Five From Six
Kenilworth 3rd June: A workrider’s maiden event over 1200m got proceedings underway inCape Town on Sunday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Jet Master gelding DEL LA REY (24). Firm in the betting market at 18/10 (second favourite), Mike Bass’ charge was positioned in the rear going through halfway. Once given rein though he quickened well and after striking the front shortly after passing the 200m marker he went on to win well.
Top weight HAMMIE’S HOOKER (68) was sent off favourite to win the listed Irridescence Stakes over 1500m and although she was allowed to ease right out to 12/10 from 7/10 at the track, she did nonetheless do the business. Soon positioned in second, she was always poised to strike. She did so going through the 200m and although her stable companion INTIMATECONNECTION finished well, she went on to score with a little in hand by a length and a half. Hammie’s Hooker has now won five of her six starts.
The Gr3 Langerman over the same distance was next up and in almost an identical time to that of Hammie’s Hooker, the easy to back KING OF PAIN (54) landed the spoils. Allowed to ease right out to 6/1 from 3’s on course as money came in buckets for ABERCROMBIE (18/10 into 17/20), the son of Grey’sInnraced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well coming off the bend and went on to win very well after striking the front 100m from home.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of NORTHERN HERITAGE (59) in winning the open handicap over 1000m. Freely available at 22/1 on the off, the third winner from the stable of Mike Bass on the afternoon was detached at the rear early on. On passing halfway though she suddenly took off and finishing by far the best she easily accounted for SUPER MODEL by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Newcomer MAGENTA ROSE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the rear to take third position in the maiden juvenile event over 1200m.
Gaining at the finish, PLATINUM CAT ran on from the rear when finishing runner up in the MR94 Handicap over 1400m.
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Juveniles To follow
Scottsville 5 June: First up in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday was a maiden juvenile event over 1000m and here we saw a smart debut performance from the Mike De Kock trained newcomer TAYBA (34). Backed into 16/10 from 7/2 at the track, Tayba was soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride. She moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for another well supported newcomer in PANAMA MAN (10/1 into 4/1) by a length and three quarters. Tayba won well and jockey Anthony Delpech spoke very highly of her after the race.
Another to win well in the maiden juvenile ranks on this card was GRAY’S CHAMP (40) when opening his account in the 1400m event. Sent off second favourite at 2/1, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge was soon prominent. He was ridden to lead early in the straight and with the benefit of first run he kept on strongly over the final 400m to beat the uneasy favourite MONTELUPO (11/10 out to 19/10) by three.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR80 Handicap over 1950m and here victory went to theCape Townvisitor EUROPE TO AFRICA (51). She got away well when the gates opened, and nicely positioned in fifth was always well placed to challenge. She ran on strongly in the home straight and comfortably accounted for the favourite WINTER MIST by a length and a quarter.
There were a number of very easy victories on the card but none more so than that of PARADISE SQUARE (35) who came home smoking in the maiden event over 1600m. Deep in the red at 5/10 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead early in the home straight and drew clear easily over the final 500m to beat the most experienced runner in the field IMALI MANIA by six and a quarter.
Titbits
Lightly raced PUTINKA was running on strongly at the finish when fourth beaten just 2,55 lengths in the race won by Europe To Africa.
After being a little slow into stride and racing at the back, VERTICAL DRIFT ran on strongly to take third position in the MR74 Handicap over 2400m.
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Punter’s Best Friend
Durbanville 6 June: Favourite backers got off to a nice start at the country course on Wednesday when the Trippi filly GIRL’S BEST FRIEND (34) did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m. Running on from midfield, Riaan Van Reenen’s charge finished best of all and won going away after striking the front close home.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SILVANO’S JET (24) in the maiden juvenile event over 1400m. The best bet on the card for many, Joey Ramsden’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four.
Race five on the card was a MR80 Handicap over 2000m and here it was nice to see the top weight KHYBER CROSSING (60) gain just reward for his consistency. Soon up handy, Shane Humby’s charge was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the rank outsider of the party DAAJER by two.
Topping the bill was a MR89 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a very gutsy performance from the 6yo CAVALLI. At the helm from pillar to post, the son of Rich Man’s Gold gave his all over the final 400m and in a race where less than three quarters of a length separated the first four home, he did well to keep his nostrils in front.
