Knowledge Is Power

A Merry Dance

Fairview 13th June: They raced on the turf on Friday where victory in the opening juvenile plate over 1400m went to the uneasy PACYANO. Allowed to ease right out to 4/1 from 28/10 at the track, Yvette Bremner’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He moved through to take up the running going through the 300m and after a bumping match with the runner up FREDERICK FOX (the 2/1 favourite) below the distance he got the verdict by a half.
There were five races run over 1400m in total and fastest of these was the MR88 Handicap won by CASEY NOVAK. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 20’s, Tara Laing’s charge raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Ryan Curling he got up late to deny the 25/1 shot KINDRED SPIRIT.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by MAXIMO in the MR74 Handicap over 2700m. Soon at the head of affairs in what was a slowly run race, the Whitechapel gelding led throughout. He was always in command and ran out a comfortable winner by a length and three quarters.
The listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes for 2yo’s over 1400m topped the bill and here we saw a nice performance from the lesser fancied of Alan Greeff’s two runners DANCING NATASHA. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the daughter of Sail From Seattle was soon up handy. The much more fancied PRICELESS SAIL set the pace and going through the 400m it was clear that she wouldn’t be stopping. Indeed, she beat the rest comfortably. Dancing Natasha steadily wore her down in the closing stages of the race though and got the verdict by a half.
Titbits
En-route from the rear, the friendless FOREST NYMPH (8/1 out to 18/1) had to switch for a run 400m out before getting up late to deny the well supported favourite Pipette in the maiden 1400m.

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Varikate Makes All

Greyville 13th June: Nine of the ten races on Friday evening were run on the poly track, the only exception being the bill topping Gr2 Post Merchants over 1200m. Thirteen went to post for the feature where we saw a very gutsy performance from the bottom weight VARIKATE. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the daughter of Var was taken straight to the front by Grant Van Niekerk and led throughout. She kept on strongly in the straight and although both KINGSTON BOY and EDDIE SWEAT did manage make some headway late on, she still had three quarters of a length to spare at the wire.
Five of the nine races on the poly were run over 1600m and by far the fastest of these was the MR93 Handicap in which the improving 3yo SPEED ROCKET registered his third career victory. Well supported on course into 15/10 from 22/10, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced fifth during the early part of the race. He made his move early in the straight and after striking the front 250m from home he easily accounted for XERXES by three and a quarter with plenty in hand.
Another to win with authority on this card was MOOTAHADEE when opening his account in the maiden juvenile plate over 1400m. Sent off a strong favourite at 9/10, Mike De Kock’s charge broke well and was soon positioned close up in second. He took up the running going through the 400m and drew clear easily in the closing stages to score by three and a quarter.
The girl’s division of the maiden juvenile 1400m had gotten proceedings underway and here the newcomer GREY LIGHT did well to get off the mark. Allowed to ease right out to 7/1 from 7/2 at the track, Joey Ramsden’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride and when being forced wide after taking a bump at the top of the straight it looked as if her chance had gone. Once into stride though, the grey daughter of Tapit finished best of all and with the rest well beaten she got up late to deny the well supported OLMA (10/1 into 9/2).
Titbits
HIJACKED ran on well from midfield when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR82 Handicap over 1800m.
DIVA’S DAUGHTER also came from midfield when landing the pinnacle stakes over 1200m by a very narrow margin.

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Surprise Double

Turffontein 14th June: Saturday’s action took place on the old stand side track where the fastest of the four 1400m events on the nine race program was the juvenile plate won by CAPTAIN CLIPPER. On leaving the stalls it was ISPHAN who elected to make the running and going through halfway the son of Tiger Ridge was already six lengths clear. The early effort took its toll on Isphan 300m out though and in what proved to be a real thriller Sean Tarry’s charge only got the verdict by a neck over TOPOSTWEGO.
The fastest of the three 2000m races was the MR66 Handicap won by the lesser fancied of Geoff Woodruff’s two runners SISTERS OF MERCY. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the stable companion to the heavily supported favourite SHOUT OUT (9/2 into 18/10) raced in midfield early on. She ran on strongly down the long old stand side track straight and after a thrilling tussle with both LADY MUFFET and SHOUT OUT, she got the verdict by a length.
The Gr3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and again the race was won by the lesser fancied of Geoff’s runners KILLUA CASTLE. Not the quickest into stride when the gates opened, the 4yo son of Churchill Downs raced in the rear for most of the journey. He cut through the field nicely when the race began in earnest and fought on doggedly after putting his whiskers in front 100m out to beat the always handy HALVE THE DEFICIT (led 500m) by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
The rapidly improving 3yo FEATHERFOOT ran on well from the rear when winning the conditions plate over 1400m with authority by two and a half.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES

The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher

Fairview (turf) 13th June
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (1) Sobranie                   70,93
1400m (5) Casey Novak            83,68
1800m (1) Expedition Leader 112,27
2700m (1) Maximo                    180,17

Greyville 13th June
Turf Good – Poly Standard
1200m (1) Varikate                   70,50t
1200m (1) Diva’s Daughter     70,31P
1400m (2) Grey Light              84,03p
1600m (5) Speed Rocket         94,62p
1800m (1) Hijacked                 110,32p

Turffontein (old) 14th June
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Virgo’s Babe          57,18
1400m (4) Captain Clipper    85,74
1800m (1) Killua Castle          110,95
2000m (3) Sisters Of Mercy 125,10