Magnificent Seven
Fairview 12th May: First up on Sunday was a maiden juvenile plate over 1000m and here we saw a much improved performance from the Justin Snaith trained VOICE OF KINGS. The first of seven winners on the ten race program for trainer Justin Snaith, the 25/1 shot raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened up nicely going through halfway and won well and after striking the front 100m from home.
Four of the afternoons’ events were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by RIVERET. Freely available at 28/1 on the off, the daughter of Surging River also came from midfield. She ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and got up very late to deny the well supported favourite SUNSET GIRL.
The easiest victory on the card was registered by the Western Cape raider M’LORDS THROAT in the MR102 Handicap over 1800m. Backed throughout the afternoon into 9/10 from 2/1, Justin Snaith’s charge was guarding the rear as the nine runners turned for home. Once in the long Fairview straight though the son of Silvano soon began to make headway. He struck the front going through the 300m and with a ton in hand he went on to score by a length and three quarters.
The Gr3 East Cape Derby topped the bill and here victory went to the Jet Master colt TRUE MASTER. Sent off a well supported favourite at 16/10, True Master also came from the rear. He finished best of all and comfortably accounted for NEARCTIC DANCER by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear turning for home, HEAVENLY FLIGHT didn’t find the clearest of passages in the straight and was flying at the finish when third to Bonnard (who also finished well) in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m.
DORIS DUKE also found traffic problems before running on stoutly to take second position, beaten just a neck, in the MR71 Handicap over 1400m.
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Smart Turn Of Foot
Kenilworth 14th May: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Cape Town on Tuesday when DARLING MOON did the business in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1200m. Backed into 12/10 from 18/10 at the track, the daughter of Indigo Magic was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for WET AUTUMN MIST by two.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks was MARIA’S DAUGHTER when getting off the mark in the 1000m event. Positioned in midfield early on, Riaan Van Reenen’s charge ran on best of all and won going away by three and three quarters.
The not so lucky last was a MR69 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw another smart performance from the lightly raced son of Jallad JOHNNY ROCKETS. Allowed to ease right out to 10/1 from 5’s at the track, Justin Snaith’s charge was at the back when the thirteen runners turned for home. Once given rein though he quickened nicely and won well from the heavily supported favourite BIG CAT (6/1 into 28/10) by a length and a half.
Titbits
FAIRYINTHEWOODS showed a very nice turn of foot when getting up late to deny the unfancied Queens Music in the MR86 Handicap over 1200m.
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On Course
Clairwood 15th May: The first three races at the garden course on Wednesday were all run over 1000m and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap for apprentices won by KING’S JET. He got away well when the gates opened and after being taken straight to the front by Bryan Claassen led throughout. He was two and a half lengths clear for most of the journey and although MAJESTIC EMBLEM did make some headway late, he still had three quarters of a length to spare at the wire.
The best bet on the card for most was EARTH’S ORBIT in the graduation plate over 1200m and the 3yo daughter of Captain Al didn’t let down her supporters. Yet another winner for the in form stable of Justin Snaith, Earth’s Orbit lost a length at the start, but despite that was always in touch with the leaders. She moved through to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and went on to score very comfortably from YELLOW CARD. Unfortunately for her connections Yellow Card broke a blood vessel for the second time in this race and will now be suspended for six months.
Another to find plenty of support at the track was WESTERN JET in the MR78 Handicap over 1450m. Sent off a strong favourite at 14/10 (op 22/10), Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won well after striking the front 200m from home.
A MR86 Handicap over 1800m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the lightly raced son of Strike Smartly ONE COOL DUDE. Skilfully guided over from a wide draw by Alec Forbes, Duncan Howells’ charge was soon up handy. It looked as if he might go on to score comfortably when taking up the running 400m out, but the lightly weighted AIR PATROL ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and One Cool Dude was all out at the finish in order to score by three quarters.
Titbits
IRON LADY ran on strongly from midfield when winning the maiden event over 1600m with authority.
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Quest For Success
Vaal 16th May: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m for WINTER STAR. Backed all the way in to 22/10 from 7/1 during the morning, the daughter of Solskjaer led from pillar to post. She won with authority by two and a quarter and it could have been considerably more had she not been eased down late.