Titbits
Second favourite WIND POWER was running on strongly at the finish in maiden juvenile event won by his stable companion Silvano’s Jet.
After twice being baulked for a run, the well supported outsider GRASP YOUR DESTINY ran on best of all in the MR89 Handicap over 1600m and was only beaten a neck.
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Premier League
Vaal 7 June: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where victory in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m went to the formless SWORDSMAN. Unable to get within 11,5 lengths of a winner in each of his four previous outings, the 40/1 shot Swordsman made all. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just held on by the narrowest of margins from the newcomer EAGLE FACE.
MR TOBIN had been unbeaten on sand going into the pinnacle event over 1600m, but he did find one better here. He ran on strongly from midfield, but try as he might he couldn’t get to MR PREMIER who won well in this his first outing on the surface.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by NATIONAL DANZIG in the MR75 Handicap over 1600m. Backed into 75/20 from 9/2 at the track, Tyrone Zackey’s charge as per usual was positioned towards the rear during the early part of the race. She quickened well at the top of the long home straight and after striking the front 400m from home, she cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to win by five.
Titbits
SILVER SPECIALIST ran on well from the rear when only beaten half a length in the MR68 Handicap over 1800m.
Not for the first time in recent outings, LA NEGRITA ran on strongly from off the pace when fourth in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (1) Le Var 49 Race 2: (8) Platinum Fox 15 Race 3: (18) Skippyjon Jones 16 (EW) Race 4: (5) Fragrant Al 81 Race 5: (2) Deepo 28 Race 6: (5) Jervis 83 Race 7: (2) Gossamer 46 Race 8: (17) Jupiter’s Jewel 46 Greyville Race 1: (1) Copper Bay 10 (NAP*) Race 2: (5) Good Idea 23 Race 3: (8) Ivanka 23 Race 4: (3) Brown Penny 82 Race 5: (7) Regal Joy 61 Race 6: (2) Chocolicious 81 Race 7: (1) Depardieu 89 Race 8: (16) El Momento 54 Race 9: (6) Nomzane 21 Turffontein Race 1: Crown Gold 19 Race 2: (3) Aljawhara 24 Race 3: (2) Magico 97 (NAP*) Race 4: (5) Rock Of Arts 43 Race 5: (2) Eagle High 44 Race 6: (4) Nautical 14 Race 7: (1) Sacred Feminine 66 Race 8: (14) Blue Spirit 72 Race 9: (13) Finvarra 50 Kenilworth Race 1: (9) Terminator 40 Race 2: (8) Rain Lily 19 Race 3: (2) Vail 19 Race 4: (14)KirtlingTowers25 Race 5: (9) Caseys Moment 55 (EW) Race 6: (17) Red Eminence 55 Race 7: (15) Castle Rock 45 Race 8: (16) Prompter 60 Race 9: (3) Storm Crossing 58 Clairwood Race 1: (3) Special Henny 19 Race 2: (6) Iceonic 19 Race 3: (6) Rosie The Rebel 21 Race 4: (2) Dirtydealin Mamma 16 (NAP*) Race 5: (2) Happy Archer 81 Race 6: (4) Gorongosa 87 Race 7: (7) Keep On Dreaming 86 Race 8: (5) Beaubez 42 Race 9: (4) Stone Reeves 15
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Top rated winners last week included
Victory Call won 11/2 Mcdreamy won 9/2 (d/h) Ebrowon 2/1 Way Clear won 13/10 Pigeon Power won 13/10 Sedge won 12/10 Dressed In Cotton won 9/20 Variety Club won 9/20.
Notebook:-
Hammie’s Hooker (M Bass, W-Cape) King Of Pain (J Ramsden, W-Cape) Tayba (M De Kock, KZN).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Kenilworth 3rd June Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (5) Northern Heritage Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Cash Register Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
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Scottsville 5th June Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Showmetheway Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Gray’s Champ Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Look After Me.
Durbanville 6 June Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) Girl’s Best Friend Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6) Silvano’s Jet Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Khyber Crossing.
Vaal 7 June Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Swordsman Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Mr. Premier Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
