Catch Me If You Can
Greyville 28th September: They raced on the poly track on Sunday where the faster of the two 1400m events was the MR90 Handicap won by FLYFIRSTCLASS. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, the 33/10 jt2ndfav led throughout. He was a length and a half clear coming off the bend and although the favourite ETERNAL JET ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race, he still had a half-length to spare at the wire.
There were also two races run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the graduation plate won by VARBRATION. Another to make virtually all in the hands of Anton Marcus, the lightly raced son of Var was always in command and won without any anxious moments by a length and three quarters.
A pinnacle stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here we saw a very easy victory for the Anton Marcus ridden favourite BOLD INSPIRATION. There was no pace on during the early part of the race and once again it was Marcus who elected to take the bull by the horns. They were four lengths clear at the top of the straight and went on to score very cosily by two and three quarters. After being hampered 400m out, the runner up ZHIVAGO finished very well in this race.
Titbits
Lightly raced HUNTER’S STRIDE ran on strongly over the final 300m when getting up late to win the maiden 1200m.
PILGOVAN STAR ran on well from midfield and won the maiden plate over 2000m with authority.
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Sparkling Eyes
Flamingo Park 29th September: The easiest victory in the Northern Cape on Monday was undoubtedly that of the hat-trick seeking EYES FOR YOU in the final race on the card, a MR67 Handicap over 1200m. Backed into 16/10 from 33/10 at the track, the 4yo daughter of Argonaut made all. She was three and a half lengths clear turning for home and despite the efforts of the running on PRINCESS CHICHIBU over the final 400m she extended her advantage to five.
The faster of the two 1800m events on the card was the MR77 Handicap won by CARLISIE. Sent off a strong favourite at 12/10 (op 18/10), the top weight sat fourth for most of the journey. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for the all-out pacemaker PHILANTHROPIC by a length and a quarter.
There was also two races run over 1400m and the faster of these was the pinnacle stakes won by STONE REEVES. On leaving the stalls it was the best weighted runner in the field CODE RED who elected to make the running whilst the 6yo Right Approach gelding sat some five lengths away in fifth. Code Red kept on determinedly in the straight and did have the remainder five lengths adrift at the wire. Stone Reeves quickened nicely when asked for his effort though, and under a well-judged ride from Musi Yeni, he got up late to win by a half.
Titbits
After racing detached at the rear the nibbled at NEW CIRCLE signalled a return to form when running on strongly to take second position in the MR65 Handicap over 1400m.
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Dream Victory
Vaal 30th September: Four of the nine races on the Vaal’s outside track on Tuesday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR89 Handicap won by ONE MAN’S DREAM. The strongly fancied DOLLAR DAZZLER (coming off a six month layoff) set the pace and stayed on strongly to have the rest well beaten. Louis Goosen’s in form 4yo was always travelling well in third position though, and after taking up the running 250m from home he went on to score with some in hand by two and a quarter.
There were also four races run over 1600m and fastest against the clock here was the hat-trick seeking DANISH ZEALOT in the MR76 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and taken straight to the front by Marco Van Rensburg soon had the field strung out. She ran on strongly at the business end of the race and although she was ridden out, she won very easily by three and a quarter.
The sole race over 1400m was won by FOR GIA. Freely available at 16/1 to win the MR67 Handicap over 1400, the son of Announce was always handy. He took up the running going through the 200m and won going away from the heavily supported pacemaker CIAO CIAO by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
After making the running CHARANGA won the 1600m maiden plate very easily by three and a half.
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Gutsy Performance
Durbanville 1st September: Racing on Wednesday took place at the country course where three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1300m. The fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by SOUTH KENSINGTON. The field was always closely grouped and going through the 200m the race looked wide open. Vaughan Marshall’s charge had raced close up in fourth and quickened nicely below the distance to get the verdict by a half.
The faster of the two 2000m races on the card, surprisingly, was the maiden plate (the other was a MR72 Handicap) won by SHAKESEAR’S LADY. Always handy, the well exposed daughter of Dynasty took up the running at the 400m marker and kept on strongly late to beat the running on favourite EVIL WOMAN by four and a quarter. The market leader had raced at the back of a very strung out field and did well to get as close as she did.
The not so lucky last was a MR80 Handicap over 1600m and here we saw a gutsy front running performance from the top weight GLOBAL DESTINY. Allowed to ease right out to 7/1 from 9/2 at the track, Paddy Kruyer’s charge led throughout, and was four lengths clear coming off the bend. He ran on stoutly down the long home straight and only tiring late held on to score by a half. The runner up ANZAC, and fourth placed OREO SHAKE, both ran on very well from the rear in this race.