Not surprisingly run in a faster time than that of Winter Star then was the boys’ division of the maiden juvenile 1200m in which BAH opened his account. After being a little troublesome at the start the son of Daylami sat in midfield during the early part of the race. He quickened well when the race began in earnest 400m out and won going away by three and a half.
Despite racing in open company the 2yo TIGER QUEST was the best bet on the card for most and she did oblige. Deep in the red at 9/20 on the off, Dominic Zaki’s charge made all. She kept up a healthy gallop throughout and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race she comfortably accounted for her only serious rival in the betting market WHITE WHISPER by two and a quarter.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR90 Handicap over 1800m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the 3yo PIERNEEF. Content to idle along in the rear for most of the journey the most lightly raced runner in the field quickened well down the long Vaal straight and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on SERISSA after striking the front 270m from home.
Titbits
After switching out for a run GEM OF DUBAI ran on well from midfield when fourth in the MR76 Handicap over 1000m.
The 3yo VIRGINIA SOUND looked to have some in hand when comfortably accounting for TAWAKUL in the MR76 Handicap over 1800m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington Race 1: (11) Reigning Wind 25 Race 2: (16) Daresay 28 Race 3: (18) Bursary 21 Race 4: (2) Aspen Angle 39 Race 5: (12) Wild Count 54 (EW) Race 6: (9) Hidden Reserve 53 Race 7: (8) Solo Flight 90 Race 8: (6) Diva Taahirah 54 Race 9: (8) Cash Counter 51 Turffontein Race 1: (3) Enchanted Silk 10 Race 2: (8) Principled Man 28 Race 3: (1) Let’s Play 21 Race 4: (1) Size Does Count 28 Race 5: (8) Irish Gift 55 Race 6: (14) Goose Valley 79 Race 7: (16) Rodeo Sioux 46 Race 8: (5) Snowdon 98 Race 9: (5) D G’s Boy 70 Race 10: (1) Viva La Vie 21 Scottsville Race 1: (1) Burrwood 18 Race 2: (12) Balladry 62 Race 3: (5) Excuse My French 66 Race 4: (5) Guantanamera 77 Race 5: (6) My Sanctuary 43 Race 6: (13) Willow Magic 74 Race 7: (2) Welwitschia 99 (EW) Race 8: (5) Snowdon 98 Race 9: (1) Piano Man 63 Kenilworth Race 1: (1) Slavetotherhythm 12 Race 2: (2) I’m A Rock Star 23 Race 3: (1) Atrums 27 Race 4: (1) Delta Dancer 28 (NAP*) Race 5: (1) Woosh 14 Race 6: (6) Open My Eyes 56 Race 7: (7) Azaniah 62 (EW) Race 8: (11) Ashton Park 82 (EW) Race 9: (6) Captive Action 54 .
Top rated winners last week included
Adobe Pink won 11/1 Inventive Girl won 7/1 Maria’s Daughter won 5/1 Fairyinthewoods won 26/10 Darling Moon won 12/10 Agatha Panther won 8/10 Tiger Quest won 11/20 Earth’s Orbit won 7/20 .
Notebook:-
Fairyinthewoods (D Hodgson, W-Cape) Johnny Rockets (J Snaith, W-Cape) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 12th May Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft 1000m (1) Voices Of Kings 59,93 1400m (4) Riveret 85,27 1600m (1) Bonnard 99,69 1800m (1) M’Lords Throat 111,32 2000m (2) Showdown 124,15 2400m (1) True Master 157,76 .
Kenilworth (new) 14th May Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (3) Dressed In Cotton 59,34 1200m (2) Fairyinthewoods 71,70 1600m (2) Night Trip 98,43 2500m (1) Legal Trip 166,57 .
Clairwood 15th May Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (3) King’s Jet 57,68 1200m (1) Earth’s Orbit 70,52 1450m (1) Western Jet 87,67 1600m (1) Iron Lady 99,36 1800m (2) One Cool Dude 110,22 .
Vaal (inside) 16th May Penetrometer 19 – Going Good 1000m (2) Dazzling Moon 57,10 1200m (2) Bah 70,40 1400m (1) Orlando Magic 83,50 1800m (4) Pierneef 107,80
