Obvious Choices

Flying Queen

Fairview 6th May: A juvenile plate for fillies over 1000m was first up in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced CONQUERING QUEEN. At the back early on, the daughter of Elusive Fort looked to have more than enough to do passing halfway. Once into stride though she quickened well and despite racing very green she beat a useful looking field going away by a length and a half.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1000m in total and the fastest of these was the listed Milkwood Stakes won by VARIETY STAR. Another to run on stoutly from the rear, Justin Snaith’s charge finished best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up late to deny the in-form MATIES WILDEKAT.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by BABAZEKA in the MR60 Handicap over 2400m. On leaving the stalls it was SACRED CALL who elected to make the running whilst the costly to follow daughter of Ravishing was content to sit in midfield. She ran on strongly in the home straight and comfortably accounted for SOCIAL CLIMBER by two and three quarters after striking the front 300m out.
Titbits
Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, POLITICAL PLAYBOY ran on very well late when winning the pinnacle stakes over 1800m.

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False Racing

Clairwood 7th May: The best bet on the card for many at the garden course on Saturday was DANCING DYNASTY in the opening conditions plate over 1900m, and she didn’t let down her supporters. Always deep in the red, Brett Crawford’s charge raced last of the six for most of the journey. The pace was not a good one though, and as such she did very well indeed to get up in the dying strides.
The Gr1 Gold Challenge over a mile topped the bill and in what proved to be a very false paced affair victory here went to the grey KING OF PAIN. There was no pace on at all early and usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Joey Ramsden’s charge found himself at the front of a tightly bunched field. He kept on strongly when the race developed into a sprint in the straight and despite the efforts of BEACH BEAUTY and YORKER who had both raced handy, he held on to score by three quarters. JET EXPLORER fell after clipping heels in this race and broke his lower jaw. His jockey Richard Fourie was always injured and he will be off the track for at least a fortnight.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1450m and the fastest of these was not surprisingly the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes won by HAMMIE’S HOOKER. Sent off a well-supported favourite at 11/10, Mike Bass’ charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300 marker and comfortably accounted for JET AGLOW (finished distressed) by two and a quarter. After losing two lengths at the start, DOLOMITI ran on strongly from the rear in this race to take fourth.
Titbits
BELOVED COUNTRY and JUST LUCKY both ran on well from midfield when 1st & 3rd respectively in the listed Devon Air Stakes over 1450m.
Poorly drawn STOLEN DESTINY ran on very well from the rear when winning the non-black type KZN Winter Challenge 1600m.

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Victorious On The Clock

Turffontein 8th May: They raced on the old stand side track on Sunday where two pinnacle stake races topped the bill. The first of these was run over 1000m and first past the post here was the 6yo Dupont gelding MAGICO. As might easily have been predicted SHARP DESIGN and VALBERG set the pace and a brisk one it was too. Indeed, Magico very quickly found himself many lengths adrift in the rear. The field quickly began to concertina as the early effort took its toll on the leaders 300m out, and running on best of all (reported lame on the near fore) he got up late to score by a neck.
Victory in the 2450m pinnacle event went to the rejuvenated MAGIC SMOKE. Coming into the race on the back of a hat-trick, Michael Azzie’s charge raced in midfield for most of the trip. The field was always very tightly grouped though, and going through the 400m just three lengths covered all. He ran on strongly from there onwards and just got the better of STORM WARNING by a half.
Race two on the card was a maiden plate over 1000m and in a time just 0,19 seconds slower than that of Magico the aptly named VICTORIOUS opened his account. He got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Gavin Lerena, led throughout. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and although the newcomer TRIP TO HEAVEN (15/10 favourite) ran on stoutly from the rear he still had three quarters of a length to spare at the wire. Keep an eye open for the runner up. He made up many lengths over the final 400m and looks sure to improve plenty.
Titbits
The newcomer MIGHTY MANZI won the boy’s division of the juvenile plate over 1160m going away by a length and a half.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

FASTEST TIMES

Fairview (turf) 6th May
Penetrometer 26 – Going G/Soft
1000m (4) Variety Star 58,53
1200m (2) Latino Lady 72,49
1800m (1) Political Playboy 113,03*
2400m (1) Babazeka 156,35

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Clairwood 7th May
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Cotswold 57,17
1200m (1) Crescendo 69,37
1450m (3) Hammie’s Hooker 85,19
1600m (2) Stolen Destiny 95,44
1800m (1) One Cool Dude 107,50
1900m (1) Dancing Dynasty 117,40
2000m (1) Air Patrol 117,84

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Turffontein (old) 8th May
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (3) Magico 56,26
1160m (2) Love To Sail 67,32
1400m (1) Echuka 87,14
1600m (2) Norgay 97,33
2450m (1) Magic Smoke 155,39