Number One
Vaal 19th December: Four of the twelve races run on the outside track on Thursday were contested over 1200m and the fastest of these was the girl’s graduation plate won by the lightly raced SHEPARD ONE. On leaving the stalls it was last season’s Gauteng Fillies Nursery winner VIRGO’S BABE who elected to make the running whilst Dominic Zaki’s charge, in a tightly bunched field raced in midfield. She ran on strongly from halfway and although the second favourite NEGEV finished well from the rear, she did have that one held by two and three quarters at the wire.
The fastest of the three 1000m events was the MR80 Handicap in which the Kahal gelding VULCAN registered his fourth career victory. He got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs, led throughout. He was always in command and went to score without any anxious moments by a length and a quarter.
The fastest of the three 1400m events was the MR80 Handicap won by the much travelled GREAT FOX. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, the son of Victory Moon also made all. He kept on strongly under a confident ride from champion jockey Piere Strydom and comfortably accounted for the well supported second favourite ZANZIBAR MAN by a length and a half.
Titbits
Lightly raced SHADOW OFHIS SMILE won the boy’s division of the graduation 1200m with authority by three and a quarter.
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16 From 52
Fairview 20th December: A maiden juvenile plate over 800m was first up in the Eastern Cape on Friday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Grant Paddock trained TASHA’S GIRL. One of three runners from the stable, the 12/1 shot led throughout. She was always in command and won without any anxious moments by three and a half.
Race eight on the card was a MR62 Handicap over 1800m and here the bottom weight LITE APPROVAL put up an eye catching performance when doing the business for the column. At the back of the thirteen strong field turning for home, Dorrie Sham’s charge ran best of all and under a well judged ride from J P Van Der Merve he got up late to score by a neck.
The listed Memorial Mile topped the bill and here victory went to the veteran CELTIC FIRE. A wonderful servant to connections, this 7yo has now won sixteen of his 52 outings. He got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m pole and went on to win very well by two and a quarter.
Titbits
In the rear turning for home, SUGAR PRISM didn’t find the clearest of passages en route to finishing third in the maiden 1600m.
MONEY FOR LOVE ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when third in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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Cruising Home
Clairwood 21st December: Five of the ten races at the garden course on Saturday were run over 1450m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR98 Handicap won by COY BOY. On leaving the stalls it was ALWAYS AL who elected to make the running whilst Des Egdes’ charge raced close up in fourth. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on AIR PATROL by three quarters of a length.
The easiest victory on the card was undoubtedly that of REDSAILINTHESUNSET in the faster of the two 1600m events. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Jose Barnes, the son of Captain Al was three lengths clear turning for home and cruised clear in the straight to score by eight and a quarter.
Another to win very well on this card was CEREZA in the maiden plate over 2000m. Positioned in midfield rounding the home turn, she quickened well at the top of the long straight and drew clear easily after striking the front 300m out.
Titbits
AUCTION KING came from the rear when opening his account in the maiden 1600m.
Running on from the rear BURRWOOD was flying late when only failing to land the MR70 Handicap over 1000m by the narrowest of margins.
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Golden Exacta
Kenilworth 21st December: The highlight in Cape Town on Saturday was the Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the stable companion to the 2/1 favourite CAPTAIN AMERICA, ELUSIVE GOLD landed first prize. The highly regarded RED RAY was the first to make a move in the straight and on striking the front 300m out it looked as if he might well get revenge for his beating by Captain America last time out. Forced to give his all though, Captain America did once again get the better of Red Ray close home. Elusive Gold meanwhile was flying up from towards the rear and under a classic ride from big race jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe, he got up in the very last stride. In the rear turning for home, POWER KING and ROMAN MANNER both ran on strongly in this prestigious race.
