If we are watching and enjoying the racing it’s fun – especially with a winning ticket. But it’s a science to some degree and perceptions shouldn’t outweigh reality!
That’s exactly why sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
This is what we observed against the clock, this past weekend.
Quickstep Gal gained her second victory this weekend (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 27 April
Track Condition
Going: Good to Soft (straight) – Soft (inside track)
Penetrometer: 26 (straight) – 27 (inside track)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 17mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 9m
Wind: 10-15km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 0,84s slow (straight) – 0,10s slow (inside track)
In Full Flight Handicap (L) 1100m
The first of the afternoon’s four feature events to get underway, the In Full Flight Handicap proved to be the fastest of the three 1100m races. Interestingly though, these 1100m races (2 x Gr3 and a listed) were not comparatively fast run. King Of The Gauls and Chocolate Soldier set the pace here whilst the eventual winner O’TENIKWA raced in the box seat in third. He struck the front going through the 300m and just had enough in hand to hold off the faster finishing FASTNET FILLY.
Gr3 Tote Strelitzia Stakes 1100m
The quicker of the two 2yo features over 1100m was the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes and in a time almost a second slower than that of O’tenikwa, QUICKSTEP GAL gained her second career victory from just three starts. The field was very tightly bunched going through the 500m. Indeed, barely two and a half lengths covered all. Third and fourth positioned respectfully early on, the winner and the runner up Captains Envy struck the front 250m out and steadily drew clear from the remainder. It was a thrilling finish with the winner only getting the upper hand very late.
Gr3 Tote Godolphin Barb Stakes
Another tight finish was to be had in the Godolphin Barb where in a time marginally slower than that of the Strelitzia the only filly in the race ELEGANTRIX (troublesome loading) made the running. The field was again very tightly grouped passing the halfway mark, and the easy to back 25/2 shot quickened well when the race began in earnest. The always handy Good For You also finished strongly and on putting his head marginally in front 250m out battle commenced. Both gave their all as they drew clear from the remainder and in another classic finish Elegantrix only got back up 20m from home.
Gr3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes
Comparatively the fastest of the six sprint races on the card, just a few lengths covered all for most of the journey. Indeed, going through the 400m the field resembled a cavalry charge. The winner MAI SENSATION didn’t find the clearest of passages until 150m out and quickening nicely at that stage she did well to get up in the dying strides.
Quickies
Captain’s Pride beats the obscured Malshana Mou and the fast finishing notebooker, Hierarchy( not in image) in the first on Sunday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Very interestingly, the fastest 400m to finish time on the afternoon was recorded by the Duncan Howells first timer HIERARCHY (raced green) when running on strongly from off the pace to finish third in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
Fastest Times:
1000m (2) Vision To Achieve 57,95
1100m (3) O’Tenikwa 63,03
1400m (2) Icy Blast 84,55
400-finish Hierarchy 23,29
Notebook:
Hierarchy (D Howells, KZN)
Hollywoodbets Greyville 28 April
Track Condition
Going: Soft
Penetrometer: 27
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 96mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 9m
Wind: 13-32 km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 2,01s Slow
www.tabgold.co.za D Stakes 1000m
Run in a time over a second faster than the maiden plate, the D Stakes was the faster of the two 1000m races on the card. Purple Powahouse was sent off a strong favourite, and running on stoutly from the back, the 8yo What A Winter gelding recorded the fastest 400m to finish time at this meeting. Racing much closer to the pace though, the 4yo ARVERNI PRINCESS got first run and still had a length to spare over the veteran at the wire.
Three 1600m Races
The maiden plate was surprisingly the fastest of the three 1600m events and here the 3yo Pomodoro gelding WHITE SEAHORSE showed good improvement. The pace was a fair one and in touch throughout, Glen Kotzen’s charge took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker. He ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and beat the favourite Gripen fair and square by two.
Two 1800m Races
Although by far the faster of the two 1800m races, the Live Streaming www.galloptv.co.za Class 5 event was nonetheless a very false paced affair. The pacemaker Blazing Light set off at a fair clip, but after running out of gas in the latter part of the bend he faded right out to finish a well beaten last. The remainder meanwhile became very tightly grouped and barely three lengths covered all entering the straight. The easy to back NATIONAL DREAM made the first move and struck the front 400m out. Future Saint ran on strongly from the back and when he in turn put his head in front passing the 100m marker he was looking like a winner. National Dream rallied gamely once headed though and won going away after getting back up 50m from home.
Quickies
The Mike & Matt De Kock trained SPARKLING JUBILEE had to switch and was then baulked for a run twice in the straight before getting up very late to win the Class 4 event for fillies & mares over 1600m. Interestingly, despite that, this Oratorio mare still recorded the third fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon.
Fastest Times:
1000m (2) Arverni Princess 60,78
1600m (3) White Seahorse 101,10
1800m (2) National Dream 115,68
400-finish Purple Powahouse 22,88
