racing returned to the poly track on Tuesday where fastest against the clock in the three 1400m races was BROWN SUGAR in the MR77 Handicap. Easy to back at 8/1 on the off despite having cruised in by five and three quarters in the maiden ranks over today’s course and distance last time out, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was soon nicely positioned in second. She ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and in what was always a very tightly bunched field won fair and square by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two maiden events for 3yo’s over 1200m was the girl’s affair won by SEPTEMBER STORM. Not the quickest into stride, the daughter of Carpocrates was positioned in the backend of midfield early on. Once in the short home straight though, she quickened best of all and comfortably accounted for the easy to back MOONLITE MIST (7/1 out to 9’s) by a length.
The faster of the two 1600m events was the graduation plate won by the best weighted runner in the field AUCTION KING. Backed into favouritism at the track (4/1 into 33/10) Paul Lafferty’s charge was a little slow into stride and as a result he raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened nicely when asked for his effort though, and won going away by two and a quarter after striking the front 100m from home.
Titbits
After racing in midfield the well-supported HARRISON won the first division of the 3yo maiden 1200m with authority by three.
STORMY ECLIPSE ran on well from midfield when winning the 3yo maiden plate over 1600m.
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Coasting Home
Durbanville 24th September: The easiest victory at the country course on Wednesday was undoubtedly that of BANDANA GIRL in the fastest of the three 1600m events, a fillies and mares maiden plate. On leaving the stalls it was the rank outsider of the nine horse party STAR OF EQUUS (75/1) who elected to make the running whilst Neil Bruss’ charge sat fifth. She made her move early in the straight and won very easily by five and three quarters after striking the front 250m from home.
Another to win with lengths to spare was the Brett Crawford trained ALEXIS in the opening maiden plate over 1300m. Always handy, the daughter of Dynasty took up the running going through the 300m and went on to score very cosily by five and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the bill topping MR88 Handicap won by Hellzapoppin. Always handy, Paddy Kruyer’s charge ran on strongly in the straight and comfortably accounted for DOGMATISM by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
OLYMPIAN ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race when winning the MR78 Handicap over 1000m.
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Not So Easy
Vaal 25th September: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where the fastest of the three 1600m races was the MR87 Handicap won by AUGUSTINUS. Racing on the surface for the first time, Tyrone Zackey’s charge adopted different tactics to those usually used on the turf and made all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the uneasy favourite MIRAGE DRIVE (11/10 out to 18/10) by four and a quarter.
Race two on the card was a MR77 Handicap and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1450m events victory here went to the 7/10 favourite TELL MY STAR. Backed in from 13/10, St John Gray’s charge also led from pillar to post. He was always clear and only did the necessary after his rider had had a good look behind for challengers 200m out.
The best bet on the card for many was THE BIG EASY in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m, but on the day the son of Big Brown found one better. At the helm very soon after the start, The Big Easy attempted to make all. He did manage to hold off the rest, but couldn’t go with FACEBOOK when that one put his head in front 200m out. Facebook went on to win well by three and a quarter.
Titbits
Nibbled at DREAM LEADER won the MR68 Handicap over 1000m going away by three and a half.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Triumvirate 18
Race 2: (7) Sleepinseattle 10
Race 3: (8) A Bit Of Alright 11
Race 4: (1) Sissy Gray 31
Race 5: (3) Seaclipper 40
Race 6: (9) Can-Can Inn 43
Race 7: (1) Indian Hawk 77
Race 8: (3) Frederick Fox 51
Race 9: (15) Captain Surge 51
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Red Red Ruby 24
Race 2: (5) Colonel Bling 15
Race 3: (1) Libertine 49
Race 4: (3) Seeking The Dream 13
Race 5: (9) Festive Prince 28
Race 6: (7) Teppanyaki 54
Race 7: (8) Royal Honeymoon 56
Race 8: (11) Wren 35
Race 9: (7) Auto Pilot 47
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Tough Tiger 11
Race 2: (1) Trip Kings 21
Race 3: (1) Spiaggia 27
Race 4: (1) Kings V 43
Race 5: (3) Yer-Maan 77
Race 6: (1) Bezanova 69
Race 7: (12) Majmu 84
Race 8: (1) No Worries 85
Race 9: (1) Miss Rambo 12 (NAP**)
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (11) Winter’s Hope 1
Race 2: (3) King’s Kitten 7
Race 3: (2) Buffalo Trip 20
Race 4: (1) Run For It 78
Race 5: (10) Tempestuous 35
Race 6: (1) Lanner Falcon 75
Race 7: (1) Chestnut’s Rocket 72
Race 8: (6) Be Fabulous 55
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (3) German Lady 68
Race 2: (1) Carmela’s Furio 14
Race 3: (2) Across The Lake 16
Race 4: (2) Yesan Star 26
Race 5: (1) Moi Power 33
Race 6: (9) Royal Lance 63
Race 7: (3) Winter Glory 44
Race 8: (4) Fat Chance 42
Race 9: (4) Admiral’s Eye 79 (NAP*)
Race 10: (1) Dirty Dancing 9
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Top rated winners last week included
Dream Leader won 6/1
Auction King won 33/10
Bandana Girl won 5/2
Jellylorum won 2/1
Rumbullion d/h 14/10
German Lady won 1/1
Olma won 1/1
Tell My Star won 7/10
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Notebook:-
Beloved Country (C Laird, KZN)
Fortissimo (G Puller, KZN)
Mint Master (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 21st September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Mint Master 58,19
1200m (1) Libertine 70,91
1350m (2) Rumbullion/Greatist Hits 80,93
1400m (1) Acapulco 83,36
1600m (3) Olma 96,43
2000m (1) Black Dynamite 125,56
Vaal (outside) 22nd September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (4) Greasepaint 57,25
1200m (2) Celtic Legend 71,49
1400m (1) Smart Call 83,74
1600m (2) Glorious Jet 96,49
Greyville (poly) 23rd September
Going Standard
1000m (1) Golden Mirabilis 59,03*
1200m (2) September Storm 72,35*
1400m (3) Brown Sugar 84,75*
1600m (2) Auction King 96,04*
2000m (1) Lebeoana 122,56*
Durbanville 24th September
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (1) Olympian 58,96
1300m (1) Alexis 80,06
1400m (2) Hellzapoppin 85,34
1600m (3) Bandana Girl 99,46
2000m (1) Even So 125,72
Vaal (sand) 25th September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Dream Leader 58,06
1200m (1) Red Please 72,99
1450m (2) Tell My Star 91,25
1600m (3) Augustinus 98,84
