Make Way For The Siren
Vaal 28th August: They raced on the outside track on Friday where victory in the opening maiden plate over 1400m went to the 5yo THE SANQUHARIAN. Making his 25 appearance on a racecourse here Stephen Moffatt’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and kept on strongly late to beat the friendless newcomer PENSTOCK (6/1 out to 20/1) by two and three quarters. Beaten 2,75 lengths, Penstock came from the rear.
There were three races run over 1400m in total and the fastest of these was the MR64 Handicap in which ANTONIA MAJOR caused an upset. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the daughter of Antonius Pius also raced handy. She took up the running as they approached the 100m pole and just had enough in hand to beat the running on duo of GENTLE DESIRE and ICELANDIC FIRE by a neck.
A MR88 Handicap topped the bill and in what proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events the friendless DE VAR HYT registered his seventh career victory. Allowed to drift right out to 13/2 from 5/2 at the track, the top weight was soon positioned close to the speed. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on JIMMY CHOO by a length and three quarters.
The biggest winning margin on the card was the five and a half lengths recorded by SIREN’S CALL in the maiden plate over 1200m. Run in a faster time than that of the graduation plate won by SILVER CLASS, Sean Tarry’s newcomer (7/1 out to 14’s) raced in the rear and was still easily six lengths adrift of the leaders going through the 400m. The daughter of Elusive Fort quickened in very good style from there onwards though and cruised clear to score by five and a half after striking the front 150m out.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride SILVER CLASS ran on well from the rear when winning the graduation plate over 1200m going away by two.
CAPTAIN ALDO and ORIENTAL BLUE both ran on well from the rear when 2nd & 4th respectively in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.
.
No Favs
Fairview 29th August: Originally scheduled to take place on the turf, all of the races at this meeting were run on the poly track.
A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway and here we saw a nice performance from the newcomer DIAMOND CUT. Allowed to ease out to 11/2 from 7/2 joint favourite at the track, Alan Greeff’s charge raced in the back end of midfield early on. Once in the straight though she quickened well and under a well-judged ride from Charles Ndlovu she got up late to deny the front running PRETTYAMAZINGGRACE. One to look out for next time from this race is the fifth placed runner FLOWER BOWL BLISS (beaten 2,05 lengths). Another to run on from the backend of midfield Tara Laing’s charge was continually baulked for a run in the straight, and quickened very nicely late on.
Four of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR93 Handicap won by the well-supported outsider ALBARAKAH. Backed throughout the afternoon into 8/1 from 20’s, Glen Kotzen’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. He quickened well at the top of the short home straight and won going away by three quarters after striking the front close home.
The faster of the two 1400m races on the card was the MR72 Handicap won by the 5/1 shot KONO. Swiftly guided over from a wide draw by champion jockey S’manga Khumalo, the 4yo son of Dynasty was always in touch with the leaders. He made his move early in the straight and hitting the front 200m from home, he went on to win well by two and a quarter.
The afternoon’s feature event was the listed Jockey Club Stakes over 2000m and here a major upset was to be had when BURSARY registered only her second career victory. Freely available 25/1 on the off, Jacque Strydom’s charge raced towards the backend of midfield for most of the journey. She ran on stoutly in the straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the dying strides to deny another unfancied runner in SPARKLING SAPHIR.
Titbits
DIAMOND ALLY ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the MR66 Handicap over 1200m.
.
Anger Management
Vaal 30th August: There were a number of very easy victories at the Vaal’s sand track on Saturday, but none more so than that of GREEN ROCK in the fastest of the six 1200m events, a maiden plate. Deposed at the top of the boards as money came for the newcomer THE CAPTAIN’S TUNE (28/10 into 15/10), Wallace Tolmay’s charge (16/10 out to 2/1) was soon at the head of affairs. He began to assert his authority going through the 400m and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by seven. After losing two lengths at the start Captain’s Tune (finished 4th beaten 12 lengths) never got in a blow.
Another to win with authority on this card was JUDGEANDJURY in the not so lucky last, a MR72 Handicap over 1200m. Freely available at 50/1 on the off, the son of Judpot was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running as they approached the 400 marker and drew clear easily from that point to score by five and a quarter.
After the scratching of PRECURSOR the Michael Azzie trained ISPHAN looked to be a good thing in the progress plate over 1000m and so it proved to be. Taken straight to the front by Derrick David the 13/20 favourite led throughout. He was always clear and although ATSO TIME did make some headway late on, he won without any anxious moments by two.
