Fairview 5th November
Burning Bright
A maiden event over 1000m got proceedings underway in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here victory went to the Grant Paddock trained SERAPHIM (16). Nibbled at on course into 8/1 from 10’s, Seraphim raced up with the speed throughout. He was three lengths clear going through the 400m and although KWAAIHOEK did make good headway in the latter stages of the race, he still had a half length to spare at the wire.
The afternoons’ feature event was a MR104 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a nice performance from the 4yo CELTIC FIRE (83). On leaving the stalls it was DAY OF THE PIPER who not surprisingly elected to make the running whilst Celtic Fire raced close up in third. Day Of The Piper kept on strongly at the business end of the race and only succumbed late to the determined challenge of D J DETZKY. Celtic Fire finished best of all though and under a well judged ride from Karis Teetan, he got up late to beat both going away.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of TEST ACT (79) in winning the MR84 affair over 1400m. The field was soon very strung out, but having gotten away well, Gavin Smith’s charge was nicely positioned in fourth. Test Act quickened best of all in the long home straight and after getting the better of the pacemaker CANNONBALL 200m out, he went on to win very comfortably by two.
Kenilworth 6th November
A Real Flyer
The easiest victory in the maiden ranks at Kenilworth on Saturday was that of MOMBASA who came home smoking in the 1400m event. Sent off a well supported favourite at 14/10, Mike Bass’ charge sat sixth during the early part of the race. She picked them off with ease early in the short old course home straight and after striking the front 300m from home, she cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to win by five. Mombasa won well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
The most impressive performance of the afternoon though, was undoubtedly that of EBONY FLYER who won the feature event, the Gr2 Odessa Fillies Championship in the style of a top class horse. The last of four winners on the card for the talented Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Ebony Flyer was always top of the boards (5/2 into 2/1). She got away well from the widest of draws and soon up handy was always poised to strike. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and with her stable companion EMERALD COVE and the four timer seeking SCHOOL CAPTAIN both unable to go with her, she drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a half. Now unbeaten in three starts, Ebony Flyer won with plenty in hand here and clearly has a very bright future ahead of her.
Another 3yo to win well on this card, albeit by a much lesser margin, was the Joey Ramsden trained ORCHARD HOUSE. Sent off a strong favourite at 17/10, the son of Casey Tibbs was always handy. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and although NYSEAN BOLT and TERRY LISTER both threw down a determined challenge at the business end of the race, he went on to win fair and square by a length and a quarter.
Turffontein 6th November
One For The Girls
They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the richest race on the card was the Ready To Run Cup over 1400m. The previously unbeaten IGUGU was sent off a strong favourite and running on stoutly from midfield as they approached the 400m marker it looked as if she might well land the odds. Unaware of the script though, the friendless HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD (14/1 out to 25/1) struck the front 250m from home and although the 7/20 favourite was within a length and a half of her at that stage, she could only make negligible headway on the run to the line.
The Gr2 Charity Mile November Handicap topped the bill and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Mike De Kock trained ALDERRY (86). One of just three females in the race, Alderry raced close up in fifth for most of the journey just a length or so in front of the well supported favourite PIERRE JOURDAN. The “people’s horse” held every chance when push came to shove, but when Alderry set sail for home 300m out, he couldn’t go with her. The veteran THANDOLWAMI ran on very well from the rear to take second, but he never looked like getting to Alderry who won with a little in hand by two and a quarter.
The unstoppable stable of Mike De Kock were also on the mark in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes when the favourite KAVANAGH (79) did the business. Backed into 22/10 from 3/1 at the track, Kavanagh had been drawn very wide, but despite that, he did manage to get position in midfield. He quickened well at the top of the long home straight and after striking the front 300m out, he kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the lightly raced GALILEO’S DESTINY by a length and a quarter. Keep an eye on the runner up Galileo’s Destiny. He was only having his second career outing here and had not raced since August. He did very well indeed to run the top class Kavanagh to a length at levels after losing two lengths at the start and can only improve.