Titbits
Top weighted SHIMMERING LEAVES ran on stoutly from towards the rear when runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
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Shooting Stars
Vaal 2nd October: Thursday’s action took place on the sand where the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1450m races was the MR72 Handicap won by one of the rank outsiders of the nine horse party DISCO BOY. Marginally in under sufferance, the 16/1 shot (op 20’s) was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and with the benefit of first run he comfortably accounted for CHEDWIN PARK who finished well from the backend of midfield.
The faster of the two 1000m races (the other was a MR64 Handicap) was the maiden plate won by the newcomer STARSINHISEYES. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 14’s, the Count Dubois filly made all. She raced just a length and a half clear for the first 600m and then cruised clear at the business end of the race to score by six and a quarter.
Another to win with lengths to spare on this card was BREATHLESS in the MR68 Handicap over 1800m. Sent off second in the betting market at 5/1 St John Gray’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and was always handy. She took up the running 600m out and went on to score without any anxious moments by three and three quarters.
Titbits
Detached at the rear early on, BOLD FLASH was running on strongly at the finish when fifth in the MR64 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (12) Seattle Lass 21
Race 2: (2) Gift Of Gold 14
Race 3: (8) Arabica 20
Race 4: (7) Dinesen 75
Race 5: (10) Sparkling Saphir 77 (EW)
Race 6: (1) Nona In Command 62
Race 7: (1) Russian Mig 77
Race 8: (9) Kono 82
Race 9: (17) Dancinginthedesert 60
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Balado 17
Race 2: (6) Argyle Bay 54
Race 3: (8) Throne 30
Race 4: (6) Diana’s Jet 12 (NAP*)
Race 5: (7) Military Leader 25
Race 6: (2) Your Worship 19
Race 7: (7) Kentucky Guest 60
Race 8: (11) Discourse 42
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (2) Wild Dancer 14
Race 2: (4) Victorious Royal 32 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Girlfriend 34
Race 4: (2) Sonny Bill 19
Race 5: (1) Luca Delago 25
Race 6: (2) Flame Cat 57
Race 7: (5) Astro 48
Race 8: (1) Sharp Design 94
Race 9: (4) Banbury 42
Race 10: (16) Royal Duo 62
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (1) Sister Act 21
Race 2: (1) Another Idea 36
Race 3: (1) Do Be Snappy 37 (NAP*)
Race 4: (2) Waning Crescent 16
Race 5: (6) Elusive Stars 40
Race 6: (4) Sussex Song 85
Race 7: (4) Waiting For Rain 16
Race 8: (9) Tibet 47
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (6) Eddie Sweat 82
Race 2: (2) Salander 26
Race 3: (5) Burra Boy 24
Race 4: (5) Umoyana 46
Race 5: (5) Rockaberry Lane 66 (NAP**)
Race 6: (8) The Helmsman 72
Race 7: (6) David’s Flower 56
Race 8: (6) Halloween Night 20
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Top rated winners last week included
Enaad won 7/2
House Of Lorraine won 7/2
South Kensington won 7/2
Charanga won 33/10
Breathless won 5/2
Wild And Windy won 5/2
Sputnik Sweetheart won 15/10
Bold Inspiration won 3/10
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Notebook:-
Bold Inspiration (C Laird, KZN)
One Man’s Dream (L Goosen, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 28th September
Going Standard
1200m (2) Varbration 69,34
1400m (2) Flyfirstclass 81,98
1600m (2) Gijima Sisi 96,26
1800m (1) Bold Inspiration 109,29
2000m (1) Pilgovan Star 123,30
Flamingo Park 29th September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Bella Rina 59,12
1200m (2) Eyes For You 73,56
1400m (2) Stone Reeves 86,82
1600m (1) Jewel Of The Stage 100,83
1800m (2) Carlisie 115,29
Vaal (outside) 30th September
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
1200m (4) One Man’s Dream 70,91
1400m (1) For Gia 83,91
1600m (4) Danish Zealot 96,13
Durbanville 1st October
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) House Of Lorraine 60,11
1300m (3) South Kensington 79,03
1400m (1) Jaminna 86,71
1600m (1) Global Destiny 98,88*
2000m (2) Shakespear’s Lady 125,01
Vaal (sand) 2nd October
Going Standard
1000m (2) Starsinhiseyes 58,44
1200m (1) Park Ridge 74,16
1450m (4) Disco Boy 89,63
1800m (1) Breathless 116,64