The supporting act was the Gr3 Cape Stayers Handicap over 2500m and here the bookmakers also swelled their satchels when TIPPUANA MOON registered his fifth career victory. Sent off some 3,5kg under sufferance, the son of Victory Moon made all. With the exception of the runner up POSH BOY (always second), Tippuana Moon was eight lengths clear turning for home and although the pack were closing in late he still had two and a quarter to spare at the wire.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the boy’s maiden plate won by the easy to back ARACHNE. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the son of Greys Inn was soon at the head of affairs. He kept on strongly in the straight and although the well supported favourite MOUNTAIN MASTER chased hard, he did have that one well held by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
BANDANA GIRL ran on strongly from midfield and was gaining at the finish when only failing to open her account by the narrowest of margins in the maiden 1200m.
After racing in the rear JET EXPLORER ran on very well late when third beaten a length and a half in the non-black type Jet Master Stakes.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Scottsville Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (1) Bez Valley 22 Race 3: (3) Castle Keep 16 Race 4: (1) Lady Jade 23 Race 5: (7) Run Softly 57 Race 6: (6) Burrwood 51 Race 7: (2) Candy Moon 56 Race 8: (13) Sweet Lily 50 Race 9: (2) Fort Gossamer 20 Fairview Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (5) Ivanka 18 Race 3: (5) Colonel Knox 24 Race 4: (5) Shimmer And Shine 60 Race 5: (7) Pamela Sue 59 Race 6: (6) Varuna 58 Race 7: (13) Array Of Stars 24 Race 8: (6) Sahvara 22 Clairwood Race 1: (1) Champagne Showers 26 Race 2: (2) A P Strike 37 Race 3: (5) Dixie Flyer 18 Race 4: (2) Trojan Lord 23 Race 5: (9) Chill 86 Race 6: (8) Bright Shining 57 Race 7: (3) Kitco 60 (NAP*) Race 8: (4) Nitro Nori 47 Kenilworth Race 1: (5) Epicentre 33 Race 2: (1) Dressed In Cotton 67 Race 3: (3) Warcraft 30 Race 4: (1) I Am The Law 13 Race 5: (5) Dogmatism 53 Race 6: (9) Captive Action 82 Race 7: (5) Pinotage Pete 52 Race 8: (4) Sister Lynn 53 Race 9: (8) Tequilla Fizz 17 Vaal Race 1: (2) Rubies And Pearls 21 Race 2: (4) Flight Of Eagles 25 Race 3: (1) Fighting Force 28 Race 4: (3) Lady Of Kildare 19 Race 5: (9) Fantastic Mr Fox 78 Race 6: (9) Due And Payable 56 Race 7: (2) Eccentric Model 40 Race 8: (16) Run Girl Wild 46 Race 9: (11) Planet Queen 44 Race 10: (1) Klondike Creek 15 .
Top rated winners last week included
Lite Approval won 66/1 Cagiva won 16/1 Go Indigo won 12/1 Celtic Fire won 17/2 Electric Electra won 5/1 Leeuloop Jet won 7/2 Shamsiya won 12/10 One Man’s Dream won 22/20 .
Notebook:-
Elusive Gold (B Crawford, W-Cape) Power King (D Kannemeyer, W-Cape) Shepard One (D Zaki, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherVaal (outside) 19th December Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (3) Vulcan 57,10 1200m (4) Shepard One 69,65 1400m (3) Great Fox 81,57 1600m (2) Master Rivas 95,94* .
Fairview 20th December Penetrometer 800m (1) Tasha’s Girl 44,28 1000m (1) Stars And Stripes 55,10* 1200m (2) Tealion 67,68 1600m (2) Celtic Fire 94,89 1800m (2) lite Approval 109,40 2000m (1) Paddy’s Girl 125,18* .
Clairwood 21st December Penetrometer 1000m (2) Eddie Sweat 57,36 1450m (5) Coy Boy 85,43 1600m (2) Redsailinthesunset 96,16 2000m (1) Cereza 124,20 .
Kenilworth (new) 21st December Penetrometer 1000m (1) Amarillo Starlight 61,35 1200m (2) Tiger Tiger 74,06 1400m (2) Arachne 88,68 1600m (2) Elusive Gold 98,89 2000m (1) Mohave Princess 126,70 2500m (1) Tippuana Moon 157,27
