Going To Plan

Feature Race Double

Kenilworth 5^th June: The easiest victory in the maiden ranks in Cape Town on Sunday was undoubtedly that of DAS BESTE who came home smoking  in the 1600m event. Soon up handy, Mike Bass’ charge raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the favourite I AM WHAT I AM by five and a quarter.

Another to win very well in the maiden ranks on this card was PRAIRY STAR who opened her account in the girls division over 1600m. Absolutely friendless on course (14/1 out to 40/1), Shane Humby’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, she quickened well and after striking the front 200m out, she went on to score comfortably from the heavily supported LADY DAPPLELOO (5/1 into 11/10). Keep an eye on the runner up. She has a tendency to lose ground at the start, but she has been running on very strongly in each of her last three outings.

The first of the two juvenile feature events to be run was the listed Irridescence Stakes over 1500m and here victory went to the favourite LEEWARD. Allowed to ease right out to 17/20 from 1/3 as money in the main came for SUPER ELEGANT (8/1 into 33/10), Joey Ramsden’s charge was always handy. He ran on nicely in the straight and although the well supported pacemaker MADAME ROONEY (20/1 into 13/2) kept on determinedly at the business end of the race, he got up nicely late to score by a length and three quarters. Leeward has now won four in a row since finishing third on debut and clearly won’t be stopping here.

The Gr3 Betting World Langerman topped the bill and here the stable of Joey Ramsden were again on the mark when VARIETY CLUB landed the spoils. Nibbled at into 5/1 from 7’s, Variety Club raced fifth during the early part of the race. Stable companion MASTER MASCUS (the favourite) set the pace and answering every call from Glen Hatt in the straight, it soon became clear that he would take some catching. Indeed, with the rest well beaten, it was only very close home that Variety Club got up.

Titbits

Freely available at 40/1 on the off, the newcomer RAIN GAL ran on very nicely from the rear in the maiden event over 1200m and was only beaten by a length and three quarters.

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Class On Parade

Scottsville 7^th June: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Natal on Tuesday when the heavily supported AWESOME BEAUTY (26) did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1200m. Eventually sent off at the prohibitive odds of 7/20 (opened 7/10), Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced up with the pace throughout. GRAND NATIONAL raced with her and after a thrilling tussle over the final 400m, it was only very late that she began to get the upper hand. One to look out for next time from this race is the third placed runner BRORA. Making her debut here, Mike De Kock’s charge had raced in the rear and was running on nicely at the finish.

Race four on the card was a MR76 Handicap over 1600 and here we saw a nice performance from the Alec Laird trained            DIVINE RIGHT (41). Always firm at the top of the boards at 28/10, Divine Right got away well when the gates opened and sat close up in second. She made her move early in the straight and after striking the front 450m from home, she kept on strongly at the business end of the race to beat the running on LINEAL FACTOR by three.

A MR86 Handicap over 1000m was next up and here we saw another smart performance from the rapidly improving 3yo FLOWERS OF SPRING (66). Nibbled at in the betting market into 9/2 from 6/1, Ivan Moore’s charge raced up with the speed throughout. She moved through to take up the running going through the 200m and although the pacemaker BELLAGIO kept on determinedly after being headed, she went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter.

The afternoon’s feature event was a MR93 Handicap over 1200m and here it was nice to see the class act in the field COPPER PARADE (84) register his fourth career victory. Despite being a little slow into stride, Joey Ramsden’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the useful COOL SPENDER by a length and three quarters.

Titbits

Racing very green, the newcomer GINEPRI only found her stride late when a runner up in the maiden juvenile event over 1000m.

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In The Money

Clairwood 8^th June: A nice gamble was landed in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m at the garden course on Wednesday when the Dennis Drier trained KRUGER RAND (41) did the business. Backed throughout the morning into 13/10 from 4/1, the son of Goldkeeper was soon up handy. JOSHUAS CROWN set the pace and running on stoutly at the business end of the race, had the rest comfortably beaten. Kruger Rand produced a nice turn of foot late on though and in classic style he got up late to score by a neck.

Followers of the money were also on the mark in the next when the well supported LANGOUSTIER (33) opened her account. Always handy in what soon became a strung out field, Langoustier was always well positioned to strike. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and although the pacemaker STEP IT UP kept on strongly after being headed, he went on to score comfortably by two and a half.

A MR99 Handicap over 1450m topped the bill and here it was nice to see GALILEO’S GALAXY (85) back in the winner’s enclosure. Having his first outing since moving to Mike Bass, the son of Galileo was always in touch with the leaders. He ran on well down the long home straight and clearly unphased by the now soft underfoot conditions, he went on to score comfortably after striking the front 150m from home.

A MR81 Handicap over 1450m was next up and here we saw a smart performance from the Charles Laird trained HIGH ACCOLADE (61). Allowed to drift right out to 4/1 from 22/10 at the track, High Accolade raced towards the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he ran on best of all and easily accounted for RESTLESS WIND by two and a quarter.

Titbits

Having his first outing since November, TRIPLE VORTEX was finishing best of all when a runner up to Galileo’s Galaxy here and the apprentice rider dropped his whip late.

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Bargain Prices

Vaal 10^th June: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on the 9^th June. They raced on the sand on Friday where victory in the opening maiden event over 1200m went to the favourite JOLLY JET. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon at the head of affairs. She held just a slender lead for most of the journey, but finding extra when asked for her effort 300m out, she extended her lead to two lengths on the run to the line.

TO REMEMBER in the maiden event over 1800m was the best bet on the card for most and she didn’t let down her supporters. Allowed to ease out to 9/10 from 6/10 at the track as a nibble came for her stable companion HEN PARTY, To Remember was always handy. She was clearly cruising as she moved through to take up the running 300m out and only having to be pushed out hands and heels in the closing stages of the race, she went on to score very cosily by a length and three quarters.

Race six on the card was a graduation event over 1200m and here a bit of a gamble was landed when SAPPHIRE RING landed the spoils. Sent off at 14/1 after opening up at 25’s, Diane Stenger’s charge sat fifth during the early part of the race. She was asked to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and although the pacemaker JOLLY POPPINS kept on determinedly after being headed, she went on to score quite comfortably in the end by a length and a quarter. Sapphire Ring has now won two from six, but she has also been reported as lame twice in her six starts.

Another to land the odds comfortably after finding good outside support on this card was CALANISH who did the business for his followers in the MR74 affair over 1200m. Backed into 8/1 from 14’s, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge wasn’t particularly well drawn and as a result he raced towards the back end of midfield early on. Confidently ridden by Marco Van Rensburg though, he steadily worked his way into contention and after striking the front 300m out he easily drew clear.

Titbits

Positioned towards the rear turning for home, Full Colour ran on nicely down the long home straight and won the maiden event over 1200m going away by two and a half.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES

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