The afternoon’s feature event was the Gr3 August Stakes over 1200m and with the promise of a place in africa’s richest sand race, the Gr2 Emerald Cup, for the winner, a very useful looking field went to post. On leaving the stalls it was the five-timer seeking ANGER who elected to make the running. Soon in command of a three and a half lengths advantage, Corne Spies’ charge had the rest under pressure very early on. Indeed, the only runner to get in a serious blow was the runner up ISOBAR. Weiho Marwing’s charge threw down a determined challenge over the final 300m, but try as he might he couldn’t get closer than a half at the wire.
Titbits
LAVENDER LANDSCAPE made all when winning the MR88 Handicap over 1600m very comfortably by two and three quarters.
.
Confidently Ridden
Kenilworth 30th August: The going was heavy in Cape Town on Saturday where four of the eight races were run over 1200m. The fastest of these was the MR81 Handicap won by DOUBLE WHAMMY. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on MONEY SURGER with a touch in hand.
The other four races took place over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was MAGICAL BET in the MR80 Handicap. In the rear as the ten runners turned for home, the aptly named 20/1 shot (op 8/1) ran on best of all and in what proved to be a real thriller he just got the better of BONNARD (usually seen out in the Eastern Cape) by a neck.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of SEIZE THE THRONE in the maiden 1600m. Allowed to ease right out to 14/10 from 8/10 at the track although still retaining his position at the top of the boards, the son of Dynasty was always handy. The money horse TRIPTOTHESTARS (4/1 into 2/1) got first run in the straight and 2,5 lengths clear going through the 300m he looked to have done everything right. Seize The Throne steadily wore him down at the business end of the race though and after striking the front 100m from home, he won going away by two and a quarter.
Titbits
UP IN LIGHTS was finishing best of all when third in the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m.
CAT AND THE MOON ran on well from the backend of midfield and was gaining at the finish when runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1600m.
.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview
Race 1: (2) Howami 14
Race 2: (12) Taylinlee 14
Race 3: (2) Lets Party 20
Race 4: (1) Commanche Moon 48
Race 5: (9) Burlaine Forest 86
Race 6: (1) Special Effects 44
Race 7: (2) Attachment 26 (NAP*)
Race 8: (13) Cool Spender 54
Turffontein
Race 1: (5) Captain Coyote 15
Race 2: (7) Fly Phillippa 1
Race 3: (8) Intandokazi 16
Race 4: (5) Semra 53
Race 5: (7) Shepherds Warning 62
Race 6: (17) Majestic Stride 47
Race 7: (7) Emperor Augustus 69
Race 8: (9) Shaipur 58
Race 9: (6) Gold Cup Girl 24
Kenilworth
Race 1: (6) Rare Stone 14
Race 2: (1) Night In Seattle 4
Race 3: (8) Milton 24
Race 4: (9) Mantle’s Heath 45
Race 5: (3) Readytogorightnow 74
Race 6: (1) Asstar 45
Race 7: (7) The Which Doctor 73 NAP*)
Race 8: (4) De Kock 76
Race 9: (3) Gifford 37
Race 10: (1) Lifes Design 51
Scottsville
Race 1: (2) Princess Ariel 17
Race 2: (4) Generalissimo 40
Race 3: (12) The Poet 30
Race 4: (9) Theseus 18 (NAP*)
Race 5: (10) Casciano 29
Race 6: (9) Microstate 48
Race 7: (7) Pyrotechnics 88
Race 8: (8) Iswithi 48
Race 9: (10) Here We Are 49
Race 10: (6) Divine Wind 16
.
Top rated winners last week included
Pigeon Flyer won 16/1
Albarakah won 8/1
De Var Hyt won 13/2
Belle Juliette won 7/2
Harvard Crimson won 28/10
Green Rock won 2/1
Seize The Throne won 14/10
Isphan won 13/20
.
Notebook:-
Silver Class (JJ Van Vuuren, Gauteng)
Siren’s Call (S Tarry, Gauteng)
.
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal (outside) 28th August
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) De Var Hyt 56,86
1200m (2) Siren’s Call 71,40
1400m (3) Antonia Major 83,80
1600m (2) Indian Giant 96,11
Fairview (poly) 29th August
Going Standard
1000m (1) Diamond Cut 59,94
1200m (4) Albarakah 71,29
1400m (2) Kono 84,04
1800m (1) Wooden Star 111,83
2000m (1) Bursary 128,22
Vaal (sand) 30th August
Going Standard
1000m (1) Isphan 59,26
1200m (6) Green Rock 72,52
1450m (1) Go Dutch 91,11
1600m (1) Lavender Landscape 99,82
1800m (1) Tomorrow’s Miss 114,36`
Kenilworth (old) 31st August
Penetrometer 33 – Going Heavy
1200m (4) Double Whammy 77,78*
1600m (4) Magical Bet 104,90
