Silent Mile
Fairview 7th February: They raced on the turf on Friday where victory in the opener went to the lightly raced ONE YESTERDAY. In what proved to be the faster of the two 1200m maiden events Tara Laing’s charge was always handy. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the 55/1 shot FLORISTY by two and a quarter.
The faster of the two 1400m races on the card was the non-black type Sophomore Plate in which OATS registered his four career victory. Making only his tenth racecourse appearance the son of Lundy’s Liability raced fourth for most of the journey. He quickened well when the race began in earnest and with the rest well beaten he got the better of the fancied KING OF INDIANS by a half.
The afternoon’s feature event was the non-black type Fairview Mile and here victory went to the nibbled at SILENT PARTNER. On leaving the stalls it was CELTIC FIRE who elected to make the running whilst Mitch Wiese’s charge raced close up in third. He made his move going through the 400m and after a thrilling tussle with both OTTIMO and RED BARREL he got the verdict by a half.
Titbits
FREEZING POINT and THE GRAND both ran on well from the backend of midfield when 1st & 3rd respectively in the maiden 1800m.
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Tasty Conditions
Greyville 7th February: Three of the nine races at Greyville on Friday evening were run over 1900m and the fastest of these was the MR73 Handicap won by TIGER CUB. The field was strung out early on and although Yogis Govender’s charge sat fifth he was a number of lengths off the pace. Once in the short home straight though he quickened well and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the better of both CHERISHED and FURAAT QUALITY by a neck.
A conditions plate over 1400m topped the bill and here victory went to the improving Var filly CAVIAR. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and just had enough in hand to beat the running on ORANGE BLOSSOM (didn’t find the clearest of passages) by a neck.
Amazingly the biggest winning margin on the card was just the length and a quarter recorded by WATTALOTIGOT in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Close to the speed throughout, Pat Lunn’s charge took up the running at the 100m marker and won comfortably from SORBONNE (baulked 200-100m).
Titbits
HAWK WING ran on well from midfield when a three quarter length third in the maiden 2000m.
CANDY MOON came from the rear when a half length runner up in the MR90 Handicap over 1900m.
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Alec On Top
Turffontein 8th February: They raced on the inside track on Saturday where the fastest of the four 1600m races was the listed Wolf Power Handicap won by HALVE THE DIFICIT. Backed throughout the day into 18/10 favourite from 4/1, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in the rear early on. Once given rein though he quickened well and under a vintage ride from Piere Strydom he got up in the dying strides to deny the four timer seeking CAPTAIN LARS. Third placed GLORIOUS JET (beaten half a length) also came from the rear and was finishing best of all over the final 100m.
The faster of the two Gr3 events over 1450m was the Tony Ruffel Stakes won by BOUCLETTE TOP. Squeezed at the start, the heavily supported son of Giant’s Causeway raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and after getting the better of a thrilling tussle with MR MULLINER he got the verdict by 0,35 lengths.
The 1450m Gr3 event for the girls was the Three Troikas and finding the winner’s enclosure here was the Joey Soma trained ATHINA. The easy to back SAMBA SERENADE made the running and held a very useful advantage going through the 400m. As she went out the back door though many were flying at the finish and with the benefit of first run Athina coming from midfield won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced SILVA HAWK (reported lame off fore) made up many lengths when running on from the rear to take third position (beaten 2,75) in the maiden 1600m.
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Fastest Of Four
Kenilworth 8th February: A half of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR71 Handicap won by the recent maiden winner HEADSTRONG HARRY. Up with the speed throughout, Darryl Hodgson’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and just got the better of the improving EARTHWIND’NFIRE by a neck.
The fastest of the three 1400m events on the card was the 88,25 seconds recorded by CALYPSO in the lucky last. Making her sixth appearance in the maiden ranks here the 5/2 favourite was always handy. She moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 400m pole and easily accounted for the running on CASEY’S JET by two and a half.
A MR81 Handicap over 1200m topped the bill and here it was nice to see the Western Winter mare JEAN’S PRIDE gain just reward for her recent consistency. Soon in her favourite position at the head of affairs Mike Stewart’s charge led throughout. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the running on LIELUMS by a length.
Titbits
Costly to follow DUKE OF DESTINY ran on stoutly from the rear when only failing by the narrowest of margins to open his account in the maiden 1400m.
FLYING ALLY came from the rear when getting up late to win the MR69 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: (4) Extreme Dream 11 Race 2: (5) Melita 5 Race 3: (1) Duck Dodger 24 Race 4: (14) Layette 13 Race 5: (15) Way With Words 43 Race 6: (10) Sugar And Shake 63 Race 7: (2) Sugar Ray 31 Race 8: (5) Regal Breeze 35 Race 9: (15) Restraint Of Trade 27 Vaal (tues) Race 1: (6) Millenium Reign 12 Race 2: (13) Whatalady 21 Race 3: (1) Royal Flying Corps 27 Race 4: (1) Excalivar 37 Race 5: (1) Tommy Gun 56 Race 6: (3) Golden Veil 41 Race 7: (6) Fantastic Mr Fox 80 Race 8: (8) Duty Dance 58 Race 9: (5) Fighting Force 28 Clairwood Race 1: (7) Garden Treasure 28 Race 2: (1) Gemini Gold 27 Race 3: (4) Champagne Showers 26 Race 4: (13) Magnum Opus 24 (NAP*) Race 5: (11) Storm Coast 34 Race 6: (2) Ro Carnival 78 Race 7: (6) Argyle Bay 60 Race 8: (8) Caseys Cause 73 Race 9: (11) Roy’s Royalty 44 Race 10: (4) Artistically Done 47 Vaal (thur) Race 1: (3) Global Power 26 Race 2: (9) Latus Blitz 5 Race 3: (7) Skitt Skizzle 77 Race 4: (8) Emearg 14 Race 5: (16) Tip Toe 69 Race 6: (13) Classy Looker 54 Race 7: (9) Chedwin Park 52 Race 8: (5) River Trip 62 Race 9: (8) Jumbo 41 Race 10: (17) Irish Flyer 43 Race 11: (1) Super Sami 18 .
Top rated winners last week included
Blood Buccaneer won 14/1 Dalalaat won 5/1 Mabuko Spirit won 4/1 Tuscon Dream won 4/1 Izora won 28/10 Lucky Break won 2/1 Pej won 2/1 Zakuska won 15/10 .
Notebook:-
Bouclette Top (A Laird, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 7th February Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1100m (1) Yoshie 60,86 1200m (2) One Yesterday 68,54 1400m (2) Oats 83,04 1600m (2) Silent Partner 96,16 1800m (1) Freezing Point 111,15 .
Greyville 7th February Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (1) Wattalotigot 60,75 1200m (1) Cinema Scope 72,82 1400m (1) Caviar 85,88 1600m (2) Perfect Circle 98,91 1900m (3) Tiger Cub 119,55 2000m (1) Armalite 128,81 .
Turffontein (inside) 8th February Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft 1200m (1) You’re My Hope 74,96 1450m (3) Bouclette Top 87,90 1600m (4) Halve The Deficit 98,38 1800m (1) Tinseltown 113,62 .
Kenilworth (new) 8th February Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (1) Varistar 60,55 1200m (4) Headstrong Harry 72,71 1400m (3) Calypso 88,25
