Glittering Jewel
Fairview 25th March: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when the newcomer OUR JEWEL did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Sent off as the 5/2 favourite after opening up at 7/2, Alan Greeff’s charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She quickened well when asked for her effort passing halfway and under a well judged ride from Stuart Randolph, she got up close home to deny the pacemaker THE RAINDANCE KID.
The first of the afternoon’s two feature events to be run was the non black type Lakeside Handicap over 2400m and here the stable of Alan Greeff were again on the mark when the PE Gold Cup winner THUNDERFLASH recorded his eleventh career victory. Confidently ridden by Stuart Randolph, the son of Bezrin was content to guard the rear for most of the journey. Once in the long home straight though, Thunderflash soon began to make headway and after striking the front 150m from home, he kept on strongly late to beat his stable companion OCTOBER CLUB by a length and a quarter.
The listed East Cape Sprint over 1200m topped the bill and here victory went to the Justin Snaith trained THUNDER KEY. Sent off a strong favourite at 15/20, Thunder Key was always up with the speed. The well supported SCULPTOR raced with him and when that one went a neck up 200m out, it looked as if Thunder Key might have to settle for a place. The 7yo ran on stoutly at the business end of the race though and in what proved to be a real thriller, he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Titbits
Running on from the back end of midfield, the aptly named E TYPE JAG got up late to win the maiden event over 1800m going away.
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Easy For Igugu
Turffontein 26th March: The first of the eight graded races to be run on the old stand side track on Saturday was the Gr3 Protea Stakes over 1100m and here we saw a nice performance from the favourite DELAGO DELUXE (62). Allowed to ease out to 22/10 from 18/10 at the track as money came for both CARLITO BRIGANTE (33/10 into 3/1) and the newcomer ROYAL RIDGE (6/1 into 9/2), Charlie Laird’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running at the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on Royal Ridge. Delago Deluxe has won both of her starts in good fashion and is clearly very useful.
There were a number of very easy victories on the card, but none more so than that of IGUGU (85), who came home smoking in the second leg of the Triple Tiara, the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic. A fluent winner of the first leg, the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Igugu was always priced up at prohibitive odds and was eventually sent off deep in the red at 1/5. With no out and out frontrunners in the field, Igugu adopted a change of tactics here and set the pace. She was three lengths clear turning for home and when asked to step up the tempo 500m out, she soon had her seven rivals under pressure. Indeed, Igugu quickened away in good style from that point and came home very lonely by ten.
The Gauteng Guineas winner LINK MAN was sent off favourite to win the Gr1 SA Classic over 1800m and when he struck the front 350m from home, he looked to have done everything right. On hitting the distance though, several of his opponents began to close in quickly. The nibbled at Western Cape raider ENGLISH GARDEN finished best of all and under a well judged ride from Karl Neisius, that one got up late to beat his fellow Cape Town campaigner TOP SELLER by a length.
Titbits
After being caught for early toe, the well supported newcomer ROYAL RIDGE ran on strongly in the Gr3 Protea Stakes and did well to get up for second.
Sporting blinkers for the first time, the easy to back SHEZTHECLUBQUEEN ran on strongly from the rear when winning the Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes.
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Two Down, One To Go
Borrowdale Park 26th March: The easiest victory across the Limpopo on Saturday was undoubtedly that of the newcomer CONTROL FREAK who came home smoking in the opening maiden juvenile event over 1000m.Always in the red, Lisa Harris’ charge was soon up handy. She was doing it easily as she struck the front 400m out and when given rein 100m later she easily drew clear. Control Freak won by eight and it could quite easily have been more.
Another to win very easily in the maiden ranks here was RUSSINI who opened her account in the 1600m event. Taken straight to the front by log leader Quinton Riddle, the daughter of Kitalpha led throughout. She was always in command and only having to be pushed out at the business end of the race, she cruised in by four and a half. In truth, Russini didn’t have a lot to beat here, but the manner of her victory would suggest that there is more to come.
The second leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown, the Bloodstock SA 2000 topped the bill and here victory went to the winner of the first leg MINA SALAAM (33). Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 1/5, the former South African campaigner was always handy. She took a while to get going after the third favourite VINCENT took up the running 500m out and even going through the 300m, it looked as if a surprise was on the cards. Mina Salaam suddenly found her feet at the distance though and quickening in good style from there onwards, she got up late to win by a length and a quarter. Mina Salaam has now won all three starts in Zimbabwe going away.
Titbits
Sent off favourite to win the MR75 Handicap over 1700m, the former South African campaigner GRACIE JONES ran on strongly late to take third and would surely have fought out the finish had she not been baulked for a run 300m out.
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Silver Lining
Scottsville 27th March: Favourite backers got off to a nice start in Natal on Sunday when PUBLIC SCANDAL (38) did the business in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Soon up handy, despite being a little slow into stride, Mark Dixon’s charge was always positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m marker and fairly cruised clear in the latter stages of the race to score by seven.
The afternoon’s feature event was the non black type King’s Pact Stakes over 1000m and in what proved to be a real thriller, victory here went to the nibbled at SUPALICIOUS (10/1 into 15/2)), On leaving the stalls it was the speedy NOBLE DREAMS who not surprisingly elected to set the pace whilst Paul Lafferty’s charge raced close up in third. The ultra consistent TENACIOUS TESS raced with them and as they approached the 300m pole, battle quickly commenced. Tenacious Tess and Noble Dreams both gave their all in the closing stages of the race, but finishing slightly the stronger, Supalicious got the verdict by a half.
Race eight on the card was a MR84 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a smart performance from the Ormond Ferraris trained PURE SILVER (55). Allowed to ease right out to 7/2 from 2/1 at the track as money came for both GRAMMATICA (5/1 into 28/10 fav) and YOUNG CAESOUR (12/1 into 13/2), Pure Silver was content to sit towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. Once in the straight though, she quickened best of all and with the rest well beaten she got up nicely late to beat the well supported Young Caesour by a length.
Titbits
Positioned at the back turning for home, the improving CAMDEN’S LEGACY ran on best of all in the maiden event over 1400m and did well to get within 2,25 lengths of the winner Justyouandme.
After racing in the rear, SYDNEY’S GIRL ran on stoutly in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m and would have been a serious threat had she been positioned closer to the pace.
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