Scottsville 7th November
Flying Late
The season’s first juvenile race got proceedings underway in Natal on Sunday and in what proved to be a real thriller, victory in the 800m scurry went to the well supported second favourite INDIGO PRINCESS (17). Backed into 7/2 from 5/1, despite heavy support for the favourite RAVE MELODY (7/1 into 17/10), James Goodman’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. Rave Melody went with her and soon clear of the remainder the pair was always in battle. Both gave their all on the run to the line and it was only very late that Indigo Princess got the upper hand.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m was next up and in a race where only a length and a half separated all six runners when the race began in earnest, a dead heat was declared between TROPICAL EMPIRE and TETELESTAI. More accustomed to running on from well off the pace, the 8yo Tropical Empire was always going to be a threat having raced so close, and in a breathtaking finish he got up to share with the 4yo Tetelestai in the very last stride.
The well supported DUNRAVEN (5/2 into 17/10) was sent off a well supported favourite to win the lucky last, a maiden event over 1950m, and he didn’t let down his supporters. Dunraven was a little slow into stride when the gates opened and as a result he raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. He didn’t get the clearest of runs when first asked to quicken by Anthony Delpech and with FEDERER having quickly gone a couple of lengths clear after striking the front 300m out, it looked as if he would have to settle for a place. Once obtaining a clear passage though, the son of Right Approach fairly flew and did very well indeed to get up in the dying strides. Dunraven is clearly one to follow, and don’t give up on Federer. The latter has bumped more than his fair share of good sorts in the maiden ranks and is capable of going one better.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview
Race 1: (6) Million Miles 20
Race 2: (1) Drummie 13
Race 3: (2) Cashmere ‘n Caviar 49 (EW)
Race 4: (6) Port Curtis 58
Race 5: (8) Legendary Flight 63
Race 6: (4) Miss Var 79
Race 7: (3) Bulldozer 81
Race 8: (3) Hail The Duke 63 (EW)
Durbanville
Race 1: (5) Crimson Lake 4
Race 2: (7) Military Band 19
Race 3: (1) Virtuoso 15
Race 4: (9) Lizzie 11
Race 5: (5) Hasseldon 42
Race 6: (3) Lion In Winter 89
Race 7: (6) Stirling Range 42
Race 8: (12) Forest Child 68
Turffontein
Race 1: (8) Hail The Tiger 21
Race 2: (1) Bling Dancer 38
Race 3: (2) Best In The West 17
Race 4: (1) Mountbatten 9
Race 5: (12) Tobrusky 50
Race 6: (10) Stella Mia 89
Race 7: (6) Engagement 69
Race 8: (1) Mocha Special 40
Race 9: (6) Captive Action 21
Scottsville
Race 1: (3) Sweet Silvano 28 (NAP*)
Race 2: (4) Clearly Keen 14
Race 3: (8) Flaming King 28
Race 4: (2) Detectorist 16
Race 5: (16) Scatcat 54
Race 6: (3) Take Over Target 78
Race 7: (4) Fairytale Story 75
Race 8: (4) Seeking The Stone 52
Vaal
Race 1: (1) Dover Crossing 18 (nb)
Race 2: (1) Phemba 25
Race 3: (14) Syncopate 24
Race 4: (5) King’s Fantasy 30
Race 5: (12) Corpes Da Elite 57
Race 6: (4) Zebulon 52
Race 7: (12) Geneva 75
Race 8: (7) American Gangsta 66
Race 9: (7) Big City Angel 34 (NAP**)
Race 10: (2) Balenciaga 22
Top rated winners last week included:-
Special Club won 7/2
Grey Starling won 33/10
Kapow won 3/1
Turbo Friday won 3/1
Kavanagh won 22/10
Headstrong won 2/1
Dunraven won 17/10
Read My Heart won 16/10
Notebook:-
Alderry (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Dunraven (A Gordon, Natal)
Ebony Flyer (J Snaith, W-Cape)
Galileo’s Destiny (C Laird, Gauteng)
Orchard House (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Fairview 5th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Seraphim
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6) Test Act
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifers
Kenilworth 6th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Slinga Malinga
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (7) Ebony Flyer
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Turffontein 6th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Mr Mickey Mouse
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (7) Alderry
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Scottsville 7th November
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Tropical Empire/Tetelestai
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Seven Network
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Rich Strike
