Our sectional timing observations after the weekend’s action-packed racing has once again unearthed some horses to keep an eye on.
An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can really and truly enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
Saturday’s Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint winner, Tenango (Andrew Fortune) ran on best of all (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 31 May
Track Condition
Going: Good to Soft (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 24 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 7 days Nil
Irrigation: Last 24 hours 4mm – Last 7 days 4mm
False Rail: 7m
Wind: 10-15km/h North Easterly cross wind
Course Variant: 0,15s fast (straight) – 1,23s fast (bend)
Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint 1200m
Six of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1200m and by far the fastest of these was the Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint won by the progressive TENANGO. Confidently ridden by Andrew Fortune, the son of Canford Cliffs raced second last some five lengths off the pace set by King Of The Gauls.
He ran on best of all at the business end of the race and recording the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon, won going away.
Tenango has now won four from five since being gelded in December and is clearly still improving. The winning time of 67,27 seconds was just 0,43 seconds outside the course record.
The Witness Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint 1200m
Although the overall time of the SA Fillies Sprint was the second fastest of the six 1200m events, the time recorded at halfway was the second slowest.
This false paced affair resembled a cavalry charge 200m from home and on crossing the line just two and a quarter lengths separated the first nine. The winner MIA MOO was always handy and got the verdict in a four-way photo.
Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship 1200m
The stable of Alan Greeff have been in devastating form with their youngsters this season and so it was no surprise that the unbeaten DIRECT HIT was all the rage in the Gr1 Allan Robertson.
Backed into the red here, the daughter of Canford Cliffs was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 500m and ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the Gr3 Godolphin Barb winner Elegantrix by a length.
Gr1 Gold Medallion 1200m
Beaten just a head by the aforementioned Elegantrix in the Gr3 Godolphin Barb last time out, the Legislate gelding GOOD FOR YOU also franked that form line by winning here. In what proved to be comfortably the slowest of the four 1200m features, they went quite quickly in the first half of the race, but with the pace then slowing late on it made for an exciting finish.
Just a length and a quarter separated the first five home with Glen Kotzen’s charge (raced up with the speed throughout) holding on by a neck from the faster finishing Charming Cheetah.
Three 1600m Races
Comfortably the fastest of the three 1600m races was the Alesian Chief (2022) Class 4 event won by MY BOY LOLLIPOP (raced without blinkers).
The second of three winners on the card for Richard Fourie, the son of Soqrat raced eleventh of fourteen for most of the journey some eight lengths off the frontrunners Lucky Dollar and the eventual runner up Terminator.
The latter stayed on determinedly over the final 400m and it was only close home that Frank Robinson’s charge got the upper hand.
Quickies
Despite being disadvantaged with a slipped saddle from shortly after the start, ONE SMART COOKIE ran on well from midfield when getting up 50m from home to win the Battle Force (2021) Class 4 event for fillies & mares over 1600m.
Fastest Times:
1200m (6) Tenango 67,27
1600m (3) My Boy Lollipop 95,65
400-finish Tenango 22,66
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 1 June
Track Condition
Going: Soft (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 28 (straight) – 29 (turn)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 67mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: Original pos with 3,5 spur: inside rail moved 3m with 2m spur
Wind: 3-14km/h North Westerly tail wind
Course Variant: 0,82s fast (straight) – 0,65s slow (bend)
Somerset 1200 (L)
Just 5 runners went to post for the afternoon’s feature and with no pace on in the early stages it proved to be very comfortably the slowest of the three 1200m races on the card.
The Justin Snaith trained ABSOLUTELY YES made the running, but only 2 lengths covered the first four at halfway. This Danon Platina gelding showed real guts and determination when the race developed into more of a 400m sprint and got the verdict by a neck in a three way photo.
Run in an overall time of 1,36 seconds faster than that of the Somerset, and most notably over 1,5 seconds faster during the first half of the race, was the Class 4 event over 1200m won SURGE OF POWER. Along with Circumbendibus, Greg Ennion’s charge made the running. He ran on stoutly below the distance and after a thrilling tussle with his fellow pacemaker, he too got the verdict by a neck.
Three 1400m Races
By far the fastest of the three 1400m races was the Class 4 event won by the well supported BOOGIEFIED. Back into favouritism at the track, the son of Justify set off at a good clip and rounding the turn much quicker than the other five races to negotiate that section, he had the field well strung out.
He kept on strongly down the short home straight of the winter course and although Scottish Kiss was gaining quickly at the finish, he still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Two 1950m Races
Surprisingly the quicker of the two 1950m races was the maiden event in which the 3yo ARIOVISTUS opened his account. Although run in a time 0,62 seconds faster than the false paced B Stakes, this too was not a true run affair.
They were relatively slow on the bend and nicely positioned just three lengths off the pace in fifth, this son of Vercingetorix was perfectly placed to strike. He took up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and with some in hand won going away by three and a quarter.
Quickies
Content to sit fifth of the seven three lengths off the pace in the opening Juvenile Plate over 1500m, RANDOLPH HEARST recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon when only failing by the narrowest of margins to reel in his front running stable companion Roland Garros.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) Surge Of Power 71,87
1400m (3) Boogiefied 85,74
1950m (2) Ariovistus 124,05
400-finish Randolph Hearst 21,99
